Daytona DMAX launches 2013 season

Daytona's DMAX championship is a great way to get into motorsport without the hassle of owning your own kart

The UK's most competitive hire kart series, the Vodafone DMAX Championship, is all set to burst onto the Tarmac for its fourth thrilling season.

 

After 2012’s sensational total of 1225 entrants, 60,000 racing miles, 10 rounds at 8 different circuits and six worthy champions, the 2013 series is gearing up to be the biggest and best yet.

 

Since it first stormed onto the grid in 2009, the Daytona Vodafone DMAX Championship has seen an unprecedented increase in competitor numbers year-on-year.  In 2010 an average of 55 drivers raced at each of the ten rounds – in 2011 that number increased to an average of 80 drivers per race and in 2012 a staggering 124 drivers on average entered each round – an amazing increase of over 100 percent in just two years.

 

So what is the secret behind the series’ meteoric success? 

 

Devised by the Daytona Motorsport Group in 2009, the Vodafone DMAX Championship was designed to offer a unique opportunity for serious drivers to compete in a professionally run series at a fraction of the expense of running their own race karts.

 

Daytona Motorsport owns and manages the superb fleet of state-of-the art DMAX karts and thus can guarantee a level, yet highly competitive, playing field at affordable prices.  Despite the reasonable cost, absolutely no compromise is made on performance; the karts are designed by World Championship winning manufacturer Birel and powered by legendary Rotax 2-stroke engines. With exceptional handling and agility, plus top speeds of up to 80mph, the DMAXs are unquestionably the fastest hire karts available in the UK today.

 

Jim Graham, DMAX Series Director is understandably thrilled with the success of the Championship. “Just look at the statistics. We had 1225 drivers compete in the 2012 Vodafone DMAX Championship in ten epic rounds at eight different venues,” he enthused. “This Championship offers the chance for serious kart enthusiasts – looking for the best in racing technology at the most affordable price – to enter a series without any of the hassle or expense of owning and transporting equipment. We have listened to the drivers and are committed to providing the very best run and most evenly matched Arrive&Drive championship in the UK… and by all accounts we have achieved this.”

 

Those wanting to ensure 2013 is a year to remember by being part of the Daytona DMAX success story are strongly advised to register soon,as places on the grid are filling up fast. Registrations can either be made via contacting Daytona Motorsport on 0845 844 5504 or by emailling: mark.wimblett@daytona.co.uk

 

Vodafone DMAX Championship Calendar - 2013

Round	Date	Venue	Circuit
1	17 February	Daytona Milton Keynes	International
2	17 March	Daytona Sandown Park	Grand Prix
3	21 April	PF International	Extended Circuit
4	19 May	Rye House	Full Circuit
5	16 June	Lydd	Full Circuit
6	21 July	Bayrord Meadows*	Full Circuit
7	18 August	Whilton Mill	Full Circuit
8	15 September	Red Lodge*	Extended
9	20 October	Daytona Milton Keynes	Cliff
10	17 November	Daytona Sandown Park	Alternate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(*new venues on the calendar for this year)

Silverstone Classic back for 2013

Masters F1 cars will once again be in action

This summer’s Silverstone Classic (26-28 July) is all set to be another record breaker following confirmation of an action-packed programme of 24 races spanning eight decades of glorious motor sport history.

Already firmly established as the world’s biggest classic motor racing festival, the mouth-watering line-up for 2013’s extravaganza features all the hugely popular historic Formula One, sportscar, GT and touring car grids that produced such close racing last year… plus a further three grids to be announced in the coming weeks.

As the home of the British Grand Prix and birthplace of the FIA Formula One World Championship, Silverstone is the perfect venue to celebrate the full spectrum of F1 history. And, with more than 100 of the most famous and iconic GP cars recreating many of the sport’s golden eras, there’s no better homage than the Silverstone Classic.

Headlights ablaze, the Group Cs race into the darkness

The Historic Grand Prix Cars Association (HGPCA) will be out in force with packed grids for both spectacular pre-1961 and pre-1966 F1 cars that revisit five decades of technical rivalries from the Bugattis of the 1920s, through the Maseratis and Ferraris of the 1950s to the dawn of the rear-engine epoch in the early 1960s when British-based constructors such as Brabham, Cooper and Lotus came to the fore.

Grand Prix Masters puts the spotlight on the following generation of DFV-powered F1 cars, reliving a fantastic decade of GP racing from 1968 to 1978 as well as the rise of many of the British teams including Brabham, Lotus, McLaren, Tyrrell and Williams. Adding to the spectacle and rekindling many fond and magic memories, all these renowned racers compete in familiar period liveries.

