OILY RAG Automotive & Classic News
AUGUST 2021
THE MOTUL GBS ZERO UNVEILED AT SILVERSTONE CLASSIC! Plus a weekend of amazing Motorsport. See our round up inside
INSIDE: MOTUL LAUNCHES NEW CLASSIC OILS FOR ‘YOUNG TIMERS’ p19
OFF-SHORE POWERBOAT RACING A HELPFUL GUIDE TO OIL “It’s Like being In a tumble-drier CHANGE INTERVALS IN THE at 70mph” p44 WORKSHOP p22
WITHAM MOTORSPORT NEWS
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OIL S
Welcome to the Witham Motorsport newsletter – the Oily Rag Witham Motorsport is part of The Witham Group, manufacturers of oils and paints since 1921. We love all things racing, cars and motorsport and we are the sole importer and distributor of Motul automotive products throughout the UK. Witham Group has been a manufacturer of award-winning lubricants for 100 years and Motul is the ground breaking global lubricant giant who, over the past 150 years, has been first across the line with synthetic lubricant technology and unrivalled performance.
want to put the right oil in their vehicles. We are proud to be the lubricant sponsors for many successful race teams and drivers in the UK and enjoy building up relationships with UK automotive media and classic car clubs.
The partnership with Witham Motorsport and Motul means that our customers have access to the best technical lubricant advice and product range available. From high performance 300V Motorsport lubricants to reliable top quality classic oils, coolants, brake fluids, transmission fluids and a comprehensive range of high-quality car cleaning products , we offer all you need for the best performance of your car whether on or off the track.
We attend many car shows and race events throughout the UK, from being the headline sponsor at Goodwood Revival to Silverstone Classic, BTCC championships , F4 and many more. We are passionate about quality and helping make a difference to vehicle performance.
Motul is a global lubricant manufacture, specialising in synthetic racing oils, and has become the chosen lubricant partner of many engine manufacturers and automotive racing sports teams, distributors, online retailers, garages, workshop and of course individuals and end users who
To get in touch with Witham Motorsport about our products and services or to have a chat, please contact:
People and service as well as quality products are at the heart of what we do. We are on hand to help and advise on lubricants and have an online shop with first-class delivery for direct customers. We hope you enjoy the read as Motorsport gets back on track , we look forward to seeing you out there very soon.
WITHAM MOTORSPORT DEPOT EXPANDS AT SOHAM... We’ve recently purchased an further building to expand our site at Soham. The additional premises will be used to help store and grow our Motorsport and Motul division which is based here, and also give us the opportunity for better distribution in the South Midlands areas. We’ve been working hard to renovate the new area and our Soham team have been busy clearing the outside, removing old containers, filling many skips, securing the area, replacing cladding, installing new shutter doors and fencing, spreading 40 tonnes of gravel and have been moving stock over from our existing premises. The next stage is to complete the internal refurbishment and external decoration which will transform the new purchase. This effort has already given us much-needed extra space for our Witham Motorsport/Motul business which continues to grow from strength to strength.
The existing depot’s storage is at full capacity
01353 723373 motul@withamgroup.co.uk withammotorsport.co.uk
An great start to the 2021 season for our drivers & teams, along with exciting launches and new developments for Witham Motorsport...
The new premises are right next door to our existing depot
We’re already mid-way through the 2021 motorsport season, and what an amazing start it has been. Not only is our beloved sport well and truly up and running again, but more recently has been able to welcome spectators back to enjoy the roar of the track. It’s great to see Motul back on the podium again, and we’ve rounded up some of our 2021 highlights so far in this issue - but we’re sure that there are still plenty more to enjoy in the coming months.
testing and oil analysis in the famous Motul Lab and unveiled the one-of-a-kind GBS Zero – Motul Edition – with it’s brand new livery – to the public for the very first time. Motul is also the official lubricant partner for Goodwood Revival, and we’re very much looking forward to exhibiting at the iconic three-day event in September.
Thank you to our drivers, race teams and garages for their incredible performances and ongoing support. We’ve had the opportunity to speak with a number of our Motul ambassadors recently including Classic Motor Cars, Patrick Watts and Andrew Jordan and you can read their full interviews throughout this magazine.
Off the track, Motul continue to release brand new products and this issue we can tell you about the Hybrid range, BioClean and ‘Young Timers’ products. We continue to be proud to promote and stock their ground breaking ranges.
We’ve just spent the weekend at Silverstone Classic, where we not only met with thousands of visitors but offered all drivers lubricant
We hope that you enjoy this Witham Motorsport round up of our latest news, interviews, advice and products – and as always, if you have any stories to share with us, please do get in touch!
New cladding & three roller shutter doors have been installed to secure the building
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AN INTERVIEW WITH TOM INGRAM MID SEASON ROUND UP
AN INTERVIEW WITH TOM INGRAM
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JONATHAN LEWIS
OLLY SILCOCK
Jonathan Lewis won at Silverstone in the Se7ens race with
After being selected as one of the top 21 drivers to represent the
Snetterton Speed Shop.
best-of-the-best in Drifting for the brand-new Motorsport UK Drift Pro Championship, Olly qualified 4th in the main event at Brands Hatch and went on won the ‘Best Presented Team’ award. We’re working closely with Olly to bring you a ‘Be a Pit Crew member for the day’ competition – so keep your eyes peeled for more information!
NORFOLK MINI RACING
Motorsport Update
The team enjoyed an incredible two second places and two third places at Brands Hatch.
As a specialist in synthetic oils, Motul continues to develop its technology today, and has become the chosen lubricant partner of many race teams and drivers, as well as engine manufacturers, distributors, garages and workshops – and discerning customers! In the UK, we’re proud to supply Motul products to a whole host of incredible teams and drivers from Power Boat Racing to the British Touring Cars and the British Formula 4 to Silverstone Classic. We have the very best products to help the enthusiast right through to the British champion enjoy the very best performance from their vehicle whatever the age and type.
DRIVER'S SUCCESS IN MID SEASON ROUND UP We follow the progress of all of our competitors closely, and wow - wow, what a start to the season it’s been so far! Here are just some of the highlights:
JHR DEVELOPMENTS The team has had a great run of podiums so far this season, with all four drivers having now finished in the top three this season! Most recently, McKenzy Cresswell picked up his first British F4 win and Joseph Loake his second of the season at Oulton Park. See our interview with McKenzy on page 42.
JOE DALGARNO NATHALIE MCGLOIN
It
was
fastest
another lap
also
for Joseph Loake to round out his weekend at Brands Hatch.
Another
bonus point for the JHR Developments racer! We look forward for more to come!
Aged just 19, Joe is a Motorsport UK Academy student and promising race driver and we’re proud to have joined his journey in the MG Trophy Championship as his new lubricant partner. With a third
And a special well done to Nathalie McGloin who we were
place secured at both Brands Hatch and Oulton Park, and a fourth
delighted to see back racing at Brands Hatch, following an
and fifth place at Silverstone GP, we look forward to seeing his race
operation which put her out of racing for a while.
throughout the rest of the season. Read an interview with Joe later in this issue on page 24.
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AN INTERVIEW WITH TOM INGRAM MID SEASON ROUND UP
AN INTERVIEW WITH TOM INGRAM
ANDREW JORDAN MOTORSPORT
SPEEDWORKS MOTORSPORT
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CALUM LOCKIE
Rory Butcher one of our Motul drivers secured a podium place
We enjoyed watching this great summary of the race action at
Andrew’s had a flying start to the season with making the Calum enjoyed a great ending to Silverstone Classic with a first place in
for Speedworks Motorsport and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing in the
Brands Hatch by Christian from Speedworks Motorsport. As always,
Miglia top 3 at Silverstone with the Mini 7 Racing Club and the Masters International Trophy for GT Cars. Andrew Jordan Motorsport
second round at BTCC Snetterton.
we wish the team the best of luck for the next BTCC race. Visit our
a podium place in the Masters International Trophy for GT also managed 3rd position as well! Congratulations guys!
Witham Motorsport social media channels to watch the video.
Cars at Silverstone Classic. Read more about Andrew’s Jordans racing career on page 38.
We just had a few seconds to catch up with the Speedworks Team and MOTUL UK racing drivers Rory Butcher and team mate Sam Smelt before they experienced the challenge of driving up the sacred hill. This was the first time both had driven the Toyota Gazoo Racing Motul Corolla at Goodwood. Rory Butcher also secured a well-deserved first place for Speedworks Motorsport and Toyota Gazoo Racing at BTCC Oulton Park.
TEAM ENFORCER POWERBOAT After a 4th overall at the first round in Torquay, the team battled through a tough race weekend at West Bay to secure another 4th place. The third race saw a great start, hitting the first turn mark in 2nd place, but after a tremendous battle with last year’s champion, the team were just beaten into 3rd place. Unfortunately, the second day saw a blown piston on the boat and the team are now working hard to have the parts replaced in time for the next race. Read more about Offshore Powerboating on page 44.
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AN INTERVIEW WITH TOM INGRAM WITHAM MOTORSPORT GETS OUT & ABOUT
As the motorsport world has opened up, we have enjoyed attending the return of some great racing events with our drivers and race teams. From classic events to the BTCC and F4 Championships, our support, technical advice and great Motul products are creating some great noise out there...
AN INTERVIEW WITH TOM INGRAM
MAY In May we attended the first round of the BTCC and F4 Championships at Thruxton.
MARCH In late March we attended the Speedworks Motorsport Toyota Gazoo Racing test day at Donnington. Despite the rain this was a great way to see the new “Motul Cars” put through their paces for the time. We also caught up with Abbi Pulling and JHR Developments Team at the British F4 Media Day at Silverstone.
Motul Caterham A5
We also attended the Caterham Cars Ltd Open Day at their Gatwick-based showroom. This
C
M
APRIL In April we visited a new Motul Classic Stockist in Bridgnorth, Shropshire, who are Jaguar Specialists and bespoke Classic Car restorers. We are proud to now have become their new lubricant partner and will be working with them providing Motul products and technical support going forward. For the full interview with CMC’s MD, Nigel Woodward see page 20.
