Inside BTCC - February 2021

THIS MONTH… • TOM INGRAM’S NEW CHALLENGE • ARON TAYLOR-SMITH ON HIS RETURN • STEPHEN JELLEY GOES BACK TO THE BEGINNING • WHAT’S IN A NUMBER? • THE LATEST BTCC NEWS

FEBRUARY 2021 EDITION

WELCOME TO INSIDE BTCC I

t’s that time of the month again as we welcome you to the latest edition of Inside BTCC.

It’s been another busy month as preparations continue for the start of the new season even though we still have a few months to go as a result of COVID-induced delays.

The grid is now almost full with only a handful of seats still remaining, and you can see exactly where we now stand further in this edition of the emagazine.

As per usual, we kick things off with a round-up of the latest news and headlines in case there is anything you

have missed over the past month, before we explore which race numbers have been most successful over the two litre era from 1991 to the present day.

Having signed a deal with EXCELR8 following his departure from Speedworks, we caught up with Tom Ingram to discover more about why he elected to join the Hyundai team for the new season season.

An in-depth chat with series returnee Aron Taylor-Smith looks back across his career and explores his reasoning behind joining Team HARD to race the new Cupra Leon, and we also spoke to Stephen

Jelley about his return to West Surrey Racing - the team that gave him his debut in the series more than a decade ago.

If you enjoy this issue, please make sure to tell your friends all about it and spread the word so more fans of the series can get behind what we are trying to achieve this year.

Should there be anything you want to see in future editions, please drop us a line through our social channels or you can send us an email on contact@insidebtcc.com and let us know.

Until then, enjoy!

NEWS IN BRIEF THE LATEST UPDATES FROM THE BTCC PADDOCK… clock continues to tick T he down towards the start of the new BTCC season - and there have been plenty more announcements made across the paddock.

Here’s the quick round-up of what has happened since our January edition as teams and drivers continue to announce their plans for the season ahead…

BTC RACING BRINGS IN NEW TEAM MANAGER The raft of changes at BTC Racing over the winter have continued with the signing of Micky Sergeant as new team manager.

Sergeant is no stranger to the BTCC paddock having been a fixture since the Super Touring era, and previously held the same role with both Triple Eight and Team BMR.

He returns to touring cars having most recently been team manager for the Speedworks British GT programme.

“I’m chuffed to bits to take on the team manager role at BTC Racing," he said.

"At the heart of the race team is a core of professionals I’ve worked with before, ensuring we have a very strong foundation from which to move forward.

“We have a great driver line up for the team’s 2021 BTCC campaign, we have great team spirit and all the right ingredients for a very successful year."

Sergeant will take over day-today management of the team with Zoe Timbrell - who previously held the team manager role - putting her focus onto the Honda of Jade Edwards.

COLIN TURKINGTON TO LEAD TEAM BMW As expected, Colin Turkington will lead West Surrey Racing into 2021, with the team also

retaining the support of BMW UK.

Turkington will embark on his 14th season working as part of the WSR team - a relationship that dates back to his series debut in 2002.

The four-time champion has secured the majority of his 56 series wins with Dick Bennetts’ team, along with all four of his championship titles.

A fifth title this year would move Turkington ahead of Andy Rouse as the most successful driver in series history.

“The confirmation from BMW UK to continue the Team BMW programme allows WSR and I to launch our 14th BTCC season together,” he said.

“It’s not always easy to put these campaigns together year on year, but to have done

so for 14 years and collected numerous titles along the way is something I’m incredibly proud of.

“Every year I want to go the extra mile for this team, and every year they do the same for me.

“We have high hopes for the new season and the series is in great shape. The rule tweaks and driver shuffles over the winter have further spiced up the Championship, so I’m certain it will be as exciting as ever.

"I’m raring to go!”

OLLIE JACKSON SWITCHES TO MB MOTORSPORT Ollie Jackson will run as teammate to Jake Hill in one of the two Motorbase cars being entered under the MB Motorsport banner for 2021.

Jackson was a two-time race winner for Motorbase last season in the new Focus ST and will be entering his third season with the team.

The 36-year-old is reunited this year with new team boss Shaun Hollamby, who ran Jackson for four seasons at AmD Tuning.

“I’m over the moon to be racing with MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square this season,” he said.

“Last year was a really memorable one for me and I’m determined to build upon that. I got on really well with the Ford Focus ST and now have the opportunity to take that success to another level in 2021.

“I’m also really pleased that the make-up of the team will allow me to continue working

with the majority of the personnel from last year as well as Shaun – who helped me to secure my first podium back in 2018 – once more.

"We’ve a great relationship and with his and Mark [Blundell’s] leadership, I’m certain we’ll have a lot to smile about in the year ahead.

"It’s an exciting time!”

NEATE, OSBORNE MAKE UP MOTORBASE PAIRING Andy Neate and Sam Osborne have been confirmed as the two drivers that will score points for Motorbase itself during the 2021 campaign.

Neate - who committed to the team shortly after the conclusion of last season - will be keen to improve on a tricky 2020 campaign that was his first full season since 2012.

It will be the first time in his BTCC career that Neate has raced the same car for two successive seasons.

“Last year for me was not my best year, but after such a long time out and coming back into such a competitive season, it really took me by surprise in terms of how much higher the standard is," he admitted.

"But now with that year under my belt, I am chomping at the bit to get going and show my true performance out ontrack.

"The team and I have a great programme lined up and I really am working harder than ever to showcase the results I know I can deliver.”

Osborne’s switch into the Focus comes as no surprise,

with his father Pete having bought into Motorbase over the winter.

His goal for the year ahead is to try and build on fourth in the Jack Sears Trophy last season.

“With this team, I can continue my progression in 2021," he said. "Last year I began to really settle into the series, so my aim for this season is to keep pushing myself as hard as I can and fight for the Jack Sears Trophy.

“Everyone knows how fiercely competitive the BTCC is and that it takes time to adjust. For me, that is a process I have now been through and it’s up to me to show what I am really about this year.

"With the car we’ve got and the team around me, I think

I’ve got every chance and I can’t wait to get started.”

The pair have already started testing for the new campaign, with time on track at Donington Park and Snetterton.

In another expected move, Tom Oliphant will stick with WSR for what will be a third season in 2021.

SUTTON SECURES FANS’ AWARD FOR 2020

Oliphant joined the BMW team on a two-year deal in 2019, and enjoyed his best season in the series to date last year, finishing sixth in the championship standings.

Ash Sutton has been named as the Fans’ Driver of the Year for 2020 by users of the BTCC’s official app.

The former Ginetta champion also took his maiden win after holding off a charging Ash Sutton at Brands Hatch.

The Laser Tools Racing driver picked up nearly 40% of the vote, with Tom Ingram and Colin Turkington - both of whom have won the award in the past - taking second and third.

“I’m hugely excited about the season ahead, and naturally delighted to continue to race for Team BMW and WSR,” he said.

