Dean MacDonald (born 6 December 2000) is a British racing driver who competes for JP Motorsport in the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup.
| Dean MacDonald | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Nationality |  British |
| Born | 6 December 2000 Cowdenbeath, Scotland |
| GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup career | |
| Debut season | 2022 |
| Current team | JP Motorsport |
| Racing licence |  FIA Gold |
| Car number | 111 |
| Former teams | Garage 59 |
| Starts | 20 |
| Wins | 4 |
| Podiums | 7 |
| Poles | 7 |
| Fastest laps | 3 |
| Championship titles | |
| 2022 | GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup – Pro-Am |
| Last updated on: 22 October 2023. | |
He was the Pro-Am champion of the 2022 GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup alongside Miguel Ramos.[1]
Career
editEarly career
editMacDonald's racing career began at an early age, as he received a go-kart as a gift from his father at just one year of age. It sat in the family kitchen for several years while Dean grew old enough to drive it.[2] At age three, he began testing ahead of a true karting debut at age five in Bambino karts.[2] MacDonald enjoyed a successful karting career, becoming the youngest Comer Cadet winner of the Scottish Championship and later winning the Iame International Final in the X30 Pro class in 2019.[1]
GT racing
editIn 2015, MacDonald shifted to sports car racing by joining the McLaren GT Driver Academy. MacDonald had initially aimed to progress towards Formula One, but pursued sports car racing due to the uncertainty of the single-seater ladder.[2] His first full-time drive supported by the program took place in 2017, where he drove in the British GT Championship.[3] Competing in the GT4 class alongside Akhil Rabindra, MacDonald came close to securing podium finishes early in the season,[2] but would ultimately finish 13th in points. In the winter of 2017, MacDonald was a finalist for the Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain Junior Scholarship shootout, becoming the youngest member of that year's prospective class.[4] MacDonald returned to the British GT Championship for 2018, shifting to Steller Performance and pairing Alex Quinn.[5] However, MacDonald's program with Steller wouldn't last the entire season, as the team were forced to skip the round at Spa after parts delays derailed a planned upgrade to their Toyota GT86-based entry. As a result, MacDonald joined Century Motorsport for the remainder of the season.[6] In his first race with the team, paired alongside eventual champion Jack Mitchell, MacDonald claimed a GT4 class victory – his only victory of the season.[7]
MacDonald returned to McLaren machinery in 2019, embarking on his third British GT season with HHC Motorsport, paired with Callum Pointon.[8][9] The duo got off to a fast start, taking a class victory in the first race of the season at Oulton Park.[10] They would claim three additional podiums that season, placing third in the GT4 class championship. 2020 saw MacDonald graduate to GT3 machinery, as he took the wheel of a McLaren 720S GT3 for the first time in his career. Once again in British GT, MacDonald joined Angus Fender in a new-for-2020 effort for 2 Seas Motorsport.[11] The pair claimed a podium in the opening race of the season, and finished tenth in the GT3 championship.
For the first time in his professional racing career, MacDonald ventured outside of the British GT Championship in 2021. Alongside Gus Bowers, MacDonald joined United Autosports' effort in the GT4 European Series, with the two pairing up in the team's #32 entry.[12] Bowers and MacDonald scored one victory – at the Nürburgring in September – as United won the teams' title.[13]
GT World Challenge Europe
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In 2022, MacDonald took on a full season drive in the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup with Garage 59.[14] MacDonald and co-driver Miguel Ramos successfully defended the latter's 2021 Pro-Am title, taking seven class pole positions, seven class podiums, and four class victories.[1] MacDonald added a supposed one-off in the Endurance Cup, serving as the fourth driver in Garage 59's #188 entry at the 2022 24 Hours of Spa.[15] MacDonald would later replace Ethan Simioni as the third driver in the #159 for the final two races of the season, helping Nicolai Kjærgaard and Manuel Maldonado to a Silver Cup-class podium finish in the final race of the season.[16]
The following season, MacDonald embarked on a full-season GT World Challenge Europe campaign, albeit with different teams in each series. In the Endurance Cup, MacDonald switched to fellow McLaren competitors Optimum Motorsport, driving alongside Sam De Haan and Charlie Fagg.[17] Competing in the Gold Cup class, the team's season culminated in a class victory at the 2023 24 Hours of Spa[18] as they finished sixth in the Gold Cup championship. In the Sprint Cup, he graduated to the Pro class, joining former F1 driver Christian Klien in JP Motorsport's #111 entry.[19] The duo endured a difficult season, finishing as high as 11th on two occasions but failing to score championship points.
