Abbie Eaton returns to British GT with Team Hard

Abbie Eaton (Photo by Marc Waller)

Abbie Eaton (Photo by Marc Waller)Abbie Eaton has announced she will be returning to the British GT championship for the final round of 2017 in a Team Hard Ginetta G55 GT4.

Eaton, The former Mazda Supercup and Dunlop Sportmaxx champion, has barely raced this season due to a lack of budget, last raced in the Blancpain Endurance championship at Monza at the start of the season. Things couldn’t have gone better there where she won her class in the Ferrari 488 Gt3. The first woman ever to win in the Blancpain endurance championship.

Her last British Gt and Gt4 outing was in the Ebor Gt Maserati Gt4 in 2016 when she had a best result of second place. She is hoping for more success on her return;

“I’m really looking forward to learning about the characteristics of the Ginetta GT4 and being back in the British GT paddock. It’s a fun weekend for me but I’m hoping a little rain dance will bring the Ginetta into podium contention at the usually power dominant Donington Park.”

Team boss Tony Gillham has spoken to Eaton about a drive before and is pleased to finally get her in one of his cars;

“Abbie has been around a long time and has driven some fantastic races, we have spoken about working with each other on many occasions, but it has never happened for whatever reason, but the stars have seemed to have aligned and I am excited to see what Abbie can produce behind the wheel of our title winning GT4 Ginetta”

Eaton’s team mate for Donington will be the experienced but still young, Jake Giddings. He has already driven for the team this season with his last outing being at Spa Frnacochamps in Belgium where he took a tenth place finish, seventh in GT4. He is pleased to be returning to the car and the championship;

“Really looking forward to be getting back out on the grid. It was great to be asked to come back to Team Hard to push for that result that everyone deserves and to try finish on that high for the last round of the British GT championship. I am really looking forward to driving with Abbie she’s a quick pedaller, we’ve battled on track so will be good to share a car and see if together we can put the Ginetta though it’s paces.”

Tony Gillham is hoping the duo will make a strong combination;

“Having Jake in the car again is a massive plus for the us, having worked with the boys before at Spa they are all keen to work with him again and it has definitely brought a much needed buzz to the team again. We hope that Abbie and Jake will work well together and help us end a disappointing year with a smile and Silverware.”

Eaton’s return will increase the number of female drivers in the field to two as she joins Anna Walewska, who also races in Gt4 in a Ginetta for Century Motorsport. By Marc Waller

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