Aussie Silver-Am pairing Shahin and Patterson complete Optimum Motorsport’s GT3 trio for Silverstone 500

Australian driver duo, Yasser Shahin and Garnet Patterson, will join Optimum Motorsport for the Silverstone 500 next weekend, deputising for Mike Price and Callum Macleod. Instead of Forelle Estate’s lime green livery, the Wakefield-squad’s #3 McLaren GT3 Evo will run for The Bend Motorsport Park’s trademark orange branding for the blue-riband round of the British GT calendar.

Shahin and Patterson have previously paired up in GT World Challenge Australia and Asian Le Mans Series; both are regulars at the Bathurst 12 Hour, with Patterson contesting this year's Mount Panorama epic with Optimum Motorsport and their McLaren GT3 Evo. It was there that the opportunity to stand-in for Macleod and Price at Silverstone, due to their sailing commitments, first arose.

Shahin was previously confirmed to be part of Optimum Motorsport’s GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup programme back in 2020, however this was curtailed by the global pandemic, following the Official Prologue at Circuit Paul Ricard.

The Australian-Palestinian entrepreneur has since gone onto to secure two GT World Challenge Australia Pro-Am championship titles. Furthermore, Shahin won the inaugural LMGT3 class on his debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and Spa-Francorchamps - securing LMGT3 vice-champion status for the 2024 World Endurance Championship.

"It's great to reunite with Yasser at Silverstone as part of Optimum's GT3 line-up for the British GT season-opener," said Shahin. "We've had strong results together in the past, and I really enjoyed being part of the team at Bathurst earlier this year, so I'm looking forward to bringing everything together for the UK's blue-riband GT race.

"It's always extremely enjoyable to be on a GT grid, and what better place than an iconic circuit such as Silverstone? Vying for the coveted RAC Trophy makes it even more special."

Shahin and Patterson's Silver-Am entry joins Optimum's other three full-season British GT entries at Silverstone: Morgan Tillbrook is joined by Ben Barnicoat, reigning GT4 champions Marc Warren and Jack Brown make their GT3 debuts together, and Luca Hopkinson partners Josh Stanton in the team's sole McLaren Artura GT4.

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