The comprehensive single-seater bill features two more exciting grids. Races for Historic Formula Junior and the combined F5000/F2 class were among last summer’s many highlights and both make welcome returns this July. All five of these open-wheeler categories are in race action twice at the Classic with a thrilling showdown each during both Saturday’s and Sunday’s busy schedules.

Harking back to what many believe were the halcyon days of the world famous Le Mans 24 Hours event, no fewer than five sportscar and GT grids are also on the unrivalled Silverstone Classic bill.

Touring cars ancient and modern are always popular

The Royal Automobile Club Woodcote Trophy features post-war sports-racers up to the end of 1955, with victory last year going to the hard-charging Jaguar D-type of brothers John and Gary Pearson. The Stirling Moss Trophy stars slightly more modern pre-1961 sportscars with Lister Jaguars, Cooper Monacos and Maserati T61 Birdcages often to the fore while the World Sportscar Masters covers an equally exhilarating era from the mid-1960s up to 1974, boasting track idols such as the Porsche 917, Ferrari 512 and Lola T70.

Moving the clock forward to the 1980s are the super-fast Group C prototypes that once again will race into dusk on Saturday evening. Last year’s entry featured legendary machinery from Jaguar, Mercedes, Peugeot and Porsche as well as a trio of Ferrari-engined Lancia LC2s. An even more alluring line-up is promised for 2013.

Meanwhile Aston Martin will aim for a famous hat-trick of wins in the prestigious Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy for Historic Cars. Run for Pre-63 GT cars, victory in 2011 went to an Aston Martin DB4GT shared by racing legends Stuart Graham and Richard Attwood while last year’s encounter was won by Wolfgang Friedrichs and David Clark in the remarkable Aston Martin Project DP212.

Classic GTs return in 2013 in the Woodcote trophy

The Silverstone Classic also honours the very best of saloon car racing history with two stunning grids already confirmed. The first is for Under 2-Litre Touring Cars with a full 58-car field of battling Lotus Cortinas, BMW 1800 Tis, Alfa Romeo GTAs and Mini Coopers from the pre-1966 era. The second is another Silverstone Classic success story… Last year’s event staged a new tin-top showdown for Group A and Super Touring cars from the 1980s and 1990s. It was such an immediate hit with competitors and fans alike that the category not only returns 12 months on but also has spawned an exciting new series, to be run by the famed Historic Sports Car Club (HSCC).

“It all adds up to another incredible line-up of races that put the spotlight on so much fantastic racing history… and we have another three grids still to announce,” enthused Nick Wigley, event director. “With more than 1000 entries, the Silverstone Classic is now not only the world’s biggest classic motor racing festival but also the largest race meeting staged anywhere on the globe. It may sound clichéd but, hand on heart and given some of the announcements yet to come, this summer’s looks like being the most successful yet.”

To house so much exotic and priceless motor sport history, the massive event will again fill both Silverstone’s National and new Wing pits and paddock complexes. The non-stop racing schedule, organised by the HSCC, is staged on the full Silverstone Grand Prix circuit with many races boasting fully-subscribed 58-car grids.

A very wide range of racing cars line up for the Silverstone classic.

Adding to the Classic weekend’s enormous appeal, all tickets give free access to both racing paddocks as well as trackside grandstands and live music concerts on Friday and Saturday evenings. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Those booking before the end of March can take full advantage of special ‘Early Bird’ prices with adult tickets starting from just £30 (plus fees). Considerable savings are on offer for festival goers spending the full weekend at Silverstone and special packages for car clubs and their members are also available. Full details can be found on the official www.silverstoneclassic.com website.  

Rising star Jake Dalton moves to Formula 4

Jake Dalton

Up and coming British racer Jake Dalton will join the BRDC Formula 4 Championship for 2013 after signing to race for Mark Godwin Racing (MGR).

The 17-year-old from Audley in Staffordshire began karting in 2005 and quickly climbed the ranks with strong results in the Rotax Mini Max Championship, KF3 Championship and the BRDC Stars of Tomorrow.

In 2011 he made his car racing debut with a test in a Formula Ford followed by a race in the InterSteps Championship where he recorded a best of fifth in the final round at Croft. The following year he took part in his first full season of slicks and wings competition in Formula Renault BARC racing with MGR. Jake enjoyed an encouraging season to finish as top rookie and eighth overall with one podium and eight top 10 finishes.

“I am really excited about the new BRDC Formula 4 Championship and what it has to offer,” said Jake. “Getting to race on some fantastic GP circuits and supporting the DTM and F3 events, not to mention the prize fund, I feel this championship could open lots of doors for my future and makes it the right choice to help my motorsport career progress. The championship, run by MSV and supported by the BRDC, gives me the confidence that we are making a step in the right direction and I can’t wait to get started with developing and understanding the car and the Yokohama tyres with Mark and the MGR team.”

