The Ford Focus ST driver withstood huge pressure in the final race of the day in Norfolk to bank his second triumph of the season as he closes in on a best-yet top 10 finish in the points standings with only three races of the 2020 campaign remaining.

His performance was all the more impressive after he was the innocent victim of a race-one shunt which meant he had started the second race of the afternoon on the 11^th row of the starting grid.

One of the drives of the season meant he was able to climb up to an astonishing eighth place, which put him on the front row for the reversed grid final encounter. Once he had wrested the lead on the opening lap, Jackson didn’t look back to claim the champagne. He was under attack throughout the 12 laps but held his nerve to back up his maiden career win at Silverstone in late September.

“It feels as though wins are like busses: two come along at once,” said Jackson afterwards. “It’s brilliant and l’ve soaked it in a bit more this time. It’s absolutely fantastic to have another great result.

“I didn’t think it was going to happen after getting knocked back on the opening lap of race one and I pretty much started from the back in race two. I’m really grateful for the team and the car that we had the pace to pull the weekend around. 

“The goal before three was to get the good start and lead by the end of the first lap. I got the good start and I made my way past [polesitter] Chris Smiley and it looked like Adam Morgan [who was chasing] was struggling in the Mercedes with the back end and I took advantage of that and sneaked through and held it.

“I think I might have mastered the art of launching a touring car now after picking up 10 spots in two laps in race two. The car has made it happen this weekend, it’s such a fantastic bit of kit.”

Alongside Jackson, Motorbase man Rory Butcher had a successful weekend bagging strong points in all three races to keep himself in the hunt for the championship top three. The Scotsman claimed two fourth-placed finishes and a fifth spot in a solid weekend.

Despite those results, Butcher thinks there was even more to unlock from his pace, and a collision in the third race of the weekend wiped out his hopes of making it a double podium for the Motorbase team.

Butcher said: “We’ve had two rounds on the bounce where we have lacked in the points department and we’ve had some misfortune. We definitely had a pacey car this weekend and I wanted some silverware but that didn’t happen.

“It was great to see Ollie leading race three and I was trying to put pressure on Adam Morgan in second so that I could overtake him and to also take some hear off Ollie so that he could get away. It would have been lovely got a podium as well. Ollie has made the team happy and it is great points for us.”  

Team principal David Bartrum paid tribute to Jackson’s comeback in race two, which he said set-up the victorious run in the finale.

“Ollie has driven brilliantly,” he said. “He had the bad luck in race one and he ended top getting punted so he has had to come through the pack. To get up to eighth position in race two has set the scene for the win. That drive in race two is arguably a better drive that he produced to win two.

“To get back to eighth to be in the draw and then to go from third off the line to first and win the race – he has not been gifted that, he’s won it from the way he has built his weekend. I’m over the moon for Ollie. I think this is one of his most complete weekends as he has qualified well and raced well.

“However, it is disappointing as I expected a bit more from Rory. Two fourths and a fifth is what it ended up, but it should have been a double podium for us. They are still good results and if someone had said to me one of my drivers would win and everything in the top five for the other car you would be over the moon with that.”

The final rounds of the British Touring Car Championship will take place at the Motorbase Performance team’s home circuit of Brands Hatch on November 14-15, and the entire event will be broadcast live on ITV4.

The post MOTORBASE ON THE TOP STEP AGAIN AT SNETTERTON appeared first on Alliance Racing.

Scotsman Butcher was quick to praise the build quality of the fourth-generation Ford Focus ST after his horrifying accident, which caused him to barrel roll out of the weekend’s finale when he was battling to climb inside the top eight.

Butcher’s weekend had kicked off with a podium finish in the opening event under stern pressure from his rivals to land his seventh rostrum position of the campaign so far. He was shunted down the order in race two but was looking to bounce back in the reversed-grid race three before the incident occurred on lap six.

He was able to walk from the car unaided and was quick to reassure fans, who had witnessed the drama unfold live on ITV2, that he was unharmed in the spectacular crash.

“The car kept me so safe in the impact, and I am thankful for that,” says Butcher, who is fifth in the chase for this year’s title. 

“I am grateful to everyone who has been in touch and I am absolutely fine. Myself and [Honda Civic Type R driver] Matt Neal were side-by-side going down to the Maggotts-Becketts complex of corners and there was a bit of contact between the two of us and I spun round. I hit the barrier pretty heavily which put me up into the roll.

“I am just gutted for the team, which has worked so hard. It is a big repair job for everyone now, but we will come back stronger from this when we get to the next round at Croft (October 10-11).”

Butcher says that the performance of the two-litre turbocharged hatchback in that final race of the weekend before the crash has left him with some optimism going forward.