07/05/2021
Y
TRUSTED
owners and enthusiasts. cars, and we spoke to plenty of visitors about Motul's products including the brand new Car
1
15:51
LUBRICANTS TO EN HANCE YOUR CATERHAM
event usually takes place once a year to display their latest products and cars to Caterham On a sunny day, over 500 people attended with 240 Caterham owners coming along with their
Offer Flyer 2021.pdf
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
Care range. Contact UK Distribu tor Witham Motorsport
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ANWITHAM INTERVIEW WITH TOM INGRAM MOTORSPORT GETS OUT & ABOUT
MAY
AN INTERVIEW WITH TOM IN- P11 P3 GRAM
JULY
At the end of May we attended the Citroen C1 24 Hour challenge at Silverstone, with father and daughter drivers Patrick & Aimee Watts, who are one of our family of Motul Ambassadors. Read more about Patrick and Aimee’s racing on page 36.
JUNE We had a great couple of days back in June at the first show of the year. The Yorkshire Motorsport Festival took place in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire. With fun for all the family and a historic hill climb, we had a great time showcasing our Motul products to visitors, despite the unkind weather. A big thank you to Andy Ace Harrison for the loan of his Mini Whizz and supporting us on the stand.
At the end of July we were excited to exhibit with Motul at The
range of mineral lubricants specifically developed for engines
Classic at Silverstone, a renowned festival weekend with historic
and gearboxes in veteran, vintage and classic cars built between
motorsport at its heart. With fast-paced track action, live music and
1900 and 1970, as well as a semi-synthetic lubricant for naturally
entertainment, it’s an event for all ages and particularly popular with
aspirated and turbocharged original entries built after 1970. New
car clubs, historic race teams and drivers.
for 2021, Motul has also developed two new products targeting the
Founded in 1990, the Silverstone Classic was one of the first of motor sport meetings dedicated entirely to historic racing cars and it’s grown to welcome over 100,000 visitors each year, becoming the biggest retro racing festival in the world. In April, we were proud to announce that Motul has agreed a new multi-year partnership
Young Timer vehicles, Motul “Eighties” 10W40 and Motul “Nineties” 10W30. This dedicated ‘Classic Range’ also includes gear and rear axle oils, brake fluid and fuel additives together with maintenance and care products that are specifically produced to meet the specific requirements of historic vehicles.
with The Classic to become the official lubricant partner for the event. Like The Classic, Motul has a rich classic automotive heritage. In 1953 the ground-breaking lubricant giant Motul, developed the first multi-grade engine lubricant in the world. Then exactly 50 years ago in 1971, Motul was the first lubricant manufacturer to pioneer the formulation of a 100 per cent synthetic lubricant for automotive engines based on technology from the aeronautical industry - Motul’s renowned 300V range and is still considered the benchmark in all forms of motorsport but we also supply their
So what better way to celebrate that golden 50 years of 300 V anniversary in 2021 than a The Classic’s ‘Official Lubricant Partner’. Across the three days held on 30 July – 1 August, visitors enjoyed flat-out track action with cars from across the last 100 years of motorsport, incredible displays from 130 car clubs, high octane demos in the Shift and Drift zone and got behind the wheel with interactive driving experiences – plus much more. Witham Motorsport proudly helped organise Motul’s presence at The Classic, with key attractions on our stand, the unveiling of the GBS Zero – Motul Edition car, a special media day as well as a special 50 year of Motul parade and lots of interaction with drivers, car clubs and enthusiasts, all who are keen and proud to use and recommend Motul product and Witham technical support and service. We also sold a lot of high quality Motul merchandise as well as offering lots of fun giveaways.
The Motul Stand as we prepare
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for the Media Day
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We were next to the Mike Brewer stage!
t The Motul hospitality uni
Motul’s new Eighties and Nineties engine lubricants
Motul oils were used on the day
Patrick Watts & Andy Ace Harrison
A busy media day
A rainy day didn’t keep the visitors away
Motul products and merchandise were on sale throughout the weekend
We had another display at the
We had some great cars on the stand including this historic F2 Racer
A wide variety of classic cars seen racing on the famous Silverstone circuit paddock and pits
E Bikes and Golf buggies got us around
Tom Gresinger gettin
g ready to race!
A line up of over 20 cars took place in the parade to celebrate 50 years of 300V
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AN WITH TOM INGRAM AINTERVIEW UNIQUE BUILD
THE GBS ZERO PROJECT ZERO FINALLY COMPLETED… You will have seen in recent editions of the Oily Rag and also in the news, that we have been behind an exciting new project to build a car from scratch, using Motul oils in the making and for the running of the car. The partnership project with bespoke UK car manufacturer Great British Sport Cars (GBS) will create the Motul Edition GBS Zero.
AN INTERINGRAM
ZERO
VIEW WITH TOM
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LIVERY COMPETITION In May, we launched a brand new ‘GBS Zero – Motul Edition’ competition on our website and across our social media channels. The competition asked people to have a go at designing the livery of the new car, with the chance to win a Family Pass to the Classic at Silverstone, a whole range of Motul merchandise – and of course the chance to see their design on the completed car! Following an intensive judging process by our panel made up of Motul, Witham Motorsport and GBS Zero directors, the winner of the best design idea was Martin Lines from Bedfordshire. The panel praised his ingenious use of all of the GBS Zero and Motul creative branding elements. Martin joined us to see his design come to life at the unveiling of the car at Silverstone Classic, as well as winning an exclusive tour of the GBS factory in Ollerton. Our under 16’s category prize winner was Kaira Milburn, aged 10, from Maidstone in Kent. Her amazing, colourful design has won her family tickets for the event, along with a selection of Motul merchandise The runner up - Kaira
The livery competition winning design from Martin Lines
Milburn
THE SPECIFICATIONS The ultra-lightweight Zero sports car is powered by a 2.5 litre Ford Duratec engine, specially prepared by Neil Brown Engineering, the company that provides the motive power for the UK FIA Formula 4 championship - a series where Motul is proud to be the lubricant partner, providing the spec engine oil for all competitors. With a 240BHP unit, a dry sump oil system, ATR throttle bodies and a kerb weight of only 600kg, the Motul-Edition GBS Zero will have a power to weight ratio of almost 500BHP/Tonne, which will make it extremely rapid.
• • NBE 2.5 Duratec Engine With Dry Sump Kit • 5 Speed Manual Gearbox • ATR Throttle Bodies • 42mm 4_2_1 Exhaust Manifold • Carbon Fibre Finishing Panels • Rear Di_user • LED DRL Headlights • ATR Bespoke Motul Adjustable Suspension • ATR Bespoke Motul Brakes
• Front – ATR 300mm Floating Disc 4 Pot Caliper • Rear – Disc and Aluminium Caliper Upgrade • Motul Bespoke Interior • Push Start Button • Momo Quick Release Steering Wheel • Carbon Dash With Smith Gauges • Heated Bespoke Motul Sports Seats • GBS TRS Adjustable 4 Point Seat Belts • Sparco Flow Forge Wheels • Yokohama AD08 Tyres • Full Vehicle Dress Kit
Motul branded ATR Bespoke Adjustable Suspension
2.5 Duratec Engine With Dry Sump Kit
HERE ARE THE CAR’S SPECIFICATIONS: Gen 2 Chassis
The project to build this unique MOTUL EDITION GBS ZERO was formed from a special partnership with UK car manufacturer, Great British Sports Cars (GBS), Witham Motorsport and Motul. The lightweight hand-crafted sports car was built by the Nottinghamshire engineering company and from its machining of metal billets through all of the necessary turning, drilling and assembly processes, we believe this is the _first car in the world to be made and run on lubricants from the same manufacturer, in this case Motul. From cutting oils to hydraulic fluids used in the manufacturing process to make all the parts, to fluids used throughout the car, including: engine oil, gearbox oil, brake fluid, engine coolant, and greases, this car has been made to a performance standard with very special specifications. The car has Motul uniquely sculpted onto, or etched into, the brake callipers, headlamp covers, interior upholstery and even the chassis itself.
ATR 300mm Floating Disc 4 Pot Caliper
Special Motul branded heated sports seats
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AN INTERVIEW WITH TOM INGRAM THE BIG REVEAL!
AN INTERINGRAM
THE BUILD HAS BEEN CAPTURED IN AN AMAZING VIDEO... In preparation for the car being the star of the Motul stand at The Classic at Silverstone, work on the project was well underway – the special Ford Duratec engine was installed, all of the individual parts that could be were Motul branded and the first spray of the bodywork took place before Martin’s livery design was applied. A special video of the amazing story behind the car project is captured here: Click on the video link below or visit: https://youtu.be/Qj79abAmCH8
THE CAR WAS FINALLY REVEALED ON THE MEDIA DAY AT THE CLASSIC SILVERSTONE… The Motul GBS Zero in full glory!
The car was unveiled by Martin Lines the winner of the livery design competition and Hugh Dowding, from Motul HQ.
ZERO
VIEW WITH TOM
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ZERO
THE CAR GOING FORWARD
The GBS Zero Motul Edition will be used to promote Motul products and British engineering and will be seen with customers and our drivers and race teams, throughout the UK. As Motul UK Distributors, Witham Motorsport are the driving force behind the project. As Managing Director, Nigel Bottom explains; ”We have been supplying Motul products to Great British Sports Cars for some time and, having had the chance to meet Richard (Hall) and tour the factory, I was hugely impressed by the depth of their engineering skill, by their innovative ideas and by the fact that there was potentially a great story to be told, on the start-to-finish and beyond part, that Motul plays in the construction of this GBS Zero. The idea of a Motul-Edition seemed like a logical extension of this and so we embarked on what is a truly novel venture for a lubricant brand. We are delighted with the result and the car has attracted a lot of interest”. Motul has many exciting partnerships in which it is active around the world, but Silverstone’s Classic has been chosen as the venue for the car to make its public debut for a number of reasons, as Motul’s UK Business Development Manager Andy Wait explains. “We were delighted earlier this year to announce our partnership with Silverstone for The Classic. It is a huge festival of enthusiast motoring, with more than 100,000 people expected, so we wanted to make our first appearance there memorable and, therefore, to have the climax of the Motul GBS Zero initiative at Silverstone seems apt. Also, of course, the car shape has a retro look and feel to it, so it its in with the spirit of the classic event, as well as, offering us a great chance to showcase so much of what Motul can offer to the public.” Richard Hall from GBS said - “We are so proud of this build and have enjoyed immensely working with the WItham Motorsport Team and Motul.” At GBS, we want to be seen as the leaders in what we’re doing and making the best cars. And Motul is world-renowned for making the best fluids in motorsport and on the road. So, it was a really nice synergy between the two companies. Through Witham we stock Motul and put it in all our cars and recommend it to our customers. But we have to educate our customers. Many don’t understand the importance of fluids, but once they see the benefits, it’s a no-brainer ourselves included. When we first started the CNC machining, we were using a general cutting fluid, but when we switched to the high-performance Motul products, the difference was dramatic.”
