RON Johnson is hoping that patience will pay dividend for Speedworks Motorsport in this season’s Avon Tyres British GT Championship.

He sits in the Northwich outfit’s Oilfield Production Consultants (OPC)-backed Chevrolet Corvette Z06R for the first time since the final round of last term in this weekend’s curtain-raiser at Oulton Park.

Piers Johnson will once more share driving duties.

The duo has been unable to test their 560bhp machine over the winter after a delay getting permission from motorsport’s governing body – the FIA – to fit upgrades to the car.

“We’ll be able to compete better with the updated parts,” said Ron.

“They’ll be delivered soon, which will help us to compete better with the newer cars and should help to push us up the grid.”

He expects to have the papers in place to make changes before next month’s second round at the Nurburgring in Germany.

It means Speedworks will run the car in its 2011 spec at their home circuit which includes two, one-hour races on Bank Holiday Monday.

Piers said: “We might be a little behind, but it’s very hard to tell who will be where at the moment.

“It will be interesting to see how the Corvette reacts to the new tyres [for this season] in race mode – it could work in our favour.”