Bake Off star Paul Hollywood takes to Donington Park track

TV Chef Paul Hollywood will be swapping the rolling pin for a steering wheel this weekend. Credit: PA

TV baker Paul Hollywood, one of the stars of BBC hit show The Great British Bake Off, will swap oven mitts for racing gloves at Donington Park this weekend, as he gets behind the wheel of an Aston Martin GT4 car in the British GT Championship season finale.

Hollywood races for the Beechdean Motorsport team in the series alongside female racer Jamie Chadwick, and made his championship debut at Spa Francorchamps in Belgium in July.

He has points on the board already courtesy of an impressive showing last time out at Snetterton with a sixth place finish, and admits he’s revelling in his motorsport experience.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my racing so far in the British GT Championship,” he commented. “It’s very tough and it’s been a steep learning curve. Has it been more challenging than I expected? Yes, and then some! There’s things that people don’t think about, like when you get in the car you don’t realise just how claustrophobic they are."

Donington Park is famous for the Superbikes FIM World Championships. Credit: PA

Hollywood is a keen motorsport fan, and although he has yet to experience competitive driving at Donington, he does have a special memory as a spectator at the circuit:

“I’ve never raced at Donington before, but I was there for the European Grand Prix in 1993. I think it was one of the wettest Grands Prix on record with the most amount of tyre changes.

Ayrton Senna overtook all the cars on the first lap and I was stood at the top of the hill watching the racing with a black bin liner over my face with holes in so I could see out! Donington is a great track and I can’t wait to drive it this weekend.”

The race this weekend is a two hour contest, and Hollywood is focussed on making it to the chequered flag:

“Just finishing the race on Sunday would be great. Snetterton last time out was a good one and more of the same at Donington Park would be ideal. Our sources say qualifying on Saturday could be wet so that may be an added challenge, but Sunday should be dry.”