Greystone GT partners with Lionshields

-        World-leading XPEL Ultimate PLUS PPF available to Trackday drivers

-        Demonstration set for Donington Park Supercar Trackday on July 30

-        Greystone GT drivers can benefit from expert installation and service

Greystone GT is delighted to announce an exciting new partnership with Lionshields that will bring the world’s leading Paint Protection Film to within easy reach of a large group of passionate Supercar Trackday drivers.

Lionshields is one of the UK’s leading paint-protection film experts, specialising in the application of XPEL Paint Protection Films - self-healing films produced by the global market leader XPEL that help prevent stone chips, scratches and swirl marks on a car’s body.

Greystone GT customers can now benefit from Lionshields’ expert finishing, legendary attention to detail and 10-year warranties around full-front end, side sill and full-car PPF packages.

Lionshields will attend the Greystone GT Supercar Trackday on July 30 at Donington Park, where they will display a range of vehicles that have benefitted from their PPF treatment and answer questions on the topic.

Mark McLoughlin, Managing Director, Greystone GT, said: “We are delighted to announce this partnership with Lionshields. We see lots of high-value supercars being put through their paces by owners who are passionate about their vehicles. A high-quality paint-protection film gives added peace of mind that a supercar will be protected from the elements, not only on-track, but on the open road as well. Lionshields and XPEL Ultimate PLUS is a combination that is already on cars belonging to several Greystone GT drivers - who are delighted with the results. I’m excited to see more introduced to their services at Donington.”

Callum MacLeod, Director, Lionshields, said: “We’re thrilled to enter a partnership with Greystone GT. We first met Mark and the team a little while ago and have been privileged to be entrusted with installing XPEL Ultimate PLUS to a number of their customers’ supercars already. Our team of expert installers are looking forward to being introduced to the wider Greystone GT trackday community at Donington Park on July 30 to showcase the range of benefits that PPF can have on a high-value car.”

Greystone GT partners with Gulf Race Fuels

Greystone GT is delighted to announce a partnership with Gulf Race Fuels ahead of our High-Performance Test Days at Silverstone on June 9-10.

With a 100-year heritage, the Gulf brand is globally recognised and trusted, and developed iconic status in motorsport through its association with Steve McQueen’s Le Mans movie plus its sponsorship of the winning Ford GT40s in 1968 and ’69.

Half a decade on, the famous orange and blue logo continues to feature prominently in a variety of motorsport series, including in Formula 1 with McLaren.

Gulf branding will feature in the Greystone GT pit garage from this weekend’s GT Cup event at Donington Park onwards, while Gulf Race Fuels will be available to all participants at upcoming High-Performance Test Days.

For more information about Gulf Race Fuels, please visit https://gulfracefuels.com/.

Top-six finish for Greystone GT amid 45-car GT Cup field at Brands Hatch

Greystone GT’s first-ever race season continued at a relentless pace as the GT Cup moved on to the legendary Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit in Kent last weekend.

Four finishes from four starts for the pair of McLaren 570S GT4s strengthened the Silverstone-based team’s start to life as a racing operation with more strong race performances in evidence.

After a top-five result at the opening round of the season at Donington Park, rookie racer Iain Campbell and his professional co-driver Oli Webb were the team’s highest-finishing crew at Brands Hatch in sixth spot in the #23 car.

Sandhurst racer Iain had started the second of two 50-minute ‘Endurance’ races from 13th place in the ultra-competitive GTH class, but maintained his recent trend of gaining ground at the start to climb to 10th among a record 45-car field for the series.

He coped superbly with a shattered drivers’-side window - probably caused by an impact with a stone thrown up by another car - that required him to wind the window down just to be able to use his wing mirror and resulted in excessive wind in the car.

A driver change swiftly executed by Greystone GT’s experienced pit crew released Oli - the practice pace-setter - into the thick of the action as the Knutsford ace - racing on the GP loop for the first time in 11 years - continued to climb the order.

A determined charge during the second half of the race brought the former European Le Mans Series champion to sixth - just 0.158 seconds away from a repeat of their Donington result. That added to ninth spot in Race One from 12th on the grid.

