Motorbase Performance has today confirmed that it has parted ways with Mat Jackson.

Jackson joined Motorbase in 2010 and the pairing has celebrated many Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship successes over the past eight seasons, including 20 overall race wins as well as clinching the Independent Teams’ title in 2016. The Warwickshire-based driver was also instrumental in the build and development of the team’s Focus ST Next Generation Touring Car.

“Mat Jackson has been a fantastic driver for Motorbase Performance and I’ve enjoyed all of the years that we have worked together. We’ve had some great times, but like all things in life, things move on,” said Team Principal David Bartrum.

“Motorbase has been around for 15 years and 2018 marks our 12^th season racing the BTCC, Mat has been a big part of that history, however, drivers come and go and good teams carry on racing.

“I wish Mat all the best in everything he does in the future. It’s been great working with him and we shall all miss him.”

“I’m still very excited about the season ahead,” concluded the team boss. “We have a fantastic line-up with WTCC Independents' champion Tom Chilton and returning BTCC star Sam Tordoff piloting our new Focus RS. Our pre-season testing programme starts very soon and we will announce Mat’s replacement in due course.”

Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship outfit Power Maxed Racing were seen in unfamiliar surroundings recently, as the team’s Vauxhall Astras were centre stage at Arenacross 2018.

Power Maxed became the headline partners of Arenacross in 2018, a series of events which headed to Manchester, travelling next to Newcastle, Birmingham, Belfast and Sheffield, and is due to complete on Saturday in Wembley at the SSE Arena.

It’s an all-action motocross championship, with competitors battling for the prize pot every night of the tour. Freestyle displays between rounds provide entertainment and fun for all the family – motorsport enthusiasts or otherwise.

Power Maxed gained further exposure to a live audience of over 60,000 people throughout January and February all over the country using footage of its BTCC exploits, featuring 2017 drivers Tom Chilton and Jack Sears Champion Senna Proctor – showcasing their most memorable moments from last season.

In Birmingham, Power Maxed Racing’s Astras were sitting pretty in the middle of the dirt stadium, introducing fans of the adrenaline-filled Arenacross tour to a taste of BTCC machinery in the flesh.

The agreement between Power Maxed and Arenacross came about in September 2017, with a synergy between the two brands spied as a match made in heaven, not only to promote Power Maxed’s vehicle care products to a new, motorbike-enthused audience, but also to introduce fans of the BTCC to Arenacross and vice versa.

The final show of the 2018 UK Power Maxed Arenacross tour will take place on Saturday 17 February in the SSE Arena, Wembley. The Power Maxed stable will then turn its attention to the BTCC, with Season Launch at Donington Park on 27 March, just around the corner.

Halfords Yuasa Racing has recruited two-time Porsche Carrera Cup GB Champion Dan Cammish to pilot its second Honda Civic Type R alongside Matt Neal in the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.
 
Cammish arrives at the team with a fine pedigree in the sport and several seasons on the BTCC support package under his belt. The Yorkshireman was the architect of an astonishing campaign in British Formula Ford in 2013 – winning all 24 races he entered to wrap the title up with two meetings to go – before clinching back-to-back crowns in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB in 2015 and 2016.
 
Cammish spent last year contesting both the PCCGB and the pan-European Porsche Supercup. He finished third in the domestic championship – despite missing two races mid-season – as he triumphed eight times from 13 starts, more than any of his rivals in a campaign highlighted by a stunning victory at Le Mans following a frenetic final lap four-way scrap for supremacy.
 
The 28-year-old added to that with fourth in the fiercely-disputed international series, with three podium finishes to his credit, including an amazing 2nd place on his debut in Monaco and he will now replace Gordon Shedden at Honda’s factory BTCC team Halfords Yuasa Racing, following the Scot’s announcement last month that he will be leaving the championship.

“I’m obviously over the moon to be signing for Halfords Yuasa Racing," said Cammish. "They are a team with a highly successful background and a team that has proven they can win championships.  I have my hopes set high for 2018 and lifting the overall drivers crown would be a dream come true, but first of all I appreciate, that as a works team driver, points for the manufacturer and team’s championships are the main priority.

“I’ve followed the Team Dynamics boys over the years from the Porsche paddock and can’t wait to get behind the wheel and try out the Honda Civic Type R first hand, you know they develop quick, well handling cars and I’m sure it will suit my style of driving.”