MOTUL LAUNCHES NEW CLASSIC ENGINE OILS FOR ‘YOUNG TIMERS’
Nigel Bottom - MD Witham Motorsport
Andy Wait - Motul UK Business Development Manager
We look forward to promoting the car and have some fun and exciting times ahead.
Richard Hall - GBS Sports Cars
We’re pleased to announce the launch of two new Motul Classic products - CLASSIC EIGHTIES 10W-40 & CLASSIC NINETIES 10W-30. These two engine oils are dedicated to classic car lovers who specifically enjoy vehicles built between 1970s and 2000. While CLASSIC EIGHTIES is available in viscosity 10W-40, CLASSIC NINETIES engine oil is available in 10W-30. Both new products feature the distinctive Motul Classic design with specific elements reflecting the atmosphere of the respective decade.
LUBRICANTS USED FOR THE MOTUL GBS SPORTS CAR
Motul 300V Power Racing 5W30 Ideal for fast road & track
Motul RBF 600 Brakes
Motul Gear 300 75W90 Gearbox
Motul Autocool Optimial Coolant
Cutting Fluid
Motul was one of the first brands to launch a dedicated classic oil range back in 2008. These dedicated products with adapted detergent levels to better suit old engines, cover Pre-War vehicles up to ‘Youngtimers’ (also known as Modern Classics in the USA). As well as lubricants, the Classic range includes coolants, cleaners and care products exclusively designed for the maintenance and care of these automotive gems.
‘YOUNG TIMERS’ ARE THE FUTURE
The car has already attracted lots of ‘celebrities”
Motul’s never-ending quest for innovation and passion for performance has now led to the development of two engine oils, which deliver unrivalled protection and superb functionality for classic and vintage engines. Suitable for genuine or rebuilt engines, CLASSIC EIGHTIES 10W-40 and CLASSIC NINETIES 10W30 are semi-synthetic multigrade engine oils specially designed for Modern Classic and Youngtimer vehicles from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s fitted with 4-stroke engines, fueled by either Gasoline or Diesel, naturally aspirated, supercharged or turbocharged, injection or carburetor. These semi-synthetic formulas feature a high-Zinc (ZDDP) content for protection and Molybdenum for performance. Its unique formula, reinforced with synthetic base oils, provides excellent cold flow properties to prevent engine wear during start-ups and offers excellent cold-flow properties. The unique additives package also brings excellent long-term storage protection for those periods when driving just for fun just isn’t possible.
Motul Gear Comp 75W140
Motul Tech
TODAY’S TECHNOLOGY FOR YESTERDAY’S CLASSICS
Cars from the 1970s to 2000, with a lower level of investment required compared to earlier vintages, have become increasingly collectable and some specialists consider that the Modern Classic/Youngtimer market began when manufacturers started to replace chrome with plastic. Research shows that owners of these cars are typically young men under 40 who prefer to maintain their cars in the “Do-It Yourself” way, and who fully immerse themselves in this retro world.
Modern Classic/Young timer vehicles are those driven for fun, with passion, and by owners with an interest in collecting them – especially sport or premium/limited edition models. The market numbers almost 10 million cars, 50% of which are in the USA. There has never been a better time to update a Classic range and to get those cars back on the road and running better than ever.
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AN TOM INGRAM AINTERVIEW CLASSICWITH LUBRICANT PARTNERSHIP
AN INTERVIEW WITH TOM INGRAM
CLASSIC MOTOR CARS BRIDGENORTH “It doesn’t matter what we do, we want to be the best.”
Nigel Woodward - MD
What is your company ethos?
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supply a world class product line up with Motul and are by far the
Quality. It doesn’t matter what we do, we want to be the best.
most engaged lubricant partner we have found.
What is your latest news?
What is your favourite car of all time?
Well the biggest story recently here at CMC must be the
That is a difficult question. Its horses for courses and depends
restoration of Aston Martin’s Bulldog concept car. It has made
where and when we are speaking of, but a well set up E Type or
headlines around the world. Such a special car and a privilege to
XK150 would be up there and having restored an ex-works Aston
be involved in returning the legend to the road.
Martin DB3S, they are quite special to me too.
How has the last year impacted your business? Well once we were through the initial grey hairs and unknown,
Who would be in the passenger seat with you if you could choose and why?
overall we had a very busy year as people turned to their first
My partner Lucey. Sorry Stirling!
passion, classic cars in a time of uncertainty.
What are your plans for the business in the future?
What are your biggest challenges at the moment?
We have diversified hugely over the past four years, moving from
Finding technical staff is always a challenge and it seems even
a mainly Jaguar based business to looking after almost any type
more so at the moment. With full order books I could take on
of classic you can imagine. This diversification and expansion
three good technicians tomorrow.
continues and even includes electric vehicle.
When and why did you begin working with Witham Motorsport & Motul Products?
What gets you out of bed in the morning? Having a toyshop like Classic Motor Cars to come to every
Just this year. Early days but so far Witham’s have proved
morning means getting up isn’t a problem.
great partners, supplying now all our lubricants and fluids. A
Who is your inspiration in business?
good supplier needs to be a single, technical source of quality lubricants at a good price and be a partner, who shares our vision and actively works with us to drive our business forward. Witham
We are an employee ownership trust and so my inspiration is doing the best I can to lead the staff, who are our shareholders, to a successful future.
If you could do it all again, what would you do differently? The same but more quickly!
What has been your proudest moment? Finally becoming the MD of a major specialist and to some degree
Classic Motor Cars, based in Shropshire, specialises, as the name suggests, in everything Classic Cars. Operating from an amazing 60,000 sq.ft. premises in Bridgenorth, they offer everything from full nut and bolt restoration, to servicing, storage and car sales. As one of the most prestigious classic car garages in the country, we are delighted to now be supporting the garage with Motul Products and lubricant expertise, as well as providing the garage itself with bespoke signage, and merchandise. Recently, we interviewed CMC MD, Nigel Woodward to find out more about the business and what gets him out of bed in a morning… What’s the history of your business?
Who are your customers?
We were founded 28 years ago in 1993, by our chairman Peter
Almost all shades of classic enthusiast. From Austin owners
Neumark, a significant classic car collector and have since grown
to Aston Martins, we see a very broad church of owner come
into one of the most renown restorers in the UK if not the world.
through our doors.
having my own trainset has been something I have been working toward for most of my career.
Motul products now being used and sold
Are you interested in becoming a Motul Garage or would like to stock Motul’s extensive range of quality products? Please call: 01353 723373 or email: motul@withamgroup.co.uk for more information.
What does the business do? We look after all aspects of classic motor from storage to restoration, all in house under one roof.
Tell us about your background and how you got involved? I have been in the motor industry since before leaving school, working my school holidays at the local Datsun dealer. More recently I have lead Aston Martin’s factory restoration department and after a stint doing a similar role for Jaguar Land Rover, I took over here at Classic Motor Cars in 2018.
How many employees do you have? Currently around 40 people.
CMC classic car restoration is regarded as the gold standard by the worldwide Jaguar community
AN INTERVIEW
TECHNICAL ADVICE
A HELPFUL GUIDE TO OIL CHANGE INTERVALS GOOD GENERAL TIPS FOR USING LUBRICANTS
• Oil change with the right quality and operation on a regular basis is crucial for a long engine lifetime duration.
• Use lubricants, which comply with OEM service-fill
approvals, specifications, homologations or standards only. The information regarding the oil quality which is needed for your vehicle you can find in the owner manual or service documentation or on the Motul Lube Advisor.
operating conditions, which are rated either as heavy or normal
with an oil level and quality sensor the oil level is being checked
operating conditions. According to that the oil drain interval
on a regular basis and informs the driver if the oil level is at
(ODI) or remaining time until the next oil service are being
minimum. When this information appears on the dashboard,
reduced or kept to the maximum. In older vehicles without oil
then immediate top-up with the right oil quality, ideally with
level and quality sensor the oil level should be checked manually
the same oil quality is recommended. During the vehicles
with the dipstick according to the recommendation given by the
operation the ECU is collecting different information about the
owner manual e.g. every 1.000 miles..
operation conditions e.g. number of starts, distance, coolants
THERE WILL BE TELL-TALE SIGNS THAT THE OIL HASN’T BEEN CHANGED IN A LONG TIME
and oil temperature and for Diesel number of incomplete DPF regenerations.
In general a visual or instant oil check gives not enough information regarding the current oil condition, oxidation and no information how much wear and tear already appears. If the oil hasn’t been changed according to the OEM requirements and adopted to the operating conditions, the lubricant will be contaminated with solid impurities e.g. soot, dust, metal wear, which will cause sludge, heavy wear and tear on all engine components e.g. main bearings or turbo charger bearings and
• In case the oil level is too high, check if this could occur due to leaking or damaged injectors or too many incomplete DPF regenerations.
• Check if there is no income coolant into the lubrication circuit. • In case of an expected engine damage a used oil sample can be
nearly zero.
With the collected data the system evaluates the vehicles
and hardware modifications.
are removed from the lubrication circuit and the engine is oil during wintering is similar to the aging in a closed oil can –
nowadays to the specific OEM requirements. In modern cars
• Oil drain intervals should be adapted to operating conditions
• Ask the vehicle owner regarding the type of personal use and
perfectly protected with the fresh oil. Aging of the engine
How often oil should be checked and replaced depends
WHAT SHOULD A TECHNICIAN LOOK OUT FOR WHEN INSPECTING THE QUALITY OF THE LUBRICANTS USED?
