Team HARD add another name to their growing list of drivers for 2017 as Benjamin Wallace will be racing again for Team HARD in the VW Cup and VAG Trophy this season.
The 17 year old from Merseyside and former racer for Michael Schumacher’s karting team, will be racing for Tony Gilham’s team in a VW Golf GTI-R Cup car.
The former Ginetta racer joined the Team HARD scholarship at the end of 2015 and impressed team boss Tony Gilham so much he was asked to take part in the junior programme.
Benjamin was balancing test sessions alongside his GCSE exams at the time.
His first race came at Spa, he finished inside the top ten after first free practice showing that he was well within the pace of the top cars and then managed to qualify 6th on the grid. He progressed to achieve pole at Oulton Park in August last year and was battling for a podium position at Castle Combe when technical problems struck. This showed the true character of the young driver and proved Team HARD’s decision to include him within their program of developing young, dedicated and ambitious drivers for the future.
He returns this season with high hopes that the experience he gained last year will stand him in good stead for the 2017 and possibly a chance of challenging for a championship.
His team boss Tony Gilham had this to say about the youngster:
“Ben is an outstanding young talent and continues with us this year on our young driver programme. Ben joined us last year following a very promising display on the Team HARD scholarship programme and went on to show some amazing pace at times in 2016, a pole position at Oulton Park being one of the highlights. If we can improve on his starts and consistency now, with his race craft development, we will have the complete driver and without doubt be challenging for the championship.”
We took Benjamin to one side and asked him to take the Quick 10 interview feature so we could get to know more about this young man who will be hurtling round a race circuit near you soon.
1. What is your favourite circuit and why?
Spa, very technical & Brands Hatch GP
2. Who is/was your racing idol?
Michael Schumacher being part of his Kart Team in Germany and Ayrton Senna
3. Who would you regard as your toughest opponent?
Half the grid in VW Racing Cup
4. Considering racers of all time, you are a team principal and money is no object. Which two racers would you have in your team?
Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel
5. If you could invite four famous people to dinner (past and present), who would you invite?
Tony Gilham, Ben Kattenhorn, Paul O’Neill, Danny Buxton, and Chris Hodgetts (that’s 5 but we cut Ben some slack on this one.)
6. Personal racing number? What is it and the reason behind it?
#88 got it since Karting and won a lot of races with it
7. What is the best race you have been involved in?
Brands Hatch GP 2016 and Spa 2016
8. Is there a race or series you have not competed in, that you would like to or had wanted to?
British GT and BTCC
9. How did you get into motor racing? What ignited that spark?
Karting, won my first kart race in 2005, 6 years old in Spain Alevin class
10. What is the best advice in racing you have been given?
Lots, where shall I start. Michael Schumacher ” Never give up” and Tony Gilham ” Go Hard or Go Home”
We want to wish Ben the very best for the forthcoming season.
Neil Simmons (in association with Team HARD)
Twitter: @world_racing
Team HARD Twitter: @TeamhardRacing
Ben Wallace Twitter: @BenWallace88
(c) Selected Images Watermarked and Copyright of Craig Wheeldon