David Hodgetts, Managing Director, Honda UK, said: “We are witnessing an emerging trend in the BTCC at present of young drivers coming to the fore, and Dan is unquestionably one of the leading lights of that next generation of future race-winners and title contenders. He is in the somewhat unique position of being young yet experienced from all his years racing in the support series, and his raw speed and racecraft are beyond doubt.

"We have been immediately impressed by his dedication and approach, and we are confident that in Matt and Dan, Honda has the perfect driver line-up to challenge for honours this season.”
 
Matt Neal, driver, Halfords Yuasa Racing and Director, Team Dynamics, added: “This is a great signing for us, Dan has been very successful in every Championship he has competed in over the years.  He’s incredibly difficult to pass and knows how to defend a position. We needed someone with his standing to help the team challenge for overall honours in all three championships this year.  The goal for 2018 is to come away with as much silverware at the end of the season as possible. I’m really looking forward to him being my new team mate and to us battling away together this season.

One thing is for sure with Dan, he will be able handle himself in this highly competitive championship, he conducts himself with professionalism and is good on camera, he really ticks all the boxes as a replacement for Flash and I wish him all the best for the coming season, it's great to have him on board.”

 

Scottish racer Aiden Moffat has announced this morning that he will contest the 2018 British Touring Car Championship, again in partnership with Laser Tools Racing – his fourth consecutive season with his long-time backers in the UK's flagship motorsport series and third with the outfit's Mercedes-Benz A-Class.

Last year was something of a breakthrough year for Moffat, as he powered to a maiden BTCC victory at Donington Park early in the season. He followed up with consistent top-ten finishes throughout 2017 and took to the top step once again at the Brands Hatch GP finale.

Laser Tools Racing was founded at the beginning of 2014, initially to contest the BTCC with Aiden Moffat. The Scot had made his series debut the year before, becoming its youngest-ever competitor. With Laser Tools Racing, Moffat’s career has blossomed – as evidenced by that rewarding pair of victories, complementing some real pace over the latest 10 race weekends.

“The BTCC is where we’re going to stay,” said Aiden. “It’s a fantastic championship and as a team we’re constantly improving.

“We’ve also made headway with our Mercedes over the course of 2017 and we’ve got a lot of development planned before the 2018 season starts. We’ve particularly been looking at the car’s aerodynamics and we’ve made some bodywork modifications that we feel could give us quite a significant performance benefit.

“Saying that, through the closing rounds at Brands Hatch, the car felt very good indeed. I had great pace and I could place it wherever I wanted. I'm very confident in what's underneath me and feel that we're in a great position.”

“I’ve really enjoyed my time in the BTCC so far. It's my fifth season now and that second win at the end of last year was a just reward for everyone involved," said Moffat. "The BTCC is unique — there’s no other championship in the world that’s as closely contested and every success is a terrific achievement for all of the team.

“Laser Tools Racing fully appreciates that our partners have committed again for next year, and this puts us in a very strong position. So, for their continued support I would personally like to thank Laser Tools, A1 Automotive Ltd, A1 Automotive Race and Restoration, Car Shop, PPG, Smart Fleet Solutions, Enjoy Car Life, Transporter Engineering, Colin A Renton Transporter Maintenance, Spence Insurance, Johnston Rigging Fife, AST Signs, Secure Airparks, Autosmart, RCIB Insurance, CarCave Scotland, MV Commercial, 11 Degrees, SEVENFRIDAY, Loch Ness Water, Pentland Powder Coating and as pro engineering.”

SEVENFRIDAY Watches UK added: "We are delighted to continue working with Aiden Moffat and Laser Tools Racing. Aiden typifies SEVENFRIDAY’s young Independent image for people who enjoy life whilst competing at the top against the big players in the industry. Both are winners!”

Andrew Shedden from as pro engineering added: “This year will see as pro engineering limited continue their sponsorship of Aiden Moffat and the Laser Tools Racing team. Motorsport has always been at the core of our advanced engineering design services with the action, excitement and competitiveness of the BTCC embodying all that we are passionate about. We are delighted to further our support in helping Aiden and the team build on their success of last year and wish them all the best for the forthcoming season.”

Motorbase Performance has today confirmed Sam Tordoff’s return to the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship as part of the Kent-based outfit’s 2018 title assault.

The Yorkshireman will pilot one of the team’s three new Ford Focus RS machines for the forthcoming season, racing under the Team GardX Racing banner in car #600 – a nod to the family business - motor dealer group JCT600.

The striking white, blue and orange livery from Tordoff’s long-term backers GardX, Premia Solutions and AutosOnShow is set to turn heads as the upgraded Focus RS takes to the track for the first time later this month when the squad commences it pre-season testing programme in Spain.

