“With limited track time in FP1 and 2, we didn’t qualify where we wanted to and started off in P9. We had good pace throughout all three races, finishing 4th in both races one and two, however, was awarded P7 in the second race due to a false start. We, unfortunately, ended the weekend with a DNF due to an unavoidable collision.”

Seb Melrose; GT4 Supercup

“What started out looking to be a difficult weekend ended up being a very solid one. Battling with the top 10 in Sunday’s races made it an exciting weekend, and proved the progress we’ve made throughout the season – with both my pace and our car set-up.

“Thanks a lot to all the lads and ladies in Team HARD. who have made this season what it’s been!”

Eric Boulton; GT4 Supercup

“It was great to get back behind the wheel and racing again with Team HARD. We had a few struggles with the car during Friday testing, as I haven’t had much set-up time this season. However, we showed good pace on Saturday, and have come away very happy with Sunday’s performance, and a P3 in the Pro-Am class!

“Thanks again to Team HARD. for the support and good times!”

AJ Rock; Ginetta Junior Championship

“Overall, the weekend at Donington Park was good. After a poor qualifying, we made the places up from P13 to finish P9.

“This proved that we had the pace, however, race two came to an early finish while sitting in P7, so we didn’t get much opportunity to make up more positions.

“We started race three in P12 and with a brilliant start, we gained 6 places and were closing the gap to 5th when an unfortunate incident took us out of the race. 

“We’ve taken a lot of positives from the car this weekend, and look forward to heading to Brands all guns blazing!”

AJ Rock; Ginetta Junior Championship

In only his second Ginetta Junior event, AJ made great progress through the field at a challenging circuit and learned more about the new racer he’s piloting. At only 14, and having never raced at the Derbyshire venue before, AJ constantly upped his game over the course of the four days and is looking to improve further at Brands Hatch in two weeks’ time.

“I started P25 and made my way up to P21. The first half of the race was great, but the car got twitchy later on when I lost my bumper. I’ve never been to Donington Park before and managed to make up four seconds from Thursday’s times.

“Brands Hatch should be good – it will be difficult for sure, but that’s how I like it.”

MINI Challenge UK

Kenan Dole: “For me, it was a weekend of learning the track which I knew I couldn’t learn any faster than the time given. I went into the weekend not expecting too much and was willing to treat it like a bit of a test, however it went well considering the circumstances. I am now hoping I can learn Croft a bit quick and keep up the consistent results there too”.

Porsche Carrera Cup

Josh Stanton: “Overall, it was a really positive weekend for us! A small mistake on my part in qualifying set us back, but the team soon picked me back up and we were ready for race 1. We had some strong pace but struggled to make progress due to the nature of Knockhill as a circuit.

“In race 2, we managed to pass a few cars and get on the back of the leader in our class come the penultimate lap but sadly we ran out of time. However, it’s very encouraging seeing the pace of the car develop!”

“I need to say a huge thanks to the team and Paul Rees for a faultless car all weekend! Nathan had a very unlucky weekend but showed his class as a teammate to be pushing me on from trackside and I know he’ll bounce back for Croft. Finally, a huge thanks to Evolution and Puffin for travelling up to Knockhill and for their support! They made the weekend one to remember. P3 and P2 in class… we’re getting closer to that P1!”.

Nathan Harrison: “Motorsport is full of highs and lows and this weekend at Knockhill was definitely a big low for us. To start, we were taken out in race 1 which caused quite a bit of damage to the car and resulted in a DNF result as I couldn’t finish the race.”

“Team HARD. Racing did an amazing job to get me back out on track for race 2 but this race didn’t go much better either resulting in another DNF and a car on fire! Despite the poor weekend, we pick ourselves back up and move onto the next race. I’m looking forward to making a strong comeback at Croft and seeing what I can do.”

Ginetta GT4 SuperCup

Seb Melrose: “It was my home race at Knockhill circuit this weekend and I was proud to be there representing the Scottish flag in the car. I was blessed with the amount of support I got over the weekend, it really was non-stop with lots of fans wishing me luck, messaging me, asking for pictures and autographs. It really was amazing that I received such incredible support.”