“We did get a podium from race one, and the car was also super-fast in race three before the incident,” says the 33-year-old. “There is plenty of positivity we can take forward to the next meeting.”

While Butcher’s weekend ended abruptly, team-mate Ollie Jackson was left with the biggest grin in the paddock after he prevailed in a tense race three. Jackson led initially until the race was stopped for Butcher’s accident and he made another perfect getaway at the second time of asking in the restarted round to power to his maiden triumph.

“I would say that win was long overdue,” jokes Jackson. “It was a brilliant day, and now I have the monkey off my back.”

Jackson had scored solid points in the opening two races before claiming pole position for the reversed-grid race three. He withstood a stern test from the rivals in his wheeltracks but held his nerve to the chequered flag.

“I was under pressure from some drivers behind, but I could smell the win,” adds Jackson. “I had been in that position before and maybe would have been satisfied with a podium, but I was not going to let that chance of a win pass me by.

“Obviously it was a tough weekend for the team with Rory’s accident, but hopefully I have given them something to smile about when they are going through the hard work to get us ready for Croft.”

The third Motorbase Performance Focus driver, Andy Neate, was caught up in incidents in all three of the races in Northamptonshire. He was able to see the flag in two of the three rounds but was ruled out by contact in the weekend’s finale.

Motorbase Performance team manager Oly Collins says that the crew would be working hard in the next week to prepare the cars for the next stop on the BTCC schedule.

“What a weekend Silverstone was,” he says. “The most important thing is that Rory is fine and managed to walk away from what was a pretty massive accident, so the car did its job in that respect and that is credit to all involved in the design and build of this machine.

“Up until that point, we had been happy with the pace. Carrying success ballast weight all weekend takes its toll, so when it was removed, Rory had good pace. He was looking strong for a decent points score in race three after the disappointment of being taken out of race two before the shunt.”

Collins says that Jackson’s first BTCC victory was one that the driver and the team could be proud of, particularly given the way it was achieved.

“On the other side of the garage there was a totally different story going on,” added Collins. “I’m so pleased for Ollie and the whole team involved – this has been coming for a long time and he really deserved that.

“He drove a faultless race, kept his head and gave the team a mega result which we needed.

“Andy Neate, unfortunately, had a tough weekend. He was involved in incidents which weren’t his fault which cost him any chance of a result on Sunday and sustained a lot of damage in the race-three incident.”

The seventh meeting of the 2020 Kiwk Fit British Touring Car Championship takes place at the demanding Croft circuit in North Yorkshire on November 10-11 and each of the three rounds will be shown live on the ITV network.

The post Motorbase hit highs and lows at Silverstone appeared first on Alliance Racing.

Butcher’s spirit was remarkable as he took the brand new fourth-generation Ford Focus ST to a third-place finish in the final race in Hampshire as the crew looks ahead to the next three races at Silverstone this weekend. Butcher is right in the thick of the points chase in fourth position.

The daunting high-speed challenge of Thruxton is one that is relished by all drivers but the unique demands of the circuit are unique. In a usual season, teams would have the opportunity to test their hardware at the 2.36-mile layout first, but lockdown measures meant most crews went into last weekend’s three races with very little data in the bank.

Engineers on Motorbase’s brand new Focus were on a learning curve but both Butcher and team-mate Ollie Jackson scored points in each race in a superb return for the two-litre turbocharged hatchback.

Butcher said he was delighted with the learning process both he and the Motorbase Performance team went through over the course of the weekend on the notoriously demanding track. He lined up in sixth spot on the grid for the opening event and battled to a sixth, fifth and then a third place.

The flying Scotsman said: “We have arrived at certain tracks and we have not even changed a rollbar from the opening practice session through to the end of qualifying, the car has been that good, but we had never been to Thruxton before and it was a huge learning curve. We gathered a lot of data which will only help us when we come back to this track.”

The work going on in the background helped Butcher, the reigning Independents Trophy holder, to sign off the weekend with high, and he is full of optimism looking ahead to Silverstone’s races on Sunday.

“We came away with strong finished in all of the races and I was delighted with the podium in race three, especially as I was under pressure from Ash Sutton all through the way through race, and he is a guy you don’t want hunting you down,” added Butcher.

“Thruxton was an important day, but now we head to the next challenge. Silverstone is much more like the circuits we have been to previously, the surface is similar to other circuits and it is a much more generic track. I think we will slot right in at the sharp end there.”

Ollie Jackson, also a podium finisher for Motorbase Performance this season, was ruing a tough qualifying session which meant he lined up on the eighth row. However, he made progress in the opening race to climb to 14^th on the tough-to-pass speed bowl, and he matched that performance in the second race of the weekend.

