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

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. 

750 Motor Club Teams up with Performance Driving Centre

The 750 Motor Club, one of Britain’s leading organisers of club motorsport, whose offices are based trackside at Donington Park, have teamed up with the Performance Driving Centre to offer an exciting range of race driver training packages designed to fully prepare aspiring racing drivers for their first race meeting. The deal will also offer existing club drivers the opportunity to sharpen their skills behind the wheel.

The Performance Driving Centre was established by Richard Peacock in 1978 and is the longest established race training facility in the UK. The hand-picked team of instructors are all qualified under the ARDS/MSA racing driver instructor licensing scheme and over the years, the PDC team have coached and trained drivers with professional potential all the way up to Grand Prix winners.

In addition to offering the Competition Licence Course, which every aspiring racer needs in order to obtain a National B grade race licence, the 750MC PDC scheme offers the chance to every candidate to see them through to actually participating in their first race. Other options will include:

• Junior ARDS Course - for 14- to16-year-old driver;
• Circuit Skills and Racing Procedures (CSRP) - one-to-one tuition with a senior ARDS instructor, demonstration laps showing cornering lines and three 20-minute circuit driving sessions with technical debrief;
• Intensive one-day Race Training Programme – offering approximately twice the track time of the CSRP course and a detailed analysis of the technical aspects of successful track driving and race craft; and
• First Race Package – participate in your first race, sharing a car in a two-driver event with one of our senior instructors.

Packages are now available from £295 and each course at Donington Park includes a number of additional benefits such as complimentary membership of the 750 Motor Club as well as access to the world famous Donington Grand Prix Collection.

Christopher Tate, Managing Director at Donington Park, said: “With our on-site partners from 750MC, and the strong past connections between Richard Peacock and this circuit, all here at Donington are delighted with this new race training school. Now, with the Honda Ron Haslam Academy at Donington offering excellent two-wheel training, we have the two great racing disciplines of bikes and cars professionally managed.”

Richard Peacock, of the Performance Driving Centre said: “It has been a cause of concern to me in recent years that UK motorsport has lacked a realistic structure for potential drivers to start racing. I would also like to dispel the theory that unless you are fortunate enough to come from wealthy, indulgent parents and start very young you are wasting your time. Providing you have genuine interest and a reasonable amount of natural ability progression to being competitive can be quite swift. Motor racing will always have a cost but 750MC are the market leaders in providing a variety of cost effective categories. Our current range of courses is practical, down to earth and tailored to the individual. I am delighted to be part of this initiative at Donington in conjunction with 750MC and look forward to seeing new faces on the starting grids and existing competitors becoming more competitive.”

Jason Craig named MSA Young Journalist of the Year

The Motor Sports Association (MSA) is pleased to announce that the Coleraine Chronicle’s Jason Craig has been named the Renault MSA Young Motor Sport Journalist of the Year 2012.

Established in 2002 in association with Renault UK, the award is designed to recognise the most promising journalists aged 25 or under working within British motor sport.

Craig, aged 25 from Co. Antrim, joined the Coleraine Chronicle in 2010 after graduating from Coventry University. The judges were impressed by his accomplished news writing, the breadth, depth and originality of his stories, and the sheer amount of copy bearing his byline. In a supporting letter, Coleraine Chronicle sports editor Damian Mullan credited Jason with a major increase in the paper’s coverage of rallying over the last two years, while former British Historic Rally Champion Dessie Nutt praised him for significantly raising awareness of motor sport in the region.

Craig said: “I’m extremely honoured to have been named the 2012 Renault MSA Young Journalist of the Year. To win this prestigious award is a dream come true and I would like to take this opportunity to thank my immediate family who have continued to support me over the years. I would also like to express my gratitude to the many competitors who have been so receptive to my relentless interest in their sport, and to my current employer, the Coleraine Chronicle. I look forward to collecting my award in London at the Night of Champions; it promises to be a very memorable occasion.”

Jeremy Townsend, Communications Director of Renault UK, said: “The standard of entries was as high as ever with a very impressive breadth of work. Of all though, Craig’s work stood out with unanimous agreement from the judges. I wish Craig every success with his future career.”

