QUESTION marks hang over Dan Harper’s involvement with the remainder of this season’s British GT Championship after his entry was pulled for Sunday’s two-hour race at Spa-Francorchamps.
The surprise announcement was made last week by Century Motorsport – the same squad with whom Harper wrapped up the British GT3 drivers’ crown last year alongside Darren Leung.
They lifted the title in dramatic fashion at the final round, with their quest helped by earlier victories at Silverstone and Brands Hatch respectively.
Sources close to the team have told Irish News Sport that this weekend’s Belgian fixture had to be put on ice due to Harper’s current team-mate, Michael Johnston, experiencing a shortfall in funds.
It is also understood the setback could mean the duo having to sit out the rest of the campaign unless Johnston can identify fresh backing in time for Snetterton on the weekend of July 12-14.
“It is a real shame to be missing what is the highlight event of the British GT Championship season – it is an unfortunate set of circumstances – but I hope to be back racing with Michael and Century soon,” said Harper.
For his part, Johnston admitted to feeling “disappointed” at the development, with Century Motorsport saying it was “saddened” by the fact neither driver will be joining them at the iconic track which weaves its way through the great Ardennes Forest, and that their BMW M4 GT3 will remain garaged in England.
“We hope to see them both back on track for the remaining three rounds of the season,” it added.
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Harper and Johnston currently sit tenth in the standings on 14 points, with their best result of 2024 so far coming at last month’s Donington Park fixture where they managed to bank 12 points.
The other two came at the Oulton Park double header, but otherwise, it has been a fruitless year.
Originally, Johnston – the reigning British GT4 Pro-Am champion – was set to make the step up to the domestic competition’s GT3 division with Chris Salkeld.
However, just days before the new season was due to begin, Century Motorsport dropped Salkeld and appointed the services of 23-year-old BMW M Motorsport works driver, Harper.
It continues to remain unclear what prompted the change at the eleventh hour, with even Harper admitting the development was a surprise.
“I have got to be honest: the British GT Championship was not on my radar for this year, even yesterday afternoon [March 24],” said the Hillsborough-based driver at the time.
