MSA CHAMPIONSHIPS UPDATE VOL 1: ISSUE 2 - January 2007
Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship
www.btcc.net
Northamptonshire’s Rockingham circuit will next year
stage a BTCC race meeting (below left), its confirmation completing
the 2007 calendar. Thruxton, in Hampshire, will join Brands
Hatch in staging two events, including the season finale.
BTCC Series Director Alan Gow said: “We are delighted
to be able to return to Rockingham. Its inclusion means that
the BTCC will continue to be in action in eight counties,
ensuring that the championship remains as accessible as possible
for the public in all four corners of the UK.”
The 2007 BTCC calendar reads:
Date Circuit, County
1 April Brands Hatch, Kent
22 April Rockingham, Northamptonshire
6 May Thruxton, Hampshire
3 June Croft, North Yorkshire
24 June Oulton Park, Cheshire
15 July Donington Park, Leicestershire
29 July Snetterton, Norfolk
19 August Brands Hatch, Kent
2 September Knockhill, Fife
14 October Thruxton, Hampshire
The BTCC has also renewed its official media partnership
with leading publishing group Dennis. For the fourth consecutive
season, the championship will continue to receive heavy promotion
in Britain’s top-selling weekly publication Auto Express
and popular sister titles Evo and Maxim, both through their
magazines’ pages and online via their websites.
Elsewhere, multiple title-winner Vauxhall has confirmed it
will switch to its new Vectra Hatchback model for 2007, having
re-signed drivers Fabrizio Giovanardi and Tom Chilton. And
reigning champion Matt Neal has received the British Racing
Drivers’ Club’s prestigious Silver Star, collecting
the award from club President and 1996 Formula 1 world champion
Damon Hill.
SEAT Sport UK has confirmed it will contest a fourth consecutive
season in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship
in 2007 with a pair of Leons, one to be driven by Jason Plato
(above right).
Premier Division goalkeeper Peter Enckelman, of Blackburn
Rovers, is behind a new team set to enter the BTCC in 2007
– Encke Sport. The Finnish international keeper’s
team will field Vauxhall Astra Coupes. Enckelman said: “The
BTCC is the premiership of motor sport and the only thing
bigger is F1. To be a part of it is a dream come true. Obviously
I’ll put the effort into the team as I have done into
my football. No doubt some of the other players will be joining
me at many of the rounds.”
Lloyds TSB Insurance British Formula 3 Championship
www.fota.co.uk
Greg and Leo Mansell will contest British F3’s Championship
Class in 2007, having signed to drive with Northamptonshire-based
Fortec Motorsport, the team with which they made their debuts
in the category last October. The brothers, sons of 1992 F1
World Champion Nigel Mansell, acquitted themselves well in
changeable track conditions at Thruxton, having graduated
from Formula BMW.
Leo Mansell: "British F3 was the right choice for us
because, one, it is our home formula and, two, we have a great
relationship with Fortec, working with them through testing
and the race at Thruxton. We're also visiting some great tracks
next year including Spa, Monza, Silverstone GP, Brands Hatch
GP and the street race in Bucharest. It's a schedule we're
really excited about."
Greg Mansell: "British F3 is highly respected amongst
the other F3 series and next year’s calendar is fantastic
with four tracks from the old F1 calendar and, as a driver,
you couldn't wish for any more. There are fantastic cars and
we have a great team in Fortec supporting us and I'm just
really looking forward to it; it was the right choice for
us."
Richard Dutton, Team Principal, Fortec Motorsport: "It's
a great honour for Fortec to be involved with Leo, Greg and
Nigel. We've worked hard over the last few years in Formula
3 and it's great to have drivers signed and organised so early.
We've got the test programme coming up and it is nice going
into the season fully ready and organised.”
Avon Tyres British GT Championship
www.britishgt.com
Moore Racing from Milton Keynes has become the latest team
to commit to British GTs for 2007, signing up to compete in
the expanding GT3 class with its Dodge Viper. The team, with
considerable endurance experience, has recruited driver pairing
Mike Gardiner and Paul Fenton.
Moore Racing founder and Manager Richard Moore said: “With
a change of focus to GT3 expected in British GTs and a large
number of new cars, reliability and consistency as well as
outright speed will be key to achieving a strong season’s
performance. As a team Moore Racing has learnt an awful lot
about running reliable cars in Britcar and 24 hour races both
in Europe and the UK. We believe that experience will pay
off over the 14-race calendar. We currently have an option
on a second Viper and subject to discussions with suitably
experienced and funded drivers hope to boost our attack with
a second car.”
Mike Gardiner added: “It’s great to enter the
Avon Tyres British GT Championship with the new GT3 class
really taking off. The Viper has raced successfully in European
GT3 and offers a competitive package at a reasonable price.
The Moore Racing team has proven itself in Britcar and Paul
Fenton and I are a well-matched driver pairing. We have all
the ingredients for a successful year.”
Armajaro MSA British Historic Rally Championship
www.hrcr.co.uk
Dunlop and The Gambia are to be the title sponsors of the
Championship in 2007. The two organisations have taken over
as main sponsors for one of the fastest-growing championships
in British stage rallying, which is managed by the Historic
Rally Car Register. Dunlop has been a long-time supporter
of the championship and is the preferred tyre supplier for
many competitors. Dunlop also provides an on-event service
at BHRC events and its on-going support of the championship
is a key part of the BHRC success story. The Gambia, meanwhile,
is a stunning holiday location on the coast of West Africa
and its BHRC support has been arranged by leading competitor
Martin Freestone.
"We are proud to be supporting the BHRC and all those
involved in making the championship go on from strength to
strength," said Freestone. "The Gambia first became
involved in rallying in 2004 by sponsoring the Killarney Historic
Rally when Susan Waffa-Ogoo, the honourable Minister of Tourism
for The Gambia, was guest of honour. Since then, awareness
of The Gambia has encouraged many people to visit us at Kololi
Beach Club and enjoy exotic holidays in The Gambia sunshine."
Championship co-ordinator Simon Marks from Historic Rally
Car Register added: "We are very grateful to both Dunlop
and The Gambia for offering title sponsorship for the 2007
season. We are planning for the best-ever season in the BHRC
history, with more and more competitors joining the historic
scene. Having two enthusiastic sponsors on board is the icing
on the cake!"
In addition to the title sponsors, a further six companies
have signed up to be associate sponsors for the 2007 BHRC,
namely Mintex, Minilite, West Wales Rally Spares, Ton Hire,
Competition Car Insurance and Water End Properties.
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