TOM OLIPHANT RETAINS BMW SEAT

“I feel I’ve made a positive step forwards with my performance over the past two years and I now feel so dialled-in to the 330i M Sport.

“I’m ready to move up to the next level in the championship and with the best overall package on the grid, I’m confident I can challenge for the Drivers’ title and help BMW try to win a recordbreaking sixth straight Manufacturers’ title.”

AERO TEC RETAINS FUEL SYSTEM CONTRACT Aero Tec Laboratories has retained its deal to supply fuel systems for the BTCC through to 2026.

Every car on the grid will continue to run with a custom ATL lightweight fuel bladder, as part of the extended deal, which dates back to 2010.

“We are proud to continue to provide the complete 'plug and play' fuel system to the BTCC as the championship transitions into the new hybrid

era in 2022," Aero Tec MD Giles Dawson said.

"We see the BTCC as a flagship contract for ATL.”

STEPHEN JELLEY MAKES WSR RETURN Stephen Jelley will return to West Surrey Racing for the 2021 season as the third member of the Team BMW line-up.

Jelley raced for the team in 2008 and 2009 when it ran under the Team RAC banner, and took his first two career wins at Rockingham.

He returns to the team to drive the car that was parked up last year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, with Andrew Jordan’s decision to stand down from his role meaning WSR ran just two cars.

“We’re very pleased to have Stephen back at WSR and part of the Team BMW line-up for 2021," team boss Dick Bennetts said.

"When Stephen joined us firsttime around, he’d come out of single-seaters and was completely new to touring car racing, but he knuckled down and did a good job to score his first pole position in his rookie year and then a magnificent double win at Rockingham in 2009.

"We’re very pleased with the strength of our line-up heading into the new season.”

JAC CONSTABLE INKS PMR DEVELOPMENT DEAL Jac Constable has agreed a deal to join Power Maxed Racing in a development role

geared towards a potential BTCC race seat in 2022.

Constable was due to race for PMR at Croft last season before being taken ill with appendicitis, which resulted in him being forced to stand down from the role ahead of race day.

Constable will work with the team on development of its Vauxhall Astra this year alongside a race programme in TCR UK, where he will drive one of PMR’s Cupra Leon machines.

“I’m so excited to be helping Power Maxed Car Care Racing in the push to challenge for BTCC titles, and I’m looking forward to getting stuck in," he said.

"With this new development driver role, I’m one step closer

to progressing my dream of joining the BTCC grid.”

Who will take the second vacant race seat alongside Jason Plato has still to be confirmed, although the team has revealed - as expected that there will be no place for Mat Jackson.

RICK PARFITT JR COMPLETES EXCELR8 LINE-UP Rick Parfitt Jr will complete the EXCELR8 line-up for 2021 as he makes the move into touring cars for the first time.

Parfitt Jr is the only driver to lift both the GT4 and GT3 class titles in the British GT Championship, and will be making his return to action after undergoing major surgery for Crohn’s disease twelve months ago.

The son of the late guitarist Rick Parfitt, he will be racing a front-wheel drive car for the first time in his career.

"I’m massively excited about the prospect of moving into the BTCC with EXCELR8 Trade Price Cars for 2021," he said.

"When I was younger, I used to sell advertising in Motorsport News and Autosport and was a huge fan of the series, and it’s amazing to now have the opportunity be part of the grid myself. It’s a chance to live the dream.

"I’m under no illusions about how tough the BTCC is going to be, but I’m more than ready for the challenge that lies ahead.

"I want to go out there and have fun this year - and try to kick some ass along the way!"

LASER TOOLS RACING STRENGTHENS ENGINEERING LINE-UP Laser Tools Racing has moved to strengthen its engineering staff for 2021 with the signing of Dan Millard.

Millard was race engineer on Ash Sutton’s Subaru Levorg when he secured the title back in 2017 before making the switch over to West Surrey Racing ahead of the 2019 campaign as a replacement for the departing Kevin Berry.

As race engineer for Colin Turkington, Millard then helped to secure the title again that season with the Northern Irishman.

Millard will work as race engineer for Aiden Moffat this year, with the Scot racing the newest Infiniti being built.

“I think Aiden has great potential,” he said. “He’s a young driver who’s been in the championship for a few years now and is a proven race winner.

"He’s dedicated, and I can see he’s motivated to improve every aspect of his race weekend. I’m really looking forward to working together and seeing what we can achieve.

“Our preparation has already started. We’ve been going through data from last year, highlighting areas of improvement, setting goals and putting plans in place to achieve this.

"Once we’ve finished this phase, we’ll begin our simulator programme that builds up to pre-season

testing which will hopefully take place in April.”

often skirt around the topic," Jameson-Allen said.

NEW SERIES TO EXPLORE MENTAL HEALTH

"Through the show, we hope to start some more open conversations that can help us all.

A new weekly series to explore racing and mental health has been launched.

The Positive Pitstop is the brainchild of Tony JamesonAllen - co-founder of the Sporting Memories Foundation - and features former BTCC racer Paul O’Neill as co-presenter.

O’Neill has been a Sporting Memories Foundation patron since 2018.

“Whilst there has been some excellent work over the past few years to raise awareness and remove some of the stigma around mental illness and mental health, people still

"We’ve launched The Positive Pit Stop to provide a mix of content, hearing from guests about their plans for the season, fun quizzes, tips on how to improve well being and using discussion with the live audience to share experiences around mental health.

"With all audience appearing on screen along with the presenters and guests, the show is very interactive and the feeling of a supportive community has already started to build."

Find out more at www.facebook.com/ ThePositivePitStop

WHAT’S IN A NUMBER? WE DON’T YET KNOW WHAT NUMBER DRIVERS WILL RUN IN 2021, BUT LOOKING BACK THROUGH THE YEARS, THERE’S ONE THAT MIGHT BE IN DEMAND

we now know the A lthough vast majority of the drivers that will be racing in the BTCC this season, we’ve yet to discover some of the more formal details about the 2021 entry list.

That includes the official names under which each team will race this year once sponsorship deals have been concluded, and also what number each driver will use for the 30 races planned.

When it comes to how numbers are allocated for each season, there is plenty of freedom available for teams and drivers to select the number that they want to run.

According to championship regulations - Article 1.4.2 to be precise - there are only ten numbers each season that are reserved for use, with those

numbers being 1 through to 10.

Those ten numbers are automatically allocated to the top ten drivers who competed in the series the previous seasons, but it is down to the individual driver to decide whether of not they actually use it.

As a prime example, although he switched to run the #1 after winning his maiden title, Gordon Shedden decided not to change numbers after securing title number two with Team Dynamics in 2015.

As a result, he ran with his traditional #52 in 2016, with the #1 therefore not being used that season.

Should one of the drivers that finished in the top ten the previous season not elect to use their number, then other

drivers are free to use them instead at the discretion of the series.

