After a year away from competition, Carl Garnett is “very excited to be back” as he prepares to make his return to racing this weekend in the opening rounds of the new-for-2023 Ginetta GT Championship at Oulton Park (08-10 April).
Following a successful three year spell in the Ginetta GT4 SuperCup between 2019 and 2021, in which he twice finished as a class runner-up and secured 14 class wins and 38 podium finishes, Garnett returns to action in the newest addition to Ginetta’s ladder of one-make championships.
The York-based racer, who previously competed in the Mazda MX5 Supercup, will be driving a new car this year in the Ginetta G56 GTP – the successor to the G55 he previously campaigned. His car will be run by the experienced team at Breakell Racing, who enjoyed title glory in Ginetta racing last year.
Garnett has been getting to acquainted with his new car and team in recent weeks. An initial shakedown at Donington Park was followed by official Ginetta test days at Oulton Park and Silverstone, with promising pace being produced throughout.
Garnett, who races with the crucial support of Telescope, AC Database Services and Demon Tweeks, will be racing on the support package of the British GT Championship for six events this year, benefitting from live race streaming online, alongside a couple of standalone Ginetta race meetings.
Carl Garnett: "I'm very excited to be back. It’s all change for 2023, with a new team, a new car and a new championship, but I’m relishing the challenge and have really enjoyed being behind the wheel again across our pre-season tests.
“It’s been a learning curve for me adapting to a new team having raced for the same one through my career so far, but everyone at Breakell Racing have welcomed me and it’s all been going great so far. I’m also working well with my new team-mate Ruben Hage, who’s a very promising young driver.
“A year out of the seat definitely left me a bit rusty, but I’m feeling good in the G56. It’s an intriguing season ahead, as I’ve only raced one of the drivers directly before, so I’m just focusing on enjoying my racing, being in the mix and hopefully earn some trophies if we can.”
Images from Jakob Ebrey Photography.