Team BMW aims to continue its history-making run of successes in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship in 2023 as the WSR-run operation today (6 March) unveiled the liveries of its trio of BMW 330e M Sports.
The new-look hybrid 3 Series' were revealed at BMW UK headquarters, Farnborough, as the German manufacturer re-affirmed its commitment to the country’s leading motor racing series and to 16-time champions WSR.
Four-time title-winner Colin Turkington and Stephen Jelley remain on board for another season while Adam Morgan joins the team to complete a star-studded line-up.
With Jake Hill also racing WSR-run 3 Series, the Sunbury-on-Thames team is equipped with a formidable driver line-up as it targets a record tenth BTCC Manufacturers’ title – and eighth consecutive crown – for BMW.
Four-time title-winner Turkington drives the M Performance Parts-liveried BMW 330e M Sport. The Northern Irishman continues his quest to become the series’ first five-time Drivers’ champion having taken second place in the all-time BTCC winners’ list with his 63rd career victory last year.
Leicester’s Jelley was also revealed with an M Performance Parts BMW. All of Stephen’s BTCC wins have come in BMWs and he aims to add further successes in 2023.
Team newcomer Morgan is behind the wheel of the partner BMW, prominently showcasing team sponsors BMW ProtectX powered by GardX, Allianz Assistance and Enterprise. The Lancashire racer has won 11 BTCC races including three aboard customer WSR-built BMWs since 2021. His addition means Team BMW’s drivers can list 78 series wins between them – numbers unmatched by any other team on the grid.
The 66th British Touring Car Championship begins on 22/23 April at Donington Park, Jelley's local circuit, and takes in eight venues the length and breadth of the country. Each one of the 30 races will be screened live and exclusively in HD on the ITV network.
“We’re extremely proud to continue to represent BMW in the British Touring Car Championship once more," said Team Principal Dick Bennetts. "The 2023 season looks set to be the toughest yet with a set of regulation changes that should make the competition closer than ever before, but we have an incredible partner in BMW UK and a superb base product that has helped us create the BMW 330e M Sport, as well as a driver line-up that is the envy of the paddock.
"Our target, as always, is to win the Drivers’, Teams’ and Manufacturers’ titles, but if we can make BMW Manufacturers’ Champions for a record tenth time – which would also be an eighth successive year – that would make this our best campaign yet.”
“We are delighted to continue our partnership with West Surrey Racing [WSR] and are excited for the start of the 2023 BTCC season, where we will strive for success on the track with our BMW 330e M Sport racing cars," added BMW Group UK Customer Support Director, Mario Moser. "The driver line-up for this season is incredibly strong and we have a shared ambition with WSR to win the Drivers’, Teams’ and Manufacturers’ titles for 2023. Our race car livery will once again be one of the most iconic designs in the paddock and we look forward to the start of the season at Donnington Park.”