MGR Team Principal Mark Godwin added: “We’re delighted to welcome Jake back to the MGR team and I know he’s going to be a great addition to our line-up. We ran Jake in Formula Renault BARC last year and I was very impressed with his pace and attitude and I’m really looking forward to continuing this partnership in F4 this season. We expect to be making further announcements very soon, having received a lot of interest after the recent F4 car launch at the Autosport Show.”

For more information on Jake Dalton or MGR visit the teams and drivers section on the F4 website -www.formula4.com.

Rally 2 Raise back in action

The Rally 2 Raise Nissan Micra in action

After a very successful 2012 where £2,500 was raised for four charities the Rally2Raise project will continue in 2013.

The project, founded by Aberdeen's Rachel Clark, is using motorsport to raise funds and awareness for charitable causes and for this year the Nystagmus Network will once again be supported.

John Sanders of the Nystagmus Network said: "The Nystagmus Network funded research in Leicester University and Moorfields Eye Hospital in 2012. We helped more than 800 people directly by email and phone and thousands more through the support and information on our website.”

“We also published our ‘The Challenge of Nystagmus’ book and wrote a new ‘easy guide to nystagmus’ for teachers. All of these achievements were only possible thanks to the support of Rally2Raise and many other fundraisers and donors. We hope to do a lot more in 2013 and are really pleased that Rally2Raise continues to support us."

In addition Rally2Raise will help raise awareness of the Bottle Stop campaign, a campaign started by Jane Sherriff after her husband tragically died after being attacked and stabbed with a broken glass bottle at a corporate event In London. The aim of the campaign is to ban glass bottles from late night pubs and clubs.

Rally2Raise has already had a great start to the year with the news that the Saltire Rally Club have very generously agreed to continue their support, part of which will involve the Rally2Raise Micra running as course car on the popular Saltire Classic rally in March.

Colin Wallace of the Saltire Rally Club said: "The Saltire Rally Club were delighted to support Rally2Raise in 2012. We look forward to continuing our association in 2013 and contributing to the superb work of the nominated charities.”

Rachel is hoping to compete on selected Scottish Rally Championship events this year but her first event will be running as course car on the E.Watson and Son Coneyhatch rally time trial next Sunday.

Rachel commented: "I'm delighted that Rally2Raise was such a success last year and we are hoping to build on that this year. I'd like to thank everyone who has supported us, we raised far more than I expected and I think the awareness raising, particularly of the lesser known causes such as nystagmus, went really well."

"We have decided to continue to support the Nystagmus Network this year. My son suffers from nystagmus and I want to do all I can to help find a cure for it. We will also help raise awareness for Bottle Stop. Both myself and fellow Rally2Raise team member Katherine have seen the trauma due to glass incidents through our work. Jane has been through her worst nightmare in losing her husband and she has founded Bottle Stop to try and prevent more families from going through that pain. The cause really resonated with us.”

"I can't wait for the season to start, Stonehaven and District Motor Club have kindly let me run as course car on their time trial so that will be a good way to blow away the cobwebs. Hopefully we will be able to run on a few of the Scottish championship rounds again this year but that will depend on funding – if anyone can help with the costs of running the Rally2Raise Micra please get in touch via our website.”

For more information please visit http://www.rally2raise.co.uk or follow the team on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/rally2raise and Twitter @rally2raise.

Have breakfast at Goodwood - 2013 Breakfast Club Dates announced

 As it enters its eighth season, the Goodwood Breakfast Club for 2013 promises another tantalising mix of great vehicles and a hearty Goodwood organic breakfast. Often copied, but never bettered, Goodwood’s first-Sunday of-the-month events remain the original and authentic Breakfast Club, with free admission to all visitors.

The tower, The scoreboard, the old adverts... this could only be Goodwood

The Goodwood Breakfast Club is firmly established as a ‘must attend’ event for thousands of car and motorcycle connoisseurs who appreciate an enjoyable Sunday morning drive through the quiet West Sussex country roads down to Goodwood, where they are able to meet like-minded enthusiasts, admire some fabulous machinery, and eat a tasty Goodwood organic breakfast, before heading back home in time for the Sunday roast, to do a bit of gardening and DIY, or simply put their feet up and watch the Grand Prix!

For the 2013 Breakfast Club season, Goodwood will offer a range of popular themes that cater for all enthusiasts and vehicle types. As in previous years, the Breakfast Club meetings will be held on the first Sunday of the month at the historic Goodwood Motor Circuit, starting a March, with the exception of July and September, when the hugely successful Festival of Speed (11-14 July) and Goodwood Revival (13-15 September) motor sport events will be held.

