Rob Collard and Hugo Cook will return to the British GT Championship with Barwell Motorsport this year with their eyes firmly set on fighting for the title.
Two-time British GT champion Collard will reunite with rising star Cook aboard Barwell’s #63 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 to form the second part of the team’s three-pronged attack this year. Their car will be backed by Collard Group, J&S Accessories, ESS Electrical Switchgear Services and Dama Fortuna Premium Tequila.
The striking Dama Fortuna livery returns to emphasise the commitment of the rapidly growing American brand to Barwell Motorsport's GT3 programmes. Having already won a string of awards in the States, Dama Fortuna Premium Tequila is due for its UK launch this summer.
This season will mark Collard and Cook’s first full campaign together, after Rob was forced to miss the opening round of 2025 due to a medical procedure. Despite the delayed start, Collard and Cook still shone, taking a race win at Oulton Park and adding four further podium finishes to help Cook finish runner-up in the GT3 Drivers’ Championship.
Despite the non-score early on, Collard still finished an impressive fifth in the points and will return this year aiming to keep up his enviable record of winning the British GT title in every full season he has contested. Collard was crowned champion in 2020 and 2024, both titles earned at the wheel of a Barwell-run Lamborghini Huracan GT3.
Away from British GT, Cook also showed his star quality with a string of impressive performances for Barwell in the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup last season, where he repeatedly went up against the best factory Pros in the sport and held his own, securing three points finishes alongside Sandy Mitchell. His talent has also recognised by Lamborghini Squadra Corse, and for 2026 Cook has been named a GT3 Junior Driver for the Bolognese brand, meaning he will benefit from a package of factory support to aid his development.
With all of that experience gained, plus the consistency of returning with the same driver combination, technical crew and car, Collard and Cook should have a solid foundation to put together a title charge this year. The pair were on the podium in each of the final three rounds of the year in 2025, ramming home their potential for a flying start to 2026.
“I can’t wait to get back on track this year, get back with Barwell and get to work with Hugo again. The delayed start to last year put me seriously on the back foot, having no pre-season at all and missing the first round, so I went in cold – but despite that we still enjoyed a really strong year. Hugo still managed to finish second in the championship, and if I hadn’t have missed the season opener, who knows… perhaps we could have gone one better together. Ifs and buts, but we know we have a great opportunity this year.
“Hugo is superb to work with. He’s a great young pro who is seriously quick, listens and adapts and we have a constant flow of information between us, always learning. Barwell prove year on year they’re the best in the game, and the Huracan GT3 undoubtedly still has the pace to win races, and if you can win races, you can win championships. It’s important to take these things a race at a time, be consistent and stay out of trouble. It all helps toward that title. I’ll be sad to see the Huracan GT3 retired at the end of the year, I’ve probably had more success with this car than any other I’ve driven. Putting together a title challenge this year would be a suitable send-off for it.”
“I’m really excited to be back in British GT this season, and to be sharing with Rob again. I think the best decision I’ve made in my career was joining Barwell last season because the team certainly helped bring the best out of me in both our British and European programmes. I learned a huge amount across last year, from working with Rob and going up against pro drivers like Sandy [Mitchell] and Patrick [Kujala] and that really helped me improve as a driver.
“This year is about taking those lessons and putting them into practice from the very start. Rob was so impressive last season, jumping in late with no pre-season and just being bang on it. He’s one of the best drivers around, so I’m really looking forward to sharing a car with him again. Winning the championship is definitely the aim, and I believe we have all of the ingredients to really go for it.”
“We’re delighted to have Rob and Hugo back with us. Considering the challenges they faced last year, they soon became a standout pairing and will undoubtedly be ones to watch this season. They’re two drivers who know each other well now, know the championship, and know how to win. Rob’s a class act and repeatedly shows he’s one of the strongest Ams in the business, while Hugo is a real rising star. Last year he progressed massively across both British GT and GT world Challenge Europe with us, going head-to-head with the best pro drivers in the business and holding his own. I have no doubt he’s going places in his career. We’re set to have some serious firepower in British GT this year, with Rob and Hugo in the #63 and Duncan Cameron and Matt Griffin in the #55, plus another crew still to be revealed… it’s going to be a very exciting season.”
We are delighted to be supporting Barwell Motorsport and Rob and Hugo for what is shaping up to be an incredibly exciting British GT season. Partnering with the team gave us great visibility last season through our GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup programme, and I'm very happy to see the Dama Fortuna colours return for British GT in what will be a big year for the company with our award-winning premium tequila due to hit the UK shelves this summer. Hopefully we will be helping to celebrate championship success at the end of the year.