• For seasonal used vehicles the oil change before winterising is recommended. All the contamination and impurities
Vital to avoid the build up of impurities, engine wear and tear, and reduced performance pressure, checking oil levels and quality is a must for all vehicle owners and garage technicians. We asked Motul’s Technical Support Manager in Paris – Alex Hornoff to explain more about oil changes and why they are so important…
• Don’t operate the vehicle with too low oil level, because the
mechanical and thermal stress can become too high for the remaining oil quantity. Heavy wear and tear will occur and can end up in worst case with serious engine damage, which needs cost intensive repair work.
• To avoid driving with low oil level it’s recommended to carry a 1 litre top-up oil can with the same oil quality which
evaluate if it runs under normal or heavy operating conditions.
analysed in a laboratory and show the type and quantity of wear
and tear and give the answer for the initial reason for the damage.
BEST WAYS TO ENSURE A CLEAN AND EASY LUBRICANT CHANGE
• Right place usually a workshop with the right equipment and tools for an oil change. Waste oil has to be collected and disposed according to the local regulations.
• Check upfront which oil quality and quantity is needed, have
has been used for the oil service. In case you need top-up oil,
the right engine oil and oil filter cartridge ordered from your
the right oil quality can be used straight, convenient
wholesaler or supplier.
and the travel can be continued without any risk. And you save money when you are using your top-up oil instead of buying expensive oil for top-up from gas stations.
• Selling top-oil actively will bring additional turnover for the
workshop. You can place the top-up oil can in the trunk with the offer to the customer, if the top-up oil hasn’t been used until the next oil service it will be used for the next service.
• When the engine has an increased oil consumption due to
• Warm-up the engine before oil change. With increased oil temperature the viscosity is reduced. This has impact on
time needed for the oil change procedure and how much used oil quantity will be drained.
• If the engine runs under heavy operating conditions, it will
cause additional deposits in the lubrication circuit. The use of a cleaning additive like Motul Engine Clean before oil change allows to remove dirt with the oil change from
high mileage you can reduce the oil consumption with
the entire lubrication circuit and remains the detergence and
a higher viscosity grade if the oil is still in line with OEM
dispersion performance of the new oil for a longer
requirements.
period of time.
• Use the right oil quantity. If there is too much engine oil in the lubrication circuit it will damage seals and the exhaust gas
after-treatment system e.g. lambda probe, catalytic converter
will reduce dramatically the overall engine lifetime duration.
and particulate filter.
At the same time also liquid contamination, e.g. unburned
SUMMARY
fuel, water or acids. This will affect the lubricant condition and performance. Engine oil dilution with unburned petrol, because of frequent short distance driving, will reduce the engine oil viscosity and this will have direct impact on the engine oil pressure as well. Usually the lubrication circuit is fitted with oil pressure sensors. Those oil pressure sensors observe the oil pressure during driving and will give a warning to the driver on the dashboard and the engine should be switched off immediately.
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If you are in any doubt about what oil to use, when it needs changing, or how it can affect you vehicle’s performance, we are here to help. We offer a free review of your lubricant usage and provide friendly support and technical or oil storage advice. Please contact Witham Motorsport: Tel 01353 723373
•
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ANNEW INTERVIEW WITH TOM INGRAM TALENT ON THE HORIZON
AN INTERVIEW WITH TOM INGRAM Who is the business or support team behind you?
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held at MG Live which is the biggest event on the Championships
My team is family orientated, on a race weekend it consists of
calendar. We sometimes are invited by the MG Owner Club to join
myself, my father and mother. My father does the majority of the
their race meetings although I have not raced with them yet.
spannering but I am also able to help with the preparation of the
Which tracks will you be at this year/next year?
car, my mother makes sure that everything is done on time and organises us.
This season I will/have been at Silverstone, Brands Hatch, Oulton Park, Donington Park and Snetterton.
Do you have a favourite track? Do you have a favourite section from a circuit? My favourite track is Donington Park as it is an old school track which is fast and flowing. My favourite section of the track is going down Craner curves and into the Old Hairpin. I love these two corners as you are able to carry so much speed through them and even the slightest of movements can upset the car so you really
WE’RE BACKING PROMISING YOUNG DRIVER JOE DALGARNO We’re proud to announce that we’re backing another young racing hopeful Joe Dalgarno. Aged just 19 years old, Joe is a Motorsport UK Academy student and promising race driver. We’ll be supporting Joe as lubricant partner as he embarks on the MG Trophy Championship, and will supporting him with Motul lubricants for his car, whilst keenly following his progress this year. Here we ask him how he got started and what his dreams are for the future...
have to nail it every time.
Most memorable race? My most memorable race was Brands Hatch earlier this year, for the majority of the 20 minute race I had to defend against the much faster Josh Bacon. At one point we were side by side for
What was your first race? My first ever race in the MG Trophy Championship was at
What makes a good driver?
What kind of motorsport do you currently compete in?
To me a good driver is someone who can always extract the most
Championship.
What sort of car do you drive and what are the special features?
We are a family run team that is based in Basingstoke, Hampshire.
How long have you been involved in motorsport?
I race a MG ZR in the MG Trophy Championship. We built the
I have been involved in motorsport since I was 12 when I competed
current car ourselves making sure it complied with all relevant
in an arrive and drive karting championship at the Castle Coombe
motorsport regulations. The car is fully stripped out, fitted with a
circuit in Wiltshire. I competed in this for 4 years. Alongside this in
full roll cage and bucket seat, the engine has been mapped to 170
2016 I started competing in auto tests and auto solos with my local
hp. Coilovers and semi-slick tyres are used to help keep the car
car club, Basingstoke Motor Club. From 2018 until present I have
stuck to the black stuff.
been competing in the MG Trophy Championship.
What preparation is involved between races? After a race weekend I will take the car back home, give it a
How did you get into it and who or what was your inspiration?
thorough clean, a full visual inspection and spanner check. I will also repair or replace any broken, damaged or worn out parts. The car receives an oil change and flush through of the brake fluid. I
Ever since I was at nursery school I have always wanted to be a
will then prepare the suspension and steering set-up for the next
racing driver, when I was in my early teenage years myself and my
race circuit.
sister shared a car that we learnt to drive around the farm that I live
Do you do any training – what’s the endurance like?
on. It was a little 1.0 VW Polo which I very soon got bored of and wanted something with a bit more power. That is when my dad splashed out £90 on my first MG ZR, this got ragged around farm fields and latterly got used in autotests and autosolos, this ignited my love for MG’s but more importantly, motorsport. I have taken inspiration from many successful racing drivers, the person I have taken most inspiration from is Jack Goff as he once competed in the MG Trophy Championship and this proves to me that you can be successful and make a career from the path that I am taking and I use this as motivation to help push myself further.
my first podium of the season.
Silverstone on the national track in April 2018.
I’m currently competing in track racing in the MG Car Club Trophy
Where do you and or your team come from and where are you based?
most of the lap but I luckily was able to stay in front and claim P3,
On a race weekend there is a 20 minute qualifying and two twenty minute races, this can be all on one day so can be quite physically demanding. We usually have a track day immediately prior to the race weekend to help with final car set-up. To keep me in shape I play football 3-4 times a week to help with my fitness.
What’s your racing schedule like? How many events per year? There are normally six rounds each season with two races at each round, the championship aims to visit all of the premier tracks such as Silverstone, Brands Hatch and Donington. Silverstone’s race is
from the car, someone who never gives up and always gives it everything regardless of their situation. Being able to keep a level head and staying in control of emotions when out on track is also extremely important. Being able to talk and understand your mechanics, giving professional interviews and having strong relationships with sponsors are also very essential skills to have when you are a good and successful driver.
How does the oil in a car affect its performance? The greatest increase performance has come from the brake fluid. Before when using the previous Dot 5 brake fluid I would get brake fade by the end of a race, however now with Motul’s brake fluid I don’t get any brake fade which gives me more confidence going into each braking zone.
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ANNEW INTERVIEW WITH TOM INGRAM TALENT ON THE HORIZON How did you get to know about Witham Motorsport and Motul and what does it mean to have this support? We were first contacted by Nigel Bottom in 2020 after the business my dad manages changed its main oil supplier to Witham Oils. They were very interested to hear about my racing and offered to supply Motul products for our race season in 2021. As a small family race team this has been a great help for ourselves both helping with our running costs but also giving us access to help and advice from an experienced motorsport sponsor and product supplier.
What Motul products do you use? From the Motul range I use their 300V engine oil and their dot 4 racing brake fluid.
Review The Motul oil that you have supplied me with, the 300V Chrono10w/40, has a feeling of high quality, the metal cans are far more substantial than other company’s plastic bottles. They are also a lot easier to transport due to their shape and size, this is important to us since we do a lot of traveling and are very limited on space. The Motul brake fluid is especially good, with a boiling point a lot higher than the DOT 5 product I was previously using, I have felt the difference in the car as now I don’t get any brake fade in any of my races.
What is the key to a good lubricant partner?
Would you recommend Motul and Witham Motorsport to anyone else and if so why? I would definitely recommend Motul and Witham Motorsport to
A good lubricant partner will have a full range of products to
others as the products are of such high quality, even the packaging
meet the exacting requirements of my car’s engine, transmission
is far superior to anything else I’ve ever used.
and other components. Having these readily available in easy to
What do you do on a day off?
use packaging helps make fluid replacement and topping up a straightforward task. An oil analysis service can be very helpful in identifying issues which could identify impending component failure. It is also important to have a contact point with the partner who understands your requirements.