He climbed up the order to 13^th in the reversed grid finale and he too now has his sights set on this weekend’s showdowns at Silverstone, the home of the British Grand Prix.

He said: “It was a bit of a funny weekend and I should have done better in qualifying really. It is always really hard to overtake at Thruxton but, nevertheless, I was hoping to make up a bit more ground than I was able to in the three races.

“But that meeting is done and we are looking forward to Silverstone now,” he added. “Given how the car has gone already this year, the indications are that we will be in for a strong weekend and I am definitely glad to have ticked Thruxton off. We can reset and look forward now.”

Motorbase Performance team principal David Bartrum said that he was pleased with the way the engineering brains at the squad had performed over the weekend in Hampshire and said he is full of optimism for this weekend’s battle at Silverstone.

“What a great drive from Rory in race three to take his podium,” said Bartrum. “It was a fantastic race and it looked great on television. It was a good clean event with no pushing and shoving.

“Overall, though, it was a tough weekend and that sometimes happen when you have a brand new car. There was no testing at Thruxton so we had not seen the place with our new Focus. It is completely different to the old car and there are only two 40-minute free practice sessions to try and unlock all of the pace from it. Given that fact, we were delighted to get a podium and the points we did.

“Silverstone is next and that is a circuit we like. It should suit the Focus, and so we will go there with our tails up and hope to build on the progress we have already made.”

The next rounds of the 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship take place on Sunday, and will be shown live on ITV2. The opening race is scheduled to start ay 1127hrs.

All images Hills Speed Images

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The UK’s leading saloon car runners went straight from Oulton Park in Cheshire, where Butcher had claimed the team’s maiden victory of the campaign, to Fife in Scotland. The tight turnaround meant many members of the team stayed on the road and headed north rather than going back to the Kent workshops to fettle the three Ford Focus ST machines.

Butcher, the reigning Independents Trophy winner, rewarded the hard work with three top-10 finishes, which were capped with a dominant victory in the weekend’s finale on Sunday afternoon.

The Ford’s first win at Oulton Park had come when a rival was excluded for failing the post-race ride-height test, At Knockhill, there was no doubt about Butcher’s pace as he took the lead on the opening lap and powered clear to glory.

Scotsman Butcher, who came into the weekend carrying 48kg of success ballast, was fifth in the opening race and then stuck in the mid-pack for 10th in race two. However, he grabbed his chance in the reversed-grid third encounter.

Butcher says: ”You know, coming home and taking our first victory in the new Ford Focus ST is one thing and doing it on the road is great. But doing it at home is really special and I just am so lucky to be part of this team and have this opportunity. I’m just so happy to reward them with a victory.”

“The car came alive finally, so that and a little set-up change that we made going into the session and, obviously, stripping the car of its success ballast after quite a difficult race two really helped. It all came together, and it just shows you the performance of this new car.”

The results meant that Butcher now sits in third place in the fight for this season’s British Touring Car Championship crown with four of the nine meetings completed.

Motorbase battler Ollie Jackson had a bruising weekend in his Focus, with an accident in the third race robbing him of his chance to score big points after making progress with the set-up of his machine across the three races.

He bounced back from qualifying on the 11th row to fight his way up to the cusp of the points in race one and then launched into the points in the second encounter with 11th spot. However, he was caught up in a concertina effect going into the tricky chicane section in race three, which left him stranded broadside on the track and he was collected by a rival.

While Jackson was lucky to be uninjured in the sizeable accident, he was ruing the missed chance to score a large points haul, which had gone begging.

Jackson says: ”The car was good and had speed in it and the accident was a shame as we’d made progress, gone forwards and I’d like to think I had the pace of the cars in front of me up until the accident: I think it would have been a good result, I think we would have been in the top 10.”

Andy Neate also suffered a torrid weekend in his Motorbase Focus. He was racing a touring car at the demanding 1.3-mile hillside circuit for the first time since 2012.

His charge was scuppered by a rival running into the back of his machine during a caution period in race one, taking out both cars and leaving Andy with his first non-finish of the season. Further damage put him out of race two but he bounced back for a finish in 20^th in race three.

Reflecting on the weekend, Motorbase principal David Bartrum said that Butcher’s race-three win was a landmark for the team, which will now have three weeks to prepare for the resumption of combat at Thruxton in Hampshire on September 19-20.

“A win on the road win, particularly Rory’s home circuit, is a great feeling,” says Bartrum. “It means we have had two wins in two meetings. I am a very, very happy team boss and looking forward to a few weeks in the workshop.