Unless there is a good reason, permission will usually be granted to allow this to take place, although it is unlikely that anyone other than the champion would be permitted to run #1.

There have been plenty of examples in recent seasons where drivers have run a number within the top ten that they weren’t automatically entitled to as a result.

Sam Osborne has run #4 since he first joined the grid with EXCELR8 in 2019, Mark Blundell was able to run #8 for his season with Trade Price Cars Racing, and Jade Edwards ran with #9 when she appeared with Power Maxed Racing at Silverstone last year.

It's not just newer drivers who have done this either, with Tom Chilton having elected to run with #2 when he returned to the championship in 2017 from the WTCC.

Outside the top ten, drivers are free to chose whatever number they would like to run, although once again, it is subject to the series to confirm the actual allocation.

The top ten drivers from last year will all return to the grid again this season, but there is no guarantee that those ten will elect to run the number that they are automatically given as a result.

For example, Dan Cammish has so far only run as #27, Tom Ingram is known for running #80 and Josh Cook has traditionally driven car #66.

There is one driver from last season however who would be well advised to use the number he secured last season if a look back through the history books is anything to go by…

Since the championship moved to a single class format back in 1991, drivers using 14 different race numbers have secured the championship title, and seven different race numbers have won multiple titles.

Whilst running a certain number is far from a guarantee of success, the data looking back across the last 30 years would suggest that Colin Turkington should head into the new season feeling confident about his chances of taking a fifth championship title in 2021.

That’s because of the fact that the car carrying the #2 on the side has won the title more times than any other in the two litre era - assuming he runs it…

The run started back in 1997, when Alain Menu lifted the title for the Williams Renault squad.

Since then, Yvan Muller, James Thompson, Jason Plato, Matt Neal and Turkington himself have gone on to lift the title - so could history repeat itself?

The second most successful number in championship terms has actually not been used for the past two seasons, and might well go un-used again this year if Rory Butcher continues running with the #6 on his car.

That would appear likely given that he has run the number since his debut in the series, and Tom Oliphant - who took sixth last season - has regularly run #15.

The #5 has been a championship winner on four occasions, all of which have been in the 21st century.

Plato was the first #5 to take the crown in 2001, before being followed by arch rival Neal - who used the same number for his first title.

Five was the lucky number for Fabrizio Giovanardi when he won the title in 2007 and was Turkington’s number for his second title in 2014.

Whilst two might be the magic number in terms of the championship however, it isn’t the number that has secured the most wins across the

same period of time, which is good reading for defending champion Ash Sutton.

That’s because it’s the #1 that has taken the most victories across the past 30 years with the defending champion crossing the line first on 89 occasions whilst running the number.

As already mentioned in the case of Shedden however, the champion hasn’t always run with the #1 on the car.

Given the success of the number in championship terms, it should come as no shock that #2 sits in second spot on the list with a total of 72 race wins in the two litre era, with #4, #5 and #3 all passing the 50 win mark.

It comes as little surprise that the most successful race numbers in terms of wins are

those that have been run by multiple drivers through the years, although there are some exceptions.

The #52 has been a race winner on 43 occasions thanks solely to Shedden, whilst Plato is responsible for all 28 wins taken by #99 - a number he only ran in the first place as a result of a sponsorship deal with Tesco.

The #77 also scores well, thanks to Mike and Andrew Jordan.

In total, cars running with 56 different race numbers have been victorious in the two litre era, sharing a grand total of 792 victories.

A full list of title and race winners from the last 30 years broken down by race number can be found on the next page.

CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES BY RACE NUMBER, 1991-2020 Titles

Drivers

#2

6

Alain Menu (1997), Yvan Muller (2003), James Thompson (2004), Jason Plato (2010), Matt Neal (2011), Colin Turkington (2018)

#5

4

Jason Plato (2001), Matt Neal (2005), Fabrizio Giovanardi (2007), Colin Turkington (2014)

#4

3

John Cleland (1995), Rickard Rydell (1998), Colin Turkington (2009)

#1

3

Matt Neal (2006), Fabrizio Giovanardi (2008), Colin Turkington (2019)

#52

3

Gordon Shedden (2012, 2015, 2016)

#11

2

Will Hoy (1991), Alain Menu (2000)

#116

2

Ash Sutton (2017, 2020)

#8

1

Tim Harvey (1992)

#22

1

Joachim Winkelhock (1993)

#55

1

Gabriele Tarquini (1994)

#45

1

Frank Biela (1996)

#23

1

Laurent Aiello (1999)

#3

1

James Thompson (2002)

#77

1

Andrew Jordan (2013)

VICTORIES BY RACE NUMBER, 1991-2020 Win

Win

Win

Win

Win

Win

Win

#1

89

#99

28

#25

13

#55

8

#48

4

#17

2

#24

1

#2

72

#77

27

#116

13

#66

8

#600

4

#20

2

#26

1

#4

65

#23

21

#12

12

#10

6

#0

3

#98

2

#28

1

#5

55

#7

20

#27

12

#29

6

#16

3

#100

2

#32

1

#3

50

#8

19

#33

11

#44

6

#35

3

#111

2

#56

1

#11

46

#22

16

#14

8

#15

5

#40

3

#888

2

#79

1

#52

43

#80

16

#21

8

#31

5

#57

3

#13

1

#101

1

#6

30

#9

14

#45

8

#18

4

#88

3

#19

1

#303

1

NEW HORIZONS FOR TINGRAM IT’S ALL CHANGE FOR TOM INGRAM FOR 2021 AS HE MOVES AWAY FROM SPEEDWORKS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS BTCC CAREER

announcement that T he Tom Ingram was to leave Speedworks was arguably one of the biggest surprises of what has proved to be a busy winter period for the BTCC paddock.

News of a split broke just before New Year, with the announcement being one that few would have seen coming -

given the fact that it was a relationship that had been ongoing from the moment Ingram moved up into the series in 2014.

Speedworks progress from being a solid midfield outfit to one more than capable of challenging for the championship title.

Driver and team had appeared to be the closest thing to being a family team without actually being a family team for a number of years, with the 27-year-old having helped

However, as Speedworks looked to expand to run a second car for 2021, it became clear that differing commercial requirements for team and driver would prevent

a deal being done for another year.

That left the double Independents champion to explore his options elsewhere on the grid - with the need to find a package that would work commercially, but that would also provide him with the chance to fight for race wins and to challenge for a first championship title.

Ingram, a driver who sits inside the top 20 on the alltime winners list and who has been a serious championship contender for three of the last four years, was understandably in demand, with a number of teams expressing an interest in securing his services.

As it was, third-year oufit EXCELR8 was the one that was able to offer the most attractive deal, with Ingram

putting pen to paper on a multi-year agreement with the Hyundai team.

But having become part of the furniture with Speedworks, how does he now feel about moving on to pastures new?

"I’ve been with Speedworks for my whole career in the BTCC so far, so I have never known any different," he reflects.

