Motorsport Pathways
Dorlin’ s success racing Renault Clios raised his profile
Dorlin’ s professional career started in the McLaren Automotive Driver Development Programme
JEP
Manufacturer programmes are highly sought-after, offering not only GT and sportscar opportunities but salaried roles in development, coaching customers, and representing the brand at events around the world.
They also bring challenges.“ When the manufacturer is paying, you’ re suddenly under a lot of pressure to perform,” Dorlin explains.“ It was tough, but it brought me on a lot as a driver and a person.”
Sadly, the programme was placed on hold during the COVID pandemic, but Dorlin has good memories of the experience.“ A lot of investment went into training,” he says.“ As a young guy trying to make a career, when you get an opportunity you take it with both hands, there’ s never a point where you think this is too much.”
OPTION 2: PRO-AM PARTNERSHIP Dorlin’ s next opportunity evolved into another route into GT racing via the Porsche Cayman Sprint Challenge GB.“ They made a very good offer and we had some sponsorship. It was very late to come about, and on the Wednesday before the race I picked the car up and towed it to the track on the Friday night.” From there Dorlin became the inaugural champion in 2020.
Winning the title opened another door.“ During that season I met Alex [ Malykhin ] who had bought one as a
54 track car,” Dorlin explains.“ So, I started doing a bit of coaching; he never had any intention of racing but was doing really well.” This coincided with the loss of a sponsor, so Dorlin sat out the season and focused on coaching Malykhin in the Sprint Challenge.“ He decided to move up to GT3 and said:‘ I’ d prefer it if you were driving as well because I can use your data’, so we raced all over the Middle East during the winter.”
Dorlin was fourth overall in the Porsche Sprint Challenge Middle East. The following year he returned to British GT in triumphant fashion as the pair claimed the Silver- Am championship title in a Redline Racing-prepared Lamborghini Huracan GT3.
“ At that point this was an absolute dream come true,” Dorlin says.“ Then it all started to fall apart by the end of the year. I came away from that which meant that I didn’ t race for 2023 or 2024.”
Right: Dorlin found British GT success in a Pro-Am partnership with Alex Malykhin
Revolution Magazine