The Renault UK Clio Cup is today proud to confirm it will continue to race at the Dunlop British Touring Car Championship’s high-profile events through to the end of 2019 at least after signing a new minimum three-year deal with BTCC organiser TOCA.
Renault UK has run its championships alongside the BTCC every year since 1992. Its UK Clio Cup is very much viewed as the leading category to compete in for drivers aspiring to careers in touring cars – in fact half of 2015’s BTCC grid comprised drivers with Renaultsport categories on their CV…
The BTCC is by far Britain’s biggest motor racing championship. Its events attract huge trackside crowds (average 38,200 people) plus 145 hours of live free-to-air television coverage per season in the UK on the ITV4/ITV4HD channels – this includes the UK Clio Cup action.
Jeremy Townsend, Communications Director for Renault UK commented: “Renault UK is thrilled and immensely proud to have concluded this agreement – a year in advance of it beginning in 2017. The UK Clio Cup is Renault’s premier motor sporting activity in Britain and the BTCC’s events are without question the only place we would wish to position it in order to generate the levels of exposure we seek as an automotive brand famed for our racing heritage and technical expertise. We are grateful to TOCA for their professionalism and look forward very much to continue working with them and building on the BTCC’s huge success story into the future.”
And said BTCC Series Director Alan Gow: “The Renault UK Clio Cup was truly re-energised in 2015 and really ended the year on the crest of a wave with its biggest grids in two years, some superb action on-track and a title race that captured the imaginations of many motor racing fans. Renault are racers through and through and also fiercely loyal to their teams and drivers as well as the BTCC so naturally we are delighted that their UK Clio Cup will remain an integral part of the BTCC’s race weekends through to and including 2019. Likewise to be extending our long-lasting and very strong relationship with Renault UK.”
Will Fewkes, Renaultsport’s UK Motorsport Championship Manager, added: “This is absolutely fantastic news as it provides all the teams, drivers, sponsors and partners on the UK Clio Cup grid with tremendous stability – something that key stakeholders in any sporting arena crave. This clear direction and knowing they will continue to receive vast levels of exposure in front of a highly captive audience will also be vital to career paths, business models and marketing strategies alike. This news also follows on from the stand-out season of competition the UK Clio Cup enjoyed at BTCC events in 2015 and which has led to 2016 being one of the most anticipated seasons in the championship’s history.”
All 18 races on the 2016 Renault UK Clio Cup calendar will take place at BTCC events. The first two are at the world-famous Brands Hatch circuit in Kent on the weekend of Sat 2/Sun 3 April.
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