Boardman splits from the Amdtuning.com BTCC team
Tom Boardman has split with the Amdtuning.com British Touring Car Championship team, which is looking for a replacement driver to complete the season.
Boardman, a race winner in 2011, rejoined the BTCC after a six-year break to race one of Amd’s ex-works MG6 GT machines alongside Scot Rory Butcher.
The Lancastrian finished fourth in the rain-affected second round of the championship at Brands Hatch but has only featured in the top 15 on one other occasion. He is 27th in the standings.
“It is always a difficult decision to make changes to any of our team personnel but the long-term aims and goals of the team must come first,” said team boss Shaun Hollamby. “We will be replacing Tom Boardman for the second half of THE BTCC .”
Boardman said he was shocked by the decision. “The first I knew about this was when I read it on social media and I was very disappointed,” said Boardman.
“My results were varied in the first half of the season having had problems with the car’s set-up in qualifying. The fact that I am actually leading the Forever Forward standings [a Dunlopbacked award for the most positions gained in a race] surely shows my racing abilities are very much alive. However, if this is Amd’s decision so let it be.
“I’m sure I will live to fight another day even if this may be next season now.”
Hollamby said he was in contact with possible replacement drivers and a decision would be made by the end of the month.
The team is required to find a driver to run in the second half of the season under the terms of its TOCA BTCC licence, which all entrants must have. ● Seven-time race winner Tom OnslowCole will return to the wheel of a British Touring Car Championship machine at Snetterton this week when he takes part in the official Dunlop tyre test. He will drive a Team Hard VW CC for one of the two days on the Snetterton 300 layout. Onslow-cole has not raced in the BTCC for five years. Ginetta GT4 Supercup racer Carl Boardley and BTCC refugee Dan Welch will also drive for Team Hard.