“It was a slightly annoying weekend for me because the pace was there, but it just didn’t really fall into place for us like we wanted it too, but that’s racing. I think a lot of it is a lack of experience on my behalf. I qualified quite near the back, and I think that’s simply down to the fact that I never got the tyres correct and didn’t make the strategic decision to do a full lap. Everyone got their laps up sooner than I did and I got caught out with the weather, meaning I had to put wet tyres on and try to qualify in the wet which didn’t work out very well.

“Before race 1 I was feeling fairly strong but I struggled to get off the line as the car went into fail safe mode and wouldn’t select a gear. I had a bit of wheel spin which lost me time and put me to the back of the pack before I even got to turn 1. However, I managed to fight my way through to P11 or 12 but I was gutted I couldn’t get any further up the grid.

“In race 2, unfortunately I had to retire because I got hit up the back. I was fighting strong around the mid pack area, but a car spun out in front of me, and I had to avoid him by going into the gravel which dropped me a few places. As I was making my way back through, I got hit from behind quite hard and had to retire only six laps into the race. I was absolutely gutted and my heart sank.

“When my sponsors turned up on Sunday my car was looking battered and bruised but they were really impressed by the hospitality that Team HARD. put together and thankfully I managed to put on a good show for them in race 3, fighting from the back all the way to P9. The sponsors and my family were really impressed and I managed to get a decent result for the team which is important to me because they work so hard and the least I can do is give them a good result. The Sunday was very positive and as I said before the fans were great. I think my sponsors enjoyed themselves and I’m really grateful for everything”.

Josh Stanton: “That was a strong weekend for us overall. I achieved a P3 and a P2 in class and the pace was strong. We still have some learning to do, especially in the wet, but we’re progressing and that’s what matters!

“The team gave us a great car and I’m glad Nathan and I could bring home some trophies for them! A huge thanks to Evolution, Grayson Pace and Puffin solutions for their support! I can’t wait for Knockhill.”

Nathan Harrison: “I believe myself and team HARD. have made a massive step in the right direction this weekend. The car was mega all day and we made progress. It was a very racey car, it did not go off and it was still like that towards the end of the races which was such a huge improvement and has given me that confidence to race now.

“I scored two P3’s in class. It was nice to be back on the podium and win points for the championship. Our next step now is to try and get that win which is a target for Knockhill. In race 1 on the Saturday, we completely messed the start up and nearly stalled the car which dropped us back to P17. We managed to fight our way back through to P12 and P3 in class which resulted in a good race in the end. The race on Sunday we had a good start and stayed in position but from there on it was a really difficult track to overtake on. Stanley was holding us up and I just couldn’t get around him. I believe if we could’ve got past him, we would have caught the others and perhaps tagged onto the back of the Pro’s because the pace was there, but unfortunately, we could just not show it because of Stanley defending.

“All round it was a good weekend and I’m thankful we had no damage. It was a freaky weekend for a lot of people with a lot of crashes, but we managed to stay out of trouble, keep clean and bag those points. It was such a massive team effort, and the team made an improvement with the truck, putting a new image on the truck and the awning which got loads of people talking about it. We are going in the right direction, learning the car more and hopefully soon will be fighting on the back of the pros. Next step: Try to get myself and team hard first win in the Pro Am Porsche GB.”

MINI CHALLENGE UK

Kenan Dole: “This weekend really showed the up and down rollercoaster journey that motorsport is. Obviously coming off the back of a really good weekend at Brands Hatch to then having such a poor weekend at Oulton Park has been quite draining and challenging to say the least. However, I am looking forward to the next round at Knockhill and am expecting better results.”

Paul Taylor: “After a terrible Friday testing session with fuel pump and sensor issues, we managed to get the car sorted for qualifying. We decided after only limited track time to save the tyres for race days and qualified in P24.

“Race one was a staged progress with a braking issue and we finished in P20. The team did a mega job in getting the set up right and fixing the brake issues for race 2 where we made great progress and managed to get up to P16, but unfortunately then had a spin after braking early trying to avoid action from Gravet and ended up finishing last under a red flag. Overall, it was not a great weekend, bring on the next round!”

