The reigning GT World Challenge Europe (GTWCE) Overall and Sprint Cup Pro-Am Champions, Henrique Chaves and Miguel Ramos have joined Garage 59 for the upcoming 2022 season.
The team has entered two McLaren 720S GT3 cars into the full series, taking in both the Sprint Cup and Endurance Cup events.
ENDURANCE CUP
#159 McLaren 720S GT3 (Silver): Nicolai Kjærgaard - Manuel Maldonado – TBC
#188 McLaren 720S GT3 (Pro-Am): Alexander West – Miguel Ramos – Henrique Chaves
SPRINT CUP
#159 McLaren 720S GT3 (Silver): Manuel Maldonado – TBC
#188 McLaren 720S GT3: (Pro-Am) Miguel Ramos – Dean Macdonald
Garage 59 regulars Alexander West and Nicolai Kjærgaard lead the two Endurance Cup entries. West has already got his racing season off to a flying start with a podium finish in Abu Dhabi in the Asian Le Mans Series. He was a winner at Monza in the GTWCE Endurance Cup last year and followed that up with a podium finish in the Ricard 1000kms. The highlight of 2021 for Kjærgaard was a brilliant and hard-fought podium finish in the Silver class at the 24 Hours of Spa.
“I’m looking very much forward to the European season, said Kjærgaard. “In the Asian Le Mans Series we managed to get a much better grasp of the car and improve throughout the two weekends. The aspiration for our GT World Challenge season is to win the Silver cup and have a great new start with the McLaren.”
The team is delighted to welcome the reigning GTWCE Overall and Sprint Cup Pro-Am Champions, Portuguese drivers, Henrique Chaves and Miguel Ramos for the 2022 season. Ramos will race in the full series, while Chaves will focus on the Endurance Cup.
“Having competed against Miguel for a number of years, it will be great to team up with him and Henrique in the Endurance Series,” said West.
Manuel Maldonado made his Garage 59 debut during the 2022 Asian Le Mans Series and now moves on to GT World Challenge, racing in the Silver Cup class in both Endurance and Sprint.
Making his debut with Garage 59 is Dean Macdonald who will race in Sprint Cup with Miguel Ramos. After a successful career in go-karts, Macdonald has been enjoying the step up to cars in the British GT and European GT4 Championships. He had a strong year in the McLaren 720S in British GT in 2020 so all eyes will be on the young Scot in GT World Challenge.
The final Silver Cup driver will be announced soon.
Garage 59 Team Principal, Andrew Kirkaldy said: “I think we have an exciting year ahead with the McLarens and a strong line-up of drivers. It’s good to have the current Pro-Am champions teaming up with Alex, who won it the year before. I’m pleased to have continuation in the Silver Cup class with Nicolai and once that line-up is finalised we will be looking good. All in all, I think we’re looking at a strong season ahead.”
Garage 59 has had to sit out the official test for GT World Challenge Europe due to freight being delayed on the return from the Asian Le Mans Series. The team is now ready to continue its test programme next week at Zandvoort and Hockenheim.