A WROTHAM-BASED sports car team will run a third Porsche 996 in this weekend's round of the Avon Tyres British GT Championship at Brands Hatch, writes Andy Bothwell.

Motorbase Performance have had a busy year, running cars in the Porsche Carrera Cup and the British Touring Car Championship as well as the British GT series.

But team boss Dave Bartrum is already looking ahead to next season and will try out young chargers Tom Ferrier and Philip Glew in the extra car.

Glew has done some GT racing this season with Team RPM but is keen to put a deal together to join Motorbase next year and former BTCC driver Tom Ferrier is also eyeing a move into the Avon Tyres-backed championship.

The two 60-minute races at Brands Hatch will be a change of direction for Ferrier, who has not done any GT racing before.

For Bartrum the event on August 26 and August 27 will be a chance to evaluate the two young drivers with a view to making a fresh assault on the GTC class of the championship next year.

He said: "We finished second in the class last season but we were a bit scuppered this year by a few late changes to the calendar which meant we've had to spread ourselves a bit thin across the three series we run in.

"We were originally hoping to go one better and win the GTC class this season but the clashes in the calendar meant we ended up with only non-professional drivers.

"That's why I wanted to give these two guys a run before the end of the season.

"They're young and hungry for wins and they're both keen to do something for next year."

He added: "The car's basically brand new because we intended to run it this year but it's just been sat in the workshop all season."

Motorbase, located on London Road and currently lying ninth in the GT Championship manufacturers standings, will run its regular Porsche 996 for Chatham driver Gary Eastwood, who will be partnered by veteran Kiwi racer Rob Wilson.

Eastwood said: "The work we've been doing all season is bringing us closer and closer to the front of the field.

"At the start of this year, the gap between us and the front was four seconds, now it's two seconds and every time we go out in the car, we're gaining a few tenths.

"It's all about learning the car and learning the tyres."

He added: "It's been a big learning curve for us. You get used to driving a certain type of race car and this is totally different to what I'm used to, I've had to change my style.

"It's been a real baptism of fire but its fantastic fun."

Motorbase also runs a Porsche for Hawthorns Motorsport duo Rod Barrett and Jan Persson.

The British GT Championship will have two one-hour races at Brands Hatch, one on Saturday and one on Sunday.

Tickets are available by calling 0870 950 9000 or visiting brandshatch.co.uk