Ginetta GT4 Supercup

Joe Marshall: “The car ran faultlessly all weekend and the boys did a mega job with the set up which resulted in a P4 finish for race 2. In race 1, we had the pace but a little mistake on my part pushed me to the back of the grid, but we fought and I made my way through the pack into P9. Overall, it was a good weekend and a lot of positives came out of it which I can take into Knockhill.”

Seb Melrose: “It was a really tough weekend for me. I seemed to be struggling from the get go with pace around Oulton Park then a red flag in qualifying meant I couldn’t get out for my flying lap which meant I started from the back.

“In race 1, I had a crash on lap 2 which meant I had to retire. The team done a terrific job to rebuild the car ready for race 2 on the Sunday. Unfortunately, I had to start from the back again and with the car still not being right after it’s damage the previous day, it was a struggle. However, I managed to make my way up the field to P10 but during one of the battles I got hit wide and dropped 3 places. The learning curve was steep but with every race meeting I continue to learn more about the cars. Onwards and upwards to my home circuit at Knockhill in 2 weeks.”

Mini Challenge UK:

Kenan Dole: “That was a much better weekend from the last round where we suffered two DNF’s. Too actually finish all 3 races was much better and to be in the top 10 of all 3 races is exactly what I was aiming for. Now that’s out of the way and done, we can move on and push for podiums which is what I did in the last race. I wanted the full podium spot, I pushed for it but unfortunately it didn’t work out this time, but there is plenty more rounds to go and we will be pushing for podiums again and again. This time around it was better racing and much more fun, and that’s what it’s all about.”

Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup:

Seb Melrose: “Race 3 was a very fun race and I was having to fight my way back through the pack after a rotten start had me drop me 4 places. The car was incredibly well balanced and had pace that was quick enough for the front. The pack in front of me pulled a gap because of the battle I had which was a shame as a couple more laps and I would have been on them. The team were great and I can’t wait for Oulton park. The results are coming”

Joe Marshall: “The car felt mega this weekend and the only thing holding me back was traffic on the track. It played a huge part in having to attack and defend which didn’t help my race but the boys at Team HARD. did a great job as always.”

Porsche Carrera Cup:

Nathan Harrison: “Brands Indy for me has always been a bit of a bogey track for what reason I don’t know but we’ve always had some good results there over the years in MINI’s. We qualified P4 in class and to be honest I made a mistake and judged the timings completely wrong. I went out a bit sooner than I should have done and when my new tyres were at their prime was when everyone else started coming out of the pits which meant I didn’t get the clean lap that I needed to make my way up the grid. However, we live and learn from our mistakes.

“In race 1 we were really struggling with the car. I was suffering with a bit of over steer and just lacking confidence in the car, and we finished P4 in the Pro AM class. For Race 2 we had a mega start, gained a couple of positions and were P3 in Pro AM class for the majority of the race until around 6 minutes to the end when another competitor pushed us wide on the last corner and I lost position. I couldn’t gain it back after that.

“The weekend resulted in P4 in both races which isn’t horrendous and gave me some good points for the championship. It’s a long year so the main thing is that we finished and scored points in both races and for myself, I learnt what I’ve got to do next time out in qualifying and know not to make that same mistake again. I also improved on both my starts which shows to me that we are getting faster and learning mire every time we get in the car. All round it was a good weekend with the team and it was nice to have my sponsor, James Warburton there too.”

Josh Stanton: “It was a brilliant weekend for us! A double podium with two P3 finishes! We found good pace and developed the car nicely! Of course we have points to work on, but I’m definitely happy with our progress! Huge thanks to everyone at Team HARD. and to Evolution, Grayson Pace and Puffin Solution for their ongoing support! I can’t wait for Oulton now!”

Porsche Carrera Cup:

Nathan Harrison: “I don’t think myself and Team HARD. have done a bad job for our first weekend in the Porsche Carrera GB. To come away with two second places and third in the Pro AM championship, I don’t think that’s a bad effort at all considering other drivers have more experience in driving a Porsche.

