Ross switches to new Ferrari team and new team-mate for 2018 title campaign
Reigning BritCar Endurance Champion Ross Wylie is setting his sights on Sprint Series title success this year. The 26-year-old from Thornhill near Dumfries has switched to the FF Corse Ferrari team and co-drives with David Mason in the 13-race BritCar Sprint Series that gets underway at Rockingham on Saturday (14 Apr).
Wylie and amateur racer Mason, from London, will compete in the latter’s GT3-specification Ferrari 458. Each Sprint series event comprises of two, 50-minute races apart from the season-closing “Into the Night” race at Brands Hatch in November.
Last year, Ross combined a maiden season in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship, finishing a praiseworthy third in the “Rookie” division despite running with a team new to the category. Additionally, Wylie recorded an amazing 10 overall podiums – including four brilliant outright wins – in an impressive BritCar début year driving a MJC Furlonger Ferrari 458 GT with Witt Gamski.
Ross began competing in karts 14 years ago and switched to car racing in 2012. He has since raced in the Volkswagen Sirocco R and UK Racing Cups and the British GT Championship – winning the GT4 title in 2014. During his career, he has been recognised by the British Racing Drivers’ Club’s “Rising Star” and “SuperStar” programmes.
2018 Provisional Calendar
14 Apr – Rockingham
12 May – Silverstone Grand Prix
23 Jun – Oulton Park
21 Jul – Donington National
08 Sep – Snetterton (300)
6 Oct – Silverstone (International)
17-18 Nov – Brands Hatch Indy (Night Race)
Ross Wylie (GB):
Age 26. Born & Lives Thornhill nr Dumfries, Scotland:
“I’m going into the season as the outright 2017 Britcar Endurance Champion while my new co-driver David [Mason] is the 2017 Class 1 Sprint Champion so we’re both hoping to add to last year’s incredible success. I am really excited to be joining David and FF Corse having enjoyed a great Championship début in 2017 with Witt [Gamski] and MJC Furlonger. Witt, my girlfriend Alisha, and I, attended the annual Ferrari GT Racing Awards in Fiorano two months ago. I was presented with the trophy for winning the 2017 Britcar title. Having always wanted to visit the Ferrari factory, to be invited as a guest and to collect an award, made it all the more special. It was great to the see the passion the Ferrari personnel share around the factory in Italy. It underlined for me the hunger and desire to do well for the brand and made me immensely proud to be a part of it. The Ferrari 458 races in a slightly different spec from the one I drove to the title last year, GT2 compared to GT3, which has slightly less down force but offers more straight-line speed. Winter testing has gone well and I feel like I’ve adapted well to the new car and team. I feel at home with the Ferrari and look forward to showcase that at Rockingham on Saturday. The circuit in Northamptonshire is quite unique with its steeply ‘banked’ corners and abrasive track surface which requires a driving style like no other track we race on. That said, it’s somewhere I really enjoy racing around. Additionally, my role is also to coach David. In this type of racing, cars are shared by ‘professional’ and ‘amateur’ race drivers. He’s a very, very busy businessman, a successful art dealer in fact, but has already demonstrated that he can win races and championship titles so I hope we can continue this together as a pair in 2018.”
