Kent’s Gareth Howell will go from being a McLaren test driver into racing in the British GT Championship in 2017.

Following the completion of the successful development season for the 570S GT4, the latest GT model from McLaren will return to the British GT Championship for 2017.

Strengthening the McLaren presence on the grid will be McLaren Automotive Test Driver Gareth Howell who joins customer team In2Racing, driving one of the team’s two-car assault on the GT4 championship.

In his role as Test Driver, Howell has been involved in the development of the three-tier model range from McLaren – Super Series, Ultimate Series and, most recently, the Sports Series – since he joined the company in 2010.

He makes his British GT debut this season, bringing a wealth of experience competing across the UK with multiple British Touring Car Championship race wins between 2000 and 2008.

For the seven-round season, 36-year-old Howell will be joined by fellow ex-BTCC driver Richard Marsh. With the 570S GT4, the pair will be up against one of the largest and most diverse GT4 fields in series’ history.

The In2Racing programme brings the current number of confirmed customer-run McLaren 570S GT4s in the championship to four, alongside UK-based teams Tolman Motorsport and Track Club.

The 2017 British GT Championship features a mix of sprint and endurance races, visiting each of the UK’s major circuits including Silverstone, Brands Hatch, Rockingham and Donington Park, as well as a trip to the fabled Ardennes forest in Belgium to race at Spa Francorchamps.

Round 1 of the British GT Championship takes place on 15-17 April at Oulton Park.