“Josh and I are very new to this challenge. Josh did an exceptional job finishing in P3 in the AM category. Overall, it was an effortless weekend from Team HARD, everything ran smoothly, and they’ve given me a great car. I still think we’ve got a lot to learn as a team but we’re all new to this and I believe that every day that we are out racing, we are learning more and going to get stronger.

“Race 1 was very different to what I’m used to in the MINI. From the racing side of things, a lot of people give you more respect and it was nice to have a clean race. However, race 2 was an extremely difficult race and we had a bad start where we dropped back to P4 in class. We managed to slowly chip away at it and bring it back to P2 but there was a bit of bumping in it. At turn 2 we got loaded from behind and in lap 1 going into the first hairpin we got put on the grass but thankfully held our own. We still came away with a good result and two lovely trophies.

“All round, it was a good weekend and I’m happy with way it went. Roll on Brands Hatch in two weeks and hopefully we can go that one better and get that win. Thanks to Team HARD. and all my partners for making this possible”.

Josh Stanton: “For a first weekend I think we can be really happy! Against some very experienced competitors, a P3 and solid points is a good result. The car ran faultlessly all weekend thanks to the team. I still have to pinch myself every time I get in the car. I also want to say a huge thanks to Evolution, Puffin and Grayson Pace for their support in getting me this far. Onwards and upwards to Brands!”

Ginetta GT4 Supercup:

Seb Melrose: “It was a very difficult weekend for me which was kind of half expected with the Supercup being a fairly new experience. The learning curve started from the get-go when I had to figure out how a Ginetta Supercup car handles new tyres. Unfortunately, I qualified poorly in P17 and although every lap was quicker, I never managed to set my quickest time while the tyres were at their peak performance. Then, race 1 was short lived with the driveshaft bursting on the way up to the grid. I was gutted as that was vital seat time that I missed out on.

“Starting off the back of the grid for race 2 was always going to be interesting. I picked up damage on lap one from getting hit twice which meant it was difficult to handle and fully attack to get through the pack. We had done a set up change for race 2 which we couldn’t give feedback on due to the damage that was on the car and that was disappointing.

“Going into race 3 I had strong hopes. I managed to start the race thankfully with no issues and gained a couple of places on the first lap but when the tyres fully switched on I started to drop back. I was struggling with the setup on the car mainly through the front end and never managed to gain on the pack in front. It was a fairly boring race because I had pulled a gap from the cars behind me but the cars in front of me had also pulled a gap on me.

“Overall it was a tough weekend but Team HARD. worked incredibly well so I can’t thank them enough.”

Joe Marshall: “The weekend didn’t exactly start out in the way I’d hoped, ending up way down the grid in FP1. However, the boys at Team HARD. did a great job with the set up for FP2, resulting in a fifth place at the end of that session. Unfortunately, qualifying was disappointing but a lot of lessons were learnt in the process so that by Sunday afternoon, despite starting Race 3 in P11 and given how tight the field is, we managed to bring her home in P4. So there are a lot of positives to take from Snetterton and I want to carry that forward to Brands Hatch next weekend.

“Big thank you to everyone at Team HARD, my family and especially the support of Marshall & Co Chartered Accountants.”

Mini Challenge UK:

Kenan Dole: “First of all, where is the reset button? This deal came along a little later on in the season and unfortunately when getting the car back it had minimal prep which immediately put us on the back foot through no fault of the team. The team had no choice but to build it from the truck which wasn’t ideal, but everyone did the best job that they could. Looking forward, we will put this weekend behind us and start afresh next weekend at Brands and hopefully from then onwards have a consistent year of racing!”

Melrose will be joining championship returnee Joe Marshall for the 2021 Supercup assault and both will be heading to the track this weekend for rounds 4, 5 and 6 of the championship.

Melrose has a very professional approach both in and out of the car. He first began racing in 2014 aged 16 and in the same year entered his first away race at Brands Hatch. He has raced in the Formula Ford 1600 series, achieving several race wins and finished his second season 5^th in the championship. In 2017 and 2018, Melrose finished 2^nd in the Scottish Formula Ford 1600 in both seasons, winning the David Leslie Trophy and the Formula Ford Champion of Brands award whilst racing at Brands Hatch.

