Motorsport Matters: BTCC Media Day

I was lucky enough to attend the BTCC Media Launch Day at Donington Park Circuit on 22nd March 2016 as a guest of Advantage Printer Solutions and Speedworks Motorsport. It was a chance to see first-hand the spectacle that the drivers, teams and fans wait for throughout the long winter months that signals that start of the new season. Although many teams had a winter testing program, for some drivers it was the first time behind the wheel of their new ‘office’ in the afternoon testing session.

As we arrived shortly before 10:00am it was great to see the teams busily setting up the garages for the day ahead with mechanics and crew dashing back and forth with equipment, parts and tyres. As we arrived at the Speedworks garage many of the sponsors knew each other from the previous season and it made me appreciate a different side to the BTCC that you don’t see from behind the TV at home or even spectating at the track. The sponsors whose logos flash by at 150mph pay a sizeable amount for their name on each car without which most teams could not compete. Most BTCC fans will know the main sponsor of each team but if you look carefully on some there can be around a dozen company names give or take and each is a client of the team as well as a supporter. For them the day is a chance to get not just a first look at the cars but also where their names will be on the cars (or at least see it in the flesh for the first time).

The first job of the day was the drivers’ group photograph out on the pit straight where the organisers had arranged two neat rows of chairs. The idea was to get all thirty-two drivers arranged into three rows – ten sitting at the front, eleven stood behind them on the tarmac and then eleven stood at the back on the seats of the second row of chairs. If you follow me on Facebook you can see a series of about a dozen photographs where the drivers meet and greet each other and arrange themselves accordingly. Jack Goff appeared to have one last piece of work to do on his phone while thirty-one drivers waited for Rob Collard. The BMW driver was the last to arrive and after he made a quick remark while brought a chuckle from the gathered photographers and relaxed the crowd the photograph session began. Some drivers choose beaming smiles, some like to look serious and some probably weren’t looking at the cameras every time they should have been. Eventually the gathered media seemed happy with their collection of photographs and while the drivers did their individual profile pictures I made my way to pit lane for the main event.

Starting at the Team BKR garage at the top of the pit lane the teams would bring their cars out with their drivers, everyone would take lots of photos and then everyone would move to the next garage ready for the next team. All the while there was commentary across the speakers from the event commentator for the day who had the unenviable job of keeping the whole thing moving while also ensuring everyone got what they wanted. Some teams rolled their cars out from behind closed doors, some had them in pit lane already under wraps for a great reveal (Speedworks for one) and then there’s Halfords Yuasa Racing. I haven’t been to any of these launches before to know if they make such a presentation of it but the Honda team outdid everyone else with their launch. First there was a video of the title wins for Matt Neal and reigning champion Gordon Shedden against a temporary screen over one of the garage doors with some rousing, inspirational music. Then a Civic Type R came through the temporary screen and rolled towards the cameramen gathered just outside. This was the car of the champion and shortly afterwards the cars of Neal and new team-mate Andy Neate came out to join him for the last photo call of the day.

Throughout the whole succession of launches I managed to not only take photographs of each one but also do a few Periscope broadcasts for the first time so my followers on Twitter could see the launch for themselves. Unfortunately this gobbled my battery and I had to take the last few photographs on a handheld camera which is why I still haven’t uploaded them yet. The cars were then rolled out to the grid for a photograph session of just the cars.

With the photographs done and the teams launched it was time for a short break before the testing began in the afternoon. Before that the gates to the circuit opened so that the general public could have access for free to see the cars in action in the test and also have a walk around the paddock for a sight of their heroes and the teams in action. It’s quite something to see a general spectator randomly poking their head through the door of a pit garage to see what’s going on and it brings home the level of access you get with the BTCC spectator as a fan. It completely separates it from other motor racing formulas like Formula One and MotoGP where they realise that part of the appeal is how close the fans can get to the action.

During the test session I wandered into the infield section of the track which is currently being upgraded and there’s a great view from the inside of the circuit of the cars coming down Craner Curves into the Old Hairpin and away towards McLeans. One of my favourite viewing spots has always been on the outside of the Old Hairpin but I could see the appeal of this spot. I then went back to the Speedworks pit and spent the rest of the session there as Tom Ingram came in and out for each run in his Toyota Avensis until a puncture ended his day early. The left front had gone and sent him off circuit and although he’d avoided the wall he hadn’t managed to get the car back out of the gravel and it came to the pits on the back of a truck while the session was red flagged. At the time he was running third behind rookie Ashley Sutton and Rob Austin but would drop to fourth as Neal went fastest on the day.

I’ll do some more preview work in the week ahead but here’s a brief review of each teams’ line up:

Halfords Yuasa Racing – Team Dynamics – Honda Civic Type R 52 – Gordon Shedden 25 – Matt Neal 57 – Andy Neate Reigning double champion Shedden is starting his eleventh season with the team so is in familiar territory making him one of the favourites again this year. He will pass the 300 race mark this year and could reach 50 wins with just nine more. Triple champion Neal is in his seventh consecutive season here after re-joining in 2010 following a two year stint at VX Racing in the Vauxhall Vectra. Neal finished third overall in 2015. While Shedden passes 300 races Neal should pass 600 later in the season. The first race of the season will be Neate’s 100th in the BTCC as he returns for the first time since 2013 when we saw him contest seven races in a Chevrolet Cruze in his own team. In 2012 he was 16th as Jason Plato’s team-mate in the MG6 GT in its first season.