The breakfast club offers an impressive array of cars to see - and good cooking!

The 2013 Breakfast Club meetings promise an eclectic mix of vehicles and a tempting breakfast menu to whet the appetite of any motoring enthusiast. Each meeting is themed to appeal to a strong petrolhead audience who own an interesting and diverse selection of motor vehicles.

The dedicated and detailed Goodwood Breakfast Club website has regular updates on each monthly theme, and visitors are encouraged to pre-register online at (www.goodwood.com/breakfastclub) to help ensure a prime parking position with a theme-relevant vehicle. A full list of the 2013 Goodwood Breakfast Club dates and themes follows.

2013 CALENDAR AND THEMES

Date Breakfast Club Theme

03 March: Tax-Free Sunday:

Pre-1973 tax-free classics, plus modern eco-friendly vehicles, with a nod to key anniversaries, including the Centenary of the Vauxhall 30/98, 60 years of the Corvette, 50 years of the Mini Cooper S and Lotus Cortina, etc.

07 April: Sushi Sunday:

A celebration of Japanese cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles.

05 May: Soft Top Sunday:

The best of top-down motoring in the Spring sunshine

02 June: Super Car Sunday:

The ultimate high-performance machines – cars and bikes, with a nod to 50 years of McLaren and the Porsche 911

07 July: Event not held due to the Festival of Speed

04 August: Thoroughbred Sunday:

Pre-1966 vehicles, celebrating the golden era of Goodwood Motor Circuit, with a nod to 100 years of Aston Martin

01 September: Event not held due to the Goodwood Revival build-up

06 October: Italian Sunday:

Italy’s finest cars and motorcycles, with a nod to the 50^th anniversary of the exciting Lamborghini marque

All 2013 Goodwood Breakfast Club events will be staged from 08.00 to 12.00 hours on the first Sunday of the month (except July and September due to the proximity of major Goodwood motor sport events).

Caterham take home Best Stand award from Autosport International 2013

The award winning Caterham Stand at the Autosport International Show 2013

The Caterham Group’s first exhibition as a united set of companies at this year’s Autosport International Show was a huge success, with the display winning the show’s Best Overall Stand award.

 

Showcasing, for the first time, the expertise of Caterham’s Composites and Technology & Innovation (CTI) arms alongside the iconic brand’s road and race cars, the display was executed by exhibition and events expert, SO Group.

 

Alongside the first prototype of the Caterham CK-01 racing kart and various Seven track and road cars, the stand featured Caterham F1 Team’s 2012 F1 car and a selection of engineering projects spearheaded by CTI.

 

These included a high-output development engine for the Seven, a supercharger concept and a carbon fibre composite car door, all displayed on bespoke stands.

 

Caterham Marketing & Communications Manager, James Drake, said: “It’s wonderful that, on the first occasion that all the arms of the Caterham Group come together, our stand is impactful and interesting enough to be voted the best at the Autosport show.

 

“We’re over the moon and I can’t recommend the SO Group highly enough – our stand manager, Simon Clifton and his front-line troops were brilliant throughout the build and management of what was Caterham’s biggest ever Autosport International stand.”

 

SO Group Sales Director Simon Clifton said: “We were asked by The Caterham Group to be involved with their exhibition at conception stage.  They had a very clear vision of what was required from the stand and SO Group has thoroughly enjoyed helping them bring that vision to life. 

 

“We were overjoyed to learn about their win at the Autosport Show and look forward to working with them in the future.”

Honda BTCC team takes home trophies - before the 2013 starts!

Gordon Shedden celebrates with the rest of the Honda BTCC team

Technical Director, Barry Plowman, recieves the MIA Teamwork Award

The Honda Yuasa Racing team have kick-started 2013 in a winning fashion by adding four more top achievements to their awards cabinet.

Hot off dominating the 2012 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship by claiming all three titles on offer, the Honda Yuasa Racing Team has been named as the winner of the ‘Teamwork’ Award at the prestigious Motorsport Industry Association (MIA) Business Excellence Awards.

Jayne Thomas from the MIA commented; “The MIA Awards are for business excellence and the Teamwork Award recognises the significant and varied management issues which must be overcome, throughout the season to win any major motorsport Championship.

“Honda Yuasa/Team Dynamics showed stunning teamwork throughout 2012 – with a clean sweep of both the drivers’ and team titles in the Dunlop MSA BTCC Championship.”

Barry Plowman, Technical Director at Team Dynamics, who collected the trophy at the Awards ceremony which took place at the 2013 Autosport Show added; “To be nominated for this award against high-profile competition such as Red Bull Racing, Silverstone Circuits, and the RML/Chevrolet WTCC team was a great achievement in itself, but to go and win is a fantastic accolade and one which everybody involved in our 2012 BTCC programme should share.

