Gordon Finlayson - Owner

Gordon has been involved in karting since 1987.  From a young age, Gordon loved to be involved in anything technical and starting his own karting career in 1987.  He raced within the UK and won the Scottish Championships in 1993 and 1994.  From 1997 until 2002, Gordon had his own karting racing team which had great success within the UK as well as beginning his career within engine building and tuning.  In 2002, Gordon decided to form GFR engines and has never looked back! With his extensive knowledge, confidence, expertise and passion, Gordon continues to grow and develop GFR Engines.

Kevin Park - Workshop Manager

Kevin's passion for racing karts started in 1981 where he went on to win many local Championship Series as well as the Scottish Championships before hanging his boots up in 1998.  Four years later, in October 2002, he joined Gordon to create GFR Engines leaving his career in the motor trade after a period of 24 years in a bid to turn his passion into a profession.  The gamble paid off with great success and to this day he continues to support and develop all aspects of GFR Engines bringing his paramount skills, confidence and expertise! Kevin has an outstanding amount of knowledge, which, in turn, allows him to develop and instil the confidence and skills with members of staff, a requirement needed to succeed within GFR Engines.

 

 

Alexis Ringesten - GFR Spain

Alexis started his own karting career back in 2005 with Premier Motorsports in Spain and once he started racing within the National Spanish Championships, he competed with GFR Engines. Alexis won both Spanish and Euro Rotax Championships as well as Parolin International Final Championship.

In 2013, Alexis started to mechanic and build his knowledge and expertise whilst working with several teams throughout Europe, including Praga, Forza, Praga Spain, Ward Racing and Kartronix. Alexis has an incomparable passion and skill for karting and started working for GFR Engines in 2017. Although he works with both OK and X30 classes, he continues to develop GFR Engines Spain, specialising in X30 categories.

 

Aitor Medina - Senior Mechanical Engineer (and trackside assistance)

Aitor started karting in 1994 and went on to win the Spanish Championship in 2004.  In 2007, he started his own team, using GFR Engines and competing throughout Europe.  In 2008, he started working for Intrepid Factory Team as mechanic and was in charge of the racing team within.  When Aitor was a mechanic for Barrabeig and Kvyat, he introduced GFR Engines and never looked back.  In 2010 and 2011 he was a mechanic for Alex Albon, using GFR Engines where they won the European Championship, World Cup KF3, P2 in World Championships and WSK in KF1.
Aitor also was a mechanic for Jeremy Iglesias and finished P2 in the KZ1 European Championship.  He then went on to work for teams Energy Corse, RL Competition, Birel Art and Giorgio Pantano Racing Team.
Aitor started working with GFR Engines in early 2019, bringing his extensive knowledge and skills to the team and supporting and developing wherever he can.  He has an excellent rapport with the teams and is excited to get back to the track in 2021.

 

 

Ben Napier - Mechanical Engineer

Ben began his own karting experience in 2009 when he was just 7 years old in Cadets and Junior Rotax in Scotland.  He started working with GFR Engines in 2018. Although he is the youngest member of the team, he has a thirst for knowledge and learning and enjoys working within the workshop, developing his skills.  Ben is keen to progress within GFR Engines and regularly travels to major races around Europe gaining knowledge, skills and confidence.

 

Steve Armstrong - Social Media

Steve started his racing career back in 1992 in Juniors and raced for 7 years within the UK.
He has worked as a mechanic and looked after drivers for Millennium Motorsport, Gary Rhodes Motorsport and Project One. Steve started coaching Max Chilton and used GFR Engines all the way through with Maranello Factory Team. He was also a mechanic for Miguel Molina in Formula A.
From 2005 until 2019, Steve has continued his karting career and has worked with drivers including Will Stevens, Hugo Bentley Ellis, and Chris Lulham.  He has worked for RL Racing, Vital Motorsport Team, CRG Factory Team and Forza. He has been part of winning multiple British and European titles in Rotax Max, IAME International Final in Senior X30 and the Industrial Trophy in Lonato.
In 2019, he ran the Strawberry Race Team and won the European Senior X30 title and the IAME International Final in both Senior and Pro X30. He now covers social media for GFR Engines along with a handful of other teams and coaches every 6 -8 weeks.