"The situation we found ourselves in was a bit like one Andrew Jordan faced in the past with his Pirtek backing, and I had to put my sponsors first.

"Any deal I did was one that had to work commercially for them, and unfortunately that just wasn’t possible with Speedworks for 2021.

"There were no hard feelings from anyone about it, and when it became clear that we wouldn’t be able to agree a deal, there were a lot of offers on the table.

"I’d say probably 90 per cent of the grid were interested in doing something but in the end, moving to EXCELR8 was an easy to decision to make.

"As a team, they have done well in the past in the MINI Challenge, they understand the commercial side of things and what I need from a deal, and I just like the way they go about their business.

"When I had the first call with Justina [Williams - team owner], we were able to discuss a possible deal but then ended up on the phone for an hour just chatting about life in general.

"Nothing felt forced and it didn’t take long to realise that they were the perfect fit, and that there was real potential to develop something together for the future.

"Of course, moving on to join EXCELR8 will be different, but everything has sunk in now and I’m really excited about what is to come in 2021 - and beyond.

"There is no doubt that it is going to be a little bit odd at first and I might need to be a bit careful that I don’t pull into the wrong pit when we go to Thruxton for the opening round!

"However, I seem to recall that Lewis Hamilton got quite a bit of coverage when he did that after leaving McLaren - so maybe there could be a good publicity stunt there…"

Ingram was the third member of the expanded EXCELR8 line-up to be revealed after the team re-signed Chris Smiley for a second year, and brought in Jack Butel after he contested his rookie season in 2020. Rick Parfitt Jr has since completed the line-up

Set to drive one of the two new i30 N Fastbacks being built over the winter after the team joined forces with Trade Price Cars, Ingram is seen as the driver who can help push EXCELR8 to the next level after it enjoyed a solid first year with the Hyundai in 2020, with race wins being the logical target.

Even with the COVID-19 pandemic restricting the amount of testing available with the new car last year, EXCELR8 would become regular points scorers and secured two podium finishes.

That marked a huge step forwards from a debut campaign with the ageing MG6 in 2019 that saw it break into the points on just two occasions - with rookie drivers Sam Osborne and Rob Smith managing a single top 15 finish apiece.

If anything, EXCELR8 is now in a similar position to the one Speedworks was in at the time Ingram moved up into the BTCC from the Ginetta Supercup, and the chance to help his new team to develop is clearly something Ingram now relishes going into 2021.

"As humans, I think we can sometimes be scared of change, but change can be a good thing," he continues.

"As I’ve already said, it brings new excitement and whilst you always go out on track to

do you best, there is that desire to make sure you impress when you join a new team as you want to show them what you can do, and show what you can offer.

"I want that first test with the car to go really well, I want to be in the mix for pole position when we go to the first round, and I want to try and achieve big things when the racing gets underway. Race wins and a championship challenge has to be our target.

"Clearly the Hyundai is a strong car as we saw last year, and for the team to get a podium first time out was really impressive when you consider it was the first time they had built a BTCC car.

"I’m really looking forward to helping develop the Hyundai further to become a regular

front-runner, and also helping the team to continue to grow."

Although both team and car will be new for 2021, there will be some continuity for Ingram in the shape of engineer Spencer Aldridge - who also makes the move over from Speedworks for the season ahead.

The pair have worked together since 2018 when 'Spenny' took over as engineer on Ingram’s car, and have gone on to develop a strong relationship both on and off the track over the past three seasons - which has coincided with some of Ingram’s best years in the series.

That first season working together saw Ingram finish second in the championship standings and successfully defend the Independents title.

Fast forward to last year, and Ingram secured his biggest points haul to date, despite the fact that the season was three races shorter than usual as a result of the pandemic.

"Being able to keep working with Spenny is a big thing going into 2021," he said.

"He is someone who is very methodical in his approach and he’s not just my engineer, he’s also one of my best mates.

"We have a fantastic relationship, and I think that is shown by the results we have taken over the last few years.

"To be able to keep that going with EXCELR8 is brilliant, and it is something that can only help as we move over to the Hyundai.

"We know what has worked in the past and what changes we have made, and whilst we have to remember that we’re not working with an Avensis or a Corolla anymore, we can use what we know to try and get the same feeling from the i30.

"I think the way I like a car to feel is quite niche, although from speaking to Chris, it sounds like he wants the car to be set-up in a similar way.

"That’s a solid starting point for us working together, and it’s good to have someone alongside me who is a proven race winner and who can also fight right at the sharp end.

"We’ll push each other on, and that can only benefit the whole team."

Commercially, Ingram will continue to be backed this

season by a number of familiar names from recent years including Ginsters and Hansford Sensors; the latter as part of a long-standing relationship that is now one of the oldest in the paddock.

Providing value to those sponsors was a key factor in the decision over where to race in 2021, with the current economic climate making it more important that ever for drivers to develop strong partnerships in order to keep their racing activities on track.

"Justina and the team take the commercial side of racing very seriously, and they know how important it is," Ingram said.

"Motorsport is very results driven and always has been, but you need to make it work commercially if you want to be successful.

"You have to focus on making the car you have the best car possible, and in simple terms, the easiest way to do that is to spend money on developing it.

"You need to have the right commercial package in place to allow you to make that investment, so there is an awful lot of work that goes into developing partnerships with the right people and then making those partnerships last.

"For me, longevity is very important and there is a lot of time and effort from both myself and Laura [Drysdale, Tom’s long-time partner] that goes into working with sponsors to maximise our relationship, and we all want to win together.

"Chris and Lesley Hansford are a prime example. We’ve

been working together now for something like a decade and they are more than just a sponsor; they are friends.

"It’s a similar story with the guys at Ginsters, although over a shorter period of time, and we all share the desire to make our partnership a success both on and off track."

When Ingram gets the chance to sample the i30 for the first time remains to be seen, with work currently ongoing to complete the build of his car before it takes to the track.

The delayed start to the season is also likely to mean that pre-season testing starts a little later - giving the team more chance to finish off the build, and also to benefit from more favourable weather conditions.

Ingram has however had the chance to spend time with his new team away from the circuit, with a visit to the EXCELR8 workshop being documented in a popular addition to his YouTube channel shortly after the deal for 2021 was confirmed.

"I’m not sure yet when we’ll be out testing, and we might hold back a bit now the start of the season has been delayed," he said.

"That’s not for any particular reason other than it will mean we can go out when the weather is a bit more favourable, as there would be no value at all in testing at the moment with things as they are.

"At the end of the day, when we go racing, it will be in the middle of summer - not with

everywhere covered in ice and snow as it has been recently

"It has been nice however to spend some time at the factory with the team. I already know quite a few people from around the paddock - like Marvin [Humphries - team manager] but because we haven’t worked together, it’s good to get an insight into how things are structured and the way they go about doing things.

"It was a good laugh to be honest and I felt right at home, even down to being comfortable enough to just go off, pop the kettle on and make a brew.

