Yuasa will mark the 100^th anniversary of its founding by running a vintage Yuasa logo on both Halfords Yuasa Racing Honda Civic Type Rs at Thruxton for Rounds 7, 8 and 9 of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship this weekend.

Drivers Matt Neal and Dan Cammish will carry a special livery on their cars with a ‘Celebrating 100 Years’ windscreen sun strip and a vintage Yuasa Battery logo on the bonnet. The circular logo appeared on all Yuasa products sold and produced in the UK up until 1992 when it was replaced with the current ‘water tower’ logo familiar to all BTCC fans.

The Yuasa Battery Storage Company was founded by Shichizaemon Yuasa in 1918, and began manufacturing Japan’s first automotive batteries soon after. The company grew to become a battery super power, renowned worldwide for its innovation and quality.

Yuasa is the market leading brand for both vehicle and industrial batteries in the UK. It is distributed in the UK by the European arm of global battery manufacturer GS Yuasa who are based in Japan and were formed in 2004 by the merger of Yuasa Corporation and Japan Storage Battery (GS).

The GS Yuasa Corporation is the world’s leading manufacturer of energy storage solutions and the number one choice for quality, reliability and performance. The company is celebrating its 100^th anniversary during 2017 and 2018, with GS having been founded in 1917 and Yuasa in 1918.

James Hylton, Managing Director of GS Yuasa Battery Sales UK Ltd said: “We are delighted to be celebrating the 100^th anniversary of Yuasa’s founding. We wanted to do something extra special to mark the occasion… after all it is not often you get the chance to celebrate such a momentous milestone!

“Having sponsored Halfords Yuasa Racing since 2011, the Yuasa logo has become synonymous with BTCC racing. Thruxton is our ‘home’ event so it is the perfect venue to run the vintage Yuasa logo and highlight our centenary to hundreds of thousands of motorsport fans both at the circuit and live on TV. 

“Halfords Yuasa Racing tend to be rapid around the Thruxton circuit so we’re hoping Matt and Dan will be right at the front of the pack!"

 

Much was said, partly by those erudite chaps on ITV4, about the changing of the guard in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at Donington Park last month.

There are some that may argue that it is a shame that the BTCC doesn’t feature the same Matt Neal/Jason Plato battles for race honours that once it did but nothing lasts forever. Gone are the Ford Capri/Rover 3500 fights of 1980, the multi-manufacturer spending contest of Super Touring and the ability to win the title from the smallest-engined class – and never win a race. Times change…

Take Tom Ingram and Josh Cook as winners of races at Donington Park. Both are examples, and there are plenty more, of the NGTC driver – the Next Generation Touring Car driver. Both have improved since their arrival on the BTCC grid, and whilst Ingram is ahead on race wins, he has come on hugely as a driver over the last couple of seasons and so has Cook. That victory has been in the post for ages and was a welcome, if overdue, success. Adam Morgan is another who has made great strides since that first season for Speedworks Motorsport, and Chris Smiley also started to highlight the potential that has always been there.

It’s also true of the teams isn’t it? As Ingram, Cook and Morgan took to the top step, Smiley, Dan Cammish, Jack Goff and Aiden Moffat scored podiums, so Speedworks, BTC Norlin Racing, Ciceley Motorsport and WIX Racing with Eurotech have all been bagging successes as well – which underlines the changing landscape of the BTCC. New teams and new drivers are taking over.

In contrast, West Surrey Racing, as one of the old guard and one of the most dependable teams on the grid, has a real fight on its hands post-Donington Park. With a season of 30 races in which all points count, you cannot afford a single sub-par meeting.

So, is this the pattern for the season? Are we anticipating the likes of Colin Turkington, Andrew Jordan, Matt Neal and Jason Plato to go winless all season? No, surely not. WSR have the expertise to kick things up a notch and Neal can’t be ruled out given his experience and the potential that the current-generation Honda Civic Type R has shown in the hands of Cammish so far this year.