In 2019, Melrose moved into closed wheel racing and joined Walkenhorst Motorsport in Germany to race a BMW M4 GT4 in the VLN Series.

He commented “I’m really looking forward to competing in the Ginetta GT4 SuperCup this year. First of all I would like to thank Tony Gilham, everyone at Team HARD. Racing and my partners for giving me this exciting opportunity. This is something very new to me and I can’t wait to get started.

“I may have never driven a Ginetta before last weekend but I have plenty of rear wheel drive experience having driven the BMW previously in the VLN series which should help me to get up to speed pretty quickly. I am not expecting an easy ride because the field is very competitive this year but I’m confident that I will bring my A-game and hopefully achieve some solid finishes throughout the season and sneak onto the podium”.

The Scottish driver was due to take part in the Porsche Carrera Cup last year, however due to Covid-19 restrictions Melrose opted to take a season on the side lines.

Last weekend, Melrose competed in the GT Cup Championship at Snetterton, placing 3^rd in class for the sprint race and 2^nd in class for the feature race.

Managing Director at Team HARD. Racing, Tony Gilham said: “We are delighted to welcome Seb to the team and are really looking forward to working with him in this seasons Ginetta Supercup.

“Seb has made some fantastic achievements in the past and there is no doubt that he is a very capable racing driver. Despite having never turned a wheel in a Ginetta before, Seb put on a fantastic performance during the GT Cup Championship last weekend and really impressed everyone in the team. To finish the weekend 2^nd and 3^rd in class is a huge achievement for a first outing in a Ginetta.

“Seb is a very professional and skilled guy who can bring a lot to the grid in the Ginetta Supercup. I’m really excited to see him get stuck in and can’t wait to see what he can do”.

2021 marks the team’s 5^th year competing in the Ginetta GT4 Supercup which supports the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship. The series will be televised LIVE on ITV4 for all upcoming rounds giving the championship unrivalled coverage within national motorsport.

Multiple Mazda MX5 Superseries race winner Joe Marshall will return to the Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup championship in 2021 with Team HARD. Racing having competed in the 2020 season with Rob Boston Racing. Marshall, from Cheshire, finished 6^th overall in the championships ‘Pro’ category in 2020 securing a career high finish of 4^th at Croft, narrowly missing out on the overall podium. Team HARD. Racing have competed in the Supercup for several years but due to the Coronavirus pandemic only competed a bit part season in 2020. Despite 2021 being Marshall’s first with Team HARD. Racing, he is no stranger to the Kent outfit who saw Marshall in action at the team’s annual scholarship at the beginning of 2020.

Tony Gilham, Team HARD. Racing Managing Director commented, “It’s great to have Joe on board with us for a full campaign in the 2021 Supercup series which supports our British Touring Car Programme. Joe had a solid season in 2020 considering he hadn’t turned a wheel in the Ginetta until a week or so before the season opener. To finish the year knocking on the door of the top 5 in the championship is quite some achievement as there are some very established drivers in this series.

“Joe acquitted himself very professionally at our 2020 scholarship, narrowly missing out on the final but leaving a big enough impression on myself and the team to get this deal across the line for 2021. I love the fact that so far in Joe’s racing career it’s been family orientated and that fits our mould perfectly. He’s going to be a great asset to the team.”

Marshall added, “I’m really looking forward to competing in the Ginetta GT4 SuperCup again in 2021 and would like to thank Tony Gillham and Team Hard. Racing for giving me this amazing opportunity, it’s a dream come true.  I’d also like to thank my family and our family business, Marshall Accountancy Limited, for all their support with my racing so far and for believing in me. I am going to give this everything I’ve got.

“2020 was a massive learning curve for me, moving from Mazdas to the Ginetta G55. I’d never raced with wets/slicks before and hadn’t been to three of the tracks in my life, so it was a big challenge.  I’m hoping to build on that experience in 2021 and aim to achieve as many podiums as I possibly can, something that I didn’t manage in 2020, with my best being P4 at Croft. I believe I’m with the right team to help me reach my goals.”

