Leo Machitski

Machitski began racing cars in 2005, competing in the Supercar Challenge and Britcar, before joining Barwell Motorsport for a dual campaign in the FIA GT3 European Championship and British GT Championship the following year.^[1][2] Scoring a best result of fourth at Dijon in the former, Machitski found more success in the latter, taking four class wins and three further podiums to seal the GT3 title at Silverstone.^[3] After selling his championship-winning Aston Martin DBRS9, Machitski raced in the GT2 class of the FIA GT Championship for Tech 9 Motorsport the following year,^[4] finishing third at the Spa 24 Hours and ending the year 13th in points.^[5]

In 2008, Machitski raced part-time in British GT Championship for the same team,^[6] before making one-off appearances in the series across 2009 and 2010 for Barwell Motorsport,^[7][8] and joining Gravity Charouz Racing to race in the 2011 FIA GT3 European Championship.^[9] In his only full-time season in the series, Machitski scored a lone podium at the Slovakia Ring by finishing second in race two, helping him end the year 19th in points.^[10] The following year, Machitski made one-off appearances for Rhino's Leipert Motorsport in the FIA GT3 European Championship and Valmon Racing Team Russia in the FIA GT1 World Championship.^[11]

After not racing in 2013, Machitski joined BMW-fielding Team Russia by Barwell to race in the GTC class of the European Le Mans Series in 2014, taking a best result of fourth at Silverstone.^[12] During 2014, Machitski also raced in the 24 Hours of Spa for Team Parker Racing, finishing second in the Am class.^[13] Remaining with the team for 2015, Machitski switched to the Blancpain Endurance Series,^[14] competing in Pro-Am in all but one race, that being at Le Castellet, where he finished second in the Am class.^[15] As Barwell switched to Lamborghini machinery, Machitski remained with the team for the following two seasons,^[16][17] scoring a lone Pro-Am podium at Le Castellet in 2016.^[18] Remaining with Barwell to race in the Am class in 2018, Machitski scored class wins at the 24 Hours of Spa and Barcelona, as well two extra podiums to seal the Am title.^[19][20] During 2018, Machitski also made a one-off return to the British GT Championship for the same team at Oulton Park.^[21]

The following year, Machitski stayed with Barwell to continue in the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup,^[22] taking class wins at Monza and Silverstone and two other podiums to clinch the Am title for the second year in a row.^[23][24] During 2019, Machitski also won the 24 Hours of Barcelona with the same team.^[25] Stepping up to the Pro-Am class for 2020 and continuing with Barwell,^[26] Machitski took a class win at the 24 Hours of Spa and a second-place finish at Le Castellet to finish third in the class standings.^[27] In 2021, Machitski returned to the British GT Championship as he stayed with Barwell,^[28] taking a lone win at Spa to secure the GT3 overall title and runner-up in the GT3 Pro-Am standings.^[29][30] During 2021, Machitski raced part-time in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup, taking a best result of third in the Pro-Am class at the 24 Hours of Spa.^[31] Machitski was set to remain with Barwell Motorsport for the following year's British GT season,^[32] but those plans fell through when Motorsport UK suspended its recognition of Russian licences due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.^[33]