JP is a different question altogether. Again, Ash Sutton is further up the road – not winning, granted, but ahead – and Plato, thus far, has nul points to his name. I still find the way the current chapter of the Plato story in the BTCC is unfolding quite extraordinary. Whether you like him or not, though, you have to admit the bloke can drive.

What puzzles me is what is really going on? Plato is still a top-drawer driver, of that there is no debate. So, do we say that he can’t get his hat on with the Subaru? No. He won in it in 2016. So, is it that he doesn’t like rear-wheel drive? No, same answer. So, maybe it is the chassis? That would have to be discounted too – it's a different chassis from last year's. Well, it must be something in the Levorg, then? Well, no – look at his team-mate's performances. Jason keeps as brave a face as possible, but he, too, must look at the top of the result sheet and be acutely aware that the world is changing. Yet, I still feel that he hasn’t finished adding to his tally of wins.

Going back a stage, though, one problem in trying to discern form comes from the nature of the events that we have had. Brands Hatch was minus success ballast and then rain-affected and Donington Park was mightily unpredictable due to the cold, or rather excruciatingly Arctic, weather. That Speedworks and Tingram have had two wins says much about how the Cheshire squad has improved over the years.

So, what does Thruxton have in store? The fastest circuit in the UK, weather that doesn’t require nine layers of clothing and the age-old fascination with the specialist Thruxton tyre provided by Dunlop. We don’t have an option tyre race, but the teams instead need to be on the money in terms of tyre pressures and car set-ups.

We have seen other teams show potential so far this year, like Motorbase – which despite the usual optimism hasn’t yet translated qualifying pace into solid results. Even Team Dynamics is yet to unleash the real pace of the new FK8 Civic Type R and WSR needs to bounce back from its Donington drama. Throw in the fact that Thruxton isn’t a circuit at which testing is common, and it once again takes a very brave lady or gentleman to place a bet on a winner.

Are we looking at the most topsy-turvy season in memory? Possibly, yes. Fascinating isn’t it?

Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing's Jake Hill is enjoying his best start to a Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season to date, scoring an outright podium and an Independents' victory at Brands Hatch and scooping the Jack Sears Trophy back at Donington Park.

Hill, then, will be eager to continue this rich vein of form around Thruxton's high-speed sweepers this weekend.

“It’s been incredible to get on the podium at both Brands Hatch and Donington, and a real boost for the team and our partners," he said. "Thruxton is such a unique challenge. It's so fast and bumpy. My team-mate Mike (Bushell) was second fastest in testing here recently, so if that form continues into qualifying and the races we should all be in good shape.”

The 24-year-old also sits atop Dunlop's #ForeverForward standings with an incredible 50 overtakes over the two weekends, and lies fourth in the Jack Sears Trophy tally.

“We haven’t yet been able to really show our form in qualifying, so the aim is to work on getting as far up the grid as possible. Again, we're targeting three finishes which is always tough, but that really is the key to season-long success – getting solid points early on in the year is what I have learned from my previous two campaigns in the BTCC.

"In 2016, I was running in the top-ten in Race 1 when I got caught up in a multi-car shunt. Had I missed Matt (Neal), I would have finished fourth – so I know I can do it. I have been on pole and won here in the Ginetta Juniors - which seems a lifetime ago! I really love the challenge of Thruxton so I can’t wait!”

Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher has its sights set on a change of fortunes this coming weekend as the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship arrives at Hampshire’s flat-out Thruxton Circuit.

The promising pace shown by Tom Chilton and James Cole has yet to yield a podium for the duo’s Ford Focus RS machines. However, the Motorbase-run squad heads to the South West track in confident form, with silverware high on the agenda.

“Thruxton is the fastest circuit and probably the most demanding on our BTCC calendar and one which on paper suits our new Focus RS,” commented Team Manager Oly Collins.

“To get a result at Thruxton you need to have everything right; chassis, aero, engine and driver. If one of those elements is lacking you’re likely to struggle, which is why it’s the most demanding circuit we visit.”

