Brock Gilchrist has become the first recipient of the Giltrap Motorsport Junior Scholarship. And will have the opportunity to drive a fully funded season in the GTNZ Championship piloting a McLaren GT4. Gilchrist joins a long list of drivers that have been supported by the Giltrap with the goal to give New Zealand’s brightest young motorsport talent the best possible opportunity to shine.
Giltrap Motorsport Team Boss Owen Evans is confident that 20-year-old Brock Gilchrist is the perfect candidate for the hotly contested race seat in the SP Tools McLaren 570S GT4.
“Brock is the Toyota 86 Champion, and he won it in style, taking on seasoned competitors with international experience in a one-make series. At 20, we feel he is ready to step up to car racing, because he’s not only proven that he’s very quick, but he’s also got a reputation for looking after the race car; an important factor in endurance racing,” says Evans.
Dylan Grant, 18, was the other driver up for the top spot, which included a test session in the McLaren 570S GT4 at Hampton Downs. The Formula Ford rookie of the year, and Formula Vee Series Winter Series winner; pushed both Gilchrist and the selectors
“Dylan is on plenty of people’s radars, not least as the winner of the Speed Sport Scholarship, which puts in in the company of F1 driver Liam Lawson and Supercars Champ Shane van Gisbergen. We were impressed enough to officially name him as reserve driver for the GT NZ Championship, he’ll be part of the team, and will get in-season testing opportunities,” says Evans
Thirty-eight promising young drivers applied for the inaugural Giltrap Motorsport Junior Scholarship, with the chance to run in a McLaren race car, with no budget concerns making it a golden opportunity.
Evans says the response was, “Staggering, and even when we tried to make a short list, we still had 28 drivers. It shows just how much talent there is in our country.”
The Scholarship was open to applications from young drivers aged 16-25 who have shown excellence in local Motorsport and believe they have what it takes to have a career in this sport. It is a new project for Giltrap Group, who have traditionally focused on helping kiwis take on the world. They realise how hard it is to get the opportunity to show you have the potential to take on the world, so, for the first time, they have focused 100% of their local sponsorship on allowing one young New Zealander a chance to race and win at home.
In association with McLaren Auckland, the Giltrap Motorsport Junior Scholarship (GMJS) will ensure Gilchrist has the most professional support available in New Zealand motorsport, including pit crew, management, and media training.
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