High hopes for new spec
MOTORBASE GO BACK TO DRAWING BOARD AFTER BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP DISAPPOINTMENT IN 2017
Larkfield Swimming Club are second in the Millennium League after a series of good results in the first round of competition at Eltham Leisure Centre. The team performed superbly with several swimmers making their league debuts. There were individual race wins for Ella Redford, Toby Knight, Sophie Carr, Charlotte Carr, Heather Murray, Georgia Gambling, Hannah Knight, Cameron Mathurin and Oliver Knight. Larkfield also claimed victory in four relay races. Meanwhile, Maidstone began their Kent County Championship campaign with a decent medal haul last weekend. Ben Tritton was second in the 1,500m freestyle, with Jamie Carey eighth, while Tritton was second in the 400m individual medley. Lauren Braddon matched that while in the same event, Tom Willetts was third, Hope Paice eighth, Hannah Bowie 10th, Daisy Allistone 12th and Lara-Louise Gough 13th. Maidstone’s top performers in the 400m freestyle were Ben Tritton and Nicole Quiller, who both managed third place. Oliver Tritton was sixth and Paice seventh. Motorbase Performance will race a new Ford Focus RS in the British Touring Car Championship this season after the team completely rethought the design of its car, writes Dan Wright.
The Wrotham-based squad began work on their new machines in July last year during a disappointing 2017 campaign which brought just one race victory.
The restyled car features the latestspec bodywork, which will bring the RS name back to the BTCC grid for the first time since 1991.
Team principal David revealed the machine at the Autosport International Show in Birmingham last Thursday.
He said: “It is a complete rethink of the car and getting the RS name back in the BTCC is a big thing.
“I wanted to have everything brand new for this year – even the doors are new – and we have completely repackaged the engine bay.
“We didn’t have a great year last year, so we needed to do something different with the engine and the time was right Bartrum to do the facelift.” The team has signed Mat Jackson and Tom Chilton for the 2018 campaign, who will both be backed by Shredded Wheat. Their Fords will be powered by an all-new Mountune engine. Bartrum added: “The car looks fresh and we have a strong line-up.
“There were some good things last season but I wanted more from it and it was one of my least enjoyable years.
“For me, the RS looks far better, it is aggressive and if it goes as well as it looks, then I will be happy.
“If round one at Brands goes well, then we know we are in for a good year.”
Meanwhile, Goudhurst’s Jake Hill (pictured above inset) has re-signed for the Strood-based Team Hard squad and will handle a refreshed VW CC.
The first round of the 2018 British Touring Car Championship will be held at Brands Hatch on April 7-8.