Thruxton has proven to be a happy hunting ground in previous seasons for the squad. After celebrating its maiden one-two result at Thruxton back in 2010, the Kent-based team has visited the podium no less than six times since, having taken five outright race wins and three podiums on the high-speed circuit and hopes are high of a return to winning ways this weekend.

“We know the car is performing well in all areas as are the drivers,” added Collins. “We had a great test there last month and have good reason to be confident. But this is the BTCC, and as we’ve seen in the first two rounds, it’s extremely close and anything can happen when you’re in a good position.

“We need to confirm the pace of our car with some podiums this weekend.”

“Thruxton is where the magic started for me back in 1998, at 13yrs old I was let loose every Thursday in a Golf GTI and Lotus Elise," said Chilton. "It’s where I learnt about weight transfer and how to heel and toe, change gear and also what a racing line was too.

“I’ve qualified on pole here twice in the BTCC and last year took the fastest lap. We were fastest here in this year’s pre-season test before we made a race set-up change, so we know we have the pace around Thruxton.

“We’re very happy with the performance of the car, we now just need the luck to change so we can grab the results we all know we deserve.”

James Cole added: “I think that I speak for the whole team when I say that going into Thruxton we have a bit of a point to prove. We’ve shown that we have the pace during testing and the start of the year but because of circumstances, the results haven’t gone our way so far.

“I’ve had a little bit more luck than Tom, but we can look back at the races and pinpoint the reasons why the results should have been better so that gives us a lot of confidence that we should have a successful weekend at Thruxton.

“We just want two days of clean running and the chance to bring back a big haul of points for the championship, that’s our aim.”

AmD with Cobra Exhausts is seeking a return to the points-scoring positions when the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship heads for Thruxton this weekend.

The West Thurrock-based team enjoyed a strong start to the campaign at Brands Hatch, with Ollie Jackson taking a maiden podium finish in the series, but then failed to score last time out at Donington Park – despite both Jackson and rookie team-mate Sam Smelt showing strong pace on track.

Tamworth-based Jackson could have added to his points tally during the second meeting of the year but suffered contact at the hands of his rivals over the course of race day, denting his chances.

Despite that, the 34-year-old remains well placed in both the Independents’ Championship and the Jack Sears Trophy as he returns to the circuit where he picked up his first points finish in his Audi S3 back in 2016.

Since then, extensive work from the team has transformed the car into a regular points-scoring contender, leaving him in optimistic mood about his chances on track.

“Thruxton hasn’t always been my favourite circuit on the calendar, but I’m looking forward to going there this weekend. Sam had a productive test last month that has given us a good base set-up to start with, and I’m keen to see how we get on.

“So far this season we have shown good pace in the Audi, and it was only through bad luck that we didn’t add to the points we scored at Brands Hatch during the last round at Donington Park," said Jackson.

“We’re making progress with the car all the time and I think that points in all three races has to be the target this weekend. Anything beyond that will be a bonus for us.”

Team-mate Smelt will be making his race debut at the fastest circuit on the calendar, with his only previous experience of the Hampshire venue coming during official testing last month.

A busy day on track allowed the Northampton racer to complete more than 50 laps as he worked to gain as much knowledge and experience of the circuit as possible.

Fresh from a strong performance on track at Donington, where he broke into the top 20 in qualifying for the first time, Smelt will seek to try and challenge towards the top 20 come race day and maintain the progress made in his short touring car career to date.

“I’m really looking forward to Thruxton," said Smelt. "The test we did last month was the first I’ve been there and the circuit was everything people told me it would be. It’s extremely fast and I’m excited about the prospect of racing there for the first time this weekend.

“So far this this season, it’s been tough for me because of the changeable conditions that we faced at both Brands Hatch and Donington, so I’m looking forward to a weekend where the weather will be – touch wood – pretty good throughout. That will help me to maximise my time on track so I can push forwards and look to continue improving.

“At Donington I showed good pace in qualifying and hopefully I can do similar this weekend and then work towards trying to break into the top 20 in the races.”

