Scot Ross Wylie clinches British GT4 titleposted in GT14 | 09 | 2014
SCOTLAND'S ROSS WYLIE today won the Avon Tyres British GT4 Championship title at his first attempt – 24 hours before his 23rd birthday.
Thornhill’s Wylie (pictured, right, with team-mate Jake) and co-driver Jake Giddings knew exactly what they had to do to seal their first title, having entered the weekend leading the championship by 29.5-points. They duly drove their Beechdean Motorsport Aston Martin Vantage home into a “safety first” fifth place in the 10th and final race at Donington Park.
The duo have enjoyed a phenomenally successful maiden BGT season scoring three wins, three seconds and three fourth place finishes to earn the duo the prestigious title by 17.5-points.
“I’m absolutely delighted to get another British title, my first in car racing, and my first since wining the 2010 British Open Kart Championship,” Wylie — winner of the Ecurie Ecosse Hubcap, presented to the best 'up-and-coming' driver at last year's Scottish Motor racing Club annual awards — beamed.
“Even though fifth place was our worst position of the season, it was a mega result achieved in very difficult circumstances. Obviously there was pressure not to make any mistakes while the racing was very, very close – sometimes too close at times.
“It’s now important for me in the coming weeks to keep the momentum of this GT4 title success going by securing a seat in the GT3 category for 2015.”
The Wylie/Giddings Aston started the two hour race around the 2.5-mile track from second position in the GT4 category courtesy of their combined fastest times in qualifying the previous day.
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Wylie ran second and was challenging for the class lead with 10mins gone – the top-three covered by less than a second at one-quarter distance.
With 75mins remaining, Wylie pitted to Giddings who resumed fourth after all of the pit-stops had been completed and spent much of his stint dicing for third place before making a quick pit-stop for a splash of fuel with less than 10mins remaining.
“It wasn’t a straightforward race by any means," Wylie continued. "With the title at stake, Jake nor I could afford to make any rash moves so we had to play it softly, softly at times ensuring we got to the chequered flag which in many respects, was more difficult than just going flat out as we normally raced.
“Jake had to pit near the end due to a fuel issue which gave me a heart-stopping moment, but in the end it all turned out okay.
“Practice and qualifying had gone well. We concentrated on some long runs in practice although ‘traffic’ was a nightmare in quali.”
Having successfully raced karts throughout Europe, Wylie set his goal on racing in the Le Mans 24 Hours. To that end, he has chosen to gain experience in the ultra-competitive GT category with the aim of one day progressing in to sports-prototype racing.
In only his third full season of car racing Wylie, who has been selected as a British Racing Drivers’ Club “Rising Star”, is already considered one of the most exciting racing talents to come out of Scotland in recent years.
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Jim McGill