West Surrey Racing has filled the seat of its third BMW 330i M Sport for the remainder of the British Touring Car Championship season, as Lewis Gilbert makes the switch to tin-tops from GB3.
Scottish single-seater convert Gilbert will join WSR from the Thruxton round on 25-26 July, and will partner race-winning duo Charles Rainford and Daryl De Leon in the team’s line-up.
The 22-year-old Gilbert was a successful karter, claiming a European IAME title in 2018, but makes his move into the BTCC with just half a season of car racing under his belt. The Ayrshire driver’s best results in GB3 have been a couple of 10th positions at Spa.
Gilbert is set to test the BMW at Snetterton this week before taking the plunge into the BTCC, where he will be eligible for the Jack Sears Trophy for drivers with a maximum of one overall podium finish in the series before the season.
“I’m only half a season into my car-racing career and already fortunate to be in a position to move into the BTCC, which has been a long-term aim since I started karting,” said Gilbert.
“WSR are the most successful team ever in the BTCC and with all the championships they won in single-seaters before that and the experience they have, I know I’m in the best place possible.
“I definitely feel like I’m in at the deep end with the fastest circuit on the calendar – Thruxton – first, and then my home track at Knockhill, which couldn’t be more different, straight after. But with the knowledge around me at WSR, I’m really looking forward to the challenge.”
WSR supremo Dick Bennetts added: “Throughout our history we’ve developed a strong track record of working with young drivers and turning them into champions, whether it be Colin Turkington and Jake Hill in touring cars, or Ayrton Senna and Mika Hakkinen in Formula 3.
“Lewis is the latest in a long line of such young talents and he makes the switch from single-seaters to touring cars with a huge amount of promise waiting to be untapped.”
It is unclear whether the arrival of Gilbert affects the plan of 2024 champion Hill to return from his sportscar racing career to contest the upcoming Thruxton and Knockhill rounds with WSR. The team only has three entries for the series this year.