Shaun Hollamby, AmD with Cobra Exhausts Team Principal, added: “Both Ollie and Sam have done a good job during the first two rounds of the year and we head to Thruxton feeling optimistic about their chances. Although the podium at Brands Hatch was the obvious highlight, both drivers have impressed with the way they have driven so far this season and we’ll be hoping for more of the same this weekend.
 
“Ollie deserved to score more points last time out at Donington Park and with the race pace he has shown already this year, there is no reason why he can’t hope to add to his tally this weekend. For Sam, his first race meeting at Thruxton will throw up another new challenge but we’ve been impressed by his approach so far and if he can maintain the progress he showed at Donington then hopefully he’ll be firmly in contention for his best results to date.”

AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing will seek to maintain its strong start to the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season when the series heads for Thruxton this weekend for the third event of the year.
 
The West Thurrock-based team picked up a pair of points scoring finishes last time out at Donington Park to make it six for the season so far with the MG6 GT, which it is campaigning for the first time this year.
 
Fife racer Rory Butcher continued his impressive start to life with the MG in the second meeting of the year, with two top 15 finishes leaving him just a point away from the top ten in the championship standings.
 
The 31-year-old will be making his return to Thruxton for the first time since 2013, when he posted the fastest lap of the opening race whilst competing in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB.
 
Butcher has fond memories of the quickest circuit on the calendar having also qualified on the front row in the 2012 Carrera Cup – a meeting where he also secured his first two podium finishes in the series and led a race for the first time.
 
With three top ten finishes to his name already this season, Butcher will seek to add to his tally this weekend to maintain his strong placing in both the Independents’ and Jack Sears Trophy standings.

“I’m really looking forward to Thruxton this weekend," said Butcher. "It’s the quickest circuit on the calendar and one of the most exiting, and it will be good to return after five years away.
 
“The fact that we ran the hard tyre that is mandatory at Thruxton during the Donington weekend means we have an idea of how it will perform on the MG and have some good data to take with us into the weekend. That will also help us when you bear in mind that we didn’t take part in the test that was held last month, although I’m confident that that won’t hold us back and we’ll soon be up to speed.
 
“I’ve had a good start to the year and I will adopt the same approach this weekend that I took at Brands Hatch and Donington as it served me well. We’ve been racing strongly and have shown we have a car that is capable of pushing into the points, and anything beyond that is a bonus.”
 
Team-mate Tom Boardman endured a frustrating weekend at Donington Park when his hopes of a strong points finish in the final race were ended by contact that forced him to retire for the first time this season.
 
Returning to the series this season for the first time since 2011, the Forton-based driver has already shown his pace having come close to a podium finish at Brands Hatch and sits just outside the top ten in the Independents’ championship.
 
The 34-year-old has a strong record at Thruxton in the past, having scored a fine fifth place finish on his debut in the top class of the series back in 2010 and his maiden podium finish twelve months later.
 
Keen to put Donington behind him, Boardman heads for Thruxton in confident mood and optimistic about his chances of returning to the points scoring positions.

“Thruxton is a weekend I’ve been really looking forward to as I have always enjoyed the high-speed nature of the circuit," said Boardman. "It’s also a circuit where I’ve gone well before, and I have great memories of taking my first outright podium in the SEAT back in 2011.
 
“Donington proved to be tough for me as we missed out on a really good result in the final race when I was punted off into the gravel, but there were still plenty of positives to take away from the weekend.
 
“Every time we go out on track, I feel that we are moving forwards with the car as we continue to learn more about it, and I’m confident that we can do the same again this weekend and push for some more points.”
 
Shaun Hollamby, AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing Team Principal, added: “With two rounds down, I think we’ve made a good start to life with the MGs and both Tom and Rory have shown strong pace on track. We’ve been able to get some good points on the board and the aim this weekend is to try and add to our tally and maintain our position in the championship.
 