Subaru Team BMR – Subaru Levorg GT 4 – Colin Turkington 20 – James Cole 39 – Warren Scott 99 – Jason Plato Team BMR keep a four-driver line up but have replaced Aron Smith with James Cole. One could presume that was because the Irish driver ignored team orders to help Jason Plato’s title bid at Brans Hatch at the end of last season. Cole was with Motorbase Performance last season who missed the first half of the season but did manage seven points finishes to finish 19th overall including a career best 9th at Silverstone. Team principal Warren Scott was 23rd overall last season and had a 10th place finish at Croft in the Volkswagen CC. Double champion Colin Turkington will be back on familiar ground as he returns to rear wheel drive after a season where he finished 4th in the front wheel drive VW. The Irishman has over 300 starts but that’s nothing compared to Jason Plato who will pass the 500 mark this season and needs just six more wins for 100. Also a double champion, Plato is used to racing new cars after helping launch the Seat Toledo in 2004 and MG6 in 2012. He was runner up in 2015 and hungry for a third title.

Team JCT 600 with GardX – West Surrey Racing – BMW 125i M Sport 100 – Rob Collard 600 – Sam Tordoff Team IHG Rewards Club - West Surrey Racing – BMW 125i M Sport 31 – Jack Goff West Surrey Racing again run three drivers under two banners. Sam Tordoff and Rob Collard remain with the JCT600 team while Jack Goff moves over from Triple Eight Racing to replace Andy Priaulx who has left to join the Ford team in the World Endurance Championship. Tordoff, who starts his fourth full season in the series, finished 6th last season equalling his best result and taking two wins in the process. Collard’s been around since 2000 when he raced a Nissan Primera and is starting his seventh season with this team. He will pass 400 races this year and was 10th last year despite three race wins. Goff impressed in the MG6 GT last season and took his maiden win at Snetterton on the way to 9th in the championship in his third season.

MG Racing RCIB Insurance – Triple Eight Racing – MG6 GT 66 – Josh Cook 116 – Ashley Sutton The fourth and final constructor team has gone with a youthful line up for 2016. With Goff leaving for West Surrey Racing and Andrew Jordan going to Motorbase Performance it left both seats vacant for new blood. 2014 Renault UK Clio Cup runner-up Josh Cook impressed with Power Maxed Racing last season and took his first podium at Rockingham on his way to 15th overall. Ashley Sutton won the Renault UK Clio Cup in 2015 and is seen by many as the one to beat for the Jack Sears Trophy awarded to the best rookie driver.

Motorbase Performance – Ford Focus ST 7 – Mat Jackson 77 – Andrew Jordan Mat Jackson is already being tipped by some to win his first BTCC title this season. He’s been with Motorbase Performance since 2010 and suffered with the team as they were unable to race for the first half of last season. The team attended the last five rounds for the last fifteen races and Jackson won four of them, was on the podium in another four and did enough in half a season to get to 12th overall. He will pass 300 races this season as a likely challenger for the title. In Andrew Jordan the team has a second driver with proven pedigree, a winner of the title in 2013. He retains his Pirtek sponsorship as he looks to get back to winning ways after not standing on the top step of the podium in 2015 for the first time since 2009. He finished 5th overall last season and like Jackson is one of the title favourites.

Handy Motorsport – Toyota Avensis 11 – Rob Austin Now in their third year in the series Handy Motorsport have signed the man dubbed ‘fan favourite’ Rob Austin as their only driver as they reduce to one car. The former British GT4 runner-up has been in the BTCC since 2011 and also runs his own team, Rob Austin Racing. After five years driving an Audi A4 he will now need to get used to the front wheel drive Toyota Avensis. His two race wins came in 2013 and 2014 and in his five years he has always been between 11th and 16th overall (14th last year). He will have to work hard to equal that in 2016 with the quality field he’s up against.

Speedworks Motorsport – Toyota Avensis 80 – Tom Ingram Speedworks Motorsport – Honda Civic Type R 303 – Matt Simpson The Speedworks team expands to two cars in 2016. Tom Ingram starts his third season in the BTCC with the consistency of the same team and car which helped him to his first two podiums at the end of 2015 (at Rockingham and Brands Hatch). The former Ginetta Junior champion and double Ginetta GT Supercup winner is commonly lauded as a future BTCC champion and his development continues as he seeks his first race win after finishing 13th overall last season. Matt Simpson is a rookie to the class fresh from Hot Rod racing with a steep learning curve racing last year’s title winning Civic Type R.