Personal life
editMacDonald attended Beath High School in Cowdenbeath.[20] Early in his career, he worked for his father's kart and engine-building business Shox Performance. He also played a role in developing an IAME Gazelle engine for karting.[2]
Racing record
editCareer summary
editComplete British GT Championship results
edit(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Car | Class | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Black Bull Garage 59 | McLaren 570S GT4 | GT4 | OUL 1 22 |
OUL 2 12 |
ROC 1 14 |
SNE 1 18 |
SNE 2 16 |
SIL 1 21 |
SPA 1 Ret |
SPA 2 24 |
BRH 1 21 |
DON 1 Ret |
13th | 45.5 |
| 2018 | Steller Performance | Toyota GT86 GT4 | GT4 | OUL 1 27 |
OUL 2 29 |
ROC 1 24 |
SNE 1 Ret |
SNE 2 Ret |
SIL 1 Ret |
12th | 52.5 | ||||
| Century Motorsport | BMW M4 GT4 | GT4 | SPA 1 11 |
BRH 1 14 |
DON 1 20 |
||||||||||
| 2019 | HHC Motorsport | McLaren 570S GT4 | GT4 | OUL 1 12 |
OUL 2 24 |
SNE 1 15 |
SNE 2 16 |
SIL 1 21 |
DON 1 16 |
SPA 1 Ret |
BRH 1 14 |
DON 2 20 |
3rd | 112 | |
| 2020 | 2 Seas Motorsport | McLaren 720S GT3 | GT3 | OUL 1 3 |
OUL 2 Ret |
DON 1 Ret |
DON 2 21 |
BRH 1 11 |
DON 3 13 |
SNE 1 11 |
SNE 2 9 |
SIL 1 5 |
10th | 35 |
Complete GT World Challenge Europe results
editGT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup
edit| Year | Team | Car | Class | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Pos. | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Garage 59 | McLaren 720S GT3 | Pro-Am | IMO | LEC | SPA 6H 29 |
SPA 12H 24 |
SPA 24H 41† |
9th | 30 | ||
| Silver | HOC 18 |
CAT 12 |
13th | 25 | ||||||||
| 2023 | Optimum Motorsport | McLaren 720S GT3 | Gold | MNZ 11 |
LEC Ret |
SPA 6H 31 |
SPA 12H 4 |
SPA 24H 10 |
NÜR 46 |
CAT Ret |
6th | 70 |
* Season still in progress.
GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup
edit| Year | Team | Car | Class | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Pos. | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Garage 59 | McLaren 720S GT3 | Pro-Am | BRH 1 19 |
BRH 2 22 |
MAG 1 18 |
MAG 2 21 |
ZAN 1 Ret |
ZAN 2 15 |
MIS 1 17 |
MIS 2 15 |
VAL 1 20 |
VAL 2 21 |
1st | 119 |
| 2023 | JP Motorsport | McLaren 720S GT3 | Pro | BRH 1 21 |
BRH 2 11 |
MIS 1 Ret |
MIS 2 37 |
HOC 1 30 |
HOC 2 Ret |
VAL 1 13 |
VAL 2 11 |
ZAN 1 23 |
ZAN 2 18 |
NC | 0 |
* Season still in progress.
References
edit- ^ a b c Hart, Ross (23 October 2022). "Dean MacDonald races to motorsport title in Spain". Central Fife Times. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
- ^ a b c d e "Promoted: Dean MacDonald - McLaren's new GT prodigy". Autosport. 23 June 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
- ^ Goodwin, Graham (8 March 2017). "McLaren GT Driver Academy Returns For 2017". Dailysportscar. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
- ^ Pettit, Vince (8 November 2017). "PCCGB Junior Scholarship 2018/19 shootout: Introducing the finalists – Dean MacDonald". The Checkered Flag. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
- ^ Goodwin, Graham (21 March 2018). "Steller Motorsport Announces Full-Season Two-Car Toyota GT86 GT4 Effort". Dailysportscar. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
- ^ Goodwin, Graham (20 July 2018). "GT News Notebook". Dailysportscar. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
Century Sign Dean Macdonald
- ^ Hackett, Jean-Paul (23 July 2018). "Century Motorsport Take British GT Spa Francorchamps GT4 Honours". The Checkered Flag. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
- ^ Kilbey, Stephen (30 January 2019). "HHC Switches To McLaren For 2019 Season". Dailysportscar. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
- ^ "Dean Macdonald signs with HHC for McLaren GT4 Campaign". GO Motorsport Management. 30 January 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
- ^ Errity, Stephen (22 April 2019). "Debut JRM Bentley Win For Parfitt & Morris at Oulton". Dailysportscar. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
HHC's Pointon and MacDonald lead a McLaren 1-2-3 in GT4
- ^ Kilbey, Stephen (25 February 2020). "2 Seas Motorsport To Bring 720S GT3s To British GT". Dailysportscar. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
- ^ Goodwin, Graham (12 March 2021). "Gus Bowers & Dean Macdonald Complete United Autosports GT4 Line-Up". Dailysportscar. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
- ^ Goodwin, Graham (5 September 2021). "United Autosports Seal Teams Title As Macdonald & Bowers Win Race 2". Dailysportscar. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
- ^ Lloyd, Daniel (10 March 2022). "Pro-Am Champions Ramos, Chaves Join Garage 59". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
However, only Ramos is confirmed to pursue a defense of the Sprint Cup Pro-Am title, with Dean MacDonald named as his pro co-driver in the No. 188 car.
- ^ Goodwin, Graham (20 June 2022). "James Baldwin & Dean Macdonald Complete Garage 59 Spa 24 Line-ups". Dailysportscar. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
- ^ Lloyd, Daniel (2 October 2022). "Akkodis ASP Wins Endurance Cup Title at Barcelona Finale". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
Garage 59 led most of the race with its No. 159 McLaren, but Neubauer moved past Dean MacDonald in the closing stint to take the win.
- ^ Goodwin, Graham (9 March 2023). "Optimum Motorsport Confirm Endurance Cup McLaren Effort". Dailysportscar. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
- ^ Currell, Rob (8 July 2023). "McLaren Automotive factory driver racing driver Tom Gamble had a fantastic weekend in the 75th Edition of the CrowdStrike 24 hours of Spa endurance race becoming a class winner". Newark Advertiser. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
- ^ Lloyd, Daniel (20 December 2022). "JP Motorsport to Run Two McLarens in Sprint Cup". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
- ^ "Dean in pole position to win British title". Central Fife Times. 3 August 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
The Beath High School youngster went into the penultimate round of the championship at Shenington, Gloucestershire, joint top of the standings...
External links
edit- Dean MacDonald at British GT Championship