The 2019 Mini Challenge UK champion and 2020 KwikFit British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) ace James Gornall will join Team HARD. Racing for the upcoming two-day Goodyear tyre test at Oulton Park.
Following Glynn Geddie’s departure from the team last week for personal reasons, a seat has become available to drive the teams new CUPRA Leon for the remainder of the season alongside Jack Goff, Aron Taylor-Smith and Nicolas Hamilton.
Gornall made his debut in the BTCC last season, scoring 18 points and a career best finish of P7 in the 18 races he competed in. Gornall decided to step away from the BTCC before the season was completed due to budget complications caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.
Gornall, a former British GT Champion commented, “I’m excited to try the new CUPRA around Oulton Park this week. The car is going from strength to strength and having spent 10 months out of a BTCC car I can’t wait to jump back in and help the team develop the car for the second half of the season.
“I’d like to thank Tony and his team for giving me this opportunity, also Dreelside Engieering and Ian Gornall Financial Planning.”
Tony Gilham, Managing Director at Team HARD. Racing added “It’s great to have James join us for this season’s Goodyear tyre test at Oulton Park. He is a reliable, safe yet fast pair of hands and his experience in Motorsport is only going to help our development of the new CUPRA Leon.
“He was very impressive last season and held his own against a teammate who was vastly more experienced in this category so I have no doubt that after the morning is spent shaking off a few cobwebs James will be right there with the rest of the team. We have a very detailed testing programme for James to execute over the next couple of days, so I am looking forward to seeing how not only he, but also the car progresses.
“The team are really on a high at the moment after a strong showing at Brands Hatch and we are all excited to continue developing the car. Obviously, we are disappointed that Glynn is no longer with us, but James is a great personality and I know he is going to fit into the team straight away.”
The BTCC heads to Oulton Park on Tuesday 6th July for the accustomed two day, mid-season Goodyear tyre test that will see all of the 2021 entries run through various testing programmes as they look to start the second half of the season on the front foot.