“The MIA award is very special in that it is voted for by industry peers who really understand the scale of what it takes to succeed at this level, it’s an incredibly proud occasion for us”
Not only were the team recognised by industry peers, the fans have also spoken. The readers of TouringCarTimes have voted the Honda Civic the best car of the 2012 British Touring Car Championship and Honda Yuasa Racing as the best team, while Gordon ‘Flash’ Shedden topped the driver vote by a landslide.

These accolades are a great finish to a fantastic year which saw the Honda Yuasa Racing team and drivers Flash and Matt Neal behind the wheel of the NGTC specification Civic dominating the 2012 season by claiming a total of 13 victories throughout the year.

The season ended on a high at Brands Hatch in October with Flash claiming his first Drivers title and the team collecting the Manufacturers/Constructors title and HiQ Team’s trophy.

Peter Crolla, Team Manager, Team Dynamics, concluded; “It’s great to receive recognition from the readers of TouringCarTimes for these three awards and it adds to the team’s motivation in the build-up to the start of the 2013 season.

“Everybody at Honda Yuasa Racing worked incredibly hard to hit the ground running with the new Civic at the start of 2012 and to deliver the results we did in the first year of a new car, built to new regulations was a fantastic achievement. We’ve continued to develop the car during the winter so we’re looking forward to starting our testing programme in the coming weeks and doing it all again!”

The Honda Yuasa Racing team will once again be lining up on the grid when the 2013 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship kicks off with qualifying at Brands Hatch on 30 March.
Fans can follow all the Honda Yuasa Racing Team’s exploits on Facebook and Twitter - www.facebook.com/HondaRacingBTCC and www.twitter.com/hondaracingbtcc

Goodwood Festival of Speed announces 2013 driver line up

Emanuele Pirro is one of the many famous names at FoS

As Goodwood pushes ahead with its exciting plans for the 20^th anniversary Festival of Speed (12-14 July), a rich seam of top motor racing names can already be confirmed to be attending this summer’s must-attend Festival, celebrating the best of the first 20 years of this, the world’s most popular motor sport and car culture event.

With 25 weeks still to go until the 2013 Festival of Speed gets underway, Goodwood is already able to confirm a couple of dozen star competition drivers and riders in attendance, with an impressive number of significant motor sport victories between them.

Between them, drivers set to appear at Goodwood this July have achieved 20 Grand Prix wins, as well as 12 Le Mans 24 Hours victories, four Indy 500 wins, four BTCC Championships, and four Targa Florio chequered flags.

Festival of Speed spectators can expect to see the following legendary motor racing heroes, star names and Goodwood favourites, already confirmed for this summer;

- Rauno Aaltonen

- Richard Attwood          

- David Brabham            

- Kenny Brack

- Russell Brookes

- Tony Brooks

- Ron Chandler

- David Coulthard

- Vic Elford

- Peter Fonda

- Stuart Graham

- Jochen Mass               

- Arturo Merzario

- Hannu Mikkola

- Henri Pescarolo            

- Win Percy

- Emanuele Pirro             

- Brian Redman              

- Anthony Reid

- Jack Sears

- Steve Soper

- Bobby Unser

- John Whitmore

Jochen Mass will return to Goodwood for 2013

Many other star drivers and riders – yet to be confirmed – plus cars and motorcycles from each of the world’s major motor sport disciplines, past and present, will also be featured at Goodwood, including champions from Formula 1, Indycar, the World Rally Championship, Superbikes, NASCAR, World Sports Cars and Touring Cars.

Goodwood will recapture many of the outstanding Festival of Speed moments from the 1993-2012 era, whether that’s great cars from the USA and elsewhere making a rare return to the UK; or famous car/driver pairings reunited, including all manner of memorable - and often outrageous - contraptions on the 1.16-mile hillclimb.

These, along with a host of vehicles and competitors new to Goodwood, and a number of unexpected treats, will provide a fitting birthday party for the world’s greatest celebration of motor sport history and car culture.

Tickets, grandstand seats, camping and other products for the 2013 Festival of Speed, as well as the Moving Motor Show and Goodwood Revival, can be purchased from the Goodwood website (www.goodwood.com/motor sport/), or via the Goodwood Ticket Hotline as follows:

Telephone: +44 (0)1243 755055

On-line via the Ticket section of the website www.goodwood.com/motor sport/

Josh Cook signs for returning JHR Developments for 2013 Clio Cup

Highly successful Renault UK Clio Cup team JHR Developments has announced its welcome return to the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship support category after today, Friday, 18th January, officially confirming its first driver signing – reigning Rookie Cup Champion Josh Cook (Bath).

