In Depth

Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport launch celebratory anniversary livery

Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport are delighted to reveal the team’s striking new livery for the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship campaign. This year’s iteration of the affectionately named ‘Laser Beamer’ is a particularly special one for the team as title partners, Laser Tools Racing, celebrate their tenth campaign in the UK’s premier motorsport series.

With this in mind, the team’s WSR-run BMW 330e M Sport features the iconic Laser Tools Racing chrome blue with the livery designed to feature ten chevrons from every angle of the car. In addition, the team will be running a one-off celebratory logo to mark the anniversary on the roof and rear quarter.

Once again the team’s on-track efforts will be spearheaded by fan favourite, Jake Hill. Having finished third in the Drivers’ Championship in 2022 and 2023, the Kent-based driver is looking to challenge once again for overall honours and is delighted to be doing so in a special livery for him and the team.

“It is fantastic to see the covers come off our 2024 challenger today and I have to say, although I loved the Laser Beamer last year, I think we have managed to top it once again this time around. The chrome blue has been iconic across the series for so long so it’s only right we have levelled this up in 2024 as Laser Tools Racing celebrates its tenth anniversary in the championship.

Mark Blundell, Sporting Director of Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport, is grateful for the continued support of the team’s loyal partners with the team having left no stone unturned heading into the new season.

“It is always a proud moment to reveal the car in pre-season as it is always the culmination of a lot of work behind the scenes. We’re really proud to be supporting Laser Tools’ ten-year anniversary in 2024 and are hugely thankful to all our partners who remain on this exciting journey with us, and to some new friends who have joined the excitement for 2024. Our team and WSR have been working feverishly since the close of the new season and here’s hoping that those efforts will be rewarded in the coming months.”

Laser Tools Racing’s Motorsport Sponsorship Coordinator, Keith Anderson, has played a pivotal role in the team’s decade in the BTCC and the launching of their ten-year anniversary car marks a proud moment for the organisation.

“I’m not quite sure where the time has gone but it is fantastic to mark a decade of success for Laser Tools Racing in the BTCC with the launch of our 2024 challenger. We think the livery is a fitting marker for this anniversary and we cannot wait to see Jake leading from the front in the second iteration of the Laser Beamer in a few weeks time.”

TEAM BRISTOL STREET MOTORS REVEALS SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY LIVERY FOR 2024 BTCC CAMPAIGN

Team Bristol Street Motors has today (15 March) revealed the eye-catching livery that will adorn the cars of Tom Ingram and Tom Chilton for the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season.

The duo will once again join forces, with both Bristol Street Motors and EXCELR8 Motorsport, for their assault on Britain’s premier racing series, with the new season starting at Donington Park in late April.

A further nine events will then be held across the UK before the season draws to a close at Brands Hatch in October.

As has been the case for the past two seasons, Team Bristol Street Motors and their Hyundai i30 Fastback N Lines hope to be the most eye-catching cars on the grid.  

A special livery has been created to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the motor retailer brand, which opened its first dealership on Bristol Street in Birmingham back in 1924. Bristol Street Motors now operates from more than 100 locations across England – from Morpeth, Newcastle and Carlisle in the North, down as far as Launceston, Exeter and Orpington in the South.

The original dealership in Birmingham remains to this day and has its own links to the BTCC, having served as the pitlane during the Birmingham Superprix that ran from 1986 through to 1990 – with touring car races in both 1989 and 1990 being won by four-time champion Andy Rouse.

In a first for the team, the new livery broke cover in front of a gathering of passionate BTCC fans, who came together for a special launch event, hosted by presenter Kirsty Gallacher and held at Caffeine & Machine near Stratford-upon-Avon.

The launch marked the first major event for the motorsport team since relocating to a new base in nearby Droitwich earlier this year, a move that means it’s now operating from the historical heart of automotive engineering in the UK – with the region having been home to numerous famous motoring manufacturers including the likes of Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover and MG.

Those in attendance became the first to see the new livery, which not only showcases Bristol Street Motors’ traditional brand colours, but also incorporates a special ‘100 Years of Bristol Street Motors’ message, with the BTCC programme set to be play a key part in the celebrations.

The first of a number of immersive events planned for the season ahead, the launch allowed fans to not only get up close to the new-look Hyundai racing cars, but also meet both Ingram and Chilton, as well as returning team-mate Ronan Pearson, and host Kirsty Gallacher.