The sister #77 McLaren was qualified 12th by Mark who, like Iain, was lacking in any meaningful track experience of the 2.6-mile GP loop at Brands Hatch, and was Greystone GT’s top qualifier for the first time.

The Repton racer and his pro driver Adam combined to finish 11th in Race One and 10th in Race Two.

On both occasions Adam’s progress was hampered by being held up behind cars from ‘faster’ classes; the Northern Irishman quicker over a complete lap, but unable to match the more powerful GTA and GTC-class cars on the straights, where passing is usually easiest.

The results at Brands Hatch leave Iain an Oli eighth in the GTH points while Mark and Adam are 11th with two of seven rounds completed.

The next round, a traditional two-day, four-race event, takes place at Snetterton, Norfolk on June 5-6.

Iain Campbell (#23 McLaren 570S GT4) said: “To have a pair of top-six finishes from our first two race weekends is way beyond what I expected from the start of my rookie season, and certainly from where we started the races. Brands Hatch was tougher than Donington because I’d never driven the McLaren here in the dry before, so that definitely affected my ability to qualify well. By the end of Saturday we’d learnt a lot and I was faster than I’d been in qualifying - even with the issue with the window - so if this had been a normal four-race weekend, I know we’d have been so much better off on Sunday.”

Oli Webb (#23 McLaren 570S GT4) said: “I had an absolute blast in Race Two; another lap and I’d have had fifth place, but to come from 10th to sixth in 20 minutes of racing was really fun. We were also the fastest of the McLarens in that race, which was really pleasing and shows the good work the team’s done, and I think I knew that was possible after we’d gone fastest in practice - my first flying lap at Brands Hatch since 2010! Iain made big gains across the day as he became more familiar with the track and I think that when we go to Snetterton - a track he knows better - that learning curve will be much flatter.”

Mark Hopton (#77 McLaren 570S GT4): “It was a really good day and I learnt a lot. Having practice, qualifying and two enduros in a day is pretty physically demanding, but it was so much fun. If I can say that after an experience that’s probably as tough as it’s going to get all season, then we’re certainly doing something right. I didn’t have much track knowledge of the GP loop, but Adam - who’s the outright lap record holder here - was a great help. I managed to make my first overtake for position and to qualify faster than my team-mate, so they’re really the positives to take away. I’m looking forward to Snetterton already.”

Adam Carroll (#77 McLaren 570S GT4): “Overall it’s been a positive weekend and the improvement Mark’s made, mainly just through having had that race experience at Donington, has been excellent and definitely makes us a stronger pairing. It was interesting that my fastest lap was pretty much identical to Oli’s all day and great that Mark was the team’s quickest qualifier, which again shows his progress from Donington, despite not knowing the track all that well. The races were so action-packed, and I found myself racing cars from loads of different classes - I even passed a GT3 car! I think we have a lot to be confident about for Snetterton."

Mark McLoughlin, Team Principal, said: “We’re really pleased with how things went, and that’s all down to the hard work done by every member of the team. There was a concern going into Saturday that Iain and Mark’s lack of experience at this track might make things a bit tougher than at Donington, but both have grown in confidence since the first event and it really showed. The very positive thing is that we’re working well together as a team, the Sporting and Pro drivers have really gelled and we’re only going to get stronger and stronger as we go on.”

Greystone GT in top five on race debut at Donington

Greystone GT scored a pair of top-five finishes as the new team made its race debut in a record-breaking GT Cup season opener at Donington Park last weekend.

The racing division of the Silverstone-based organisation was only formed last October and had pulled out all the stops to enter three immaculately-presented McLaren 570S GT4s as part of a 38-car grid - the biggest in GT Cup history - at the East Midlands track.

Rookies Iain Campbell, Mark Hopton and Rich Mason were paired with international racing champions Oli Webb, Adam Carroll and Jon Lancaster, whose speed and experience has proved invaluable in preparing them for their first taste of racing.

The result was that Jon and Oli - both European Le Mans Series Champions - were able to partner Rich and Iain to fourth and fifth-placed finishes in the fourth and final race of the weekend with Mark and Adam seventh.

