Caerphilly-based racing team tests new car ahead of season opener

A Caerphilly-based engineering firm has tested out its latest race car as it prepares for the upcoming season.

Richwest Engineering recently tested its GCCRacing Prototype car at Pembrey Circuit, near Llanelli, in preparation for the first competitive race of the season – at the iconic Brands Hatch circuit in Kent.

Richard West, director at Richwest, explained: “We made a number of changes to the GCCRacing prototype over the past month, including suspension components – and we need to prove they work properly before the team competes in their first race of the season at Brands Hatch. 

“One of the parts, a movement limiting device, is designed to prevent excessive suspension movement at high speeds due to the extreme downforce the car is now capable of generating, hence the choice of Pembrey circuit – which has the longest straight of any of the Welsh venues.”

During the test, data logging a fastest speed of only 155mph, but it was enough to prove the car’s new devices were working as intended.

“Downforce will be far greater at the higher speeds the BPS7T prototype is likely to achieve on longer circuits”, explained driver Graham Cole, from Caerphilly, “but the concept is proven, which was the aim of the test.”

During the test, the team was joined by up and coming driver Laura Farrow, fresh off her victory in the recent FormulaWomanRacing trials at Donnington Park circuit, in Leicestershire.

The trials, which attracted female drivers from all over the world, aim to identify potential professional female drivers. While most entrants arrived kitted out and well prepared, Farrow was only entered at the last moments. Nevertheless she won with lap times many seconds ahead of her rivals.  

Farrow explained: “I joined Graham Cole and the team at Pembrey just to get a feel for what’s involved in Prototype Sports car racing, as until now I’d only seen these cars on television.

“As winner of the woman’s trials I have a fully supported series of races scheduled in a car similar to the GCCRacing BPS7T, so the Pembrey test day was really useful”. 

Visit GCCRacing’s Facebook page to track the team’s progress this season.