A further chapter in BMW’s illustrious history in touring car racing unfolded today as BMW UK, in partnership with West Surrey Racing (WSR), announced a three- car team that will again bid for victory of the 2017 British Touring Car Championship.
The announcement of TEAM BMW is a landmark occasion, marking BMW’s return to the country’s best-watched motor race series as a manufacturer team. It has been 21 years since the marque last contested the series in this manner, when BMW Team Schnitzer fielded a BMW 320i line-up.
Graeme Grieve, CEO of BMW Group UK, commented:
“The BTCC is one of the most significant race series in the UK and has a huge and enthusiastic following. With a history of success and the continuous support of WSR for the past decade, we are delighted to step up as a Manufacturer Team again after 21 years.”BMW UK’s significant financial investment in the BTCC team includes the funding of technical developments on all fronts, focused on the very latest BMW engine derivative.
At the launch at BMW Park Lane, London, Graeme Grieve joined WSR Team Principal, Dick Bennetts, to remove the wraps from one of the three BMW 125i M Sport team cars that will contest the 2017 BTCC. With the cars freshly- developed, prepared and run again by WSR, BMW’s return to the Series as a Manufacturer coincides with a further landmark, marking a decade since WSR first contested the BTCC with BMW, which has endured to this day.
The BMW relationship with Dick Bennetts’ Sunbury-based operation in the BTCC was established in 2007, where they claimed both the Independent Drivers and Teams Championships. They repeated the feat in 2008 and went on to take the overall BTCC Drivers’ title in 2009, and added a driver and team double crown in 2014.
Dick Bennetts remarked:
“I reckon that working together successfully as motorsport partners for ten years is the equivalent of a lifelong marriage. It is a tribute to BMW’s product and commitment, and we are delighted to once again represent the marque as they return with increased commitment as a Manufacturer in the BTCC.”Significantly, the driver roll of honour for each of the three BTCC Independent, Overall and Teams Championship victories fell to Northern Ireland’s Colin Turkington.
Turkington has spent nine of his 12 BTCC seasons with the WSR-BMW team, during which he scored 26 wins over five seasons. Now, two years after claiming the outright Drivers Championship at the wheel of a previous-generation BMW 125i M Sport, he returns to the rear-wheel drive TEAM BMW with renewed vigour.
Driver talent runs deep in BMW’s 2017 BTCC campaign. Joining Turkington is Andrew Jordan, 2013 BTCC Overall Drivers Champion and three-time Independent Drivers Champion - who brings with him long-term personal sponsor, Pirtek. Completing the trio is Rob Collard, a BTCC followers’ favourite and the Series’ legendary overtaker who, after his most competitive season to date in 2016, marks the tenth consecutive year he has driven a BMW in the BTCC, the last seven with WSR.
Last year, the trio of WSR-prepared BMW 125i M Sport cars contributed to a nail-biting finale that went down to the wire at the final round. Team driver Sam Tordoff was pipped at the post for the overall driver’s title, just two points shy of victory. Nevertheless, the WSR BMW team claimed a double title success at the conclusion of the series, taking the BTCC Constructors crown and the Teams’ Championship once again.
Entering the 2017 season of the super-competitive BTCC, TEAM BMW has heavyweight success behind it, increased financial and technical investment from BMW UK, the skills, consistency and superb track record of West Surrey Racing, and a driver trio that collectively represents the most powerful line-up in this year’s BTCC series.
A switch to BMW machinery in 2007 marked the start of the most successful chapter in WSR’s touring car history. Colin Turkington became independents’ champion in his first season with the BMW 320si and added an overall title in ’09 and a race win in the FIA World Touring Car Championship for WSR the following year.
Replacing the 320si model with the new BMW 1 Series for 2013 paved the way for another overall title for Turkington in 2014. He also won the independents’ title – the fifth for a WSR driver in 11 seasons – and helped the team add a fourth independent teams’ crown in the same year.
The 2015 season brought race victories for WSR’s three drivers; Rob Collard, Sam Tordoff and Andy Priaulx while Collard, Tordoff and Jack Goff combined to win the constructors’ and teams’ championships in 2016; the latter under the Team JCT600 with GardX banner.
