Important messages mix with hotly anticipated new cars at RACE LAB who are promoting awareness of mental health and the rate of suicide among men under 45 with their first GT4 entry into the British GT Championship. Driven by Ian Gough and Tom Wrigley, the new for 2023 McLaren Artura GT4 is backed by The Lion’s Barber Collective and FastR.
As part of the partnership the Collective will be offering free haircuts to fans and members of the paddock at every UK event this year. The Collective are a group of specially trained hair-care professionals who are taught how to spot the signs of depression among their clients. Their research suggests that men prefer to talk to their barber than to a mental health professional.
Along with the pop-up barber shop, the team will be bringing their beat the pro challenge to the track, giving fans the chance to race a team professional driver on their simulator.
Drivers for the impressively liveried Artura GT4 include Ian Gough whose preparation includes the British Endurance Championship and Ginetta GT Academy. This GT racing experience is paired to a career in Formula Ford racing giving Gough a firm grounding in racing heading into his maiden British GT season.
Tom Wrigley last raced in 2018 when he finished third in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB. He also holds the 2016 Ginetta GT4 Supercup.
The Artura is the second confirmed entry for RACE LAB who will also campaign a brace of McLaren 720S GT3s for Lucky Khera and Euan Hankey with a driver line up still to be confirmed. Both cars will be present, along with the third car when it is confirmed, at the Donington Park media day test in March.
