After ten years as a front-running Independent team in Britain’s premier motorsport series, Ciceley Motorsport has today (28 November) announced that the 2022 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship marks its final campaign as the team takes a new direction in motorsport for 2023.
Team Owner Russell Morgan has made the difficult decision to end the Lancashire-based family outfit’s time in the BTCC and instead focus on new challenges in historic motorsport.
Russell, whose son Adam has been responsible for all but one of the squad’s BTCC victories, said: “It’s been an incredible journey. It was a very emotional decision for me to call time on the team in its current form as Adam and I have raced as ‘dad and lad’ since he was seven years old. I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved at Ciceley Motorsport, initially from my garage at home and later having grown into a professional race car team competing at the very highest level in the UK. Now is the time for a change, however.”
Adam, who finished second in the 2022 BTCC Independents’ Championship, said: “I’m very happy, yet sad at the same time. Most of the team has been with us since the beginning of my career in 2010. We have definitely had many more ups than downs and shared some amazing experiences together, but the time has come for a change. It’s not the end though. The Ciceley name will live on in historic racing and I fully intend to continue competing at the highest level of UK motorsport, so you can expect news on my plans in the very near future.
“On a personal level, I have a two-year-old whirlwind of a son and eight-month-old twins, so I owe my amazing wife, Caroline, more time at home. Running a team is a full-time job and Caroline has more than a full-time job looking after the ‘ankle biters’. Professionally, I owe the lads in the team so much. They have been outstanding and always given 110 per cent. I also have to thank every partner that turned our BTCC journey into one big adventure that resulted in 12 wins, 39 podium finishes, a pole position and 15 fastest laps. It would take hours to name everybody, but particular thanks are due to our amazing title sponsors in Wix Filters, Mac Tools, Carlube Triple R and Car Gods. I am so grateful to every single person that has supported and believed in us, financially or otherwise.”
Russell commented: “I can only reiterate Adam’s feelings regarding every single person that has been associated with the team in whatever capacity. We have been so lucky to be surrounded and supported by such fantastic people and neither of us will ever forget the graft, generosity and belief shown to all of us at Ciceley Motorsport. We do have some news to deliver, we love a bit of racing ‘us lads.”
Both Morgans finished by adding; “A genuine and heartfelt thanks to everybody that has been involved in Ciceley Motorsport. We look forward to seeing you all again very soon, it’s been a life-changing, epic, fun-filled adventure.”
