With just over six weeks remaining before the 2021 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship roars into action at Hampshire’s Thruxton circuit, teams are well in the throes of testing, with myriad cars hitting the track over the next seven days.
Brands Hatch is playing host to a number of teams today and tomorrow (Tuesday/Wednesday), with the BMWs of Ciceley Motorsport and West Surrey Racing hitting the track alongside Motorbase Performance, MB Motorsport and Team HARD.
"I’m looking forward to getting back out on track. It’s always surprising how fast and challenging the car can feel on the first morning back, but you soon get back in the groove after some decent seat time!
Colin Turkington, Team BMW
"We have a detailed test schedule in place to hopefully find some gains with the car, so I’m looking forward to getting back in my happy place."
Speedworks Motorsport and Power Maxed Racing are also out today, as the Toyota Corollas and Vauxhall Astras undertake pre-season testing at Donington Park.
“This will be the first time I’ll be heading into the championship with some pre-season testing under my belt. I’ve always been thrown in at the deep end a little bit, so I can’t wait to get stuck into the programme.”
Dan Lloyd, Power Maxed Car Care Racing
Continuing an extensive week of testing, Cheshire-based squad Speedworks Motorsport will be at Norfolk’s Snetterton circuit later this week for a further two days before heading to Brands Hatch next Monday.
"We’re going to be trying to get as many test days in as possible. It’s a brand new chassis that I’m driving, which had been built by custom cages and we begin testing at Donington.
Rory Butcher, Toyota Gazoo Racing UK
"Then we get a couple of days at Snetterton, we’re going to do Croft, Knockhill and we’ll also be at Silverstone for Season Launch. We’re getting most of the tracks in, in just a short space of time and I’ll be getting to know the Toyota pretty well.”
As the countdown reaches less than one month until the official pre-season test at Silverstone, teams will be ensuring no stone remains unturned to make sure they’re at the sharp end come the season opener on 8/9 May.
