TEAMBRITTORACEIN NEWBMW116TROPHY
Rookiedisableddriverswillnowraceabmw1seriesratherthaninfuncup
Team BRIT is plotting to run four cars for its rookie drivers in a new endurance category for the BMW 1 Series from the 750 Motor Club.
The squad, which is made up of disabled drivers and has a target of becoming the first all-disabled team to race at Le Mans, has previously run rookies in the Fun Cup but now feels the new 116 Trophy series is a better option.
“We had a great time in Fun Cup but this new series is really exciting because it’s low budget and has a really reliable car,” explained Team BRIT founder Dave Player, who added the outfit will again run an Aston Martin GT4 for more experienced drivers.
“You can buy a 1 Series car for about £1000 – by the time you’ve put a rollcage and everything in you’re only looking at about £5000. That allows us to look at entering four cars.
“Fun Cup is a really fantastic series with some top drivers in it and it’s getting more and more competitive. But for some of our rookies it’s too much. With the BMW series, it’s low budget enough for people to come in as guests for the third and fourth car and we’re offering an arrive-and-drive package with coaching.
“The people running it have the same sort of ethos as Fun Cup of creating a fun, friendly environment.”
The 116 Trophy series has been created with affordability in mind and is open to Mk1 1 Series cars built between 2004 and ’06. It is suggested the category will sit somewhere “between the Compact Cup and Citroen C1 Challenge”.
James Winstanley of the 750MC said: “The idea is that it’s a slightly more powerful car than series like the C1s and [Ford] Kas, it’s rear-wheeldrive and it’s a mini-endurance series.
“We will be starting off with shorter racers of about 45 minutes and building up to two or three hours towards the end of the year.”
There has been a lot of interest in the new series with 20 cars already set to enter.