Six-time BTCC race-winner Tordoff has already had a significant hand in three titles, having been part of a Constructors'-winning effort with MG in 2014 before clinching the Manufacturers’ and Teams’ titles as part of the West Surrey Racing line-up in 2016, where he also finished the year as Drivers' runner-up – narrowly missing out on top honours by two points.

“Sam is a great addition to the team,” said Motorbase Performance Team Principal David Bartrum. “He’s a quality driver, with a proven track record of winning races. He’s a multiple race-winner and did a great job in his four previous seasons racing in the BTCC, as well as in British GT last year.

"Sam stepped away from the BTCC at the peak of his career to go off and do something else, that's out of his system now and he’s ready to come back and fight for the Drivers’ title. I’m very proud of the fact that he’s chosen Motorbase as the team to come back with and carry on where he left off in 2016.”

This year will mark Tordoff’s fifth full season competing in the BTCC, and the 28-year-old re-joins the grid as the championship gets set to celebrate its 60^th anniversary year.

“I’m excited to be coming back to the BTCC this year,” enthused Tordoff. “It’s great to be representing the Ford brand, especially with it being 25 years since the RS was last on the grid. It’s also 60 years of BTCC this year, so there are some cool events coming up like the Diamond Double at Snetterton to mark the anniversary.”

“When I left in 2016, I needed to clear my head and try something new: I wanted to drive a GT3 car and to race around Europe. Having done that for a year I’ve reset and I’m ready to do battle again,” added the GardX-backed driver.

“I definitely have unfinished business in the BTCC. There’s one thing I need to come back for and that’s the Drivers' title. Having missed out on it by such a close margin, I wanted to come back in a situation that was enjoyable for me and in an environment where I fit in with the team and I’ve found the perfect solution with Motorbase.

“When I found out David’s plan with the new RS, that was the final seal of approval that I needed. They’ve re-engineered the car and the guys have put in so much work on the new RS to overcome what was lacking in the ST. I’m really confident with the package.

“Front-wheel drive is not new to me, but it’s been a few years so I’m going to have a bit of transitional phase to get back into the zone again,” Tordoff added. “I wouldn’t be coming back or working with Motorbase if I didn’t think we could win the title, it’s as simple as that.”

“I’m delighted to have GardX back in a big way – they’re headlining the team this year and I’ve managed to retain everyone that I had with me in 2016. It’s great to have them all on-board again for this season.”

GardX concluded: “Another exciting announcement for GardX Motorsport and fantastic news for Sam. GardX have supported Sam’s racing career for many years now, and they are thrilled to continue their support as headline sponsor as he returns to the BTCC. There is no doubt that the BTCC offers the best motor racing in the UK and each year it gets bigger and better!”

"There is no doubt that the BTCC offers the best motor racing in the UK and each year it gets bigger and better!”

Eurotech Racing has today confirmed that Brett Smith will complete their driver line-up for the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

Brett, son of Eurotech driver and Team Principal Jeff Smith, completed half-a-season with the team last year having come into the fold to replace his father, who was sidelined by injuries sustained from his accident at Croft.

Despite the step up, the 2017 MINI Challenge champion handled the swift introduction to Britain's premier motorsport championship nicely with an impressive initial test followed by points on debut at Snetterton.

Building on this momentum, he went on to seal two Jack Sears Trophy victories at Silverstone and Brands Hatch GP respectively, as well as the MINI Challenge Championship in the interim by a considerable margin – one rarely seen in single make championships of its standing.

Come the finale weekend at Brands Hatch GP, Smith junior was really finding his stride – setting the third quickest time in Free Practice 1 and going better still by notching the quickest time in Free Practice 2, ahead of team-mate Jack Goff.

The team are brimming with confidence heading into 2018 with the retention of Goff and Smith proving a boon. Coupled to the introduction of the ever-improving Matt Simpson, the outfit are well-placed to build upon last year’s achievements and mount another challenge for both the Independent Teams' and Drivers' titles that it narrowly missed out on in 2017.

“Obviously the circumstances around me coming into the BTCC weren’t ideal," said Brett. "It would have been great to share the grid with my Dad as I have done in the Mini Challenge, though we are all still hoping that can be realised with a swift recovery!

"Nevertheless, it's always been a dream of mine to race in the BTCC. It has a rich history, and it’s an unrivalled spectacle but for me it’s the challenge of beating 31 other drivers who on their day are also capable of beating you.