Craig will collect a trophy and a cheque for £1000 at the MSA’s Night of Champions at the Royal Automobile Club, London, on 19 January 2013.

Previous winners:

2011: Dan McCalla, Motorsport News

2010: Rob Ladbrook, Motorsport News

2009: Ben Anderson, Autosport

2008: Ed Foster, Motor Sport

2007: Steven English, Autosport

2006: Kevin Turner, Autosport

2005: Glenn Freeman, Motorsport News

2004: Gemma Briggs, Racecar/Haymarket

2003: Tim Redmayne, Motorsport News

2002: Will Gray, Collings Sport

Nick Dungan wins MSA Young Photographer of the Year

The Motor Sports Association (MSA) is pleased to announce that Nick Dungan has been named the Renault MSA Young Motor Sport Photographer of the Year 2012.

Established in 2002 in association with Renault UK, the award is designed to recognise the most promising photographers aged 25 or under working within UK motor sport.

Nick, aged 23 from Tonbridge, has been photographing British motor sport on a freelance basis for the last four years. He submitted an impressive portfolio of work that demonstrated outstanding technical ability and artistic merit, covering a variety of UK championships for both print and online outlets.

Dungan said: “I am absolutely delighted to have won the Renault MSA Young Motor Sport Photographer of the Year award. Winning this competition has been a goal of mine since I first picked up a camera five years ago, and it’s a great privilege to add my name to an amazing list of previous winners. It’s a great conclusion to a brilliant 2012 motor sport season.”

Jeremy Townsend, Communications Director of Renault UK, said: “The standard of photography is tremendous and it’s a real pleasure to judge the entries. Nick’s portfolio was a delight to see and I hope that this award will be the start of a successful career.”

Nick will collect a trophy and a cheque for £1000 at the MSA’s Night of Champions at the Royal Automobile Club, London, on 19 January 2013.

Previous winners:

2011: Dominic Romney, freelance

2010: William Neill, freelance

2009: Dominic Romney, freelance

2008: Drew Gibson, LAT

2007: Drew Gibson, LAT

2006: Michael Hoyer, freelance

2005: Gavin Ireland, Racecar Engineering

2004: Glenn Dunbar, LAT

2003: Jonathan MacDonald, Pacenotes

2002: Jakob Ebrey, Jakob Ebrey Photographic

2013 - The year of the Volunteer

Marshals and recovery set about sorting out the aftermath of a particularly eventful BTCC Race.

Marshals and Scrutineers work together to make sure all is in order

The Motor Sports Association, governing body of UK motor sport, will launch its ‘Year of the Volunteer’ at the Autosport International show to be staged at the NEC, Birmingham from 10-13 January 2013

Celebrating the invaluable work carried out by volunteers and encouraging others to get involved, the MSA’s ‘Go Motorsport’ display stand will highlight the many opportunities open to volunteers ranging from trackside marshalling and timekeeping to technical scruntineers and event officials.

Not all doctors wear white coats.

“It is often said ‘without volunteers there would be no motor sport’ and that truly is the reality,” said Colin Hilton, Chief Executive of the MSA. “From the British Grand Prix and Wales Rally GB, to the many thousands of local events organised by enthusiastic motor clubs throughout the land, none of them would happen without the expertise and generosity of these volunteers. Motor sport, though, is a fantastically exciting attraction and for those who want to get involved but, for whatever reason, don’t actually want to compete, there are lots of ways for them to get really close to the action by performing some of these hugely rewarding roles.”

You can't park that there!

To assist interested newcomers to understand the many exciting opportunities available, the Go Motorsport exhibit at Autosport International will include a special ‘help desk’ manned by experienced volunteers. The stand will also include a fully equipped rescue vehicle while for the more technically minded a team of engineers will be busy building a Formula 1000 entry-level rally car. Of further interest to budding scrutineers will be a pair of vehicles each with five built-in faults. Visitors will be invited to spot these defects for a chance to win tickets to the British Grand Prix and Wales Rally GB.  

Way back in September 2011, our very own Rosemary John found out about the work of the Marshals - check it out here!