Rafael Martinez and Jem Hepworth Return With Unfinished Business, Joined This Season by Cameron Lawrence and Jon Lancaster
HOUSTON, Texas (February 14, 2024) – The American-based RAFA Racing Team, fresh off a racing debut a season ago, will return to Europe once again in 2024 in an assault on the SRO Europe GT4 championship with a pair of McLaren Artura GT4 machines.
The announcement comes on the heels of a previous partnership naming RAFA Racing Club the “powered by” partner of the GT4 European Series Powered by RAFA Racing Club. The RAFA Racing Club, including the RAFA Racing Team, aims to create a space for high-performance car enthusiasts to enjoy like-minded individuals, network and share ideas on and off the track, and bond as one team with a common interest.
RAFA Racing will be represented by the former pairing of team owner Rafael Martinez and Jem Hepworth, joined in 2024 by a pair of racing stars, the United States’ Cameron Lawrence and England’s Jon Lancaster.
Though Martinez and Hepworth teamed for a second-place finish in the 2023 McLaren Trophy Europe championship, the dynamic duo will split cars for the 2024 season. Hepworth will pair with Lawrence for the Silver Class championship, while Martinez and Lancaster will fight together for the Pro-Am title.
With Lawrence as a teammate, Hepworth’s climb is sure to continue. An ambassador for Motorsport Woman, an organization dedicated to supporting and empowering women in motorsports, Hepworth has led the charge on and off the track. Hepworth won the 2020 BritCar Endurance Championship in her first season behind the wheel of a car after a successful karting adventure. Her success has seen her become the quickest driver at a number of invitation-only female shootouts, including the W-Series test in a Formula 4 car in Arizona and the Heart of Racing test in a GT4 car. The 23-year-old also remains an ambassador for the RAFA Racing Club.
Martinez, as team owner, returns to the track for some unfinished business in Europe. The El Salvadorian-born Houston resident was less than a lap from claiming the McLaren Trophy in 2023 before mechanical difficulties left he and Hepworth just short of the championship.
“We’re taking a step up in competition this year, but we’re bringing an even stronger team to take it on,” Martinez said. “Jem and I learned a lot last year racing together and are ready for the challenge of these GT4 cars. Cameron and Jon are great drivers in their own right, but are also great coaches and we believe we can really compete and have a lot of fun doing it.”
Lawrence and Lancaster are both championship-winning drivers. Lawrence claimed a pair of Trans Am Championships and the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Endurance racing title and a Rolex 24 At Daytona win. Lawrence will also continue to serve as full time driver and racing coach for RAFA Racing. Lancaster has a full-season European LeMans Series title on his resume, as well as a wealth of single-seater experience throughout the ladder.
Utilizing the “Race As Family Always” banner of the RAFA Racing Team and the RAFA Racing Club, the two-car team will welcome Greystone GT as technical advisors to maintain the European fleet of cars during the 2024 season.
The RAFA Racing Team will get the green flag on the SRO GT4 European Series at Circuit Paul Richard in France, April 5-7. More information can be found at RafaRacing.club.
RAFA Racing Quote Board:
Jem Hepworth, Driver: “I am excited for the new season with RAFA Racing. This is a step up for my career development and I am thrilled for the opportunity to showcase what I can do in a very competitive season.”
Jon Lancaster, Driver: “I’m very proud to be partnering with Rafael into the next step of his racing career and going with the RAFA Racing Team into the GT4 European Championship. Having worked together last season I’ve seen his vast potential and his passion for the sport which will no doubt lead us to mount a championship challenge!”
Cameron Lawrence, Driver: “I’ve been able to witness first hand how hard Rafael and the team are working to improve, and I’m looking forward to carrying that over to the GT4 European Series. The entire RAFA Racing outfit loves this sport, which makes it a great group of people to be around. We’ll work hard to get up to speed quickly and see if we can make some noise this season in the championship.”
About Rafa Racing Club:
RAFA Racing, utilizing the motto “Race As Family Always,” is a motorsports club and race team founded by and made for high-performance auto drivers, supporters, and fans of all types. Started by Rafael Martinez, the Club aims to create a space for high-performance car enthusiasts to enjoy like-minded individuals, network and share ideas on and off the track, and bond as one team with a common interest. The RAFA Racing Team made its debut in 2023 with a runner-up finish in the McLaren Trophy Europe Series, and expands that footprint to include Porsche Sprint Challenge North America and SRO GT4 Europe in 2024. The Club’s off-track presence can be felt on social media and beyond, including YouTube, Instagram and Facebook and at RafaRacing.Club.