“We have been on the go since Oulton Park.  We’ve been one very busy team, along with everyone else in this paddock you know. It’s been a real test of resources of the British touring car teams and I think they’ve all done a stonking job.”

Bartrum said that the team would now regroup at its Kent base and get the cars in brand new condition for the next rounds in Hampshire

“There is quite a lot to do,” he admits. “But we will get it done and maybe we will be able to sneak a weekend off in there somewhere. Winning races is what gives us the motivation, and that is the position we are in, so no stone will be left unturned as we battle for this crown.”

The post More Champagne for Motorbase in Scotland appeared first on Alliance Racing.

The Kent-based squad tasted the champagne at Oulton Park on Sunday when Rory Butcher powered the Ford Focus ST to its first win of the season in the opening race of the weekend. The Scotsman prevailed when first-on-the-road Josh Cook was penalised for an illegal car, handing the spoils to the reigning Independents Trophy holder.

Butcher backed that up with second place in the weekend’s next encounter before a solid top 10 in the reversed-grid finale left him as the biggest scorer from the event in Cheshire, which had been blighted with tricky weather throughout.

Despite the victory, Butcher says he is still aiming even higher: “It was the weekend that we really needed. We got another pole position which was such a great feeling to do that, and it put us in the best place for Sunday’s races.

“We will inherit the points and take the trophy for race one but I’m eager to get that first win in this car across the line. It’s unfinished business,” he says.

Butcher added that he was pleased to have tamed the treacherous Tarmac and has his sights firmly focused on more silverware when the BTCC visits his home track of Knockhill in Fife this weekend.

“The pressure is even higher at home. I will definitely try and ride that wave of pressure and turn it into a positive energy. I can’t wait to get to my home circuit,” says the 33-year-old. “I know the place like the back of my hand. I’m really excited to see how this new car will handle the Knockhill circuit.”    

After scoring a podium in the previous meeting at Brands Hatch, Ollie Jackson was looking forward to building on that progress at Oulton. However, myriad small issued blighted his charge, although he was solidly inside the points on two occasions.

“I made a mistake in qualifying that really cost me dearly and it is hard to make up places at Oulton Park,” he explains. “We had the pace all day, but I had a problem with the wipers in race one, which really hurt. The car had loads of pace, but I was relying on people’s brake lights to stop and turn the car.”

Contact at the first turn of race two knocked out the steering on his fourth-generation Focus but he still managed to wrestle the car home in 15^th spot. A penalty for exceeding track limits pushed him down to 19^th in race three.

Jackson says he will be looking for tips from the other side of the Motorbase garage as he aims to boost his chances in Scotland.

“The one saving grace [from Oulton Park] is that we made a lot of progress with the car. We are leaving in a much better place than when we came here in terms of the set-up,” he says. “I think the things that we have done with the car at Oulton will definitely help it for Knockhill.

“Obviously Rory has got the home advantage and it should be a good weekend for him. If I can match his data and stick as close to him as possible, hopefully I can get back to normal service.”      

Andy Neate says he was leaving Oulton Park full of optimism, despite the fact the three races didn’t quite deliver the results he was aiming for in his Motorbase car. He lined up on the 12^th row of the grid and made strong progress in the opening, passing eight cars before the flag and end up in the points.

“There are lots of positives to take away from the weekend,” says Neate. “It was a bit of a mixed bag in terms of weather, which didn’t help, and in the end, it was an up and down weekend. Anyhow, we will look ahead to Knockhill now and I have spoken to Rory, who says the circuit is quite different from when I last raced a BTCC car there in 2012. I am really looking forward to it though.”

The results at Oulton Park were a justification of the hard work that the Motorbase crew has put in to getting the three brand new Ford Focus machines on the grid for 2020, says team principal David Bartrum. However, he is still hungry for what he calls a ‘proper’ victory.

“A win is a win. I would have liked to have had it on our own on in the dry though,” says Bartrum. “I feel sorry for Josh Cook because the driver didn’t do anything wrong it is just one of those things that can happen.

“I’m over the moon to get the first win for the new Focus though,” he adds. “The car has been great out of the box. It has been in the mix from day one since it turned up to qualifying in Donington. We have now got our first win, Rory [Butcher] is up to third in the championship and now we are off to Knockhill.”

The trip north of the border puts pressure on the team, with several key Motorbase staff going straight from Oulton Park to Scotland to avoid a 1400-mile round trip in two days. Despite the tight turn around, Bartrum says the squad and all of its drivers are relishing the next challenge.