"It just makes me more sure that this is the right place to be, and I can’t wait to get started."

TIME FOR A NEW CHAPTER WITH A STORY TO TELL FROM EACH BTCC SEASON TO DATE, ARON TAYLOR-SMITH TURNS A NEW PAGE FOR 2021

O season that exceeded all n the back of a 2016

expectations, Aron TaylorSmith headed into 2017 confident of fighting towards the front of the BTCC field.

Returning to the Triple Eight team that had given him his series debut, the Irish racer was seeking to impress at the wheel of the teams MG6 GT, with the target being to add to the four wins he had secured by that point in his career

What followed however was arguably one of the toughest seasons of his career.

The year would provide just one top ten finish, and also saw Taylor-Smith involved in one of the biggest accidents seen in the series in recent memory during qualifying at Croft.

After a turbulent year, TaylorSmith elected to walk away to try his hands at sportscar racing, spending a part season in Europe at the wheel of a GT3-spec Bentley before a year competing in the GT4 class of the British GT Championship.

Having spent 2020 on the sidelines after his planned programme was derailed by COVID-19, the now 31-yearold is back on the BTCC grid for 2021 having inked a deal with Team HARD.

Set to drive one of the new Cupra Leons currently in build, the former Motorbase and BMR driver will be keen to try and add more silverware to his collection during the year ahead, but why is now the right time for a return after three years away?

"The year with Triple Eight in the MG was hard, and I think it's fair to say that I didn’t enjoy every aspect of it," he reflects.

"At the end of the year, myself and [wife] Lauren decided to go down a different route and try GT racing, and whilst I enjoyed the experience, I still found myself checking into TSL to see how practice was going in the BTCC.

"That kind of thing makes you realise that your heart is still in touring cars, and that maybe it’s where you should really be.

"Last year, I was due to race in Europe in GTs but then my team-mate dropped out as a result of COVID, and I found myself with more time on my hands.

"Like other people who found themselves suddenly stuck at

home, I was able to sit and watch the races, and it increased my desire to get back on the grid.

"A lot of my loyal sponsors, like RCIB Insurance and Airtec, followed me into GT racing but the BTCC is more of their target audience, so it made sense to look at what options might be available to try and get back onto the grid.

"It is no secret that I spoke to pretty much every team on the grid to see what was out there, and there was the possibility that I could have done a few rounds at the end of last year, but the package wouldn’t have been right.

when the lack of a Clio Cup round at Knockhill provided him with the chance to make a one-off outing in the series with Triple Eight.

secure a full-time BTCC seat, with older brother Gavin having been a podium finisher with Vauxhall in the mid-2000s.

On a weekend that was covered in a special diary written for a previous edition of Inside BTCC, Taylor-Smith managed to break into the points in his Vauxhall Vectra and the three races were enough to show him that touring cars was where he wanted to be.

"Having seen Gavin do it before me, I really wanted to get into touring cars myself," Taylor-Smith says.

"When this chance came along with Team HARD, it made much more sense."

Later in the year, having finished the Clio season as runner-up to Paul Rivett, Taylor-Smith would win Ireland’s Young Driver of the Year award, and the €50,000 given as part of the prize helped him to secure his place on the grid for 2012.

Taylor-Smith’s BTCC career had kicked off back in 2011,

That made him the second member of the Smith family to

"I think there was some sibling rivalry involved because I wanted to go out there and try and beat what he had done himself, and I only wanted to do it more after the outing with Triple Eight in the Vectra in 2011.

"The Clio Cup had been a great stepping stone, but the BTCC outing was a real eyeopener for me. Winning the Young Driver of the Year award gave me the funding to get into the Motorbase car the following year, and that was a huge deal for me.

"When I look back at that, I was still a young kid and was like a deer in headlights. I know that I made mistakes that I shouldn’t have done, but the guidance I got from the team - and in particular David Bartrum and Olly Collins showed me what I had to do if I wanted to make it as a professional racing driver.

2014 alongside Alain Menu and now Team HARD partner Jack Goff.

with Warren Scott’s outfit and was placed with newcomers Team BKR for 2016.

Victory at Oulton Park marked the first win in the series for the team, and was also the first Volkswagen win since the early 1980s - with another win coming later in the year at Snetterton.

Nico Ferrari’s team was a somewhat surprise addition to the grid running the Volkswagens, which had been destined for the planned BTec Development Series before it failed to get off the ground.

"They were the perfect team to be involved with as they took me from being a touring car rookie to someone who could then move on to BMR and help to lead the team.

The following season, TaylorSmith would find himself supporting Colin Turkington and Jason Plato in the BMR line-up but the campaign ended in somewhat acrimonious fashion at Brands Hatch - where Plato accused the Irish driver of costing him points when he failed to allow him through in the opening race of the finale.

"Winning my first race with Motorbase was special, and it will be in the record books as the last time a Super 2000 car won in the series, which is a nice fact."

After two seasons with Motorbase, Taylor-Smith switched over to join BMR in

Despite being dropped from the BMR line-up as it switched to the Subaru Levorg, TaylorSmith still agreed a new deal

It was only on the morning of the season launch that the programme was confirmed and despite running on a shoe-string budget, it was a season that turned out to be an unexpected success.

Podium finishes arrived at both Brands Hatch and Donington Park early in the year, and then at Rockingham, Taylor-Smith held off the challenge of Gordon Shedden’s Honda and

Turkington’s Subaru to secure a surprise victory.

"Touring cars is hard graft, and we all go into it believing that we can win races," he reflects. "Not many people get the chance to actually experience that, so to have enjoyed success across those seasons was nice, and I like the fact that each year told a story.

"All through my career, there has been a narrative, from the first win with Motorbase, to taking the first win for BMR and then moving on to BKR.

"To be honest, that win with BKR in 2016 is probably my favourite moment because we were just a bunch of friends who were out there on track having the time of our lives.

"No-one really expected the team to be on the grid that

season, and from the start it felt like it was going to be a one-off season.

"It was weird, because we were there having fun, and then we got to Brands Hatch and suddenly ended up with a podium finish. Then we realised we weren’t half bad!

It was no huge shock when BKR failed to return for a second season in 2017, with Taylor-Smith then moving into one of the factory MGs - still being run under the Triple Eight name but as part of the BMR family.

"It was a massive roll of the dice from Nico and everyone involved to make 2016 happen, but it happened because they all wanted to have a go at it and wanted to make it work.

Although not the multiple winner it had been from 2012 through to 2014 in the early stages of the NGTC era, the MG had still been winning races in both 2015 and 2016 with Jack Goff and Ash Sutton taking their maiden wins behind the wheel.

"It was a massive underdog story but it was a fantastic thing to be part of, and there were people who were involved that year who went on to be involved with Triple Eight, and who will be involved again this year."