TEAM BMW: Driver biographies 2017 British Touring Car Championship
ROB COLLARD
Nationality: British
Age: 48
Born: Hampshire Lives: Eversley
BTCC History
BTCC Debut: Oulton Park, 29 May 2000 BTCC starts: 427
BTCC wins: 13
BTCC podiums: 53
Fastest laps: 15
Drivers Titles
(2016 Dunlop MSA BTCC #ForeverForward Trophy winner) 2003 Dunlop MSA BTCC Independent Drivers’ Trophy
ANDREW JORDAN
Nationality: British
Age: 27
Born: Sutton Coldfield Lives: Lichfield
BTCC History
BTCC Debut: Brands Hatch, 30th March 2008 BTCC starts: 265
BTCC wins: 16
BTCC poles: 6
BTCC podiums: 53
Fastest laps: 16
Drivers Titles
2016 Dunlop MSA BTCC Independent Drivers Trophy 2013 Dunlop MSA BTCC Drivers Championship
2013 Dunlop MSA BTCC Independent Drivers Trophy 2012 Dunlop MSA BTCC Independent Drivers Trophy 2007 British Rallycross Supercar Championship
2005 British, BTRDA & Super Series Junior Rallycross Championships 2005 Ginetta Winter Series
2004 BTRDA Junior Rally Championship 2003 Winter Junior Rallycross Championship
COLIN TURKINGTON
Nationality: British
Age: 34
Born: Newry, County Down
Lives: Portadown, County Armagh
BTCC History
BTCC Debut: Oulton Park 21st April 2002 BTCC starts: 333
BTCC wins: 41
BTCC poles: 17
BTCC podiums: 110
Fastest laps: 39
Driver titles
2016 DUNLOP MSA BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP – 4th Drivers
Championship
BRDC Silver Star Winner
2015 DUNLOP MSA BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP – 4th Drivers
Championship
Independent Drivers Champion
2014 DUNLOP MSA BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP – 1st
Champion
Independent Drivers Champion Autosport National Driver of the Year BRDC Silver Star Winner
2013 DUNLOP MSA BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP – 5th Drivers
Championship
2011 SCANDINAVIAN TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP – 5th Drivers
Championship
2011 World Touring Car Championship - 3 Events (1 podium finish)
2010 FIA WORLD TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP – 6 Events
(4 podiums including 1 win – Japan)
2009 HiQ MSA BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP – 1st Champion
Independent Drivers Champion BMW Sports Trophy winner Autosport National Driver of the Year
2008 HiQ MSA BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP - 4th Drivers
Championship
Independent Drivers Champion
2007 DUNLOP MSA BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP – 5th Drivers
Championship
Independent Drivers Champion BMW Sports Trophy Winner 3rd WTCC Race of Great Britain 8th WTCC Race of Macau
2006 DUNLOP MSA BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP – 3rd Drivers
Championship
2005 DUNLOP MSA BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP – 6th Drivers
Championship
2004 DUNLOP MSA BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP – 6th Drivers
Championship
2003 DUNLOP MSA BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP – 8th Drivers
Championship
2002 DUNLOP MSA BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP – 14th Drivers
Championship
2001 FORD FIESTA ZETEC S CHAMPIONSHIP – Champion
The Series commences at the opening rounds at Brands Hatch Indy Circuit on 1-2 April 2017.
Scroll down to read more articles like this which have been published recently
Why not Sign-up to Receive these Articles by Email each Day
Why not Sign-up to Receive these Articles by Email each Day
* Read more current and archived articles on our dedicated website *
Low Cost and Free Publicity - Your company can easily benefit from some publicity like this in return for a contribution towards our layout costs (£35 to £55 plus VAT), payable via PayPal or credit card or receive the service absolutely free of charge if you advertise (see below).
We post articles up to twice a day and never delete them - we only archive them each year so that they continue to remain visible to search engines.
To have your story published - just send us your news item, logo and image(s) and we will review the material, make any necessary changes to the wording / wordcount and then advise you when it will be published.
If you take display advertising or product and literature features in our printed and online publications, you will qualify for regular free postings on this blog while you continue to advertise with us.
For details on features and advertising rates please contact us or visit our website.
Door Industry Journal is a trading style of Avalon Innovations LLP Company Registration No. 06807833
No comments:
Post a Comment