"There are very few other championships in the world which can lay claim to that and it’s my intention this year to build upon the steady progress I made between Snetterton to Brands Hatch and to be towards the front, challenging for podiums and, with a little bit of reverse grid luck, possibly even a win in 2018.”

“The BTCC is a monumental step up from any other UK championship," added Eurotech Team Principal Jeff Smith. "With Brett having had no testing in the Honda Civic Type R, we were initially quite conservative on car set up.

"Whilst I have always been aware of Brett’s natural talent as a driver, I like many others were taken aback by just how quickly he got to grips with BTCC. As we saw in Free Practice at the final race weekend at Brands, he was fully committed.

"Unfortunately in qualifying, he was caught out by the rapidly changing conditions. Had this not happened, I'm sure he would have been right at the sharp end and would have got his maiden podium. Given this success, I see no reason for Brett not to be challenging very hard this year and look forward to seeing him on the podium.”

James Nash is set for a Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship return in 2018 as BTC Norlin Racing today announced that he would be taking up a spot in the outfit's second Honda Civic Type R. 

Team Principal Bert Taylor confirmed this morning that Nash will join Chris Smiley in Norlin's second new Civic: “We are really excited about our prospects in the 2018 season and now have two young drivers and cars that are capable of challenging for podium places at each round," said Taylor.

"James has the character and determination to win and we are thrilled to welcome him to BTC Norlin Racing.”

“I’m delighted to be joining BTC Norlin Racing," added former Independents' champ Nash. "We’ve been looking at opportunities over the winter and Norlin made an offer we just couldn’t refuse.

"The Honda Civic Type R has proved itself to be one of the cars to beat so I’m confident of being competitive from the get-go.”

Stephen Symington, BTC Norlin Racing's owner, added: “We are delighted to have secured a driver of the James’ calibre. 

"It is a real statement of the team’s intent to have signed a previous winner of the Independent Drivers' title. With new cars and a new driver, we are in for an exciting season.”

BTC Norlin Racing has also announced that The Range will join the outfit as the first of its new sponsors for the 2018 season. Chris Dawson, the charismatic owner of The Range, said: “As a growing retailer, we continue to focus heavily on developing our new stores. It's a great opportunity to continue our promotion of the brand name across the UK and Ireland through this partnership.”

“The BTCC experience is a very strong offering for any company seeking to showcase its brand to a wide TV, social media and trackside audience," said Richard Irwin, Director at Norlin. "Norlin’s brand benefitted immensely last season from the exposure and we look forward to welcoming The Range and all their guests to BTC Norlin Racing this year.”

Tom Chilton concluded a deal with Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher back in December and immediately made his intentions for the forthcoming season clear – he'd be back fully-focussed and with one thing on his mind ahead of the 2018 campaign. 

The 32-year-old has his eyes firmly set on the coveted Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship crown and the news that his new employers, Motorbase, would be upgrading to the Focus RS for the 2018 season can only have served to boost those ambitions.

Chilton made his return to the BTCC last year with Power Maxed Racing, in the then newly-minted Vauxhall Astra. His comeback ended a five-year absence from British motorsport's top flight, after leaving in 2012 to compete in the WTCC.

A busy season followed as he combined a BTCC push with a final fling in the WTCC. Despite covering over 58,000 air miles and racing in seven different time zones, he sealed the Independents' and notched third overall in the WTCC.

This year, Chilton's focus will switch solely to domestic affairs, in a championship he first joined 15 years ago at the age of just 17 – the youngest driver ever to take to a BTCC grid at the time. He went on to make history yet again two years later as the youngest race winner the series had seen. His best overall result came in 2010, when he was crowned the Indy champ in Ford machinery – the S2000 Focus ST.

Poignantly, that very Focus ST would kick-start Motorbase’s seven year journey with the blue oval badge. After purchasing the former Team AON Ford Focus STs at the end of the 2010 season, the Kent-based squad has wielded a succession of Fords, evolving from the 2011 S2000 Focus ST, to the NGTC-spec Focus ST and now the revival of the RS brand in the BTCC after 25 years away with the Focus RS.

Chilton’s enthusiasm for the season ahead lies not only with joining forces with the 2016 Independent Teams' champions, but also in being reunited with the Ford marque. It’s been a successful partnership in the past, with the racer collecting an impressive tally of five outright race wins, 13 podiums and six pole positions in three seasons piloting the Focus ST.

“I’m really fired up for the season ahead,” enthused Chilton. “The last time I was behind the wheel of the Focus, I won the Indy title in 2010 so it’s nice to come back to it.