Pearson’s car will adopt a similar livery to those of Ingram and Chilton, but will again run with support from Macklin Motors, another brand part of the same Group as Bristol Street Motors, which operates exclusively within Scotland.

Robert Forrester, Chief Executive of Bristol Street Motors and Macklin Motors, said:
“This is a big year for Bristol Street Motors as we celebrate our 100th anniversary, and we’re delighted to be able to use our involvement in the BTCC as one of our points for celebration.

“The design team has once again done a fantastic job with the livery for Team Bristol Street Motors, and the retro theme on the Hyundai is something that I look forward to seeing fighting at the sharp end of the grid during the season ahead. Best of luck, Team Bristol Street Motors!”

Justina Williams, Team Owner of Team Bristol Street Motors, said:
“Yet again the design team has done a fantastic job in bringing the Bristol Street Motors livery to life, and we are delighted with the end result.

“The retro element to tie in with the anniversary celebrations works really well on the Hyundai, and the cars will stand out when we hit the track at Donington Park for the opening round.

“Going into the new season with an unchanged line-up and a proven package, we are confident that a strong year lies ahead and can’t wait to get things underway.”

DeLeon remains with Team HARD for 2024

Team HARD. has today (12 March) confirmed that young talent Daryl DeLeon will remain with the Kent-based squad to contest his first full season in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship.

DeLeon became the youngest driver on the BTCC grid when he joined Team HARD. midway through the 2023 campaign, which he dovetailed alongside a hugely successful season in the likes of Radicals and the British Endurance Championship (BEC).

The youngster was leading the Radical Cup standings before his BTCC commitments held sway, but he did go on to win overall in BEC – driving a Porsche 911 Cup car for Team HARD.

DeLeon, who emerged as the winner of the team’s highly competitive 2023 scholarship programme, also became the first BTCC competitor from the Philippines when he made his debut at Croft.

Having previously contested the official Goodyear BTCC tyre test in July, DeLeon went on to complete the second half of the BTCC season in the Cupra – scoring points in the final two events at Silverstone and Brands Hatch to underline his progress as the campaign concluded.

This season, Daryl will be targeting overall points and top ten finishes and will be looking to challenge for the much-coveted Jack Sears Trophy.

Daryl DeLeon said: “I'm delighted to be on the grid for the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring car championship this season.

“It hasn’t been easy to put the pieces together and I want to express my appreciation to everyone who has made this opportunity possible. Without the support from my sponsors, the team, my family and Tony, I don’t think I would have been able to make it happen.

“I know Team HARD. faced many challenges last year, but as a driver I am confident that the two-car operation will provide a competitive package and we will show the potential and focus throughout the season that the six-car operation struggled with.

“I have no doubt that the BTCC is the most demanding and competitive championship in the country and that’s exactly the reason I worked hard to get on the grid. Again, I would like to thank the fans and the people that have supported and continue to support me. Roll on 2024!”

The 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship comprises 30 races over ten events with the season getting underway at Donington Park on 27/28 April.

NAPA Racing UK unveils 2024 BTCC charger

NAPA Racing UK returns for its third season in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship... this time as champions.

Ahead of the season opener NAPA Racing UK has proudly unveiled its 2024 lineup and liveries that will be competing across the BTCC and a host of other series'. 

All vehicles will be decked out once again in the iconic yellow and blue colours of NAPA and NAPA Auto Parts, but this season there is an added splash of white to tie in with the US-based NASCAR team.

The Ford Focus STs – prepared by Alliance Racing – proudly displays the #1 and gold plate to identify Ash Sutton as the reigning champion. Whilst the silhouette of the car may look similar to last year, Chief Engineer Tony Carrozza and the team have again worked on the details during the off-season to ensure NAPA Racing UK is again challenging for victories and overall honours.

Ash leads an unchanged driver lineup with Dan Cammish, Dan Rowbottom and Sam Osborne, all aiming to repeat the historic season in 2023.  

Turkington's half century of BTCC wins

As we approach 50 days to go until the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship kicks off, we thought we would look back at a different half century celebration.

Four-time BTCC champ Colin Turkington scored his 50th career success at Oulton Park back in 2019 - a circuit where he has many fond memories - and here’s how the tin top legend made it happen… 

Team BMW star Turkington notched up a fantastic half century of BTCC victories after producing a dynamic double at Oulton Park.

