Snetterton plays host to GT Cup season opener

After a turbulent start to the year, the 2020 GT Cup season will be getting underway this weekend at Norfolk's Snetterton circuit. The first of five race weekends, our opening rounds will see a cracking grid of 24 cars battle it out for the first of the season's points.

Track time remains the same for this season, following the success of the new Practice-Qualifying session format. Competitors take to the track for a free practice before briefly returning to the pits to prepare for the 15-minute qualifying session. This usually then gives teams a little more time to make any preparations for each day's races.

The championship is gaining an additional group this year as Bute Motorsport have elected to separate any GT3 spec cars into their own group. This means that for 2020, entries are dived into six groups: GT3, GTO, GTC, GTB, GTA and GTH.

Group GT3 and GTO cars may run with similar laptimes on the track, but while GT3 is reserved for homologated cars running to the manufacturer's GT3 spec, GTO is for open specification cars. Last season's GTO winner John Seale shifts into the GT3 group this year and will be joined by pro driver Marcus Clutton. Seale will no doubt be looking to grab another championship title but expect some tough competition this weekend from Michael Igoe and teammate Dennis Lind.

Newer challenge and cup cars find themselves in group GTC, a group that last year was defined by the Italian manufacturers. This weekend, Ferrari find themselves accompanied by a pair of Porsches as Will Goff and Lee Frost join the group. Lucky Khera and driver team John Dhillon and Aaron Scott will be representing the Ferrari brand in a pair of Ferrari 488 Challenge cars.

Group GTB is the home of older model challenge and cup cars and often sees its competitors punching well above their weight. Keep an eye on the returning 'Giant Killer' Marcos Mantis in the hands of Top Cats Racing's Jensen Lunn and Warren Gilbert. Current GTB champion David Frankland is also back for more this season in his 24/7 Racing Porsche 997 Cup. A second Porsche will be joining the group this weekend courtesy of Team HARD. BMW is the third manufacturer represented in this group as Andy Robey returns to the championship, and Del Shelton brings his monstrous BMW GTR back to the grid with Phil Keen in tow.

Specifically for GT4 homologated cars, group GTH looks to have retained its popularity from last season. Overall champions and GTH group title-holders Steve Ruston and John Whitehouse are back to defend their title (and aim to be the first drivers to win back-to-back titles) with their McLaren 570 GT4 run by JMH Automotive. However, Whitebridge Motorsport are poised to challenge the champions for the trophy with not one, but two Aston Martin GT4s. Drivers Chris Murphy and Steve Birt will be teaming up for the pit-stop races, but will each take an Aston for the sprint races. Scott Sport Racing's Craig Wilkins and Feathers Motorsport's James Guess will also be joining the battle, each in a Ginetta G55 GT4. Definitely a group to watch!

Group GTA is the biggest group on the grid for Snetterton with three manufacturers represented. Smartrack Series Elite will be fielding four Jaguar Project 8 XE cars in their season debut. Team Hard make a return to the GTA group with three Ginetta G55s including former group GTH contenders Josh Jackson and Simon Orange. Stanbridge Motorsport also rejoin the grid with their Gulf-liveried Lotus Evora – the tenth manufacturer to be represented on our grid at Snetterton.

Our first free practice session kicks off on Saturday morning at 9.55am and we look forward to bringing you all the action across our website and social media channels.