However, the switch to new spec parts from RML would ultimately work against the car over the course of the season, with Taylor-Smith struggling to match the results he had enjoyed in the preceding years.

"The way I look at it is that you learn something from every season you race," he said. "I did enjoy parts of the season but it was difficult, as I think the car was past its sell by date a little by that point.

"Had I gone into the MG two years earlier, or even in 2016, then I think the end result would have been a lot different, but the big issue was that the MG wasn’t designed around the RML parts. When the change happened that season, it lost some of its edge.

"There were cars on the grid that were built to run on the RML parts and they suddenly had an advantage over us, which was frustrating as I felt we were losing to packages that shouldn’t have been able to beat us.

"Yes, we were running to a tight budget, but we had

shown the previous season with BKR that you didn’t need to have the biggest budget to make things a success.

"The structure of the team was good, and the people who were involved were all good people, but unfortunately the car wasn’t quite there and it was hard to stomach that no-one got the reward for the work that they were putting in.

"If you have a good car, it’s possible to get some decent results even if you don’t have the right people working on it.

"However, you can have the best staff and if the car isn’t right, you end up being nowhere when a few tenths of a second can make all the difference.

"That was the position we found ourselves in and whilst it made things frustrating, I

also came out of the season appreciating the effort of the team more than ever."

Without doubt, the lowest point of a difficult season came at Croft in the final meeting before the traditional summer break.

In challenging wet conditions, Taylor-Smith had shown encouraging pace in free practice to put the MG inside the top eight.

That meant confidence was high going into qualifying, as he looked to qualify inside the top ten on the grid for the first time that year.

However, just before the ten minute mark in the half hour long session, Motorbase driver Luke Davenport ran wide going through the Jim Clark Esses and ripped the sump off his Ford Focus.

That resulted in oil being dropped across the circuit at its fastest point, and kickstarting a terrifying incident that would involve a dozen cars.

Right at the heart of it was Taylor-Smith’s MG after he made heavy contact with Jeff Smith’s Honda, which had already slammed into Davenport’s stricken Ford.

All three drivers would be left requiring treatment in hospital, with Taylor-Smith left nursing concussion and a fractured leg.

Whilst both Davenport and Smith would be ruled out the of remainder of the campaign, Taylor-Smith was able to get back behind the wheel after the summer break having made a remarkable recovery from his injuries.

From there, he would go on to conclude the season, albeit without managing any frontrunning results, before the decision to walk away in search of a fresh challenge.

He insists however, that what happened that day wasn’t a deciding factor.

"I don’t think it made a real difference to the decision we took at the end of the year - it was probably just the icing on the cake," he reflects.

"Even now, I don’t remember what happened on the day and only know what people told me about it afterwards, so it didn’t really affect me. It’s Lauren I feel sorry for, because she was the one who saw it happen and had to go through it all.

"The accident showed how safe a modern day BTCC car

is, and it’s become a bit of a running joke with Lauren which she hates - that I must be indestructible now having come through it.

"Getting back behind the wheel after what happened didn’t bother me, and it isn’t something that has crossed my mind since. If it did bother me, then it would be time to walk away.

"The only thing that makes me nervous when it comes to racing is the fact that I want to do my best every time I go on track. The fact that motorsport can be, and is, dangerous doesn't worry me - I just want to do well.

"Yes, it was a very big accident but that is part of motorsport and something that can always happen.

"You could just as easily be involved in an accident when you are driving to the circuit on a Sunday morning, but it would’t stop you visiting a circuit again. You just have to get on with it."

Making the move into GT racing for 2018, Taylor-Smith inked a deal with Team Parker Racing to run in the Blancpain GT Sprint Series.

Sharing a Bentley Continental GT3 with Josh Caygill, there was success in the Silver Cup on home soil at Brands Hatch before the 2019 season saw a return to British shores as he inked a deal with RACE Performance to share a GT4spec Mustang.

It would be a tricky year with the car, which saw just one points finish amongst a highly competitive class entry.

"I did enjoy the chance to do something different during my time in GTs," he reflects.

"It was a big step to go from a career in front-wheel drive touring cars to a massive rear wheel drive Bentley with lots of power and downforce, so there was a lot to learn.

"I remember going to Navarra in Spain with team boss Stuart Parker for a test alongside the factory guys from M Sport and on the second day, we went head-to-head with them on track.

"I don’t want to sound boastful, but It was quite cool to come out on top, and showed I had the speed to do a job in the car.

"I loved the speed of the cars, but it was tough to have to share a drive with someone

else when you’re used to having the car to yourself.

"As the 'quicker' driver, it was difficult sometimes to know that my team-mate was going to get more track time in practice to help them get up to speed, and then there were the situations where something might go wrong during a race.

"When you’ve made a mistake yourself, you give yourself a kick, swear in your helmet, and have to live with it but when a team-mate does it, it is tough to then have to get in a car knowing there is no chance of a result and there is nothing you can do about it.

"You could find yourself just doing the laps for the hell of it, and that isn't racing for me it’s not what touring cars offers.

"As stupid as it might sound, I also found the racing really hard to follow at times as it was a case of trying to work out who had done what pitstop, what penalty people had to serve in the pits, what the driver gradings were in different cars and what BOP everyone was running.

"I’m not sure how people manage to follow it sometimes as I was in the races and didn’t know what was going on!"

The collapse of a European GT4 programme with HHC Motorsport as a result of the pandemic last year meant Taylor-Smith joined the legion of fans who were left to follow the shortened BTCC season on ITV4, given that the whole campaign would be run behind closed doors.

The opportunity to examine the series from a different point of view would only increase the desire to try and return to the grid, with talks then getting underway with a number of teams across the grid.

"It isn’t all about winning but when you are on track, you don’t see that. You think that getting from sixth place to fifth is the difference between being gods next gift and being nothing, when in reality, sixth is a bloody good result.

"It was a weird feeling to be sat at home watching on TV, and it provided the chance to look at things in a totally different way," he said.

"It was good to sit back and see things in that regard, and then it was a case of getting on the phone to speak to people.

"There were times that I’d see things happen and think 'Well I wouldn’t have done that' whereas if I’d been in the car, I know I would probably have done exactly the same.

"I don’t think there is a team boss on the grid who didn’t get at least one call from me.

"There were a lot of things that played out where you could see how experienced drivers like Colin orchestrate things across the season, and that is why they are so successful.

That in turn begs the question as to why it was Team HARD that ultimately managed to conclude a deal that allows Taylor-Smith to end his threeyear exile from the series.

"Some of them got more than one…"

"Over the last few years, I think Tony and the team have been fighting with one hand behind their back for one reason or another," he admits, "and I don’t think they have really shown what they car do.

"When I first heard about the Cupra project, I thought it would all come down to who was designing the car, who was building the car and who was running it - so I didn't want to just dive into something.

"The person who really helped to pull it all together was Warren Scott, as he called me three or four times and said I really need to have a chat about the Cupra.