When I’m not racing I am at college, I’m currently on the Motorsport UK Academy course. This is a course is tailored to promising young racing drivers to try and jump start their careers. I study business, sports, vehicle maintenance. I also enjoy helping
CLASSIC CLASSICOF OFTHE THEDECADE DECADEII
Rover’s iconic first off-road vehicle was the first mass produced civilian four-wheel drive car, which entered production in 1948. A true classic in every sense, setting the benchmark to all off road machine in the future. The clue was always there, in the name. The Land Rover was designed to rove the land, regardless of conditions and it all started with the Series 1 Land Rover 80, which was designed as a “post war Jeep” for the Farmer’s field rather than the battlefield. Aluminium body panels, a result of the post war shortage of steel was a feature that would continue to be seen on later Land Rover products. Early prototypes feature a 1.4 litre engine which was soon upgraded to a 1.6 Litre. Rover quickly saw that the vehicle’s appeal went beyond expectations. In 1949 the British Army placed its first order. It wanted 1,878, so many, that the decision was made to paint all Land Rovers in the Army’s dark green, and they saw their first action the following year, in the Korean War. Demand for this new vehicle was amazing. By 1951, Land Rovers were out-selling Rover road cars by a factor of two to one. Something that was not fully anticipated, was the fact that the Land Rover was adaptable to a huge range of markets other than farmers. Quickly it was being used by police forces, armed services, building contractors, and many more unique applications. The Red Cross ordered its first Land Rovers in 1954, and its relationship with them endures to this day.
ENGINE OIL
a more traditional route and have started off in karts. Other than that I wouldn’t change anything else, I am proud of what I have achieved and believe I can go on to fulfil my dreams.
Dreams and plans for the future? My dream would be to race in BTCC, it is something that I have been watching for years and I love how close and competitive their racing is. My plan is to continue competing in the MG Trophy Championship and then progress up the motorsport ladder until I eventually end up in the BTCC.
CAPACITY 5.5 LITRES
SAE30 Mineral Monograde Oil is especially suitable for engines prior to the 1950s. These oils are Specially designed for Classic vehicles requiring a SAE 30 viscosity grade lubricant and help easier start-ups for vehicles that are stored for long period of time as well as support the vehicles performance in a variety of temperatures and operating conditions.
I would have liked to have started when I was younger and taken
would be nice to give a little something back.
The Land Rover had a very successful first ten years, but by 1958 the introduction of the Series II with its larger engine brought the Series 1 production to a close. This Pioneering off road machine continues to be seen on the roads today. Motul and Witham Motorsport are proud to supply the lubrication for the historic machine and many other classics.
GEARBOX
CLASSIC SAE 30
The only thing that I would change is the age of which I started,
since they put so much time and effort into me and my racing it
A “long wheelbase” 107” Land Rover was also introduced. These new models proved expensive, with a surprising number of new parts including new prop-shafts, springs, exhaust, and body panelling.
The lubricant recommendations for the 1940’s Land Rover Series 1 include:
If you had the chance to change anything about what you do or have done what would it be?
If they would let me I would like to take my parents out in the car,
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1940’S LAND ROVER - SERIES 1
on the farm during the summer harvest period.
Who would you like to take for a drive?
AN INTERVIEW WITH TOM INGRAM
GEARBOX 80W90 GEARBOX 80w90 Gear Oil is reinforced with Molybdenum bisulphide to handle heavy loads and reduce transmission noise. For use in mechanical transmission, synchronised or not synchronised gearboxes, gearbox/differential, transfer gearbox and hypoid differentials without limited slip system operating under shocks, heavy loads and low revolution speed or moderate loads and high revolution speed. Very high lubricating power decreases friction and wear.
COOLANT
Auto Cool Classic -25°C Motul Auto Cool Classic -25°C is a ready to use cooling liquid, four seasons, based on monoethylene glycol, using non-organic additives. Recommended for all cooling systems: passenger cars,and classic vehicles.
For more information about all Motul’s lubricants, greases, coolants, brake fluids and gearbox oils for both classic and modern vehicles visit our website: withammotorsport.co.uk
P28 P3
AN INTERVIEW WITH TOM INGRAM CAR CLUB SPOTLIGHT
AN INTERVIEW WITH TOM INGRAM
The Historic Sports Car Club
P29 P3
The HSCC is a Club run for its members, with a prime aim of delivering racing for its members. It is not profit driven but must, of course, endeavour to provide a modest return on investment. The Club unveiled its 2021 race programme, covering eight race meetings on nine different circuits and headlined by weekends on the Silverstone and Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuits and the Oulton Park Gold Cup. New for 2021 is an extended two-day mid-summer meeting at Donington Park and a return to Mallory Park for a weekend event in September. As before, the HSCC will have organised club races for the high-profile Silverstone Classic, which ran from Friday to Sunday, 30 July-1 August.
Car clubs are a huge part of our motorsport world and we are proud to be the lubricant partner for many clubs throughout the UK – from Vintage clubs, to specific car types like Mercedes Benz and TVR owners. We offer members the chance to have lubricant and technical advice on tap as well as providing support for their magazines, events and special offers throughout the year. In this edition we look at The Historic Sports Car Club and thank Paul Lawrence, from the club, for taking the time to give us an insight into their history, what they offer members and their popular race meeting schedule. The HSCC was created in 1966 by a small group of enthusiasts, notably Guy Griffiths and Betty Haig. They were frustrated by a lack of races for older sports cars and wanted to stop them being modified, inappropriately, beyond their original specification or exported to the USA. Members from the sixties, and we have quite a few, say that the Club was formed to help competitors enjoy themselves racing ‘nice proper cars’ on interesting circuits.
From offices at the heart of Silverstone circuit, the HSCC is a guardian of historic racing and works to make this branch of the sport as accessible as possible. Its race categories cover single-seaters, sports, GT and touring cars and so there is racing for all tastes. Everything from a Mini Cooper to a mighty Formula 5000 racing car has a place with the HSCC.
Griffiths and Haig were part of a very small group who thought historic cars should be preserved. Today, the Club is proud to have played a role in making historic racing the fastest growing part of the UK racing scene, and is a thriving, innovative and experienced organiser of historic racing and historic championships and series. The Club is home to cars from the late 1950s right through to the early years of the 2000s.
With eight prime race meetings taking in the leading UK circuits, 16 race categories covering a fantastic array of cars and the award-winning Historic Formula 2 category as a flagship, the HSCC is set for the best season so far in its 55year history. New for 2021 are the Geoff Lees Trophy for 1980s single-seaters and the 80s Production Car Challenge, both new series designed to introduce a new generation of cars to historic racing.
The 2021 new racing season, has underlined the Club’s leading position in historic racing and affirmed its core values, detailing 10 key reasons to race with the Club.
THE 10 CORE VALUES OF THE HSCC ARE:
The first race winner back in 1966
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Genuine historic racing A friendly Club of like-minded enthusiasts Races on the best UK and European tracks Value for money motor sport Sporting competition First class atmosphere: on and off-track Focus on good driving standards Diligent safety and eligibility scrutineering A progressive Club, professionally run for the members A range of cost-saving members’ benefits
Other highlights included an early summer weekend at Cadwell Park for the Wolds Trophy and the annual Championship Finals meeting on the Silverstone National Circuit in October. The Brands Hatch Indy date moved to a Friday to join the Grand Prix circuit weekend, making a threeday event using both versions of the famous Kent track. The season opened in mid-April with a weekend at Snetterton.
a raft of experienced volunteers, working in partnership with MotorSport Vision drew over 330 competitors and delivered an outstanding event on the superb Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit.
The HSCC recently won one of the most prestigious awards in historic motor sport after being announced as winner of the ‘Competitive Event of the Year’ in 2020 edition of the annual Royal Automobile Club Historic Awards.
The event drew glowing praise from many competitors, marshals and spectators and brought a wonderful sense of normality and camaraderie back into the lives of many after more than three months of lockdown.
The awards celebrate the historic motor sport year and the HSCC’s Legends of Brands Hatch Super Prix was judged as the ‘Competitive Event of the Year’. Last year, the HSCC’s Historic Formula 2 International Series was named ‘Race Series of the Year’.
THE REMAINDER OF THE 2021 HSCC CALENDAR IS:
Last July, the HSCC’s Brands Hatch event kick-started the 2020 historic racing season as the sport began to emerge from the first COVID-19 lockdown. This landmark event proved that historic racing could restart while staying firmly in line with UK government and Motorsport UK rules and guidelines in the face of the global pandemic. An extraordinary effort by the HSCC team, led by the Club’s CEO Andy Dee-Crowne supported by HSCC staff, officials and
Sat-Mon 28-30 August: Oulton Park International Sat/Sun 18/19 September: Mallory Park Sat/Sun 16/17 October: Silverstone National
Witham Motorsport and Motul are proud to support the Historic Sports Car Club and look forward to working with them further over the year ahead. For more information about the Historic Sports Car Club, their news and events please visit their website: hscc.org.uk If you belong to a car club and would like to be involved with us or featured in our next Oily Rag magazine please get in touch!
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FLOOR PAINTS TO TRANSFORM YOUR WORKSHOP AN INTERVIEW WITH TOM INGRAM
AN INTERVIEW WITH TOM INGRAM
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We supplied Just Audi VW in Lincoln with floor paint for the build of their car workshop. They came to us looking for advice on what finish to apply to the concrete floors that would be resistant and provide protection against oil spillages, but at the same time providing a smart finish. We recommended Koverflor, Type D, Two Pack Epoxy Floor Paint in Dark Grey BS 00A09 (TDS 461). This solvent based paint gives an outstanding hardness and abrasion resistant coating. Designed to be resistant to a wide range of chemicals, oils, petrol, detergents and solvents.
We don’t just supply oils and greases! The Witham Group have been supplying a whole range of useful paints and coatings for over 100 years. One of our most popular ranges is floor paint, ideal for transforming garages and workshops our floor and line marking paints are manufactured to aid cleaning, resist marking and stains and provide attractive long lasting finishes to hard worked areas. Available in a variety of popular colours our paints are easily applied giving a robust and hard wearing finish...
Our Floor Paint Range KOVERFLOR EPOXY FLOOR PAINT - TYPE D
APPLICATION
• Iso-cyanate free better for the environment and applicator • Can be applied to concrete, brickwork, blasted steel and wood to give a highly durable finish • Exceptional chemical resistance
This ever popular product gives an outstanding hardness and abrasion resistant coating. Designed to be resistant to a wide range of chemicals, detergents, minerals, vegetable oils and the large majority of solvents. Can be used on newly laid and mature concrete, quarry tiles and paving stones.