That final race - a 50-minute enduro in which Sporting drivers like Iain, Mark and Rich are allowed to share with experienced professionals - had featured a three-way fight for fourth between Oli, Adam and Jon, which turned on its head late on.

First, former IndyCar racer Adam was given a stop-go penalty for being one second under the minimum 75-second minimum time when he took over the #77 McLaren from Mark, falling from fifth to seventh.

Then, after finishing fourth on the road, the #23 machine of Iain and Oli was penalised five-seconds post-race for overtaking behind the safety car, dropping the duo to fifth and promoting Rich and Jon in their place.

Iain, from Sandurst, had finished eighth in each day’s Sprint Race - which the pro racers are barred from competing in by series regulations - and combined with Knutsford racer Oli to finish sixth in Saturday’s Pitstop Race.

Rich, from Harrogate, had taken 11th in each of the Sprints, but a late charge from Leeds racer Jon brought them back to ninth by the chequered flag in Saturday’s Pitstop Race.

Repton racer Mark made excellent progress across the two-day meeting. He was not classified as a finisher in the opening Sprint Race after a late incident, but with the experience gained he claimed his first series point with 10th on Sunday.

Teaming up with Adam in the Pitstop races, the pair were 11th on Saturday before improving to seventh 24 hours later.

They are 12th in the GTH Championship points with Rich and Jon in 11th and Iain and Oli ninth.

Rich Mason (#22 McLaren 570S GT4) said: “We had some highs and lows and I made a couple of schoolboy errors on Saturday, but I learnt a lot and I managed to get quicker every time I got in the car. It was just an amazing experience and the team did a fantastic job of helping us to get up to speed. It was great to see the progress on Sunday, when I qualified half a second quicker than I’d been the previous day, and that really helped us to set things up for us to finish fourth in the Sunday Pitstop Race. I definitely plan to be back later in the year because I’ve really bitten the bug now.”

Jon Lancaster (#22 McLaren 570S GT4) said: “I’m quite surprised we got the fourth place at the end, especially as Rich and I had only done two days together before the build-up to the Donington races. The Greystone GT team is very professional and incredibly well-run and that kind of environment helps everyone to work together better. It’s certainly been good for Rich because he’s massively under-practiced compared to many of the other drivers and his positivity and willingess to solve problems has just been amazing.”

Iain Campbell (#23 McLaren 570S GT4) said: “It was a real baptism of fire with the biggest grid in GT Cup history and on the shortest track on the calendar, but a hugely enjoyable time. The professionalism of the team and the patience Oli’s shown has been brilliant and it’s really helped me to settle into the car faster. I was pretty happy with my driving on Saturday, but then we just kept on improving things over the weekend - by the races I was lapping quicker than I’d been in qualifying. I think that’s the key area I want to work on now to get as high up the grid as possible and give ourselves a chance for better results.”

Oli Webb (#23 McLaren 570S GT4) said: “We’ve had some really promising results this weekend and Iain should be very proud of that. He’s a rookie that’s lapped Donington half a second faster than he’s ever gone in testing in the McLaren and only two or three tenths slower than the reigning GT Cup champions, so that’s a really good effort. Don’t forget that this weekend was his first rolling start, his first safety-car period etc. We know what we have to work on between now and Brands Hatch to help Iain extract a bit more from himself and the car and I’m sure we can get there quickly.”

Mark Hopton (#77 McLaren 570S GT4) said: “What a fantastic experience; I’m still buzzing! Sure we had plenty of highs and lows, but I loved every minute and the last race - by which time I felt I was getting the hang of things - was great. Having 38 cars on the grid, all from different classes and with different levels of speed, meant you were either lapping or being lapped all the time and that took quite some time to get used to. But the team and Adam worked really hard to prepare me and now I know a lot more of what I should expect at Brands Hatch next month.”

