The 1997 Privilege Insurance British GT Championship delivered a fiercely competitive season, culminating in a dramatic title decider. The season marked by the high-profile debut of the McLaren F1 GTR 'Longtail' of Gary Ayles and Chris Goodwin (who later became McLaren's chief test driver), which secured a win in the opening round at Silverstone.

The main GT1 championship fight centered on the powerful Porsche 911 GT1 (John Morrison/John Greasley) and the tenacious Harrier LR9 GT97 (Win Percy/Charlie Cox).  Overall race wins were split between these two, with the Harrier taking victory at Brands Hatch, Oulton Park and Croft, while the Porsche dominated the Grand Prix support race and the season finale at Silverstone.

Despite not winning a race outright, the remarkable consistency of Steve O'Rourke and Tim Sugden in their GT2 Porsche 911 paid off. They clinched the overall championship over John Morrison and John Greasley by a mere two points in the final round, demonstrating that reliable class dominance could overcome the sheer speed of the GT1 rivals. The season was also marred by mechanical failures and spectacular spins for the Lister Storm and the TVR Cerbera and all the best action from the 1997 season is included in this comprehensive highlights review.