How to get the best out of amateur racers
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How to get the best out of amateur racers

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Pro-Am GT racing is booming. But how should drivers approach working with an amateur? Autosport sought out a panel of experts to explain the pitfalls amateur drivers should avoid and how professionals can help them to achieve their goals

The Bathurst 12 Hour on 15 May will be a Pro-Am event, with each GT3 crew required to field a Bronze-graded amateur driver, due to the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. It will bring another dimension to the Australian enduro as company directors and entrepreneurs sharing with top professionals go for outright honours in the Intercontinental GT Challenge curtain-raiser.

Wealthy so-called ‘gentleman racers’ are the backbone of modern GT racing. Their support of the world’s biggest endurance races – 23 cars will contest the GTE Am class at the Le Mans 24 Hours this year – and the many championships run to the homogenised GT3 rules makes participation in sportscar racing viable for manufacturers and enriches the entire ecosystem by providing opportunities for teams and drivers alike to earn factory-aligned status.

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