Greenlight Sports Management (GSM), the leading motorsport management company, has enjoyed its first 12 months of operation, so it seems like a good time to review how things have been going for its drivers so far in 2021.
McLaren Automotive driver Ben Barnicoat continues to impress the sportscar world with some standout performances, which included unlapping his McLaren 720S GT3 at the 24 Hours of Spa and handing the manufacturer its best result at the race, finishing seventh. He performed well during his 24 Hours of Le Mans debut and continues to be a frontrunner in GT World Challenge Europe with JOTA.
Charlie Robertson was delighted to make his return to full season racing in 2021, after Ginetta pulled the plug on its LMP1 programme, in which the 24-year-old played a key development role. This year he competed in the Asian Le Mans Series with ARC Bratislava and joined Assetto Motorsport in a Ginetta G56 GT4 in the British GT Championship. He claimed pole position at Snetterton, and his team-mate secured a GT4 Pro-Am victory in the rain at Oulton Park. Charlie also appeared at Le Mans, joining the Eurosport commentary team, providing a drivers’ insight into events during the race.
Seb Morris has been demonstrating his versatility this season, racing a Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO in the 24H Series with Leipert Motorsport, taking a debut podium with the team. His performance in that race earned him a call to also compete with the team in Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe, where he secured a podium finish on his first appearance.
GSM Young Driver Josh Skelton made the change for 2021 from single seaters to sportscars, joining Cool Racing in the LMP3 class of the Michelin Le Mans Cup. He has regularly been challenging for race victories and took a dominant, well-earned maiden win in the series at Spa-Francorchamps, finishing over half-a-minute ahead of the next car.
GSM co-founder Guy Smith has been racing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with United Autosports in an LMP2 and claimed podium finishes at the challenging Sebring and again at Watkins Glen. He also appeared in an LMP3 at Le Mans but was unfortunately taken out of the Road to Le Mans contest.
Finally, fellow GSM co-founder Andy also made a racing return to Le Mans; with the United Autosports team he races with in the Michelin Le Mans Cup. In fourth on the final lap of race one, he looked set to challenge the podium positions, but yellow flags halted his charge.
Away from the race track, GSM organised a two-day driver training and team-building camp, created by Boomerang Pro Fitness. This incorporated fitness challenges covering cycling, climbing, running and circuit training, as well as assessments and a driving challenge in the Base Performance Simulators sim. Education sessions were also included with top-level sports nutritionists and sports psychologists designed to support the drivers on and off the track. The camp successfully increased levels of understanding with a holistic approach to race preparation and provided some much needed social and team-building time.
And Greenlight Sports Management is also proud that it has signed up to Carbon Club, powered by Forest Carbon, in order to help create new woodlands in the UK. GSM will work with Forest Carbon to support UK woodland creation projects, and at the same time begin actively looking for areas where the company and its clients can make improvements to calculate and reduce their carbon footprints. In addition to planting and managing trees, GSM and its clients will consider further steps that can be made as part of a long-term approach to benefit the environment.