He says: “The Focus has tended to go well up there. I feel sorry for Rory that he won’t have a crowd there [due to the health restrictions]. I think the home spirit will be high and I hope we get the benefit of that as a team. Not only does Rory know every kerb at Knockhill, he has worked there so he has probably painted very kerb. Hopefully we can put that knowledge to good use for our drivers.”

The next rounds of the 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship take place at Knockhill on Sunday. The races are shown live on ITV2 and the opening showdown is due to kick off at 1110hrs.

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The Kent-based crew is setting off for two back-to-back meetings which will see the trucks and many staff roll on directly to Knockhill in Fife the following weekend for the fourth contest in the chase for this year’s crown.

Motorbase has already demonstrated it has one of the fastest cars in the line-up this year but driver Rory Butcher suffered heartbreak at the previous race at Brands Hatch. A comfortable lead was snatched away in the dying moments of the opening showdown with a tyre failure. He recovered for a fourth place in the second race of the weekend.

While team-mate Ollie Jackson scored a podium in the opener and backed that up with a strong fifth in race two.

Andy Neate continued his reacquaintance with the BTCC with three battling drives, including notching his first points of the campaign in race two. He was comfortably running inside the top 10 in race three before a small off.

Butcher, who is sixth in the standings heading into the third meeting of the season, says that the Brands problem were a kick in the teeth, but he is very positive about the rest of the season going forward.

“I would be lying to say I wasn’t gutted about Brands,” he says. “But we can take some real optimism from the pace we have shown so far. You can do all the testing you like, but the race environment is where it counts and we have shown that we deserve our place at the front. We were on pole and easily able to run at the head of the pack.

“We are taking another step with the car in terms of set-up going to Oulton Park this weekend. Oulton is a really challenging track, and with the new avenues of set-up we are exploring, there is every chance the car will be even faster in Cheshire. The work hasn’t stopped and we are learning all the time. There is plenty to be upbeat about.”

Jackson laid down a marker with his career-best qualifying performance of third on the grid and was able to capitalise in the opener to turn that into his first rostrum finish of the campaign.

The 36-year-old says: “Despite the problems we had, it was a hugely strong weekend and I scored more points in one meeting that I have done in some entire seasons before.

“We were on the front foot from the get-go. I have worked hard with my engineer and we have gone our own way on set-up, which is really working. But there is still so much more to learn about the car – there is a journey ahead of us and I really can’t wait to get back in it.

“We can make adjustments to overcome the problems we have had, and I am positive about that. Also, we are going to Oulton Park and then on to Knockhill – two of my favourite circuits of the line-up. I am just eager to get going.”

Team principal David Bartrum acknowledged that work done back at Motorbase’s HQ has ironed out any problems and he was relishing the challenge that the next two back-to-back weekend will present.

“It was hugely disappointing at Brands Hatch because we want to get our first win and learn more about the car,” says Bartrum. “It wasn’t as simple as a camber change [to fix the problem]: it was the tyre loading problems. The engineers have been working flat out and we have been through the data since Brands Hatch.

“In simple terms, it is like a relationship that is fresh and young. We have been testing – the equivalent of dating in our world – then we got to Brands on a really hot day and the car turned around and said to us ‘I have been good to you and faultless out of the box and I have treated you well, but I think now you need to learn a little bit more about me.’

“We have done that learning, we have taken the car’s advice, and we have gone away as a group and learned and have got to the bottom of the problem.”

Bartrum was also full of praise for the three drivers, who all showed that they are ready to extract the maximum from the Ford Focus ST.

“Andy Neate is getting his BTCC mojo back and he is up there pushing into the top 10,” says Bartrum. “He takes a lot of stick, but he hasn’t been in a car for eight years but look at how he is going. He is progressing and racing well.

“Ollie is the quiet underdog and he is stepping up to a new level. He is in shape mentally and physically, and he is benefiting from a year in the Mototbase team already under his belt. That is important and it is the building block for where we are now with him – ready to challenge everywhere.

“Rory was a star at Brands Hatch but probably had the rougher end of the stick with a win taken away from him with the tyre failure. He is a very determined young man who can drive the wheels off a car and race two proved that when he went from 25^th to fourth in the point. The results were frustrating but we are ready to bounce back. We are going to two great venues now in Oulton Park and Knockhill and they will be perfect to get the winning momentum rolling for us.”

The three Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship races at Oulton Park will be shown live on ITV4. The opening race in Cheshire starts at 1220hrs.

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Drivers Rory Butcher, Ollie Jackson and Andy Neate took to the Donington circuit last weekend for the opening three encounters in the 27-race contest. Two superb podium finishes from reigning Independents Trophy holder Butcher means he is in the heart of the points chase and he is equal third in points chase.