KOVERFLOR POLYURETHANE FLOOR PAINT - TYPE F
APPLICATION
An outstanding polyurethane based, quick drying, single pack oil and petrol resisting paint. Ideal for use on clean, dry mature concrete, brickwork, quarry tiles, stone, wood and linoleum. It gives a tough abrasion resistance finish and reliable on surfaces that are subject to hard wear. Using this product can also prevent a cement floor from ‘dusting up’. It is recommended for many uses but especially used in offices, corridors, workshops, show rooms and high pedestrian traffic areas.
KOVERFLOR CHLORINATED RUBBER FLOOR PAINT - TYPE B
BEFORE
BENEFITS
BENEFITS • Based on lead free pigments better for the environment and applicator • Can be applied to concrete, brickwork, blasted steel and wood • Formulated to give a highly durable finish
APPLICATION
BENEFITS
A rubber based floor paint for use on strongly alkaline surfaces, such as new concrete • Extremely good chemical resistance
or where a high degree of chemical resistance is required. This product is ideal for use in chemical plants, water works, sewage installation, milking parlours, canteens, dairies
• Extremely high level of abrasion resistance
and workshops, where resistance to chemicals, urine, acids, petrol and lubricating oils is
• Tolerant to aggressive cleaning methods
important. An extremely robust paint, this is also ideal for agricultural uses, stables and kennels.
CHLORINATED RUBBER BASED LINE MARKING PAINT
APPLICATION
• Excellent chemical and weather resistance • Excellent adhesion • Fast drying for rapid handling • Available in White, Yellow and Red.
A heavy-duty chlorinated rubber preparation designed for application to concrete, wood and tarmacadam surfaces. It affords exceptional durability and offers high resistance to abrasion caused by road traffic. Excellent to mark out hazards, roadways, parking bays, etc.
EPOXY WATER BASED FLOOR PAINT B
AFTER
A hard wearing, water based, solvent free two pack floor coating for use in areas of heavy traffic. I.e. fork lift trucks and vans. It contains no organic solvents and has only a low odour with no surface tackiness. This product can be applied to damp substrates and offers an extremely high level of abrasion resistance. It is also tolerant to aggressive cleaning methods and provides extremely good chemical resistance.
BENEFITS
APPLICATION
BENEFITS • Water based, low odour • Can be applied to damp substrates • Extremely high level of abrasion resistance • Tolerant to aggressive cleaning methods • Extremely good chemical resistance • Available in eggshell or semi-gloss.
P32 P3
AN INTERVIEW WITH TOM INGRAM A WINNING FORMULA
AN INTERVIEW WITH TOM INGRAM
WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU AND MOTUL NOW? Before I knew it, I was promoting Motul, started using it in my race car and we changed all our oil supplies to Motul. So, now all our service customers use it. It’s a brilliant relationship. It’s win-win both sides. From my point of view, I’m loving it. I have great customer support when I need questions answering, and they’re giving me good feedback. We also run “Motul Monday” on social media, where every Monday we share pictures of Motul-derived things in the workshop with our followers to wish them a happy week.
P33 P3
WE’VE HEARD ABOUT YOUR RATHER SPECIAL SINGLE-SEATER FORD. CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT IT? It’s a Ford-based single-seater from the sixties, and we’re using it as a demo car at the Silverstone Classic. It was built to race at Goodwood. We run it on full Motul products. From anti-freeze through to the gearbox oil, it is all Motul based. And we’ve now started even using Motul cleaning products on it. It fits in with the Motul red. We’ve got the classic Motul badges on it and I have the Motul badge on the helmet.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE PRODUCTS THAT ATTRACTED YOU? We strip our race engines down every other race, and we have never known so little wear pattern since we started using Motul’s products. I heard on the grapevine that 20W60 was a good oil, so I put some in the race car, tested it on the dyno and noticed a small performance increase. We stripped the engine and gearbox down after the first race, and it was unbelievable: we had zero problems. It’s a phenomenal oil.
WHAT’S YOUR BACKGROUND?
ACESPEED HISTORIC MOTORSPORT:
Racing’s my main thing. We race at Silverstone Classic, Goodwood, Spa, Pau, we’ve even raced at Sebring. We go wherever we get invited. At the moment I’m racing an Alfa Romeo and a little single-seater Formula Junior, and we’re building a really famous Formula Ford, which we’ll race.
“WE HAVE NEVER SEEN SO LITTLE WEAR SINCE USING MOTUL” For more than 30 years, Andy Harrison has been running Acespeed Historic Motorsport, a specialist restoration, servicing and repair company for classic cars. But a chance meeting with Motul’s boss back in 2009 led to him changing oil brands – and he hasn’t looked back. Now, he trusts Motul in the rare and wonderful cars he services, as well as his own racing machines. Witham Motorsport is proud to work closely with Andy and his team and here is an interview he recently did for Motul’s media crew. HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH MOTUL, ANDY? It started after I went to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2009 as a hospitality guest. I got chatting to somebody in the VIP lounge who turned out to be Motul’s chief executive. We had already been using Motul at work and he asked me a few questions about what I thought of Motul sponsoring the race. I said: “I can’t think of a better thing for a lubricant company to sponsor than a 24-hour race if you want to prove your product works”. He was impressed by this answer and it was the start of my relationship with the brand.
WHAT DOES ACESPEED HISTORIC MOTORSPORT DO? We specialise in British sixties and seventies classic cars. We do a lot of prep on Minis, Formula Juniors, MGs, Jaguars, but also Alfa Romeos, Fiats and even the occasional Ferrari. So, it’s quite a range of cars we look after.
WATCH OUR FULL INTERVIEW WITH ANDY HARRISON https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJ79Aiq8Av8&t=2s
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AN WITHAM INTERVIEW MOTORSPORT WITH TOM NEWS INGRAM CLEANING RANGE
CLASSIC OF THE DECADE III
AN INTERVIEW WITH TOM INGRAM
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1950 JAGUAR - XK120
Great Feedback for Motul’s Car Care Range We’ve been delighted to hear your feedback about the new Motul Car Care range. With their many years of experience and indepth expertise, Motul’s cleaning and accessory products provide effective and lasting care for both the interior and exterior of your vehicle. The Car Care range features eleven cleaning products, including a glass cleaner, car shampoo, wheel rim cleaner and leather cleaner, alongside half a dozen dedicated accessories, such as microfibre cloths, sponges for bodywork, rim brushes and wash mits. The range also includes products for interim car repairs, such as a tyre puncture spray and scratch remover. From drivers to garages, press to race teams, you’ve been testing out the new products, and here are just some of your comments so far… Total Kit Car magazine describe it as: “a bit of a star if the results of my first use are anything to go by. A clear liquid that has a minty smell, it flashes quickly and gave me a lovely, clean, streak-free crystal shine”.
The XK120 was launched at the 1948 London Motor Show with the XK engine designed by Jaguar Chief Engineer William Lyons. The XK120 was a late decision to provide a ‘concept’ to show off Jaguar’s new XK twin camshaft 3.4 litre 6-cylinder engine. Fitted to a shortened version of a new chassis destined for a luxury saloon and clad with an all aluminium two-seater roadster body style, the car was such a success when launched at the British Motor Show in 1948 that Jaguar had to move the car over to full scale production. As the name implies the car was capable of up to 120mph (proved on numerous occasions by public exhibition). More than half a century since it came on the scene, the XK120 remains one of the most beautiful automobile designs of all time. Yet, astonishingly, the car that wowed the press and the crowds on the Jaguar stand at the 1948 motor show had been put together in just a few weeks. The XK120 not only looked gorgeous but it also had performance and speed almost unimaginable in those days, with 120mph within its reach at a time when only an handful of exclusive models could reach 100mph and most family cars were beginning to run out of breath at 60. The twin overhead camshaft 3.4-litre engine had extraordinary qualities: it would happily allow the driver to dawdle along boulevards in top gear, while for the competitive owner it was fully ready to race - and to win - without further preparation. By 1950 bodywork production had moved over to all steel and in 1951 an additional model, the fixed head coupe was produced, at the time unique in having saloon car interior appointments
including wind up side widows, lockable doors and wood veneered dashboard. In 1953 a further new model was added, the drop head coupé providing the benefits of open top motoring, but with a quick action hood and luxury appointments. The XK120 stayed in production until 1954 when the XK140 was introduced. The car at the shows was almost identical to the production cars except that the straight outer pillars of its windscreen were curved on the production version. The car attached much attention and was soon put into production. The car started life was a wood-framed open 2-seater with aluminium panels, with manufacturer switching to all-steel in 1950. The “120” in the name referred to the cars 120mph top speed, which made it the world’s fastest production car at the time of its launch, and famous owners of the car included Clark Gable and XK120s were also highly successful in racing and rallying.
The lubricant recommendations for the 1950’s Jaguar - XK120 include: ENGINE OIL
DIFFERENTIAL, REAR
CAPACITY 16,6 LITRES CLASSIC SAE 30 CLASSIC SAE 50
GREASES MULTI GREASE 200 / MOLY GREASE TECH GREASE 300
90 PA
COOLANT AUTO COOL EXPERT -37°C
CAPACITY 2 LITRES HD 80W90 GEARBOX 80W90
TRANSMISSION
CARBURETTOR
CAPACITY 1,4 LITRE CLASSIC SAE 30
CLASSIC SAE 30
HYDRAULIC BRAKE / CLUTCH SYSTEM DOT 3 & 4
DOT 5.1
RBF 600
RBF 660
RBF 700
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AN INTERVIEW WITH TOM INGRAM EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
AN INTERVIEW WITH TOM INGRAM
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It’s a little bit like a game of chess. You haven’t got to be too proactive on what you’re going to do next, you have a lot of time to plan things. If you slipstream and you have a guy alongside you, you can look across at them, make eye contact, give them a little bit the evil eyes down the straight. Come the next corner, all hell breaks loose as you brake late and force your way down the inside through the corner, then it all goes quiet again as you wait for the next corner to come up. It’s great fun.
So for those who haven’t come across a race with this format before, can you guide us through it? This weekend, it’s a collection of people that want to go out and win a race. It’s held over 24 hours, unlike a 20-minute sprint race which a lot of people are very familiar with. It’s all about teammates and working with two, three or even four other people.
