Shoot-out winner Colin Queen joins Fortec for 2023 GB4 challenge

GB4's National Formula Ford shoot-out winner Colin Queen will graduate to the GB4 Championship with Fortec Motorsport in 2023.

The American, who was selected as the winner following the assessment at Snetterton in October, won a £20,000 prize to put towards a drive in GB4, and has chosen Fortec as he climbs the motorsport ladder. 

Hailing from California, the 17-year-old is the National Formula Ford Triple Crown Champion, thanks to outstanding performances at Silverstone, Brands Hatch and Donington Park, and finished second in the overall 2022 standings, with three race wins and nine additional podiums. Other season highlights included the David Leslie and Jim Walsh Trophies for wins at Knockhill and Silverstone respectively. 

As one of the top-three teenagers in National Formula Ford, he was then invited to take part in the GB4 shoot-out, where he prevailed against two other contenders.

Prior to this season, he'd finished eighth in National Formula Ford in 2021, his first year in cars. 

Queen has been racing for nine seasons, having spent several years in karting before graduating into cars in 2021, where highlights included being selected by the World Karting Association to represent the USA at the 2018 CIK-FIA Academy Trophy in Europe.

He's now gearing up for a full campaign in GB4, with the aim of progressing up the motorsport ladder towards the top levels of the sport. Queen is Fortec's first signing for the 2023 GB4 Championship, having won the inaugural championship this year with Nikolas Taylor. 

Colin Queen said: "Since winning the shoot-out it's been my target to finalise my place on the grid in GB4, and I couldn't be happier that's it's coming with Fortec. Having worked together on a few occasions since the shoot-out, I knew this was the team I wanted to be with for next year, and I'm happy that we've been able to finalise this so quickly.  They won the title with Nikolas last year, and I am working hard to be able to replicate that level of success with the team in 2023."

Fortec Motorsport Team Manager Oliver Dutton said: "We've seen so much promise from Colin on the occasions he's been in the car, and we're very pleased that he's chosen to race with us in GB4 next year. He's shown what he's capable of in his short career so far, and we think we can help to push him on to the next level. We're looking forward to getting back to work with him when testing recommences in the New Year, as we look to defend our title."