Greystone GT are delighted to announce a third entry into the GT Cup this year with a McLaren 720S GT3 for Andrey Borodin and Ed Pead.
The duo will campaign the British-built racing car this year with the aim of building on the pair of GT3-class podium finishes they have already achieved in the championship.
Andrey, who will dovetail the GT Cup programme with his British GT Championship commitments, made his race debut in the British Endurance Championship in 2020 and joined Greystone GT the following season.
The Oxfordshire-based racer contested another BEC event with co-driver Ed in a McLaren 570S GT4 and then graduated to the 720S GT3 for the final two GT Cup events of 2021, scoring two podium finishes.
Ed, from London, was his co-driver for of those events and also partnered Andrey to a Silver-Am podium finish at Donington Park last year in what was the British GT debut for both drivers.
Prior to joining Greystone GT, Ed forged a reputation as one of the fastest drivers in the British Touring Car Championship’s feeder series and was the runner-up in the Clio Cup UK three years in a row from 2003-05.
A regular winner in Britcar, Ed finished sixth in the Asian Formula 3 Championship before switching to motorbike racing and competing in the British SuperSport Championship as recently as 2017.
His return to four-wheeled racing came after establishing himself as one of the most highly respected driver coaches in the UK and led to him joining forces with Andrey three years ago.
GT Cup events typically feature practice, qualifying, two sprint races of 25-minute duration and two longer 50-minute pitstop races with driver changes allowed.
The emphasis is placed on giving ‘sporting’ drivers like Andrey as much track time as possible, meaning professionals like Ed are restricted to taking part in practice and the second stint of each pitstop race.
Seven rounds will be held at the UK’s best racetracks between April and October with live streaming of all races on the GT Cup YouTube channel.
Round 1: Donington Park – Apr 01-02
Round 2: Brands Hatch – Apr 29-30
Round 3: Snetterton – Jun 03-04
Round 4: Oulton Park – Jul 01
Round 5: Silverstone – Jul 29-30
Round 6: Donington Park – Sep 16-17
Round 7: Snetterton – Oct 07-08
Ed Pead said: “I’m delighted to be back with Andrey and Greystone GT for our first season-long campaign together in the GT Cup. He’s gone from being a race novice to a British GT podium finisher in just over two years so that shows strong and speedy progress, but his evolution during winter testing has been even more marked, which is a very good indication of the level of commitment he’s making to the 2023 season. As well as racing with him in GT Cup, I’ll be part of his British GT programme in a development role and all that extra seat time he’s going to have – compared to last year when he didn’t even drive the McLaren until July – will be hugely beneficial to our chances of scoring good results. I can’t wait for our season to start.”
Mark McLoughlin, Team Principal, said: “It’s great to be able to confirm a third GT Cup entry for 2023 and to welcome back Ed alongside Andrey. Ed’s been instrumental in Andrey’s development as he’s developed from an on-track novice into a GT racer with serious ambitions. As a duo they work extremely well together and have elevated their performances every time they step up a level, as their podium finishes in the GT Cup in 2021 and in British GT in 2022, have proven. I expect to see them make excellent progress through the year as Andrey enters his first full season of racing following a couple of successful partial campaigns. I’m truly excited about what this year might hold for Greystone GT in the series.”