New Ventures for Ex British Touring Car Champion Patrick Watts and his Daughter Aimee
Some teams have six people taking it in relay to race. normally put into the wheel bearings on a road car, but it’s got higher impact properties, the wheel just whizzes round and round when you spin it on an axle stand. That little bit less friction helps us down the straights.
After excelling during the 80s and 90s in a range of single-make categories, most notably the British Touring Car Championship, these days Patrick Watts scratches his competitive itch on the historics scene and, most recently at the Citroen C1 Challenge’s 24-Hour blue-riband event at Silverstone... Designed to provide a low-cost route into endurance racing,
The C1 racing was brought about by a fantastic weekend I had up
the category is centred around the first-generation C1 model,
here [at Silverstone] with an old team-mate of mine from when I
equalised centrally to provide a level playing field and put the
was doing touring cars, Simon Harrison.
drivers – in teams of up to six in some cases – front and centre in the quest for success.
We use Motul for the gearbox oil, again a high-impact, thin racing gearbox to again reduce friction on that component of the car. If that all adds up to 1 mile an hour, in this championship, it means you won’t be overtaken on the straight and you might have a chance of overtaking the person in front. We’ve even got their cleaning products, which we use on the wheels and windscreen to stop it misting up, get all the rubbish
He said ‘come up and do this Citroen C1 championship’ and I
off from the other cars when they come in for a pit stop and makes
wondered what it was. He said ‘it’s a 24-hour race, come up and
The pit stops are around every two hours and ten minutes, which
We sent the Oily Rag down to the ‘Home of British Motorsport’
do it with us’, so I did. It’s fantastic racing, the C1 is tremendous
is how long it takes a tank of fuel to empty, so you’re out there for
to have a catch up with Patrick, one of our Motul Ambassadors,
fun to race.
that length of time and it’s quite a long time racing, but one thing
about his latest on-track programme and the role Motul’s
We’ve been around the paddock today to have a look around, it’s quite a competitive series, isn’t it?
I will say – it feels like an hour. You just don’t realise you’re coming
products have played in the race for every tenth of a second in such a highly competitive field.
So, Patrick, we’re here at Silverstone for the Citroen C1 Challenge 24-Hour race, can you tell us a little bit about the series and how you got into it? We’re currently doing the Citroen C1 Championship with Aimee this year. At Patrick Watts Racing, we prepare a few cars for historic racing, including a few classic cars I’ve got. It’s a bit of a hobby business.
When you’ve got so many cars on the grid that are identical, it
to the end of your stint until they give you an ‘in’ board. That’s how much fun you’re having.
doesn’t matter where you are on the grid, whether it’s towards
There are boring parts to this racing because when a car goes off
the back or the front, you are going to have a race, and you have
in the dark, they will invariably put out a safety car and you have
plenty of time down the straights to think about your tactics
to follow it around at about 40 miles an hour. But that’s where the
coming into each corner.
C1 comes into its own, you can tune in to Radio 2 or Radio 4!
everything crystal clear, that’s a really nice addition to the oil. The race itself was ended prematurely for Watts and his teammates on board the #506 after an early incident left their C1 too damaged to continue. Nevertheless, we look forward to seeing Patrick and co. back out on track in the near future!
What competitive edge does using Motul’s products provide? The thing about this championship, it’s very restricted on what you can do to the car, but one thing they do say is you can use any oil. So I will go for the best oil, not only to make the car last the duration of 24 hours, but also I want to go for thin oil. So we’re using very thin racing oils, which means less friction in the engine, but also less chance of it wearing out or getting damaged within a 24-hour race. It’s the little details, we use a special grease of Motul’s in the wheel bearings, and that’s a thinner grease than a garage would
WATCH THE HONEST INTERVIEW NOW https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GveFGSwj7T4
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ANA INTERVIEW INGRAM PASSIONWITH FORTOM HISTORIC RACING
AN INTERVIEW WITH TOM INGRAM
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ANDREW JORDAN: “THESE ARE EXPENSIVE CARS AND WE NEED RELIABILITY” IS THE FOCUS PURELY ON CLASSIC RACING CARS?
It’s all classic racing cars. We’ve done some road cars, but mostly we focus on racing. That ranges from Lotus Cortinas (we’re on our 11th), 1960s 911s, Cobras, we’re just about to start a build on a Bizzarrini, which is a beautiful Italian sportscar from the 1960s. That will be a big project. We haven’t put all our eggs in one basket by focusing on one make or model. What we do specialise in is making the cars beautiful built and very fast.
In 2013, Andrew Jordan won the British Touring Car Championship behind the wheel of a Honda Civic. But the Motul ambassador has since retired from BTCC, swapping the high-intensity racing series to run a classic car workshop and racing team with his father. This is his story… ANDREW, WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO AFTER RETIRING FROM BTCC? When I was doing the BTCC, I always wanted to have something else going on, because I knew touring cars wouldn’t last forever. Also, at the level we were at in touring cars, it’s only fun when you win. You don’t necessarily enjoy the driving because of the pressure. My family has run a race team since the late 1980s, and my dad has raced for years, so we’ve always been involved with cars. Our work with historic cars really started when my dad and I bought an historic for a bit of fun. We’d seen the Goodwood Revival and wanted to do that. Since then, it’s just snowballed. We started with an Austin A40 for us to drive, and we’re now on our 36th car build and we have over 40 cars that we look after. It’s got very big. Touring cars was obviously a big thing for me for 12 years, but I couldn’t do it now and be as busy as I am here. It has worked out well time-wise.
thought we would build it and take it to Goodwood Revival and compete in the St Mary’s Trophy, where it’s up against MK1 Jaguars and the like. In fact, it’s probably still our favourite car, considering all the cars we’ve built, from Porsches to Cobras. It’s the car that gives us the biggest smile.
IS IT DIFFICULT TO SWITCH BETWEEN SO MANY DIFFERENT MODELS?
All the fundamentals are the same. There’s sometimes a bit of a learning curve for our very first Cortina or 911. But as myself and my dad have done a lot of driving over the years, we’ve got a lot of experience of car setup. That’s also good for customers looking to improve their lap times because we can analyse the data logging and show them where they are losing time and how to improve. We can help them shortcut a lot of their learning through our expertise not just in car set up but driving, too.
YOU’RE A MOTUL AMBASSADOR AND USE THE PRODUCTS IN YOUR BUILDS. WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO MOTUL AND WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF ITS PRODUCTS?
We started working together on a couple of Goodwood projects, and we said there’s probably something more we could do. Motul has great products, and we build great cars, so why not work together on something more official? They get the benefit of being associated with us, and we get the benefit of having Motul on board as a partner. I’m also a Motul ambassador. Every car we work on uses Motul. It’s completely exclusive. Whether it’s brake fluid or gearbox oil. It’s something we’re very proud of. As they evolve different products, we can test them and give feedback as we work on such a huge variety of cars. The quality of Motul is a big thing. A lot of these cars are on very tight tolerances, and you’ve got to have the good stuff in there to keep the longevity. These are expensive cars, expensive engines, and we need the reliability. So, you’ve got to put the best you can in there.
YOU’RE TAKING PART IN SILVERSTONE CLASSIC SOON. IS IT NICE TO GET OUT OF THE WORKSHOP AND GO RACING?
It’s my favourite thing. I love building the cars, and seeing the progression of them coming together, but you can’t beat getting out on an event. Seeing people enjoying their cars, driving myself, and helpfully getting some good results. That’s the main thing we work towards. The Daytona Cobra that I’m driving with the owner, we built that completely from scratch. To see it go from the paint shop to having the engine fitted and then to see it racing at Silverstone Classic is a really nice story.
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO SPECIALISE IN HISTORICS?
I just absolutely love the whole historic race scene. We really love building the cars and making them fast and beautiful to look at. My dad bought an old Austin A40 road car in 2013. And then we
WATCH ANDREW JORDAN’S MINI MIGLIA RACING PROGRAMME https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XILRzVA1tU
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AN INTERVIEW WITH TOM INGRAM DEVELOPS TO MEET CHANGING ENGINES LUBRICANT TECHNOLOGY
MOTUL’ S NEW
High-performance lubricants specifically designed to meet the needs of hybrid vehicles
AN INTERVIEW WITH TOM INGRAM
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RANGE
Motul’s Hybrid Range was first of its kind on the market when launched, and is going from strength to strength as the hybrid and full-electric car market continues to grow across the world. There are different types of hybrid vehicles, of varying popularity, which offer a range of different benefits. Mild hybrids (a conventional engine with an optional hybrid mode); hybrid electric vehicles (HEVS – electric systems charged during the running of the combustion engine) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs – vehicles with conventional engines and a sizeable electric motor which requires an external source of electricity), all continue to require engine oil to maintain the internal components of their combustion engines. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) do not have a conventional internal combustion engine and are plugged in to charge. Neither this nor an FCEV (fuel cell electric vehicle) require traditional engine oil. Motul’s dedicated hybrid range of engine lubricants is compatible with HEVs, PHEVs and mild hybrids. The hybrid range specifically only offers 0W engine oils, meaning they are an extremely low viscosity, as hybrid engines (using the combustion engine sporadically) will typically run at lower operating temperatures.
HYBRID ENGINE OIL Excellent cold start performance
L
Low oil consumption Internal Engine cleaning
O
Oil durability
Motul HYBRID 0W-16
Motul HYBRID 0W-20
L
Low fuel consumption
100% Synthetic “fuel economy” engine oil specially designed for Hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs) which are required to use a 0W16 oil.
100% Synthetic “fuel economy” engine oil specially designed for Hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs) which are required to use a 0W20 oil.
STANDARDS Hybrid 0W-20 API SERVICE SP-RC, ILSAC GF-6A Hybrid 0W-16 API SERVICE SP-RC, ILSAC GF-6B
For more information about Hybrid lubricants or any of the Motul range please contact us or visit: withammotorsport.co.uk
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AN INTERVIEW TOM INGRAM F4 HOPEFULWITH LOOKING TO SHAKE THINGS UP THIS SEASON
AN INTERVIEW WITH TOM INGRAM
P43 P3
fight on track but get along well off it, which is a very positive environment to be in.” “Being honest, this break has given me a chance to re-evaluate my own expectations. We came into the season just looking to gain experience and keep progressing, but evidently, we’re at a stage now where podium finishes, and that first race victory are closer than we might have thought. I’m working really hard to make that a reality.
