Subaru Silverline BMR Racing's James Cole recently completed two solid days of testing as preparations for the 2017 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship gather pace.

Cole enjoyed trouble free runs at Donington Park – the scene of his fiery moment earlier in the year – as the multiple race-winning outfit looks to make up for lost time.

“We’ve managed to get a lot of mileage in across the two days,” he said. “We’re carrying out all of the things that we’d liked to have done pre-2016 and it has gone really well. It hasn’t been about lap times but more about trying set-ups A, B and C, working out what works and what doesn’t. Of course, we practically missed the first three events of the year so it’s also good to get some solid data at Donington.

“It’s mainly for the benefit of the team but of course I’m learning too, any time behind the wheel is valuable. Mileage is always positive and sampling the 2017 Dunlop tyre has also been beneficial, it seems to be a very good stable tyre.

“We did lots of eight lap runs and I provided feedback on each of the set-ups. Like I say, we weren’t necessarily chasing lap times but we were able to lap quicker than Colin Turkington’s lap from earlier in the season.”

BMR’s quartet of Subarus performed extremely well in the latter half of the season, with Colin Turkington and Jason Plato spearheading the squad’s title challenge. Cole and stablemate Warren Scott often played a supporting role, but the former British Formula Ford champion is keen to push on.

“I was the newbie in the team this year,” continued Cole. “Building relations is so important, more than people realise I think, and it takes time. The relationship is really strong at this point and knowing the team trusts my feedback means a lot. I’ve improved a lot since we were last here in April, which is down to a number of factors, but confidence and experience is key.

“Having Jason (Plato) and Colin (Turkington) as team-mates brings positives and negatives but it can hit your confidence. They’re both world class drivers who can probably jump straight into any car and be quick, while I needed time to relax, develop and improve.

“I didn’t always get the results that my pace deserved, and again experience played its part, particularly when making the right calls during qualifying, which is why we have a good off-season of preparation taking place."

Gordon Shedden and Colin Turkington were the best British Touring Car Championship drivers in 2016, according to an exclusive poll of tin-top team managers published in Motorsport News this week.

Shedden, who lifted the crown in the Team Dynamics Honda Civic Type R, and Turkington, who placed fourth in his Team BMR Subaru Levorg GT, could not be separated by the 17 team managers who selected their top drivers of the season.

The only stipulation in voting was that the team managers could not nominate drivers from their own squads. 

The team managers selected three drivers who finished outside the top 10 in the championship points among the star performers.

The four-page season review of the 30-round British Touring Car Championship, including the full results of the team managers’ poll, is in Motorsport News this week, published on Wednesday.

Motorsport News editor and BTCC reporter Matt James said: “It is usual for a journalist to pick out their top 10 drivers of the year when compiling a season review, but we wanted to do something a bit different.

“The team managers are the ones who get to see what really goes on up and down the pit lane and they scrutinise every bit of on-track action from the free practice sessions through to the races. They have a real inside track on who is turning heads.

“The results make for very interesting reading, and really get underneath the skin of who over-performed and who under-delivered in the BTCC this season.”

Louise Goodman presents the best of the action from the 2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, including the dramatic end to the season at Brands Hatch which saw Gordon Shedden claim the BTCC title for a third time.

A full complement of 32 cars made the grid last season, with 11 different marques represented. The balance achieved between manufacturer-backed outfits and independent teams created superb racing right through the field and left pundits and fans alike guessing as to who would come out on top right until the very last round of the season.

Indeed, 2016 was one of the most open, unpredictable and fiercely competitive seasons in living memory – as an unprecedented eight drivers went into the finale around Brands Hatch’s legendary ‘GP’ circuit still in contention to clinch the coveted crown.

The momentum swung back and forth throughout the year, with no fewer than 12 different race-winners – another BTCC record – being testament to the championship’s perfectly balanced regulations and level playing field.

Having suffered a variety of misfortunes mid-season, defending title-holder Shedden looked to be almost out for the count, but underscoring the mantra that nothing can ever be ruled out in the BTCC, the Scot dug deep and grafted his way back into the reckoning behind the wheel of his Honda Civic Type R. In the very last race of the year, he overhauled Sam Tordoff on the track to similarly overhaul him in the championship classification – in so doing becoming the first driver in almost a decade to secure back-to-back Drivers’ crowns.