The Ginetta Supercup series will once again be televised LIVE on ITV4 for the 2021 season giving the championship unrivalled coverage within national motorsport. Marshall is the first driver confirmed to race in the series with Team HARD. Racing but you can expect more to come over the coming months.

Multiple GT Cup race winner Callum Jenkins will make the step into the Millers Oils Ginetta Supercup Championship at Snetterton for rounds 15, 16 and 17 of the series. Team HARD. Racing have competed in the Supercup for several years but initially decided to take a step back for the 2020 campaign. For Jenkins, Snetterton will be his first outing in the championship after completing a bit season in the GT Cup in both 2019 and 2020. Jenkins helped the team secure the GT Cup GTA class championship in 2019.

Tony Gilham, Team HARD. Racing, Managing Director said, “Callum has been an integral part of the team since he joined us in the VW Cup in 2018. He is a fresh, young talent who has incredible maturity for his age, which has helped him get to this point in his career at such a young age. Having watched Callum on track with us over the last couple of seasons, he shows great composure but also aggression when it’s needed to get great results, it’s these traits that help create a fantastic driver. The Ginetta Supercup is the perfect platform for Callum to take his driving to the next level”.

Jenkins added, “I certainly think the timing is right for me to be moving up into Supercup, having raced the car for two seasons in the GT Cup and earning quite a few trophies in the process.

“Snetterton is a circuit that has served me well in the past and was the first track I drove the Ginetta
– it’s the perfect place for me to showcase my abilities against some of the fiercest competition in UK motorsport.

“It’s great to increase Cirrus Research’s involvement through my progression and, as always, this all wouldn’t be possible without the help and support of our loyal sponsors and Team HARD. Racing”.

Cirrus Research looks forward to supporting Jenkins as he takes the next exciting step into the extremely competitive world of Ginetta Supercup. Neither Callum nor Cirrus Research are phased by the challenge.

Marin Ellison, Head of Sales and Marketing for Cirrus Research, said “At Cirrus Research we relish the prospect of competition and testing ourselves against the challenges in a competitive market. This is a great opportunity to celebrate our 50th year in the noise sector and to continue demonstrating our culture of supporting and developing talent, operating in a competitive and challenging environment and delivering innovation and solutions that create tangible and sustained results that have a positive impact and change”.

You can watch Jenkins make his Miller Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup debut live on ITV4 this Sunday.

Tony Gilham, Team HARD. Racing, Managing Director said, “we first met Eric at the RCIB Insurance scholarship with Team HARD. back in January and he really impressed the whole team with his speed and composure behind the wheel. Whilst he didn’t win the competition his name was in the hat throughout.

We connected again during the COVID-19 shutdown to discuss his performance and how we could work together moving forward. We saw a gap in the calendar for Eric to partner Nick in our Porsche in one of the Britcar Endurance events which looked to suit. The weekend was fantastic, and Eric adapted to a car he had never driven extremely quickly; the whole team were very impressed.

I’m looking forward to being back in Supercup action this weekend and will be keeping a keen eye on Erics progress as he mixes it with some of the series more established drivers.”

Boulton added, “I’d like to thank Team HARD. Racing and my sponsor Keverics Custom Fabrication for this opportunity in one of the top single make series in the country. I am proud to be part of such a great programme supporting the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship and I can’t wait to get going.

Despite the current situation in the world, 2020 in terms of my racing has been the best yet. I took on the Team HARD. scholarship back in January, narrowly missing out on the final which was disappointing, but a great experience and I learnt a lot from Tony and the team. Tony offered me a drive in his Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Car back in July which was an amazing experience and has set solid foundations for me to start my racing career. Now it’s time for the next chapter starting with the Ginetta Supercup this weekend.”

Gilham went on to say, “we believe Eric has the potential to go a very long way in Motorsport but experience is vital in maxing your potential which is why we have made the decision to enter Eric into the Ginetta Supercup this weekend, a new championship and a new car will only add Eric’s racing portfolio.”