JHR return to scenes of success in the Clio Cup

The Dronfield-based squad, headed by former Clio Cup front-runner and multiple race winner Steven Hunter, last competed in the championship with a part campaign in 2011. During the preceding years JHR twice won the Entrants’ Championship – in 2008 and 2009 – and also steered Lee Pattison to the Masters Cup title and the Vice-Champion’s position in the overall standings in 2010.

First appearing in Clio Cup racing in 2004 as ‘Team Gatecrasher’ in deference to title sponsorship from the world-famous nightclub brand, JHR has a long association with Renault championships having been formed in 1995 to compete in Formula Renault UK and Eurocup Formula Renault.

Since withdrawing from the Clio Cup a couple of years ago, JHR has remained a force in national motorsport with great success in other categories. Now, with the return of Simon North to the role of Championship Manager and the arrival of the British Automobile Racing Club (BARC) as promoter, Hunter says the time is right for JHR to be back in the BTCC’s chief feeder category.

“We spoke to Josh [Cook] at the end of last year, we’d kept an eye on his performances all season, and we always said if we were going to look at coming back into Clios it had to be with a driver like him so we could be competitive from the off”, commented Hunter.

“With Simon [North] back at the helm managing the championship, along with the BARC, Clio Cup is back in the right hands and a place you want to go racing. We’re aiming to run two cars this year and our overall plan is to re-establish JHR in the Clios ready for the arrival of the new car in 2014.”

Cook was one of the star performers in Clio Cup last year, his first full season in the category, and achieved his maiden outright podium in round seven at Oulton Park. He went on to claim two overall victories during the penultimate event at Silverstone National Circuit. In addition to his domination of the Rookie Cup, he was an impressive fifth overall in the main championship.

The 21-year-old will certainly be a major challenger in the 2013 Renault UK Clio Cup, the final season for the existing third generation car, and Hunter is confident the new partnership will be able to hit the ground running and be serious competition from the outset.

“Josh is a super quick driver, very committed and he’s already a proven race winner in one of the most competitive championships out there, we’ve got no doubts he’ll be a regular front-runner”, he added, “We’re looking forward to fighting at the front and being back as part of the Renault family.”

Rounds one and two of the 2013 Renault UK Clio Cup will take place across Easter weekend, 30th/31st March, at Brands Hatch Indy Circuit in Kent.

2013 Renault UK Clio Cup Calendar

Rds1&2             Brands Hatch Indy, Kent                         30th/31st March

Rds3&4             Donington Park National, Leicestershire   20th/21st April

Rds5&6             Thruxton, Hampshire                              4th/5th May

Rds7&8             Oulton Park Island, Cheshire                   8th/9th June

Rds9&10           Croft, North Yorkshire                             22nd/23rd June

Rds11&12         Snetterton 300 Circuit, Norfolk                 3rd/4th August

Rds13&14         Rockingham ISSC, Northamptonshire      14th/15th September

Rds15&16         Brands Hatch Grand Prix, Kent               12th/13th October

eBay Motors' 2013 Driver line up revealed

The 2013 eBay team, Rob Collard,
Colin Turkington and Nick Foster

eBay Motors announces Colin Turkington will be joining its driver line up for the 2013 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC). The 2009 BTCC Champion joins Rob Collard and Nick Foster in the new NGTC specification BMW 125i M Sport cars, as they launch their three-pronged attack on the Championship.

2013 is the fourth season in the BTCC for eBay Motors, the UK’s leading online automotive marketplace, and looks to be the most exciting yet.

Colin Turkington said: “I’m really excited to be back in the BTCC with eBay Motors for the 2013 season. I have a long relationship with WSR and we’ve experienced some great success together in both the BTCC and WTCC. I am hoping to bring that success once again this year. Getting behind the wheel of the NGTC specification BMW will be a new challenge and I can’t wait to be back on the grid at Brands Hatch on 31^st March.”

Rob Collard said: “Colin and I raced together in 2006 and his addition to the team sees us look stronger than ever. I hope to build on last year’s strong performances and will be looking to win races in the new BMW 125i M Sport.”

Nick Foster said “It’s going to be fantastic having Rob and Colin as teammates this year. I’m looking forward to learning from both of them to building on my success with the eBay Motors team.”

The 2009 BTCC champion returns to WSR in 2013

eBay Motors Team Principal Dick Bennetts added: “It’s really great to have Colin back on board for the 2013 BTCC season. With Rob, Nick and now Colin, I believe eBay Motors have a very strong driver line-up capable of challenging for Championship honours.”