“Although it’s been a few years since either driver raced at Thruxton, they both have good records at the circuit in the past and we are hopeful of more solid results this time around.
 
“We’ve shown that the MG is strong in race trim and whilst points in all three races are the aim, it would be great to see both cars pushing towards the top ten – it’s certainly something we feel is achievable.

“Ahead of this weekend, we are also pleased to add Martin Smith and his company www.usedmgtfspares.co.uk, who specialise in all things MG in East Lydford Somerset, to our growing list of sponsors.”

West Surrey Racing-backed Team BMW returns to the scene of a landmark victory at Thruxton this weekend determined to get back to winning ways in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

BMW scored its 100th BTCC victory at the Hampshire circuit last year as drivers Rob Collard and Colin Turkington took a win apiece in their WSR-run BMW 125i M Sports.

Local hero Collard, from Eversley, Hampshire, is looking forward to his home event, with average qualifying speeds of over 111mph making Thruxton the UK’s fastest circuit.

He has been on the podium for each of the past five seasons – including a memorable maiden victory there in 2017 – and is due to chalk up his 450th BTCC start in Race 3 on Sunday.

“Thruxton is my local circuit and I’m determined to give my home crowd something to cheer about," said Collard. "I’ve finished on the podium there for each of the past five seasons and my win last year was particularly satisfying because it came after an intense battle in the early stages and a three-wide pass into the chicane that is one of the best moves I’ve ever pulled off.

"You have to give your rivals a lot of respect when racing wheel-to-wheel here and you have to look after your tyres in the early stages; which is something the BMW always allows me to do. I’m looking forward to it.”

Team-mate Turkington began his 2018 season with a podium finish at Brands Hatch and he’s aiming to add to his four previous BTCC victories at Thruxton.

He lies 10th in the Drivers’ Championship, but with the podium finishes having been shared by 13 different drivers from 2018’s opening six races, the Northern Irishman remains in the hunt for a third BTCC title and knows that a top-three result could catapult him up the table.

His Thruxton victory with WSR in 2006 remains – at 11.591 seconds – the largest winning margin in the BTCC for 22 years.

“We had a short test day at Thruxton last month and this gave us good a direction for the race weekend," said Turkington. It is by far the most abrasive and demanding circuit on the calendar and this provides a great challenge, not least for the tyres.

"It’s all about tyre management. We need to use the two practice sessions on Saturday to get an understanding for what setup will work over a single qualifying lap, but also what will work over the race distance on Sunday. It felt amazing to celebrate BMW’s 100th BTCC win here last year and we will do everything we can to add further success to that story this weekend.”

Andrew Jordan, in the BMW Pirtek Racing side of the WSR garage, is a master of Thruxton’s high-speed sweeps. He took pole position there in the BTCC in three consecutive seasons from 2012-14 and has two wins and nine podium finishes to his name.

The 2013 BTCC champion has a 100 per cent finishing record so far in what has been the most closely-fought start to a campaign in living memory.

He knows that a victory would likely move him into the top six of the Drivers’ Championship, while reigning Manufacturers’ Champions BMW are also determined to move up from their current second spot in the points table.

“Thruxton is one of my favourite circuits because it’s so high-speed and there’s no better feeling than winning a wheel-to-wheel battle with another driver around one of the long corners here," said Jordan. "You need to be brave, but you also need a well-handling car - like the BMW - that enables you to extract maximum performance from the tyres in qualifying, but also to look after the rubber over a race distance.”

WSR-run cars have scored 14 podiums and five wins in the past 12 seasons at Thruxton and more success will help BMW move up from its current second spot in the BTCC Manufacturers’ Championship.

Dick Bennetts, Team Principal, added: “We head to Thruxton aiming to add to the podiums we achieved at Brands Hatch and to re-establish ourselves at the head of the Manufacturers’ Championship.

"We’ve been pretty pleased with our speed in race trim at both Brands Hatch and Donington, whatever the weather conditions, although luck hasn’t always been on our side and converting that pace into results has been a challenge.