Jackson, meanwhile, was the first man to lead a race in the brand new car with a superb performance in the third race of the day and collected two significant points hauls, while BTCC returnee Neate continued his learning in the two-litre turbocharged hatchback and saw the chequered flag in all three showdowns.

Butcher says that he was highly optimistic after experiencing the car in race trim for the first time. The Scotsman said: “There was a lot of pressure on myself and the team, but it is pressure we put on ourselves. We wanted to hit the ground running. We had to work away at the set-up after qualifying, but we got the car strong for the races and that reaped rewards.

“The pace of the car, particularly in the opening stages of the races, was very encouraging and when we were saddled with success ballast in races two and three, I think we proved that we have a superb car underneath is. Being able to pass the factory Honda of Dan Cammish in race two was a real high point.

“I hope we can hit the ground running again on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix track this weekend. It is one of my favourite circuits and I want to exploit every chance I get. I am not thinking about points yet, just getting the maximum I can from every session. If I do that, I will be in in the mix at the end of the year.”

Fifth place in the final race of the weekend – after a strong run from the front row – also delighted Jackson. He had worked hard with his engineers across the qualifying session and the opening race to unlock some of the handling secrets of the front-wheel-drive car and is keen to put those into practice at Brands Hatch this weekend.

“The car’s pace was clear, and we have done a huge amount of learning already,” says Jackson. “We made some changes to the car after the first race and it really clicked. After that, we were making tiny alterations and it felt really strong.

“Seeing what Rory did with the car and knowing that I now have a good direction to go in, I can’t wait for Brands Hatch this weekend. It is a fast track with lots of technical sections and it is one of my favourites of the year.”

Team principal David Bartrum says he was delighted that all three of the machines ran trouble-free across the weekend and is looking forward to building on the learning that the team has already done when the field reassembles at Brands Hatch this weekend.

“First, it was very strange to go to a race with no fans, no gridwalk, no spectators – it really affected the atmosphere and it showed just how important it is to have enthusiasts enjoying the racing with us,” says Bartrum. “Having said that, the BTCC organising team did a great job in keeping us all safe and getting the ball rolling again.

“There were so many positives to take from our on-track performance. There were no issues with the cars at all. When you go to round one, it is like the first day of school: you are catching up with your friends and you are eager to see where you are in the pecking order.

“We knew from testing that the car was strong, but it was great to see where we stack up compared to everyone else. Rory was a star and showed that we have race-winning potential almost straight away, and Ollie was knocking hard on the door of a major result. Andy too did a great job, got rid of some of the cobwebs and has really increased his understanding of the new Focus.

“It is our home race at Brands Hatch this weekend on the full grand prix track, which I am delighted that we are doing in August rather than at the end of the year. If we can maintain our momentum, we will look forward to strong results from all three drivers again.”

The second meeting of the 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship takes place at Brands Hatch and will be broadcast live on ITV4. The opening race on Sunday kicks off at 1050hrs.

Rory Butcher: Qualy 6

R1: 3rd

R2: 2nd

R3: 11th

Ollie Jackson: Qualy 13

R1: 17th

R2: 11th

R3: 5^th

Andy Neate: Qualy 21

R1: 20th

R2: 18^th

R3: 19^th

The post Motorbase on a high after debut podiums for new Ford Focus machines appeared first on Alliance Racing.

The Motorbase Performance Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship team is raring to go to kick off its 2020 campaign at Donington Park this weekend and will finally give a race debut to its freshly built fourth-generation Ford Focus machines.

The Kent squad developed the two-litre turbocharged car over the winter and has been working hard in the background while the engines have been quietened to make it as competitive as it can be.

The trio of cars will make their race debut in the hands of Rory Butcher, the reigning Independent Trophy holder, Ollie Jackson and Andy Neate in the three races in the East Midlands on Sunday.

The team has conducted nine days of testing in the new car ­– including topping the timesheets at the only official group test at Snetterton at the start of July – and the pace of the car has already turned heads among rivals Many tipping the front-wheel-drive car for glory.

Team principal David Bartrum says that the squad will be better prepared than ever heading into the hectic start of the campaign, which will challenge the teams with four race weekends in the opening five weeks.

Bartrum says: “We have worked hard on the new cars and the spares package we have put together, and our suppliers and contractors – as well as the team – have all stepped up to the plate.

“We have lots of spares and we are totally ready to go. I hope I am not jinxing things, but we have done nine test days with all three cars and we have not had to replace a body panel yet. I have impressed upon the drivers that I am very fond of the body panels that we have on the cars already – but you know what racing is like. It will be all-action when we get going.

