DISAPPOINTMENT AS CLIO CUP COMES TO AN END
Renault UK Clio Cup teams are “frustrated” and “disappointed” that the popular series will be axed at the end of the season.
It was confirmed shortly before Christmas that the manufacturer would not continue to support the series beyond the 2019 season. That coincides with the planned introduction of the new fifth generation Clio as well as when the category’s deal to appear on the British Touring Car Championship support bill ran out. MN understands that the timing of the new car’s launch was a critical factor with the championship potentially ending sooner if the new model was introduced at an earlier point.
The series has been a mainstay on the TOCA support bill for decades and has been a proving ground for countless future tin-top stars.
The news was a surprise to some of the Clio teams, while others feared that Renault would pull out.
“It’s disappointing really,” said Westbourne team boss Richard Colburn. “It’s just a shame after such a long heritage [the series originally began in 1991]. It’s had some great races over the years and I’m sure they’ve sold many cars [off the back of it].”
Matrix Motorsport team principal Dave Hayes, who first began working in the Clio Cup as a 16-year-old in 2000, added: “It was not something we were expecting. It’s one of them where everything comes to an end at some point.
“Some drivers are like ‘why would I do it because it’s the last year’ but on the other hand it’s the one to win because everybody is going to remember the last races.”
WDE Motorsport was considering quitting the series for 2019 but is now set to remain for the category’s final season.
“I could see it coming a mile off,” admitted team boss Wayne Eason. “There was no commitment and nobody looking to renew a contract would leave it until now.”
Westbourne still plans to run up to four cars this season, while Matrix has reported a good level of interest in the series too.
Renault Sport Racing sporting manager Tarik Ait Said explained that it wasn’t an easy decision for Renault UK to bring the category to an end. “We had meetings with Renault UK to work out what would be the future,” he told MN. “There’s a new Clio coming out in 2020 so we had a lot of discussions with Renault UK on how to position the Clio Cup UK.
“The environment has changed. For Renault it’s very important that it makes sense from a marketing point of view. It was a compromise on what the best thing to do with the budget that we have.
“Even if it’s got a good grid of 20 to 25 cars, financially speaking a good grid would be above 30. They were putting a lot of money in it and need to have a return on the investment.
“If you rate it from a TV point of view, it’s fantastic with the public. From a marketing point of view, with the new car coming and all the things that would be required, it was hard for them to see how the Clio Cup would fit in 2020.”
● For a look back at the most successful drivers in the Clio Cup, turn to page 24.