"This championship is shaping up to be the closest in years and we have to dig deeper than ever before to make sure we’re in the mix. A fully dry weekend would allow us to show the true potential of the BMW, as we were able to last year at Thruxton when we won two races.

“Thruxton is a circuit that holds some very happy memories for us, such as the double win we scored last year to give BMW their 100th BTCC victory, but memories don’t win you championships and we’re focused on this weekend.

"As a track, Thruxton places very high demands on tyres; so much so that the rules dictate all cars must use the hard-compound Dunlops in all three races to reduce the risk of punctures.

"Our BMWs have traditionally allowed our drivers to look after their tyres well over a race distance and this should mean we’re able to race our way towards the front as the laps count down.”

The opening six rounds of the 60th Anniversary, 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship could scarcely have been more exciting and we're back in action this weekend at Hampshire's Thruxton Circuit. 

As ever, ITV Sport will have you covered live, free-to-air and exclusive, starting with qualifying on Saturday afternoon – streamed over at itv.com/btcc. Then, on Sunday, Rounds 7, 8 and 9 of the BTCC will be live on ITV4, the ITV Hub and at itv.com/btcc with action from the support series' over an eight-hour programme.

https://www.facebook.com/OfficialBTCC/videos/1970760842965356/

 

Thruxton 19/20 May

Qualifying LIVE: Saturday 19 May
ITV.com/BTCC 1115-1820

Raceday LIVE: Sunday 20 May
ITV4 & ITV4 HD 1115-1820
ITV4+1 1215-1920
ITV Hub 1115-1820
ITV.com/BTCC 1115-1820

Highlights: Saturday 26 May
ITV4 & ITV4 HD 0800-0930
ITV4 +1 0900-1030
ITV Hub Available anytime for the next 30 days

Highlights: Sun 6 May
ITV4 & ITV4 HD 0800-0930
ITV4 +1 0900-1030

Highlights: Wednesday 30 May
ITV & ITV HD 2345-0105

Thruxton is preparing to welcome the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship on 19-20 May, with new race-winner Josh Cook primed as the local driver to watch.

In its 60th anniversary year, the BTCC’s Diamond Jubilee season is already shaping up to become one for the ages as the championship’s perennial favourites go into high-speed battle against the new wave of precocious talents enjoying success in Britain’s premier tin-top series.

It is a ‘revolution’ Cook, from Bath, finds himself at the heart of after claiming his maiden BTCC pole position and victory behind the wheel of his Power Maxed TAG Racing Vauxhall Astra last time out at Donington Park, in so doing lifting himself to third in the overall Drivers’ standings. 

Buoyed by the prospect of following up his landmark weekend with another successful event at the Hampshire Speedbowl, as Thruxton is affectionately known, Cook is convinced that local support has the power to carry him further on the crest of his current wave.

"It was fantastic to stand on top of the BTCC podium for the first time in my career and I cannot wait to experience that winning feeling again and again," the 26-year-old commented. "Thruxton is an exhilarating circuit to race at and nothing would make me happier than to carry our momentum through to another great result. I will be giving it my all and I am sure the vocal home support for me and the team will be worth those extra tenths of a second."

With the BTCC headlining an action-packed TOCA racing weekend, visitors will get their first proper look at the circuit's brand new, industry-leading £2 million hospitality facility – The Thruxton Centre – ahead of its official opening by Nigel Mansell and Murray Walker on Sunday, 3 June amid a weekend of 50th Anniversary celebrations.  

"I am looking forward to exploring the state-of-the-art Thruxton Centre,” Cook continued. “It is a brilliant new centrepiece for the circuit and one that represents an exciting future for this legendary venue."

Cook’s burgeoning BTCC success comes as part of an unmistakable youthful charge among some of the series’ up-and-coming participants, one that currently sees the top eight drivers in the standings average little more than 25 years of age.

Even so, there remains arguably no substitute for experience and few in the BTCC come as seasoned as fellow local favourite Rob Collard, the Frimley man seeking more silverware at Thruxton after a triumphant performance in front of a bumper crowd at the hugely popular Andover venue 12 months ago.