The reigning champion scored two lights-to-flag wins as he further extended his impressive advantage at the top of the standings, in a year that would lead him to clinch his record-equaling fourth title. 

Turkington ran relatively untroubled in the opener to convert pole position into his third victory of the season.
 
Dan Cammish kept the leader honest throughout, but the Halfords Yuasa Racing man had to settle for second at the finish, while Andrew Jordan’s BMW completed the podium positions.
 
Colin’s milestone moment came in the second encounter as the Northern Irishman swept to his 50th BTCC victory with another commanding triumph.
 
The trio of manufacturer-backed BMWs stormed into a 1-2-4 off the line as Jordan relegated Cammish’s Honda down to third, whilst Tom Oliphant also hauled his fast-starting 3 Series into contention.
 
Two safety car periods interrupted proceedings, but the lead positions remained unchanged until the chequered flag as Turkington led home Jordan, Cammish and Oliphant.

Colin Turkington said: "Qualifying on pole with maximum ballast was way beyond my expectations, and to then convert that into two race wins and cap it off with my 50th career BTCC victory will unquestionably be one of the highlights of my career. I’m really proud about that – it’s a great moment for us all. 
 
"I can only win these races with the support of a team like WSR who consistently give me the equipment to do the job."

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The British Touring Car Championship is one of the best-loved, most illustrious and famous motor racing championships in the world. Only Formula 1 and America’s NASCAR stock car series have longer histories – since its inception in 1958, it has attracted and captivated millions of fans around the world.

Saloon car racing was a huge success from the very start, with the public packing into Britain’s motor sport venues to watch the top drivers of the day compete in racing versions of their road cars at simply unbelievable speeds. It’s a lasting appeal that to this day continues to deliver a punch and panache that is the envy of every other motor sporting arena in the UK.

Traditional, great British names such as Jaguar, Austin, Ford, Mini, Lotus, Sunbeam and Triumph – often with top international stars, including Formula 1 drivers, at the wheel – were all winners in the first 20 years, each aware of the importance of using the BTCC to showcase their latest models.

By the Eighties, the BTCC was moving with the times and beginning to develop a truly international flavour. Mazda, Toyota and Alfa Romeo were the first three winners of the decade as the championship continued to be run for several classes of car, but the mighty Ford RS500 and BMW M3 – dominant as the Nineties loomed – are probably the two most evocative models of the period.

It was in the Nineties, however, that the BTCC truly boomed. The championship was already beginning to grow in stature, with regular television coverage on the BBC’s flagship sports show, Grandstand. When the decision was taken to make the BTCC exclusively for 2-litre cars, it instantly created closer racing and attracted a host of high-profile manufacturers, teams and drivers to the series. Combined with enhanced television coverage and marketing genius, this made the BTCC essential viewing for millions throughout the UK – and many millions more around the world.

Trackside crowd figures nudged the 40,000 mark as the calendar evolved into a major UK tour with events being added in Scotland and Wales. The social element of the championship quickly became important, and as is the case now, there was no substitute for ‘being there’. Few other sports have enjoyed such rapid growth in popularity.

Unsurprisingly, manufacturers simply could not afford to miss out on the enormous marketing value of competing in the BTCC and Alfa Romeo, Audi, BMW, Ford, Honda, Mazda, Nissan, Peugeot, Renault, Toyota, Vauxhall and Volvo were all quick to join the party. Every one of them has the BTCC to thank for being a part of their ongoing growth in the UK over the years.

Key to the BTCC’s enduring success has been the potential for independently-run teams to face off against major manufacturers on a level playing field without the need for factory support. The consistently close competition is testament to carefully formulated sporting and technical regulations, allowing any number of entrants on the capacity grid to experience success – regardless of car body styles or engineering philosophy.

The BTCC became the first major touring car championship in the world to introduce hybrid power in 2022, and was significantly enhanced for the 2024 campaign with cars now receiving around double the amount of hybrid-boost.

Now with unprecedented levels of national television coverage, ITV agreed a long-term contract extension up until the end of 2026, whilst the championship will be broadcast globally for the first time in its history thanks to a world-first deal between ITV and TikTok.

A new qualifying format, enhancement to the hybrid system and the Goodyear tyre options will undoubtedly spice up the action on-track for the year ahead, whilst a new media and broadcast strategy will ensure fans can follow the UK's biggest and best championship more than ever before!