Chesterfield race driver gearing up for Brands Hatch race

The 16-year-old topped official testing at Brands Hatch last week, where he showed strong pace and fighting spirit in his first test session of the new 2016 season Ginetta Junior Championship which is contested by 14 to 17 year-old racers.

Perez lapped the Indy Circuit at Brands Hatch in 56.357 seconds and topped a total of 21 Ginetta drivers out testing with three sessions on track.

Driving for his team, JHR Developments at a top speed of 77.16mph on lap 24 out of 34 laps completed in the third and final session for the day.

His first full season in a Ginetta G40 race car last year was a total learning curve for him but saw him get top ten finishes at Croft and Snetterton, part of eleven top 15 places for the season.

He finished 20th in the final standings.

He then made a podium finish and a top five place in the end to the season in the Winter Series Championship finishing fifth overhaul.

“I had a great first year with Ginetta,” said Perez.

“I’ve gotten used to the Ginetta G40 race car and the circuits we travel to, so I’m hoping that experience will come in handy when it comes to picking up more podium positions!”

He added: “I’ve got a great team behind me with JHR Developments, and I’m really looking forward to getting back out on track.”

Perez made the transition from rallying to racing and following in petrol head father’s motor sport footsteps at the end of 2014 where is raced a Ginetta at Brands Hatch in the final round of the series and part of a support race to the British Touring Car Championship.

He finished 18th and 16th for a first outing in a new car and totally different to driving through forests in a rally car.

Motor sport is no stranger to Perez Jnr, son of 2014 BTRDA Gold Star Rally Champion Steve Perez, who has competed in the Kick Energy Junior 1000 Rally Championship at the wheel of a Nissan Micra rally car.

The series is backed by father Steve’s Global Brands business based in Chesterfield.

Steve Perez with Seb as co-driver also finished fourth overhaul and first in class in the MGJ Winter Stages Rally also at Brands Hatch in February.

The Chesterfield-based racing team teenager starts his attack this weekend in the 2016 Simpson Race Products Ginetta Junior Championship, as a support race series to the ever popular British Touring Car Championship at Brands Hatch.

He then races at local circuit Donington Park over the weekend of 16-17th April.

The whole race season is televised live on the Sunday on ITV4.