> Moss and Osborne team up in McLaren 720S GT3
Optimum Motorsport makes its Intelligent Money British GT Championship return at the Silverstone 500 on May 7/8 with Nick Moss and McLaren factory driver Joe Osborne.
2022 sees the Pro-Am duo focusing on their third full season of GT Open together. But they’re also making an excursion to the Home of British Motor Racing for British GT’s blue riband, three-hour race, which comprises Round 3 of this year’s domestic campaign.
Optimum won GT3 titles in 2018 and ’19 with Aston Martin before switching to McLaren three years ago – the team’s final full-season British GT campaign. There have also been several race-by-race appearances since then, including at Silverstone last year.
Moss and Osborne’s GT Open involvement has resulted in two outright victories as well as third place Pro-Am championship finishes in each of the European series’ last two seasons. Now the duo will test themselves against at least 18 other GT3 entries at Silverstone where further race-by-race competitors are also scheduled to compete.
While Moss will be making his British GT debut, Osborne’s involvement has been largely restricted to commentary duties since his last full-season campaign in 2018, although he did make several appearances with a Balfe Motorsport-run 720S GT3 in 2020.
“Doing the Silverstone 500 is super exciting for so many reasons!” he said. “One, being teamed up with Nick I know what a strong job he can do, so that means we’ve got a decent chance of a mega result.
“The McLaren 720S GT3 has gone well at Silverstone and it’s my home race. I’ve not raced in the UK for a few years so I’m excited to get going.”
The Silverstone 500 is one of two three-hour races on this year’s calendar and features two more pitstops than British GT’s typical endurance contests. As such, team strategy can play a far greater role in its outcome.