“We have some tight turnarounds over this busy opening period, and it will be all hands to the pump. Having said that, racing drivers will be racing drivers: the first few rounds are going to be like releasing the new lambs into the field for the first time in spring. They will be gambolling around everywhere!”

As well as relishing the return to the pressure-cooker environment of the racetrack, Bartrum has also paid tribute to other competitors and organisers for managing to reschedule the season and get the battle back underway.

“You have to say a huge congratulations to the drivers and teams who have made it to the grid in these challenging times, because it has not been easy for anyone,” he adds. “Credit must also go to the series organisers TOCA and its chief executive Alan Gow, who have pulled a season together. We are all in this business of motorsport and without their efforts to get us back on the grid, none of us would have had a business.”

Rory Butcher’s head-turning pace in the pre-season testing sessions has pointed to a title charge for his maiden overall BTCC crown. The Scottish driver, who finished fourth in the points chase in 2019, is eager to get going.

“It is nice that people are talking about us and already putting us on their radars this season as a threat, because that is the position we want to be in,” says the 33-year-old. “We want to be a thorn in everyone’s side.

“All we can do, though, is concentrate on ourselves and build on what we have got. There are some areas where we still need to do some learning and that will happen as we get more mileage, but that is what this championship is always about.

“With a run of four race weekends over August, we are going to be flat-out. The opening weeks are about boxing clever, grabbing the points that you can and trying to have as much sympathy for the team and the mechanics as possible. They will be under a workload like they have never experienced before.”

Team-mate Ollie Jackson says that the suspended kick-off to the 2020 programme has given him and the team a chance to scrutinise the specifics of the new Ford Focus and that homework has put him on a strong footing for the 27-race contest.

“It has been frustrating sitting on the sidelines but I think it has been a benefit in some ways,” he explains. “We have had more time to work on the new car and perhaps have been able to do things that a normal start to the season wouldn’t have given us the flexibility to do in terms of time.

“The car feels very strong, and we have been able to drill down into the data we have had from testing. Engineer James Mundy and myself have worked hard away from the tracks to look at how we can get the most from the car and we think we have unlocked some secrets. I now just want to get out there and see if we were right.”

Andy Neate will be returning to the category in 2020 after a three-season sabbatical and he knows that Donington will present a real chance to get to grips with his new car.

Neate says: “The break was a result for us, because it gave Motorbase the chance to build up a brand new car for me and after the testing I have done so far, I can honestly say it is the best British Touring Car I have ever driven.

“We’ve tested in the wet and in the dry, and I feel really comfortable with the car and my pace. But the racing will be a whole new thing: when the lights go out at Donington Park on Sunday, it is going to be a step into the unknown for everyone. I am chomping at the bit to get going.”

The raceday from Donington Park this weekend will be broadcast in full on ITV4. The opening touring car race of the weekend starts on Sunday at 1110hrs.

Photos : Jakob Ebrey (Andy Neate – Tom Howard)

The post Motorbase relishes British Touring Car Championship racing return this weekend appeared first on Alliance Racing.

A strong two days of testing saw driver Rory Butcher set the fastest time of the test (1:56.504s).

We caught up with Team Manager Oly Collins and all three drivers to review the test and to look forward to the start of the 2020 season.

Team Manager Oly Collins:

You recently topped the times at the 2 day tyre test at Snetterton. How pleased are you with how the test went? 

The test was brilliant. We’ve done a few days testing since lockdown began but we’ve been on our own, so you don’t fully know your pace. So having the last two days to go through our test program has been really good. Rory was happy with the car straight out of the box on Tuesday morning, so while it was dry we decided to see what kind of time we could put in and it was good. We don’t know what our competitors were doing with weight and boost, but we were happy with what we did across the three cars.

Was it beneficial to get some wet weather testing in as well? 

Its good to test in all conditions, don’t get me wrong we all prefer the stability of dry running but this is the BRITISH Touring Car Championship we have to be prepared for wet running. We learnt a couple of valuable things about the car in the wet conditions and all 3 drivers enjoyed the car in the wet as well as the dry.

How do you feel the new car compares to last season’s car?

It seems to be a positive in all areas. The improvements are all small ones in every area and it all adds up. From early testing it seems to have given us a car which could be good in particular conditions. The new car seems more consistent in any condition. Its still very early days with the new car and we’re still learning, which is why these test days are probably more important to us than maybe some of our competition who have a year or two under their belts with their cars.

Was that the final test before the start of the season or do you have any further plans for testing before the Donington round? 

I think so, we’ve looked at a couple of options but I think after the 4 or 5 days testing we’ve done recently plus what we already did in March, I think we will benefit a little more from a good period of time to go through what we’ve learnt from both a pace and operational perspective. We now need to turn up to round one in a good position in all areas.