Andrew Hooks, eBay’s Head of Hard Goods (Motoring & Electronics), said: “We are excited at the prospect of a fourth BTCC season and wish our drivers all the very best for the challenging and thrilling season that lays ahead.”

The first race of this year’s Championship takes place at Brands Hatch on the 31^st March 2013, with the Media Day at Donington on the 21^st March.

To keep up to speed with all the news on the car development and the drivers’ preparations visit www.ebaymotorsbtcc.co.uk and follow us @ebaymotorsbtcc

Yokohama supports Formula Four and Atom Cup in 2013

The new Ariel Atom Cup car

Following a hugely successful year of motorsport in 2012, the Japanese brand of high performance and motorsport tyres, Yokohama, is looking forward to another noteworthy season this year. Continuations of existing relationships and new race series will see even greater penetration for the brand in motorsport, in the UK throughout 2013. 

The brand has been selected as control tyre for two of the newest and potentially most exciting formulae for the 2013 season. Formula 4 is a new series, run by the British Racing Drivers' Club, the BRDC. Based on identical cars owned and run by teams or individual drivers, the series is based on three races per weekend at some of the UK's most prominent circuits. Identical engines, transmissions and chassis but with huge set-up options mean that the emphasis will be on drivers feel and ability, generating what promises to be exceptional racing. 

Another new series to feature Yokohama as control tyres is the Atom Cup, the first race series created for race-prepared versions of the legendary high-performance Ariel Atom road cars. The series will feature two races over each race weekend and visit eight circuits around the UK. The series will be run under three packages, catering for drivers with a wide range of budgets and based on the success of similar series run in America, should provide excellent, cost effective racing for experienced, as well as novice, drivers. 

Yokohama will continue with its numerous relationships with race and rally series in the UK, including Formula 1000, which allows young drivers to start in rallying before they turn 17, the Caterham Academy and of course, Sports 2000. It will also continue as tyre supplier to the Irish Touring Car Championship, which sees exciting racing in a two-class structure in Ireland, for Touring and Super Touring-specification cars. 

The UK distributor, Yokohama HPT Ltd, will also introduce the new radial tyres for sidecar racing, an area it has enjoyed notable success in recent years, particularly in the world-famous Isle of Man TT races. Tyres are already in production for F2 specification outfits and testing on F1 class machinery will begin in the New Year. 

Commenting, Head of Motorsport at Yokohama HPT Ltd, Mark Evans, said; "2012 was a fantastic year for Yokohama in all forms of motorsport and it looks as if 2013 will go one step further... In the UK, we're very excited to be involved in both Formula 4 and the Atom Cup. F4 looks to be a fantastic start in single seat racing for up and coming drivers looking for a series that will allow their talent to shine through. And the Atom Cup has given racers something they have been looking for for some time - a genuine race series for the Ariel Atom."
For more information on Yokohama and its motorsport involvement, go towww.yokohama.co.uk. 

Check out our interview with Atom Cup series director, Mark Harrison here

Autosport International 2013 : Johnny Herbert Celebrity Karting Challenge

Join Kart Force as they take on celebrity drivers with the help of former Stig Ben Collins in a 3 hour endurance race at Autosport International. Featuring interviews with Johnny Herbert, Ben Collins and former Premiership Footballer, Robbie Savage.

More Johnny Herbert coming soon.

Autosport International 2013 : Live Action Arena Highlights

Check out our highlights of the Autosport International 2013 Live Action Arena, presented by Chris Lucas and Rosemary John. This year's show features Freestyle Motocross, Autograss, BRSCC Porsche Boxsters, F1 Stockcars, Terry Grant in an Aston Martin and even a monster truck. oh, and the world debut of the RR Racing Project. wonder what that is?

Autosport International 2013 : Formula Ford video Interview

Since 1967, Formula Ford has been a staple of British and indeed international motorsport. Now the latest incarnation of the Formula Ford car has something none of it's predecessors have... Wings! Launched at the Autosport show the new Formula Ford 200 features a 1600cc Ecoboost engine with 200bhp, and looks fantastic. Overdrive's Chris Lucas spoke to Ford Racing Europe's manager, Mike Norton.

Autosport International 2013 : Britcar announces plans for 2013 and beyond

Britcar Boss James Tucker talks to Chris Lucas about the plans for the 2013 British Endurance championship, the replacement for the 2013 Britcar 24 hours and the future of the around the clock racing event at Silverstone

Autosport International 2013 : Ariel Atom Cup - Video Interview

Our presenter, Chris Lucas, meets Atom Cup organiser Mark Harrison to talk about the first one make racing series for the Ariel Atom at the Autosport International Show 2013

BARC unveil Formula Renault 1.6

The new Formula Renault 1.6 takes pride of place on the BARC Stand

Representatives from the British Automobile Racing Club (BARC) today, Thursday, 10th January, gave drivers, teams and members of the media their first chance to see the Formula Renault 1.6 car on UK soil during the opening day of the 2013 Autosport International Show at Birmingham NEC.