"The boys have done an excellent job in moving over to the RS during the winter and I can’t wait to try out the car in anger for the first time. It's just stunning and I think the fans will absolutely love it, which is always a winner.

“I’m 100 percent focused on the BTCC this year – my goal is the overall title. I want to keep the momentum going from last year and BTCC champion is what I want to be,” added the Gallagher-backed driver. “I love the BTCC's fans, they’re the most passionate and just the best in the world – the racing is special too, which helps.

“It’s unique to have 32 cars racing so closely together. There’s no other championship in the world that’s as fiercely fought as the BTCC and every win and podium feels like a massive achievement.”

Pirtek UK and Andrew Jordan have today confirmed a new deal that will take their long-standing partnership through until at least the end of the 2021 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship. The new deal will come into play at the end of the 2018 season, and means Jordan will continue to compete in Britain’s premier racing series with headline backing from Pirtek for at least the next four years.

The three-year extension will further strengthen a partnership between Pirtek and the Jordan family that has been in place for well over a decade, having initially started back in 2004 when Pirtek first supported Andrew’s father Mike in the British GT Championship.

As Andrew embarked on his own career in Junior Rallycross, so his relationship with Pirtek grew, with Europe’s number one provider of fluid transfer solutions supporting him as he then moved into circuit racing in the Renault Clio Cup before debuting in the BTCC in 2008.

Since then, he has gone on to establish himself as one of the top drivers in the series, with 19 wins, 57 podiums and a career total of more than 2000 points. He lifted the overall championship title in 2013 and has also clinched the Independents’ title on three separate occasions – in 2012, 2013 and 2016.

AJ will once again compete with the championship-winning West Surrey Racing team this season in a BMW 125i M Sport, and his focus is firmly on challenging for Drivers' honours for a second time.

“I’m absolutely delighted to be able to extend my deal with Pirtek for another three years – particularly when we still have a year to run on our current deal,” he said. “Back when our deal with Pirtek first started, we couldn’t have imagined it would have become the long-term partnership it is now, and one of the longest-standing relationships in British motorsport.

“What we have with Pirtek is much more than just a traditional sponsorship deal; we have a special relationship that has developed from working with [Marketing Manager] Tammie Argent-Peters and her team through the years, and that works for all parties involved.

“That is something that I am extremely proud of, as relationships like that rarely come along. I’m looking forward to working with Tammie to explore new ways in which we can showcase our partnership – in both the BTCC and elsewhere – in the coming years.

“For me personally, it is huge to have the security of a new multi-year deal as it allows me to focus on the job I have to do on track, and I feel we are in a fantastic position to challenge for top honours together for another four years.”

Pirtek UK MD, Chris Stuckey was also pleased to extend the current agreement: “The relationship with Andrew and the Jordan family has been a huge success for Pirtek and our many franchisees, and this new deal is testament to how strong our relationship is.

“For well over a decade, Andrew has been a fantastic ambassador for the Pirtek brand, and the BTCC has provided our franchisees with unrivalled levels of exposure in front of an ever-expanding audience.

“We are excited about the prospect of working with Andrew in the coming years to take our relationship to the next level as our business continues to grow, and as Andrew chases further success on track in Pirtek Racing colours.”

BMR Racing has this morning announced that double champion Jason Plato will remain with the outfit for the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

Last year saw the BTCC legend celebrate his 50th pole position and his 96th win in the series and this season, the 50-year-old will be competing his 20th campaign in the championship, having made his debut in 1997. Plato took the Drivers’ title in both 2001 and 2010, and he harbours the target of reaching a century of victories this year, alongside his charge for title number three. 

Subaru enters its third season with the Levorg Sport Tourer and in addition to his own personal targets, the team earmark Plato as an essential part of BMR Racing alongside team-mate and incumbent champ Ashley Sutton in assisting its push for both the Manufacturers'/Constructors' and Teams' crowns.

“I'm really looking forward to 2018. We have some exciting new developments in progress which should see the Adrian Flux BMR Subaru Levorgs fighting at the sharp end of the grid yet again. April can’t come soon enough!” said Jason.

Warren Scott, BMR Racing Team Principal, added: “I am pleased to retain Jason in the team for another year and am looking forward to supporting him as he searches for his 100th win, as well as during his fight for the championship throughout what promises to be an unforgettable year.”

“We’re delighted to keep Jason in the Subaru Levorg for the 2018 season," said Paul Tunnicliffe, Managing Director of Subaru UK. "His experience is invaluable to the team and we’re certain that he can continue to build on his previous successes in the British Touring Car Championship with both Subaru UK and the BMR Team.”