Fortec withdraws from Blancpain Series, walks away from GT racing

Having run a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG in the full Blancpain Sprint Series last year, Fortec has withdrawn from the GT3 arena after failing to complete a deal to remain in the championship this season.

Trevor Foster, who ran the Fortec GT operation, told AUTOSPORT: "It's very sad and disappointing, because we were making good progress as a team.

"To make it financially viable we had to run two cars in the BSS or one in both the BSS and the Blancpain Endurance Series.

"We weren't able to get everything together with drivers who wanted to run together and in the same class."

Foster explained that the strength of the Euro against the pound and the higher travel costs for a British-based team had not helped in its negotiations with potential drivers.

Fortec, which will race in Formula Renault 3.5, European Formula 3 and MSA Formula this year, expanded into sportscars in 2013.

Its main programme that year was in the British GT Championship, before it entered two cars in last year's BSS, an entry that was reduced to one car after the opening round.

The high point of its short stint in GT racing came at last year's Spa 24 Hours, when it ran one of its Mercedes in conjunction with the German HTP Motorsport squad to fifth place overall.