 

Presenting the ‘junior’ Formula Renault chassis to the biggest possible audience at the world’s most popular and heavily attended motorsport show of its kind, the BARC is evaluating interest shown by competitors and teams ahead of a planned introduction of the car into British motor racing in 2014.

 

Designed and constructed by Signature in France and powered by a 1.6-litre Renault engine, which produces 140bhp, the all-carbon Formula Renault 1.6 is a perfect entry-level single-seater for young drivers who are making the move into car racing for the first time.

 

With the hugely successful and cost-effective Protyre Formula Renault Championship having grown significantly in recent years under the stewardship of the BARC, the Thruxton-based organisation is confident the time is right to consider bringing a new, sensibly priced, standalone Formula Renault 1.6 Championship to UK shores to run alongside the sister category.

 

“We’ve been delighted with the interest shown in the 1.6 car already on just the opening day of the show”, said Protyre Formula Renault Championship promoter Simon North, “It’s a fantastic car for young drivers planning on moving up from karting or, indeed, those who are new to motorsport and considering a potential career in single-seaters.

 

The new car targets young drivers, and will run alongside the
Renault Clio Cup

“Dependant on the levels of interest shown and then further enquiries during the coming weeks and months, we will then make a decision on whether to introduce Formula Renault 1.6 into the UK in 2014. There’s also the possibility of bringing that forward and running a Winter Series for the car at the end of this year, that would be the ideal scenario.”

 

Formula Renault 1.6 will run in northern Europe this year with two championships established, the first running alongside the Formula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup as an ‘NEC Junior’ series and the other as a Scandinavian Championship mainly based in Sweden.

 

In addition to its involvement with Protyre Formula Renault, its new position as custodian of the Renault UK Clio Cup and a lead role in the organisation of the recently announced Clio Cup Series, the BARC’s commitment to its partnership with Renault is as strong as ever

New Formula Ford unveiled

Young race drivers from across the globe are eyeing this season’s new-look Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain.

Competitors from 10 countries have registered firm interest with series organisers. With 10 weeks until the opening round, officials are delighted with the response to the major changes introduced to the category for 2013.

Months of design work have gone into the new car

“We’re hugely encouraged at the interest shown by teams and drivers,” said Ford Racing motorsport manager Mike Norton. Norton attended today’s opening day of the Autosport International racing car show in Birmingham, England, where the new Formula Ford EcoBoost 200 car is on display until Sunday.

“The number of serious inquiries from international drivers who are considering committing to the series has exceeded our expectations.

“Competitors from USA, Finland, South Africa and Argentina, countries that are regular participants in the championship, have either tested a car or been in talks. But what is particularly encouraging is that we’ve had similar interest from drivers in Greece and Norway.

The new car will compete on the TOCA package

“The Autosport show traditionally raises the curtain on the motorsport season and we’ve maintained the strong momentum here by displaying the car and meeting with other prospective competitors and teams wishing to join us for 2013,” added Norton.

The new high-tech EcoBoost 200 car will provide racers with the world’s most technically advanced junior single-seater cars. Increased power from the turbocharged engine allied to the introduction of aerodynamic front and rear wings, one of the biggest technical advances in the championship’s history, will transform the car into the UK’s fastest junior single-seater.

The 1.6-litre unit is a proven and reliable entity. It is the same downsized, high-efficiency EcoBoost engine as used in Ford’s latest production cars and has a successful season’s race development behind it. For 2013 its electronics will be remapped to boost power output in excess of 200PS.

The chassis complies fully with the FIA’s latest stringent safety requirements equivalent to that of Formula 3 and also boasts a Formula 3-specification six-speed gearbox and on-board data logging and track mapping.

Ford of Europe’s design team played a key role in the look of the car. Its input ensured the EcoBoost 200 visually reflects the successful kinetic design styling cues synonymous with Ford’s product line-up.

The new car looks fantastic with hit's new wings

Formula Ford has an increased profile to match, as a support series to the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship for the next three years. The agreement delivers live TV coverage at each of the 10 race weekends, incorporating 30 races, on UK terrestrial channel ITV4.

The calendar begins on 30 / 31 March at Brands Hatch and visits Donington Park, Thruxton, Oulton Park, Croft, Snetterton, Knockhill, Rockingham and Silverstone before returning to Brands Hatch for the final rounds on 12 / 13 October.