Photo: Ida Wood
Formula Ford 1600 racer Nathan Yu will contest the next three GB4 rounds with returning outfit Oldfield Motorsport.
The 18-year-old Canadian began his car racing career in his home country’s national Formula Vee championship in 2022, and was runner-up. At the end of that year he joined Team Dolan in the UK for the Walter Hayes Trophy and reached the semi-final, then stayed with the team to race in BRSCC National FF1600 last year.
He juggled that campaign with school commitments, meaning he could only do three rounds and came ninth in the standings. In November he took part in GB4’s shootout at Snetterton for teenaged racers from National Formula Ford 1600, but missed out on the £20,000 prize.
Yu will make slicks-and-wings debut in the Formula 4-spec GB4 at Donington Park later this month, then race in the following rounds at Snetterton and Silverstone.
“I’m incredibly excited to be driving in the GB4 championship this year with Oldfield Motorsport,” said Yu. “As a team with previous success in both GB4 and FFord, I believe there will be a smooth transition and I hope to achieve the goals I set out for myself this year.”
Oldfield, a leading team in FF1600, last appeared in GB4 at the opening two rounds in 2023 with Jason Conzo, and scored a victory during its only other appearance in the series at Silverstone in 2022 with Lucas Romanek.
“We’re delighted to welcome Nathan to the team and the GB4 championship,” said Oldfield’s team principal James Oldfield. “Ever since the Shootout in November at Snetterton, Nathan had a keen eye on ourselves and the GB4 championship as an option for 2024.
“He recently completed his freshman year’s university studies and exams, so no doubt he’s more excited than anyone of us – but we are all seriously looking forward to getting Nathan back out on track and in our GB4 car, as we focus on his preparation for his GB4 race debut.”
Yu is the third Canadian driver to enter GB4 this year, along with Graham Brunton Racing duo Callum Baxter and Mayer Deonarine.