NEW Z CARS SERIES FOR NEXT YEAR

Motorsport Vision Racing will launch a new series dedicated to BMW roadsters for next season after partnering with top saloon car squad Gary Feakins Racing.

The new Z Cars series is planned to run across six rounds in 2017 and will cater for the Z3 and Z4 variants of BMW sportscars.

The series will run a two-class format, with the first category running for the 1.9-litre Z3 and the top tier for the more powerful and more modern threelitre Z4.

MSVR plans to run double-header races at each round, with all sessions to be held in one day where possible to help cap costs.

GFR has built the first two cars – one of each class – and has already begun work on building the second wave ahead of a full winter testing programme.

Feakins, the 2015 Production BMW champion, said: “Our experience in club motorsport has allowed us to develop a set of technical regulations which will ensure close and competitive racing, at a cost effective level.

“Launching a new series is a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate our ability to design, develop and build race cars to the highest of standards and showcase what we can do as an organisation.

“We wanted to run two classes because the Z3 offers a budget-friendly way to get started in the series as donor cars can be bought for around £1500. Then the Z4 offers a logical step forward from the Z3 and many other club championships throughout the UK. GFR will be offering the cars for sale as fully-built racers and also in kit form.”

MSVR race operations manager David Scott added: “The prospect of a grid of Z3 and Z4 race cars is really exciting. With the BMW expertise that Gary and his team has the series will offer racing at a sensible budget with a technical specification designed to eliminate chequebook racing.”

British Touring Car Championship racer Rob Austin will make a guest appearance in the final rounds of the Legends Cars Championship at Brands Hatch next weekend.

The Handy Motorsport driver, who scored three BTCC podiums this season in his Toyota Avensis, will make his Legends debut driving a car supplied by Simon Belcher. Belcher operates the Handy Motorsport team and is also the UK importer for Legends Cars.

Austin, who used to race a rear-wheel-drive Audi in the BTCC, said he was hoping the outing would help promote the series. He will take part in all of the weekend’s six races.

“It will be a one-off, but I love the look of the racing and the locked rear