“In terms of entertainment, the BTCC has once again delivered in spades as the title battle went all the way down to the last race – and what a storming race it was!” reflected the Halfords Yuasa Racing man.

“All year, I’ve really stuck my neck on the line and made some bold, heart-in-the-mouth moves that were on the edge more often than not. After Croft back in June, it looked like we were down-and-out, but we stuck to our guns, kept plugging away and gave it absolutely everything to claw our way back. It just goes to show that every single point really does count in this championship.

“Winning the championship for the first time felt phenomenal, last year was a real rollercoaster ride and this year it was just a huge release of emotion. It’s unbelievable – an incredible feeling!”

Of course this was only part of the story so don’t miss ITV4’s blow-by-blow account on this incredible touring car season. Catch the unmissable BTCC television treat at17:20 on Sunday 13 November.

Japanese racer Osamu Kawashima took up a seat in the Speedworks Motorsport Toyota Avensis yesterday in testing at Donington Park.

Kawashima made his UK racing debut back in 2013 with Century Motorsport in the Michelin Ginetta GT SuperCup. He then entered the Ginetta GT5 Challenge in 2014 before graduating into the Michelin Ginetta GT4 SuperCup for 2015.

A maiden foray out on track in a BTCC car was a proud moment for the 47-year-old, who dreams of being a figurehead for the championship back in his homeland.

"I was very happy with how things went yesterday," said Kawashima. "I appreciate Speedworks Motorsport's help and guidance and the help from Tom (Ingram). Testing a BTCC car is something that fills me with great pride.

"Over the course of the day I spent lots of time in the car and I really am grateful to the team for this opportunity. With Tom having made the switch from Ginetta machinery into the BTCC himself, his advice was invaluable to me as I got to grips with the Toyota.

"My dream is to race in the BTCC, and I am hoping to get a deal together for 2017. I want to be the driver who takes BTCC to Japan and makes it as popular there as it is in places like the United States."

Statement from Triple Eight Racing

Triple Eight Racing has today withdrawn its appeal against the exclusion of car #66, Josh Cook, on technical grounds from race one at Silverstone.

The team acknowledges that following race one at Silverstone the rear wing on the #66 car was found by TOCA, using their measuring procedures, to be mounted outside the permitted tolerances, a fact that the team accepts.

At no time did the team attempt to gain an advantage by intentionally positioning the wing outside of the allowed position, and TOCA acknowledge that it was an oversight by the team.

After closely examining both current and historical evidence, the team has decided to look forwards. The technical issues involved in the matter are minutely detailed and involve historical data and production tolerances in several components.

The team therefore accepts the penalty issued at the time and will not be making any further statement regarding this issue.

Laser Tools Racing’s Aiden Moffat spoke to btcc.net after completing an encouraging test run behind the wheel of a BMR Racing Subaru Levorg at Donington Park yesterday (27 October).

The youngest driver in the history of the BTCC has contested the last two seasons in his Mercedes-Benz A-Class, but he’s currently assessing his options for a 2017 assault.

“It’s only right that you consider all the available opportunities and that’s what we’re doing,” he said. “We will be keeping all of our sponsors next year, which is testament to the efforts we’ve made and indeed the appeal of the series.

“The Mercedes is a great car and one we know very well, but the Subaru has already shown its potential, so we’ll see what develops after today’s session.”

Moffat took a richly deserved podium in the final race of the 2016 campaign at Brands Hatch, following his maiden rostrum at his home event of Knockhill during the previous season. The talented youngster has shown growing maturity and much improved speed throughout his short career so far, and the 20-year-old is now looking to make further progress next season.

“I’ve really enjoyed my time in the BTCC so far and the podium at the end of the year was just reward for everyone involved. Laser Tools Racing fully appreciates that all of our partners have committed again for next year, and this puts us in a strong position.”

Yesterday’s test proved hugely successful as the Scotsman impressively circled the Leicestershire track, as did regular Subaru pilots James Cole and Warren Scott. It was a trouble free run for Moffat as he acclimatised himself to rear-wheel drive machinery in the multiple race-winning Levorg.

