Jessica Hawkins to make British GT return
- RACERS
- 2 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Jessica Hawkins is set to make a return to the British GT Championship in 2026, joining forces with Will Orton at MKH Racing for a full-season assault on the GT4 title.
Jessica Hawkins is set to make a return to the British GT Championship in 2026, joining forces with Will Orton at MKH Racing for a full-season assault on the GT4 title.
MKH Racing re-enters the championship on a full-time basis after contesting a partial Endurance Cup programme, and the Silver-class pairing of Hawkins and Orton immediately positions the team among the pre-season favourites in the competitive GT4 category.
Orton brings valuable continuity to the line-up, having raced the Aston Martin Vantage GT4 in both British GT and the GT4 European Series over the past two seasons. His familiarity with the car is expected to provide a solid foundation for the campaign, particularly as the team targets consistency across the year.
For Hawkins, the move represents both a return and a new challenge. She competed on the British GT grid in 2024 with Aston Martin machinery, albeit in the GT3 class, before stepping up to GT World Challenge Europe last season. Now, the Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 Team Driver Ambassador prepares to experience GT4 machinery for the first time.
“I can’t wait to get started in British GT, it’s going to be great to be back in the paddock,” she said. “I’m very excited to be teaming up with MKH Racing and Will Orton – I think together we will be a very strong combination. Of course, our aim is to fight for the championship, and I think we have a strong package to do that. Thank you so much to my partners, Arm and ELEMIS, for their continuous support, as well as the Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 Team. Will and I are very keen to push hard for a solid, consistent season.”
Team Manager Andrew Kirk reiterated the team’s ambitions heading into the new year: "We are committed to a full campaign in 2026 and are extremely pleased with the driver line up as we head into the season."
“Will’s experience racing the Aston Martin across recent seasons in British GT and the GT4 European Series, combined with Jessica’s background in GT3 machinery and single-seater competition, makes this an ideal pairing to combine with our teams GT experience", he added.
Hawkins’ return to British GT marks the latest chapter in a varied and high-profile career. She joined the Aston Martin Formula 1 Team as a Driver Ambassador in 2021, expanding her responsibilities in 2024 to become head of the F1 Academy programme, where she mentors the team’s F1 Academy representative.
Her racing résumé is equally notable: Hawkins claimed a race victory in TCR UK and secured a podium finish in W Series, before making global headlines when she became the first woman in more than five years to drive a modern Formula One car during her official test with Aston Martin. In doing so, she also became the first woman to drive the latest generation of F1 machinery.
Following the demise of W Series, Hawkins contested selected rounds of the British Touring Car Championship, returned to TCR UK competition, and competed in the ZEO Prototype Series. She then made her GT3 debut in 2024 in British GT. Despite running a partial rookie campaign, the British racer demonstrated clear progress throughout the season and secured two Silver-Am class podium finishes.
In 2025, Hawkins took a further step forward by joining GT World Challenge Europe with backing from Aston Martin. However, her campaign proved frustratingly unlucky, with a series of incidents outside of her control across multiple rounds limiting her track time and preventing her from building consistent momentum.
Now, with a fresh opportunity in the GT4 class and a strong Silver pairing alongside Orton, Hawkins aims to mount a serious championship challenge as she returns to British GT determined to fight back.
The 2026 British GT season begins at Silverstone on April 25–26, where the new-look MKH Racing line-up will launch its title bid.