Looking forward to the season ahead. There has been encouraging pace in testing.  What are your hopes for the season ahead? 

We’re a race team, we’re here to win. The BTCC offers a format where you can compete with the Manufacturer Teams so there is no reason at all why we shouldn’t be confident to win. That said its a hugely competitive series with some great teams and drivers, so its tough. We’re up against Manufacturers in Toyota, Honda and BMW all who have at least a years experience of their machinery. Motorbase as a Team has put a lot of time, money and hard work into designing, building and developing the new car. Pre season testing has gone very well and the pace looks good. We’ve got some very good people throughout our team and we’re confident that 2020 can be the year we get to prove that.

Rory Butcher

You recently topped the times at the 2 day tyre test at Snetterton. How pleased are you with how the test went? 

Snetterton went really well despite only getting a half day of dry running as we had a lot of things we wanted to try. The car has a great feeling in both conditions so I’m really pleased with its performance.

Was it beneficial to get some wet weather testing in as well? 

With the Snetterton event being moved to October the wet weather running was actually very beneficial. I was able to learn where the grip is and isn’t on the track and also learn what works with the car too.

How do you feel the new car compares to last motorbase Focus you drove?

The new car is a big step forward on the older Ford Focus RS. Mainly in terms of drive ability. Wherever we go the car seems to be in the window or very close to it and only requires little set up changes to find the sweet spot.

Looking forward to the season ahead. There has been encouraging pace in testing.  What are your hopes for the season ahead? 

Both the team’s and my own aspirations are to pose a real challenge this year and we have real intent going into round 1. We face a gruelling compact season with many challenges ahead, so we first need to keep focussed on doing our jobs the very best we can and give our pest performance.

Ollie Jackson

How pleased are you with how the Snetterton test went? 

Yeah really well, particularly the first day. We found a really good balance and it was good to mix the wet and dry. The second day wasn’t quite as useful but we still learnt a lot and have found a few more questions to answer

Was it beneficial to get some wet weather testing in as well? 

Yes it was good to get some running time in the wet, the car seems to be really strong and it’ll definitely pay off with the timing of the season this year

How do you feel the new car compares to last season’s car?

The new car is great, it seems to be a lot easier to find a setup, the changes are a lot more powerful and intuitive and the car gives great feedback behind the wheel

Looking forward to the season ahead. There has been encouraging pace in testing.  What are your hopes for the season ahead? 

I think we’ve got to be challenging for the independents this year, that would be a great achievement. Personally I’d love to bag my first win and a few more podiums this year and I think the new car will give me the best opportunity.

Andy Neate

How do you feel the test at Snetterton went?

After some teething problems with my new car we’re resolved, the test was quite productive. The track was changing every lap due to the relentless rain so this made it almost impossible to compare lap times unless you was on the track at the same time as another car. However we continued to tune a baseline setup we have been working on and then followed this up by comparing the setup with what my team mates had been working on. Collectively there has been a lot of data collected and I’m sure everything assessed will put the team in a strong starting position come Donington.

Was it beneficial to get some wet weather testing in as well?

Definitely, due to the revised BTCC calendar moving much of the racing into the late autumn, we are guaranteed to have some wet weather racing this season. Considering im very green to any type of racing for over 8 years, both wet and dry practice will certainly be beneficial for me.

What are your thoughts on the new Focus ST?

The engineers that have designed the car have really maximised on the advancements from the older Ford Focus. The baseline car in terms of both general stiffness and aero is a far stronger starting platform from what I can see.

How does it compare to last seasons car that your drove at the beginning of the year?

There is no doubt the old car could be quick on its day, but I think it was very much track and weather condition dependant. From the limited running I have had in both cars I would say new car will suit any eventuality unlike the old model. But just to drive, the new car a massive step forwards, and whilst it is true my 2020 ambitions are not for championship glory, if I were the other championship contenders I’d be very concerned about my team mate Rory Butcher as I have no doubt he’ll be in contention for the big prize come the last race at Brands in November!

What are your hopes for the season ahead?

As I said, clearly I’ve been out of the BTCC and any full-time racing for nearly a decade, so I need to be realistic with my hopes and expectations for 2020. However I do have strong targets and hopes, but I’ll let you know if I achieved them at the end of the season and not before.

The team are in action when the 2020 BTCC season gets underway at Donington Park on the weekend of the 1st August.

The post Snetterton test recap appeared first on Alliance Racing.

Motorbase Performance drivers Rory Butcher, Andy Neate and Ollie Jackson review the team’s latest BTCC test at Brands Hatch.

The post Brands Hatch Test Review appeared first on Alliance Racing.