Competing in his 19th season of BTCC competition, Collard in the factory-backed Team BMW 125i M Sport has demonstrated some of his best form in recent years, finishing in the top five overall in  both 2016 and 2017. He will be seeking to replicate his popular 2017 victory this weekend.

Armed with its striking new Civic Type R, Swindon-based Honda UK's works team, Halfords Yuasa Racing, has enjoyed significant success at Thruxton over the years and is targeting a landmark first win for the latest-generation model with its accomplished driver pairing, BTCC veteran Matt Neal and rookie sensation Dan Cammish.

Fan favourite DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing will also strive for the top step at Thruxton with its all-new Alfa Romeo Giulietta. The Swindon team has re-introduced the iconic Italian marque to the BTCC for its first Thruxton appearance in more than a decade, HMS Racing hoping to hark back to Alfa Romeo’s iconic glory days when the Italian factory squad famously swept to the 1994 BTCC title with Gabriele Tarquini.

The RAF Falcons are additionally confirmed to perform their incredible display during Thruxton’s BTCC race meeting on Sunday, 20 May at approximately 10:15. More information can be found here.

Tickets for the BTCC’s visit on 19-20 May can be purchased on the gate, priced at £16 for Saturday (qualifying) and £33 for Sunday (race day). Saturday grandstand seats are an additional £5. Accompanied children aged 15 and under will be admitted free of charge. 
 
For further information, see www.thruxtonracing.co.uk/racing/btcc or call 01264 882200 and select Option 1. For details on ticketing for Thruxton’s 50th Anniversary meeting, head to www.thruxtonracing.co.uk/racing/50th-anniversary
 
For more information on Thruxton’s race meetings and driving experiences, visit: www.thruxtonracing.co.uk

Swindon-based DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing heads to Britain's fastest racetrack, Thruxton Circuit, looking to put on a show on home turf at the third race meeting of the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship this weekend.

It will be the first chance for hometown supporters to see the new-for-2018 HMS Alfa Romeo Giulietta in race action on their doorstep at the much-loved Hampshire venue, and with only a day's testing there – at the annual TOCA test – Rob Austin is fully expecting that Thruxton's unique properties will mean Rounds 7, 8 and 9 will be somewhat of a leap into the unknown.

The track is one Austin relishes though, as do many of the drivers up and down the 32-car field. It's a circuit where bravery is usually handsomely rewarded and the Evesham racer is eagerly anticipating putting the Giulietta through its paces in competitive trim around the flat-out sweepers.

“We’re heading a little bit into the unknown this weekend,” said Austin, “We’ve only had limited running with our Alfa full stop, but hardly any running at Thruxton.

"It’s such a unique track and is so much faster than anywhere else, we’ll just have to wait and see what happens. We did test last week at Snetterton and we certainly understand now where we went wrong at Donington Park.”

Due to the abrasive nature of the track surface at Thruxton, and the load which it puts on tyres, it's the only event on BTCC calendar which doesn’t feature an option tyre choice with, instead, a specially-developed hard Dunlop SportMaxx compound used throughout.

HMS' Alfa is still very much in the early stages of its development, following a ground-up build over the off-season after the team elected to make the switch from its Toyota Avensis to the Italian machine. 

Having earned an emotional maiden podium with the Giulietta at Brands Hatch, last time out at Donington Park the DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing driver battled back from a challenging qualifying session and contact in race two to post a pair of points finishes.

“We’re obviously on the hard tyre all weekend at Thruxton, which requires certain settings to make it work properly," said Austin. "At the point we’re at now, still developing the car and with lots of work to do each weekend, not having to think about running another tyre choice will be beneficial.

“Our aim is to stay in the top 10 all weekend, we just want points and a solid run after the relative disappointment of Donington. If we get it right at the weekend, though, we can be near the front and that’s what we’ll be working to achieve.”