“I really enjoyed it,” continued Aiden. “It was my first time in a rear-wheel drive BTCC car so there was quite a lot to get my head around. I had to change my driving style a little, but we expected that, and overall I adapted extremely well to it.”

Moffat hasn’t put a deadline on a decision for his 2017 plans, but stresses that all factors will be considered between him, his family and their partners. The official BTCC website will bring you details as soon as they’re finalised.

As official tyre supplier and title sponsor of the MSA British Touring Car Championship Dunlop delivers year after year a range of BTCC tyres that has the versatility to suit all circuits and climates. The 2016 generation of the ‘Sport Maxx BTCC Soft’ offered drivers improved stability under braking and greater consistency throughout a race distance.

The data behind choosing the soft option in 2016
WIX Racing’s Adam Morgan gave the tyre its first win in race three at the season-opening Brands Hatch round in April, posting the fastest lap of the race on lap seven. Nominated as the option tyre at seven of the ten rounds in 2016, the tyre went on to record ten more victories, claimed 23 podium finishes and finished in the top ten 64 times.

At Knockhill’s round seven, the soft tyre had its most successful weekend; drivers on the option tyres claiming the top seven places with three of the top four posting their fastest laps on laps ten and 14. In the final race weekend at Brands Hatch, the first three drivers in the penultimate race were on the soft option tyre.

The soft option allowed #ForeverForward winner Rob Collard to carve his way through the field from 23rd to sixth in Oulton Park’s race two. The JCT600 with GardX driver was subsequently pushed into another car, dropping him down the order, and his drive through the field was equalled by Pirtek Racing’s Andrew Jordan to record the biggest place gain in one race of the soft option (17) at Snetterton.

Top finishes for Dunlop’s hard tyre option
Dunlop’s Sport Maxx BTCC Hard, traditionally the tyre of choice for ultra-fast Thruxton was elected as the option tyre for two other tracks with high speed corners, Croft and Rockingham. The most successful overall of the three rounds was race three at Croft, where six drivers finished in the top ten on the hard option tyre.

Across the three races the hard option tyre finished in the top ten 15 times, with Silverline Subaru BMR racer Jason Plato gaining 17 places across race three at Rockingham. However, it was his Subaru team-mate Colin Turkington who remains the season’s biggest mover, with 21 places gained in Silverstone’s opening race on the medium tyre.

Only one appearance for the wet tyre
Croft also marked the appearance of Dunlop’s BluResponse wet tyre for the first time in 44 races. Last used at Brands Hatch in 2014, the CR9000 pattern is strong and stable, yet capable of clearing a lot of water as was required in Croft’s race three. Lap times were only ten seconds slower than qualifying pace, but the top three all posted their fastest laps towards the end of the 18 lap race; winner Ashley Sutton and second placed Sam Tordoff on lap 11, Tom Ingram on lap 12.

BTCC Top 12 Stats
• 12 different race winners across the season
• 11 different manufacturers
• 10 rounds across the season
• 9.481sec was the biggest winning margin across the season, when Neal beat Tordoff in race one at Oulton Park.
• 8 potential champions headed into the final round
• 7 - M. Jackson, the only driver to win races on soft, medium and hard compound tyres
• 6 drivers reached BTCC milestones; Neal (600), Plato (500), Collard (400) Shedden (300) & Austin (150) Jack Goff (100)
• 5 drivers won on two different compounds; Shedden, Turkington & Neal (Soft & Medium), Jordan & Morgan (Soft & Hard)
• 4 Dunlop option tyres
• 3 new winners; Ingram, Sutton and Silverline Subaru BMR
• 2,759 overtaking passes during the season
• 1 BTCC Champion – Gordon Shedden

Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship ace Rob Austin will make a guest appearance in the UK National Legends Cars Championship at Brands Hatch next weekend (5-6 November).

Off the back of his maiden season with Handy Motorsport in the BTCC where he notched two podium finishes, Austin will get back behind the wheel of rear-wheel-drive machinery having spent a number of years racing an Audi A4 in Britain's premier series.