F4 DRIVER - MCKENZY CRESSWELL Tells Us What Drives Him To The Finish Line... Throughout the 2021 F4 British Championship season, Motul and partners Witham Motorsport have been supporting JHR Developments in their push for title glory, including driver McKenzy Cresswell.
guarded during winter testing, so competing ontrack at the race weekends has been very useful to get a sense for where the competition is at.”
Cresswell – one of four front-running ‘starts of tomorrow’ at the Derbyshire team – took some time out ahead of the next event at Oulton Park to run us through his season so far, in his own words…
“For me, the key thing to work on has been my race craft. Because we’ve had some good qualifying performances, that naturally puts us to the back for the reverse grid race. Perfecting my overtaking, as well as my defending, has been top of my list. I would say we’re already up there, and our results have shown that, but any extra work I can put in to make that an even more natural process out on circuit is only a benefit to me.”
“It’s been a really positive start to the season, for me. I think you could almost say in many ways, it’s been a dream start, I’m really pleased with how the first three rounds at Thruxton, Snetterton and Brands Hatch have gone.” “There are always things you want to improve as a racing driver and, of course, we could be leading the championship, but the key thing over the last month has been to keep working hard, keep the intensity level high, because the competition certainly won’t be easing off, so neither can I.” “The break has been a really good exercise for me, in terms of reflecting on my start to life in single seaters and identifying what areas I need to improve on, now I have a better idea of where I stand, compared to the competition. Everybody is naturally quite
“I’ve also really enjoyed my Rookie Cup battle with my team-mate, Matthew. He’s a very quick driver, especially on race runs, so it’s going to be a difficult task to keep my lead over him. I’m sure it’ll go down to the very last race of the season, but what’s been really nice is the atmosphere between us. We’re not enemies at all, we
“The results we’ve achieved so far give me a lot of confidence, which can make all the difference in a championship as close as British F4. It also means I can start to look ahead to the future; I’d like to move up to F3 next season, but that’s not in my control. All I can do right now is keeping putting performances in and see where it ends up. “JHR Developments has been a fantastic place to be over the last few months. We’ve got four drivers in the team capable of winning races every weekend, and we’re very open about our data, racing lines and so on. It’s a team sport, as well as an individual one, and we won’t win the Teams Cup single-handedly, so that transparency goes a long way to creating a very positive team culture in the awning. “Looking ahead to Oulton Park, I think it’s going to be a very interesting weekend. It’s a tough track to overtake on, and to drive in general. There’s very little run-off, it’s grass and then the barriers, so mistakes are heavily punished.
To follow McKenzy and the JHR Developments Team, watch the coverage on or on social media.
“It’s going to be really important to do the best job in qualifying I can, and to try and be on the front row for the races. It’s fun to drive, a real ‘driver’s circuit’, and I think it’ll definitely shake things up a bit. Some will do well, others won’t – I know which group I’m aiming to be in!”
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OFF-SHORE POWERBOAT RACING What’s it like to race one? Take us on a lap…
It’s like being in a tumble dryer at 70mph. You start off on the quay at about 30mph, and then the moment the green flag is raised, it’s all systems go. There are about 22 boats competing. From the start to the first turn buoy is about a mile, which gives us a chance to spread out a little bit. Three different classes race together: F1, F2 and F3. Being an F1 boat, our boat will get to the corner first. Ten yards away from the corner you back off a little bit, turn it in, and power on. It’s very difficult to describe. A flat, calm sea is very boring. We’ll race in up to five or six-foot swells. That tends to sort the men from the boys.
“It’s Like Being In Being In A Tumble-Drier At 70mph” Skimming across the waves at speeds in excess of 70mph, powerboating is not for the faint hearted. As well as a licence and a boat, the sport’s governing body, the Offshore Circuit Racing Drivers Association (OCRDA), recommends competitors have a strong constitution and nerves of steel. Two brothers who display such qualities are Nick and Jeremy Newsham. This sibling duo compete in their own Team Enforcer 922, in the F1 category. Nick tells us more… Nick, what’s your boat and what sort of power are you getting out of it?
Yes. The series we race in we try and keep it as spectator friendly as we can. Even though it’s off-shore racing, we keep it as close to shore as possible, which is good for the spectators and the sponsors. The course is about 2.5 miles a lap with chicanes to navigate and, from a spectator point of view, they can see the whole course.
Motul supplies us with the oil for the season. Every 40 litres of fuel we put in the boat requires a litre of oil. Every 40
Looking at the pictures, the boat seems to What’s your job when you’re not racing? I’m a boat builder. I work nine-to-five, so this is very much a spend a lot of time out of the water… You’re doing 70mph, and the boat and crew weigh 700kgs. So even the smallest waves will send you out of the water. You try and keep it as level as you can, but you get the odd one where you’re looking at the sky [laughs]. I’ve been doing it for about 12 years now. I got into it by drinking in a pub [laughs]. The pub was right next to a marina. There were a few lads in there who were racers, and they invited me out for a spin. I fell in love with it. I’ve owned a few different boats between then and now. We had a big 25-foot, 300hp boat, but we sold that. We got back into the slipway once, and my brother said let’s mend this and get rid of it. It’s too fast and too dangerous [laughs]. I do it for the bragging rights and a £15 trophy. It’s an outand-out hobby.
You race in the OCRDA’s Aqua Adrenaline Tour, competing across the UK. What’s the racing like?
What benefits does Motul bring to the boat?
hours the engine gets rebuilt. Having used various oils in the past, when we started using Motul in 2019, we noticed during the rebuild that everything was so clean and looked brand new. Whatever is in the oil is burning very efficiently.
How did you get into it?
It’s a 19-foot Phantom with a Yamaha V4 outboard. It comes with about 130hp but we send the engines to Belgium where they’re stripped down and rebuilt, and that gets them up to around 180hp. So you’ve literally got a 19-foot boat with a steering wheel, a bladder fuel tank, two seats and two grown men – and that’s it. [Laughs]. It’s good fun.
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hobby. It’s costly. We have race entry fees, boat maintenance, travel etc. So contributions like this from Motul really helps a lot.
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AN INTERVIEW WITH TOM INGRAM LAMBORGHINI POWER BUILT IN SWINDON
1300HP LAMBO ENGINES… From racing superbikes to building Skoda’s record-breaking Bonneville Octavia, Ricky Elder works at the cutting edge of performance. When it comes to R8 and Lamborghini engines in particular, there are probably few people who know more about the ins and outs of these complicated units than him. These days, he runs RE Performance, a specialist workshop in Swindon, England, which has turned out a few 1000+hp motors over the years. Naturally, he relies on Motul to keep these engines running.
AN INTERVIEW WITH TOM INGRAM
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Powered By ARE ALL YOUR CUSTOMERS WANTING PERFORMANCE UPGRADES? I would say everything from rough running, misfires or diagnostics to servicing work, too. We also get guys coming in for remaps and exhausts. And then we get people in, especially Gallardo drivers, who want engine rebuilds because the engine has failed, or they have problems like the car’s using too much oil. We specialise in performance engine builds. We build our own twin-turbo kits for Lamborghinis and R8s. We build 1200hp R8s, for example, and then we build engines and gearboxes to support that. We’ve also got the dyno on site so we can calibrate the engine management and do car measurements. We’re not a dealer, we’re a little bit more specialist than that. But we still do dealer stuff. Out in the car park we’ve got a Gallardo ready for a full engine restoration.
YOU’VE BEEN WORKING WITH MOTUL FOR A WHILE NOW AND USE THIS IN YOUR BUILDS. DO YOU END UP CONVERTING CUSTOMERS TO USING MOTUL? With a twin-turbo conversion or a high-level engine build, the warranty is tied with that car coming back to us anyway. If it’s a service, nine times out of 10 they’re repeat customers. I think they’re happy with my recommendation. From my choice of lubricants to my choice of tools, I’m not one for cutting corners. If you come into the workshop, everything I own tool-wise is Snap On. I know what I like, and I like what I know. It’s all about trust.
DO YOU STILL BUILD BIKE ENGINES?
HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TO REVAMP OR PERFORMANCE ENHANCE THESE ENGINES? HOW DID YOU GET STARTED, RICKY? I raced bikes from 2008 and won a national championship. I also worked for the Volkswagen Group for a number of years on engine building. I helped introduce the V10 into the UK and was the point guy there. I ended up being heavily involved in British Superbikes, supplying safety cars and so on, and was heavily involved in LMP with Audi. I also helped support Skoda in World Rally, and that led to building the Bonneville Skoda Octavia. After Bonneville, I got a little bit bored and left and took my engine building skills to go and work for an engine builder in Gloucester. We were mainly building race bike engines. But I was building V6s, V8s and V10s on the side. In 2015, I started my own place, specialising in Audi and Lamborghini V10s. If you came down here now there are 18 R8s, three Gallardos and a couple of McLarens on site.
I was doing a few for mates, racers who I know could represent my engines well. But other than that, I’m so busy with the car stuff, there’s no point getting involved really.
We spend a lot of time developing what the platform can support and what the platform needs. If you come to me and say I want 1300hp on a Huracan, I can tell you what we need to do and how much that’s going to cost, and then we can go anywhere in between. We can do whatever you want to do. It’s like walking into a restaurant and reading the menu.
WATCH HOW THE LAMBORGHINI ENGINES ARE BUILT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIxPZlz4AsE&t=646s
CLASSIC
TRUSTED WINNERS SINCE 1853 We are getting excited about exhibiting with Motul at the wonderful Goodwood Revival in September and showcasing all the best of Motul Classic Lubricants and historic racing style. Come and join us if you can!
17 – 19 SEPTEMBER 2021 Gates Open 07.30hrs
Motul in the UK deals with Witham Motorsport as its partner for car products. Witham Motorsport has an impressive track record for service and technical know how and are able to provide the whole range of Motul automotive engine oils, brake fluids, gear oils, coolants, as well as useful engine care and cleaning solutions, technical support and a whole lot more for garages and workshops.
To order online or for more information contact:
01353 723373
motul@withamgroup.co.uk
withammotorsport.co.uk