"At that stage, I was still talking to other people and I told him that a deal was getting close, that the other team had a more proven

record, and that it was probably where I was going to end up.

chance for the team to show everyone what it can do.

"Then there was another call from Warren, so I spoke to Tony and all of a sudden I was left wondering how they hadn’t been my first choice from the start.

"From the moment we signed up, I’ve been so impressed with everything that the team has done - right down to the constant messages on Whatsapp with the latest updates on what is happening with the cars.

"I think it was partly down to the fact that people have seen the team struggle a bit in recent years with the Volkswagen and thought it looked difficult; I know that is the view that I had watching on.

"It’s clear to see that this is a project they are attacking with a huge amount of passion and it isn’t something that they are doing just because they have to.

"However, I truly feel that this new car is going to be real eye-opener for a lot of people, and they are going to be surprised by how good it is.

"Everything on the car has been optimised to be the best that it can be, and this is a real

"There is so much enthusiasm and it’s really refreshing to see that kind of attitude from a team."

The current lockdown restrictions mean Taylor-Smith has yet to visit Team HARD HQ in person to oversee the build of the car.

His only trip to the factory so far has been a virtual one carried out over Zoom, meaning his first chance to see the Cupra close up might not come until the first shakedown run for the car which is likely to take place in late March or early April.

As a result, he doesn’t want to get too carried away about his expectations for the year ahead, but there is plenty of optimism about what could be possible once racing gets underway in May.

"I’d be silly not to think that people haven’t got quicker during the time I’ve been away, because they have," he concludes.

"I have always backed myself to succeed, and whilst I know there will be some adjusting to do as I move back into a

touring car, it won’t be the big change that it was when I switched over to GT racing and I soon got up to speed there.

"You always want to challenge yourself as a driver, and I want to go back into the BTCC this season and try to put my money where my mouth is.

"Of course, the goal is to be right at the front as it is for every driver on the grid, but the reality is that we have to wait and see where we stand once we hit the track.

"The chance to work with Jack means we have two drivers with experience of what it takes to win in the series, and that can only be beneficial as we look to develop the car early on.

"I want to ensure that every time we go out on track, I do a

job that I can feel proud of and hopefully that will enable us to mix it with the best."

As for how long he now intends to remain in the series having elected to make a return, Taylor-Smith’s view is clear.

"A lot of the partners who we have for this season are close to being a two-year programme already," he said, "and there are some who could even be involved for longer than that.

"They say that the grass is always greener on the other side but whilst I enjoyed the chance to try GT racing, it isn’t for me.

"This is the result and having agreed a deal to make my return to the BTCC, my plan is to stay as long as I can."

BACK TO THE START HAVING MADE HIS BTCC DEBUT WITH WEST SURREY RACING BACK IN 2008, STEPHEN JELLEY RETURNS TO WHERE IT ALL STARTED FOR THE 2021 SEASON… has been plenty said T here through the years about the fact that, having won the BTCC title for the first time in 2009, Colin Turkington was unable to return and defend his crown the following season.

The end of West Surrey Racing’s title sponsorship deal with the RAC led to the Northern Irishman leaving the series on the back of his title win.

Forced to look elsewhere to keep his career on track, Turkington would only return in 2013 when he was signed

up to drive one of the three eBay Motors-backed cars being entered that year.

What many people fail to remember however is that Turkington wasn’t the only driver who was forced to leave WSR on the back of the RAC sponsorship deal coming to an end.

Team-mate Stephen Jelley was in a similar position as he took found himself leaving the BMW squad at the end of what was only his second year in the series.

Jelley would go on to more to the Porsche Carrera Cup GB with Team Parker Racing, and would compete in a range of sportscar series before eventually returning to touring cars with the same team in 2017 at the wheel of a Ford Focus.

Having been at the wheel of an ex-WSR BMW 125i M Sport for the last three years, Jelley will see his touring car career go full circle for the 2021 campaign when he heads back to the team that gave him his series debut as part of an expanded three-car Team BMW programme.

Effectively replacing Andrew Jordan after he stood down from his seat thanks to COVID-19 last year, Jelley will be seeking to try and add to the three career wins he has to his name already - two of which played a crucial role in WSR’s title success in 2009.

So having been given the chance to return to the team headed by Dick Bennetts for the new season, how does he feel about what is to come in 2021?

"I’m hugely excited about this season, particularly because I didn’t think I would get the chance to drive for a top team like WSR in the BTCC again," he reflects.

"The fact that I’m now able to rejoin the team for this season is a huge gift that I don’t want to waste, because you never

know what can happen down the line.

"I didn’t want to leave WSR and leave the BTCC - in the first place, and this is the best opportunity that I have had since.

"I want to grab this chance with both hands and really make the most of it."

The timing of Jelley’s departure from WSR last time out was unfortunate to say the least, given that it came at the end of a season that still ranks as the most successful of his touring car career to date.

The previous season had been something of a struggle, with Jelley starting the year trying to get his head around racing a touring car at the same time as he was still competing in single-seaters - running a programme in GP2 Asia with

the ART Grand Prix team as team-mate to none other than Romain Grosjean.

Nowhere was that challenge more evident that in round two at Rockingham, where Jelley took part in the opening race of the GP2 finale in Dubai on Friday afternoon before taking a flight back to the UK in order to qualify his BMW the following day.

After a debut campaign that he himself refers to as 'rubbish', Jelley would be a two-time winner the following year on his way to seventh in the standings before the end of the RAC deal forced him to move elsewhere.

Taken in by Stuart Parker and his team, Jelley would become a multiple race winner in the Carrera Cup GB, raced on the F1 support bill in the Porsche Supercup, and

appeared in the likes of the Blancpain Endurance Series before the return to touring cars in 2017.

The first two seasons were a struggle for both team and driver, firstly with the Focus and then with the BMW, which at the time was running an older-spec engine compared to the WSR cars.

A new engine ahead of 2019 resulted in Jelley returning to the kind of form he had shown a decade earlier and he found himself back on the podium at Brands Hatch before then winning at Oulton Park - a victory that was the first in the series for the team.

Last year however, it was clear to see that the BMW - a car dating back to 2013 - was starting to struggle for performance against the raft of newer cars on the grid.

Although there was a podium finish at Brands Hatch for the second year in a row, and the season started well with five top ten finishes from six starts, Jelley would invariably find himself fighting towards the lower reaches of the points scoring positions as the year went on.

It was clear that something needed to change…

"Every year I look at where we are, and try to find something that we can take to sponsors that is going to be new, and that will help us to improve performance," he says.

"When we swapped the Ford for the BMW, and then when we were able to upgrade to the new engine, they were big steps forwards for us and something we could use to

show where we were able to improve.

"We were at the stage with the 1 Series that it was evident that the only way to improve for 2021 was to build a car of our own, and I’d been speaking to Stuart about the fact that I didn’t think the BMW was still going to be competitive for another season.

