MATTY MAKES MASERATI SWITCH AFTER IN2 EXIT

Matty will be behind the wheel of a new car this weekend as he looks to build on a fine drive at Silverstone when the British GT Championship heads to the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium.

The Stamfordham based driver will form a Northern Alliance as he is joined by 17-year-old Durham driver Charlie Fagg in the Maserati GranTurismo MC GT4 of York-based team Ebor GT, in an all North Eastern line up having parted company with the In2Racing team at the end of last week.

For Matty, it sees a switch into a car that he tested over the winter while evaluating potential drives and one that is a firm favourite amongst fans of GT racing.

Only the second Maserati machine to race in the UK’s top endurance sports car series, the GT MC GT4 is a thoroughbred Italian race car. Powered by a 4.7-litre V8 engine, it proved to be a consistent performer during it and the team’s debut season in 2016 as it powered its drivers to fourth place in the GT4 championship.

It’s a machine that is in the raw, with far fewer driving aids and electronics than are present on a number of other cars in the championship, requiring a high level of skill and ability to extract its maximum potential, something that the former U18 World Karting Champion says will suit him perfectly.

And having been the driving force behind the two podium finishes taken in the three races contested with his previous team, Matty is hopeful similar performances for a third team in the category will further mark him out as one of the top drivers on track.

“It’s clear to see why it’s a fan favourite, it is quite a bit different to the other GT4s it’s a very big car, almost muscle car like if you compare it to the rest of them. It’s a proper race car with just the essentials of what it needs and it just feels how I think a race car should. It’s an enjoyable car to drive.

“It offers a lot more freedom to you as a driver I’m just looking forward to getting out at Spa and trying it all.  So far I’ve been a little bit restricted in what I can and can’t do and I think it will be really exciting to see what a proper race car can do in the GT4 field.

“I think it is going to be a genuinely exciting weekend for Charlie the team and myself.  We’re going in not quite sure what to expect but I think we are all quite confident and looking forward to seeing what two good drivers with good backing from the team can do around one of the world’s best circuits.”