Making his first foray into the ultra-competitive cauldron which is Legends racing, Austin is looking forward to getting to grips with the rapid machinery over the six races that are scheduled to take place.

Austin told Motorsport News’ Matt James: “It will be a one-off, but I love the look of the racing and the locked rear differential on the cars should make it really good run – the cars are sideways all over the place.

“It will be great to get back into a rear-wheel-drive car again like the Audi was; I have definitely missed that. I will have to start all of the races from the back because I am a newcomer to the championship, but that is OK – I got pretty used to starting near the back this season, so overtaking shouldn’t be a problem!”

Handy Motorsport Team Principal Simon Belcher, who is the UK importer for Legends Cars, added: “Legends Cars is a great formula. It is very similar to BTCC in terms of the excitement and overtaking and they often run three-abreast around the track, so Rob is going to have some great fun like me and Dave Newsham have in the past.”

As it stands heading into the final meeting of the UK Legends season, the title is yet to be decided with both John Mickel and Conor Mills in contention for championship glory.

• Colin Turkington joins elite athletes in completing challenge
• Double BTCC champ has fastest recovery of memory after mental stress
• Athletes’ memories performed 20% better than non-athletes in study that tested mental performance under pressure
• Study revealed that elite athletes’ brains are 10% faster in the face of intense mental stress
• New Dunlop Tyres cognitive test developed with University College London demonstrated how athletes perform under pressure

Elite athletes’ memories perform 20% better than average under intense psychological pressure according to a study commissioned by Dunlop Tyres in conjunction with University College London.  The study included Isle of Man TT legend John McGuinness, double BTCC Champion Colin Turkington and ELMS racer Oli Webb and revealed that the elite athletes’ superior memory allowed them to stay in control even during tests which artificially invoked stress and anxiety within the brain.

The series of tests devised by Professor Vincent Walsh (University College London’s Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience), showed that elite athletes are largely unphased when put under stressful situations, and performed significantly better when compared with non-athletes.

The study also showed that athletes’ brains were 10% quicker than non-athletes and actually improved their memory accuracy by 20% more than the non-athletes in a response to challenging and intense emotions.

The tests were conducted to test the hypothesis that the mindset of elite athletes are able to handle intense situations and emotions better than non-athletes and stay in control in high risk situations. Alongside the three Dunlop-shod racers were big wave surfer Andrew Cotton, British Champion downhill skater Peter Connolly, and experienced climber Louis Parkinson.

University College London’s Professor Vincent Walsh commented: “These elite athletes perform tasks that many of us could never comprehend but what is fascinating is their mindset when tackling such challenges. When some decisions can be the difference between success and failure, it is perhaps unsurprising that the study showed that athletes were consistently several seconds faster when performing their tasks. A few seconds or a few percent may not sound much but this is a long time in sport and is the difference between winning and losing.

The scientific test used to measure the athlete’s performance was the International Affective Picture System (IAPS). The IAPS is a database of pictures which can’t be found on the Internet, ranging from everyday objects and scenes, to extremely rare images, which have been proven to have different effects on the brain and can be used to artificially invoke feelings of stress.

“The athletes were more accurate overall in their memory tasks following exposure to negative stimuli whereas the non-athletes were disturbed by the stimuli. In some cases, the non-athletes’ performance fell apart in terms of speed of memory when put in difficult and intense situations. Conversely, the athlete’s responses often improved. A lot of this makes sense, in particular in the case of rock-climbing or motor racing, where the athletes are conditioned to negate dangerous situations and need to make split second decisions,” stated Professor Walsh.

Dunlop Tyres PR & Corporate Communications Manager, Kate Rock, said: “Understanding how athletes perform when the stakes are so high and under so much pressure was incredibly fascinating. From rock climbing, car racing, big wave surfing or motorcycle racing, these athletes often have to stay in control of their natural fears to achieve their goals. This is as much about a mindset as well as their physical attributes and this is what the Dunlop Mindset is all about.”

To view the video of the Dunlop Mindset Campaign click here: People can challenge their own mental performance through one of the cognitive tests developed by Dunlop and UCL here: http://www.facebook.com/dunlop.uk