"However, we weren’t in a position financially to build a new car, and I was very open with him about the fact that I would need to consider my options."

Those discussions would ultimately result in Jelley pursuing the deal to return to WSR for a second spell, with Team Parker electing to put its touring car aspirations on hold.

Instead, it will focus on an expanded GT programme for 2021 alongside its entry in the Porsche Carrera Cup, which includes a move into the Porsche Supercup and a switch to a new GT3-spec Porsche in the British GT Championship.

coming from; there are no hard feelings at all.

a twelfth place finish if you are lucky."

"Team Parker isn’t the kind of team that wants to be there to just make up the numbers, and there were times last year where it had already become a real struggle for us.

That would prove to be a weekend that played a key part in the decision that was taken at the end of the year.

"I think it was very important for us to be so open about the situation we were in, as everyone knew where they stood," Jelley continues.

"Thruxton was a prime example as that is a hard place to go in a rear-wheel drive at the best of times, and we were up against it even more when we were running an older car.

"Team Parker and Stuart have done a huge amount for me as they basically saved my motorsport career back in 2010 when they signed me for the Carrera Cup as there were no other options out there at the time.

"Stuart has joked since that he’s been the second biggest sponsor I’ve had, and he understood where I was

"Going there, I knew that I could absolutely nail it and we would only be on the fringes of scoring points, which makes it difficult.

"You start to question the risk versus the reward when you are burying it round a corner like Church and you might get

"As a driver, you want to have the best package possible to stay relevant, particularly when I’m not getting any younger myself," he continued.

"When there is the chance to get into a front-running car run by one of the best touring car teams in the world, you can’t turn it down - that chance might not come round again.

"At the end of the season, I went down to visit WSR and spoke to Dick, but there were quite a few people interested in the drive. I feel privileged that I got the nod."

The move back to WSR will bring with it increased scrutiny as the BMW team looks to challenge once again for the championship titles, with Jelley having an important role to play alongside Colin Turkington and Tom Oliphant.

However, the 38-year-old makes the switch feeling confident about what he can offer - with the driver returning to the team being very different to the one that debuted with them over a decade ago.

"He’s better looking now for a start!" Jelley quipped.

"I’m certainly in a better position now than I was in 2008, simply because of the experience I have under my belt.

"Back then, I was coming into touring cars from single-

seaters, and it was a very different beast to what I had done before.

"I’d been relatively successful in single-seaters but I hadn’t driven for a great length of time, and it was a challenge to suddenly have to get my head around a totally different type of racing.

"I can remember quite early on that we went to Pembrey for a test and it was the first time that I realised there was a kink in the back straight.

"In an F3 car, you’d just zoom down it without noticing, but in the BMW, the back would start to step out and I suddenly thought 'Bloody hell, there’s a bit of a corner there'.

"It is something that took time to get used to and I’ll be honest that the first season I

did in touring cars was pretty rubbish.

"However, I’m a lot more comfortable now and having been on the podium in the last two seasons, I’m going back to WSR knowing that I can challenge towards the front from the off."

When Jelley will get the chance to sample the BMW for the first time remains to be seen, with poor weather, the current COVID restrictions, and the delayed start to the season all impacting on when teams plan to get their winter testing programmes underway.

As a result, he remains somewhat coy on what he feels is possible in terms of results across the year, with the current approach being to take things one step at a time.

"Lots of people are already asking this question, and it's a hard one to answer," Jelley concludes.

"For me, it is all about coming out of the season knowing that I have maximised every opportunity that I have had during the year.

"If you look back to Andrew Jordan a few years back, the accident at Donington Park ruined his season in terms of the championship, but he still went out and nailed it every time.

"He might not have won the title, but his performances were very good all season, and I want to be able to say that I have the best job I can in that way during the year ahead.

"It’s also important for me that the team feels I have done a

good job, so if they tell me they are happy and Dick tells me he is happy, then great.

"On the same score, I want them to be honest with me and if I put in a bad performance, I want to be told so I can change things.

"I know I’m skirting round the question a bit, but it is tough to say what I really think is possible this year when I haven’t driven the car.

"Once that takes place and I’ve been able to get behind the wheel of the 3 Series, then I might be able to divulge a bit more about how I think I’ll compare to Colin and Tom.

"I just have to take things one step at a time, and as a Leicester City fan, I think I’m going to go all Claudio Ranieri for the moment.

"In the same way that he said Leicester weren't thinking about the title and were focused on the next match, I’m just going to focus on the next race.

"However, I am confident in my own ability, and I believe that I have the ability to win in the BTCC.

"To win a race and score podiums with Team Parker in the last few years when they hadn’t done it before is no mean feat, and I’m confident that I can do a good job for the team

"I know that I can win races and that I can fight at the front of the field, and that is what I hope to do on a regular basis in 2021.

"I want to try and pick up as much silverware as I can, and take lots more wins!"

THE 2021 ENTRY - AS IT STANDS Driver

Team

Car

Jade Edwards

BTC Racing

Honda Civic Type R

Josh Cook

BTC Racing

Honda Civic Type R

Michael Crees

BTC Racing

Honda Civic Type R

Adam Morgan

Ciceley Motorsport

BMW 330i M Sport

Tom Chilton

Ciceley Motorsport

BMW 330i M Sport

Chris Smiley

EXCELR8 Trade Price Cars

Hyundai i30 N Fastback

Jack Butel

EXCELR8 Trade Price Cars

Hyundai i30 N Fastback

Rick Parfitt Jr

EXCELR8 Trade Price Cars

Hyundai i30 N Fastback

Tom Ingram

EXCELR8 Trade Price Cars

Hyundai i30 N Fastback

Aiden Moffat

Laser Tools Racing

Infiniti Q50

Ash Sutton

Laser Tools Racing

Infiniti Q50

Carl Boardley

Laser Tools Racing

Infiniti Q50

Jake Hill

MB Motorsport

Ford Focus ST

Ollie Jackson

MB Motorsport

Ford Focus ST

Andy Neate

Motorbase Performance

Ford Focus ST

Sam Osborne

Motorbase Performance

Ford Focus ST

Jason Plato

Power Maxed Racing

Vauxhall Astra

TBC

Power Maxed Racing

Vauxhall Astra

Rory Butcher

Speedworks

Toyota Corolla

Sam Smelt

Speedworks

Toyota Corolla

Dan Cammish

Team Dynamics

Honda Civic Type R

TBC

Team Dynamics

Honda Civic Type R

Aron Taylor-Smith

Team HARD

Cupra Leon

Glynn Geddie

Team HARD

Cupra Leon

Jack Goff

Team HARD

Cupra Leon

TBC

Team HARD

Cupra Leon

Colin Turkington

West Surrey Racing

BMW 330i M Sport

Stephen Jelley

West Surrey Racing

BMW 330i M Sport

Tom Oliphant

West Surrey Racing

BMW 330i M Sport Correct as of 26 February 2021

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