Adam Carroll (#77 McLaren 570S GT4) said: “It’s been such a positive start for everybody involved with Greystone GT over the weekend. We’ve had highs and lows over the weekend, but we’ve definitely finsihed on a high and that seventh place could easily have been fourth were it not for a penalty that really isn’t anybody’s fault. Mark was excited about this weekend but now he knows for sure how different racing is compared to his experience. He did a really good job, learnt very quickly and I know we can move forwards at Brands Hatch.”

Mark McLoughlin, Team Principal, said: “I can’t even begin to say how proud I am of the whole team. We knew this weekend would be a huge challenge; our first race event as part of the GT Cup’s biggest-ever grid. Plus we entered the biggest class with the highest number of pro drivers, but we’ve come out if it having had a fantastic experience. Everyone dug deep, be it drivers, technicians or operations staff and I really can’t wait for Brands Hatch. We know we have some things to improve on, but I’d call it a very positive experience.”

Greystone GT add third McLaren for GT Cup opener

• Rich Mason adds McLaren 570S GT4 to expanded GTH line-up

• International sportscar champion Jon Lancaster to co-drive

• Additional outings planned for Yorkshire duo

Greystone GT is delighted to announce the entry of a third McLaren 570S GT4 for the opening round of the GT Cup at Donington Park on April 10-11.

Racing newcomer Rich Mason will be partnered by international sportscar racing champion Jon Lancaster in the GTH class in an extra car to complement the full-time entries of Mark Hopton/Adam Carroll and Iain Campbell/Oli Webb. 

Rich, from Harrogate, was a regular competitor in club-level motocross during the 1990s, and has been part of the Greystone GT family for several years; beginning his relationship with the Silverstone-based team through its renowned Supercar Trackday programme.

He later expanded his horizons by stepping up to a track-based programme behind the wheel of a Ginetta G55 GT4 and has, since last Summer, continued to build his experience in the McLaren.

Jon, 32, has made winning international races a habit during a professional circuit-racing career that began in 2006.

Runner-up in the Formula Renault Eurocup in 2007, the Leeds driver later won races in the intensely competitive Formula 3 Euro Series, Formula Renault 3.5 and GP2 Series while on the single-seater ladder towards F1.

He began racing sportscars in 2013 in the FIA World Endurance Championship and brilliantly claimed the overall European Le Mans Series title two years later. Last season he raced in both the ELMS and WEC and has twice contested the Le Mans 24 Hours.

The 570s GT4, whose livery bears resemblance to McLaren’s ultra-successful F1 campaigns of the 1980s, is set to enter further GT Cup races during the latter stages of the season. Dates and venues will be announced at a later date once decided.

Rich Mason said: “I’m excited to start racing in the GT Cup. It’s looking like such a high-quality series this year that I know it’s going to be tough, but we’re just going to take things one step at a time and try to make some good progress. The Greystone GT team have prepared me well for this, and the work Jon and I have done together since last October in the McLaren has left me reasonably confident that I push myself to the limit, but not beyond it, and just keep listening and learning. At the moment we’re only confirmed for the first event, but I reckon we’ll add a few more in the second half of the season.”

Jon Lancaster said: “I’m pretty excited to be racing in a UK series for the first time since 2006, and in the McLaren too, which is such an iconic name in motor racing and one that most drivers would dream of getting behind the wheel of. Rich and I have worked together since last October and I can see a clear line of progression in his driving; something that’s only going to continue as he gains experience in racing. The GT Cup looks super-competitive this year with maybe it’s best-ever line-up of drivers, and it’s great to be a part of it. We’re not really setting any targets other than to make sure Rich has a good time and gets really confident with the car in a race situation so we can help take him to the next level.”

Mark McLoughlin, Team Principal, said: “It’s fantastic to be able to add a third car to the line-up for Donington and potentially a few more events later in the season. It’s also thoroughly satisfying to know that we’ve been able to help Rich move from trackday driver to fully-fledged racer in one of the UK’s most competitive GT series in just a couple of years. All three of our sporting drivers in the GT Cup have come into Greystone GT in the same way, so it’s great to know that our work behind the scenes is equipping drivers like Rich with what they need to take the step into racing. I’m sure he and Jon will work well together and move forwards through what’s sure to be an exciting campaign.”