Beechdean AMR revise driver line-up for British GT finale

Beechdean AMR will field a revised line-up in this weekend’s British GT Championship finale at Brands Hatch as GT3 rookie Tom Wood joins the team alongside two-time title-winner Andrew Howard.

Wood, 22, stands in for regular driver and Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team Ambassador Jessica Hawkins, who is unavailable due to a clashing commitment, in the GT3 Silver-Am entry.

The Castle Donington driver will race the #97 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 alongside Howard, who won the 2013 and 2015 British GT crowns, in the two-hour race on the Grand Prix layout of the legendary Kent track.

While the race will mark the Aston Martin Lagonda Pro driver’s debut in a GT3 car, he has extensive experience of racing in a variety of single-make, GT and sportscar categories.

A race winner in the UK’s Ginetta Junior Championship in 2017, he moved into GT4 racing in the UK and Germany and was a multiple podium finisher in ADAC GT4 aboard an Aston Martin in both 2022 and ’23.

He supplemented this with the runner-up spot in last year’s Radical SR1 Cup with eight race victories and has tested numerous Aston Martin track cars and road vehicles as part of his role with the Manufacturer.

Andrew Howard, Team Principal, said: “It’s a real shame not to finish the season with Jessica, but having missed a race myself earlier in the season, I appreciate that these things happen. Jessica has done really well this year and I hope we can work together again in the future. Tom has stepped in with good knowledge of the Aston Martin family and I’m looking forward to getting on track with him at Brands Hatch.”

Tom Wood said: “This a dream come true. To make my GT3 race debut with a championship-winning team like Beechdean AMR is not something I expected even a week ago and I fully intend to make the most of the opportunity. I’ve recently tested a GT3 car and it suits my driving style far better than the GT4, so that’s a fantastic confidence boost. I always go into every race I do wanting to win and this is no different.”

Jessica Hawkins said: “I’m gutted to miss the final round of British GT at Brands Hatch, but we always knew there would be a possibility I would need to miss it due to a calendar clash. I’ve had a great season with Andrew and Beechdean AMR and thoroughly enjoyed learning to drive in a new discipline. I wish Andrew and Tom all the best for the final round and am excited to see what the future may bring.”