The Suffolk based team will be tackling their fourth consecutive season in the GT5 Challenge. They enjoyed a best ever campaign last year, with Magnus Kriklywi guiding them to their first Ginetta race win at Croft and a top five championship finish.
Orton (16, Nottingham) joined the team for the final weekend of his debut GT5 campaign this year, and duly netted a breakthrough podium of his own in the last race. That was the high point of a season full of top ten finishes for the 2020 Fiesta Junior vice-champion.
Will Orton: “I’m really looking forward to the 2022 season. I feel I have unfinished business in this championship and hope to put it right. I knew I had the pace last season but I didn’t really showcase this as often as I should. Being a year wiser, running with a new team and having finished the final round on the podium, I feel in a great place to start the season strongly. I can’t wait!”
Hodgkiss (18, Church Aston) showed great progress during his maiden GT5 campaign, with a great run of six consecutive top six finishes in the second half of the season. That run included a first podium result at Croft, as part of a memorable one-three finish for the team.
Nat Hodgkiss: “Returning next year is very exciting! 2021 was what I’d describe as an up and down season with many positives to take but some harsh lessons also, so I’m looking forward to pursuing polish in my performances for 2022. We know the potential is there and just need to capitalise more often.
“With more people in the team this year, it’s going to be interesting as it opens up quite a few more avenues in terms of team strategy, also what we can learn from one and other. There is a lot to look forward to at RCC.”
Donaldson (19, Derby) meanwhile will be making his Ginetta racing debut next season. He started his car-racing career in the BRSCC Mazda MX-5 Championship in late 2019, with some strong progress in the series culminating in a number of podium finishes.
Kian Donaldson: “I am delighted to announce that I will be joining forces with Race Car Consultants for the 2022 Ginetta GT5 Challenge season. Naturally this is the next step up from our previous success in the Mazda’s and I’ve got my sights set on a top three championship position come the end of the season. I cannot wait to get going.”
David Ellesley – Team Principal: “I am thoroughly looking forward to 2022, we have a raft of talent confirmed already. With Kian, we have seen the calibre of driver that Mazda MX5 racing produces, so I have no doubt that Kian will be competitive from the get go.
“As a team we have a great back catalogue of race data and footage that he can utilize, as well as two second year drivers as team-mates. I firmly believe that as a team, we can hit the ground running come the opening round in April.
“Having Nat Hodgkiss and Will Orton back for a second season is also very exciting. Both learnt a lot during their first year in GT5s, so we are looking for them to build on that foundation and push for the championship, which I believe they can both do.
“Our final two drivers are yet to be announced, but having tested several new names, I am confident we will have a full five car line-up for the season.”
Packed grids and close racing makes the Protyre Motorsport Ginetta GT5 Challenge a popular entry-level championship for many aspiring GT racers. In 2022, the series will compete across both British GT and British Touring Car Championship weekends.