RCIB Insurance Racing – Team HARD / Tony Gilham Racing – Toyota Avensis 12 – Michael Epps 24 – Jake Hill TLC Racing - Team HARD / Tony Gilham Racing – Toyota Avensis 22 – Chris Smiley Team Hard are attacking the 2016 with the most inexperienced team in the field as they have two rookies and a driver with just nine races under his belt. Jake Hill is unlucky that his nine starts exclude him from the Jack Sears Trophy even though this is his first full season and he would be eligible as such in other formats. He did three races in 2013 with Motorbase in a Focus, three the same year with Rob Austin Racing in the Audi A4 and last year drove the AmD Tuning Audi S3 vacated by Nicholas Hamilton at the last three races at Brands Hatch. His highest race finish was 11th in 2013 in the A4. Epps has graduated with the team from the VWR Cup and Smiley previously raced in the VW Scirocco R-Cup in Germany. Last season he had a guest drive for Team HARD in the VAG Trophy and won both races.

Dextra Racing with Team Parker – Ford Focus ST 14 – Alex Martin The team continues its partnership with Team Parker Racing and retains Alex Martin for a second season after he finished 25th overall last season with three points gained at Rockingham. The former Porsche Carrera Cup and Ferrari Challenge Europe driver will be hoping to be in the top fifteen on a more regular basis in 2016 but faces a huge challenge to do so.

Laser Tools Racing – Mercedes-Benz A-Class 16 – Aiden Moffat Although just 19 years old this is Aiden Moffat’s third full year in the BTCC and his second with the Mercedes. He finished 17th overall in 2015 with a maiden podium at Knockhill after finishing third in Race 3. He was the youngest driver in BTCC history in 2013 when he raced a Chevrolet Cruze at Knockhill ages 16 years, 10 months and 28 days.

WIX Racing – Mercedes-Benz A-Class 33 – Adam Morgan Adam Morgan won the 2011 Ginetta GT Supercup and graduated to the BTCC with Speedworks Motorsport. He stays with the team (formerly Ciceley Racing) for a fourth season after winning a race in each of the 2014 and 2015 seasons. He finished 7th overall last season and was on the podium seven times in total.

Goodestone Racing – Proton Persona 17 – Dan Welch Dan Welch has been racing a Proton in the BTCC since 2011 and this year is no different. His best season was 2012 when he was 15th overall and he finished 28th last year after getting just one point in the third race at Oulton Park. Any points gained this season will be regarded as a success.

Eurotech Racing – Honda Civic Type R 30 – Martin Depper 55 – Jeff Smith Martin Depper should pass a century of races in BTCC this season as he stays with Eurotech for a second season. Last season was his best to date as he finished with 53 points in 18th overall with a 9th place at Donington the highlight. Jeff Smith spent three years at Pirtek Racing from 2011 to 2013 before joining Eurotech in 2015 after a year away from the series. He was 20th overall last season and considering he was 12th overall in 2012 and had a podium in 2013 he will hope for better this year.

Team BKR – Volkswagen CC 38 – Mark Howard 40 – Aron Smith After the B-Tec series was put on hold for a year Team BKR quickly re-jigged their plans and gained two licences for the BTCC just in time for the new season. Aron Smith raced the same VW CC last season to 11th overall with six podiums and now enters his fifth full season in the BTCC. He should pass 150 races at the Brands Hatch finale if all goes to plan and three race wins on his c.v. – one in 2012 in a Motorbase Ford Focus and two in 2014 with Team BMR in the VW CC. Mark Howard is a rookie stepping up from the Renault UK Clio Cup where he finished 13th overall last season but won the Masters Cup.

AmD Tuning – Audi S3 Saloon 48 – Ollie Jackson Ollie Jackson will pass 100 races this season as he returns after a year racing in the Ginetta GT4 Supercup where he finished 8th overall with one podium last year. Jackson raced for AmD in his first full BTCC season in 2012 when he finished 18th overall, his best to date. Since then we was in the Speedworks Avensis in 2013 and failed to score any points in 2014 driving the Proton with Dan Welch. Last season’s AmD Tuning driver Mike Bushell has returned to the Renault UK Clio Cup.

Power Maxed Racing – Chevrolet Cruze 54 – Hunter Abbott 84 – Kelvin Fletcher With Josh Cook moving to Triple Eight Racing and Dave Newsham joining the British Rallycross Championship we have two new drivers at Power Maxed. Hunter Abbott joins from racing a Rob Austin Audi A4 for the past two seasons finishing 20th and 21st overall respectively. He is joined by the late surprise on the grid in the form of Kelvin Fletcher, best known for playing Andy Sugden in Emmerdale on TV. He has raced in the Porsche Carrera Cup in recent years and 13th in 2014 despite only driving in six of the nineteen races.

Maximum Motorsport – Ford Focus ST 95 – Stewart Lines Stewart Lines is now in his second year in the BTCC. He moves into the series last season with Houseman Racing in a Toyota Avensis after four years in the VWR Cup where he finished third in 2013. This season as the team owner for Maximum Motorsport he will balance management and driving as the team have purchased the AmD Tuning Ford Focus driven by Mike Bushell in 2015. He didn’t score any points last season and his best result was 17th on two occasions.

Any research information courtesy of en.wikipedia.org, driverdb.com and btcc.net.