World’s Fastest Gamer & Reigning British GT4 Champion join Garage 59
James Baldwin and Chris Salkeld will join Nicolai Kjærgaard and Mark Sansom in the #158 Garage 59 McLaren for the 2024 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa. Reigning British GT4 Champion Salkeld will stay with the team for the remaining endurance races of the Fanatec GT World Challenge season at the Nürburgring, Monza and Jeddah.
Baldwin, who won the “World’s Fastest Gamer” in 2019 is making his return to Garage 59 after racing for the team in real life at the 2022 24 Hours of Spa.
He said: “I’m very excited to be returning to the 24 Hours of Spa with Garage 59. It was a whirlwind last time I did it in 2022 and this time I feel much more prepared. The two-day test went well and I was able to get some laps in both dry and wet conditions. It’s an honour to be racing in the Centenary edition of the world’s biggest GT race; something I honestly did not think was possible a few years ago. A big thank you to Garage 59 for making this possible.”
Salkeld is delighted to be joining the team at the biggest race of the season and to remain with the #158 endurance squad throughout 2024.
He said: “I am so incredibly proud to join Garage 59 for the Spa 24 Hours. It’s a true ‘bucket list’ moment for me and to do it with a such prestigious team with such a successful history is a real honour. “Harriott’s Chariot” (Chris is supported by TV Chef Ainsley Harriott) officially meets the big time and I can’t say thank you enough to everyone who has supported my career so far. To be joining forces with Mark (Sansom), an old team mate of mine when we both first started racing back in 2018, is incredible and something we’ve spoken about for years. To also have James (Baldwin) join us for the Spa 24 is amazing. His track record is incredible and for the World’s Fastest Gamer to be a part of Harriott’s Chariot is so cool. Nicolai (Kjærgaard) has been so incredibly helpful, getting us up to speed in the McLaren and I can’t thank him enough for making me feel at home straight away within the team. Let’s have it boys!”
The Centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Spa, which gets underway on 29 June, will also see the welcome return of Miguel Ramos, who rejoins Louis Prette and Adam Smalley in the #188 McLaren, which will be further bolstered by the addition of McLaren factory driver, Marvin Kirchhöfer, for Spa.
In order to prepare for his return at Spa, Garage 59 has been given special permission by SRO to field a third McLaren in the British GT race at Spa on 23 June for Ramos and a yet-to-be-announced driver.
The line-up for the team’s #159 Pro Cup entry remains unchanged with Tom Gamble, Benjamin Goethe and Dean Macdonald in the driving seat.
The 2024 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa gets underway on 29 June, when 67 cars and 240 drivers take on the biggest race of the GT World Challenge Europe season.