2 FEBRUARY 5 2014 motorsport-news.co.uk Classified advertising: 0208 267 5355 Classified advertising: 0208 267 5355 motorsport-news.co.uk FEBRUARY 5 2014 3 ISSUE JA2910 FEBRUARY 5 2014 HEADLINE NEWS THE VOICE OF BRITISH MOTORSPORT Photos: Peter Still (including cover image)and Jakob Ebrey WRITE TO US FACEBOOK TWITTER Motorsport News Search for Rally updates: Double champion signs up for a BTCC comeback in Airwaves Racing Focus Haymarket Publishing, ‘Motorsport News’ @MNRally Teddington Studios, Racing updates: By Matt James Broom Road, Teddington, @MNewsRacing Middlesex, TW11 9BE Italian Fabrizio Giovanardi has joined the swelling ranks of champions who will race in DIGITAL EMAIL US YOUR PICS the British Touring Car mn.letters@ email: mn.letters@ Championship this season. NEW ISSUE haymarket.com haymarket.com See motorsport Photographs must be of a Six champions have been -news.co.uk good quality and please send confirmed for the 2014 series while no more than three images a seventh is in the final stage of The Italian will drive an Airwaves Racing NGTC Ford Focus negotiations to line-up. It will be the first time since 1997 that so many former title-holders have NUMBER OF CHAMPIONS ON THE GRID shared the grid. Giovanardi confirmed his deal 7 with the Airwaves Racing team 6 last night (Tuesday) and will 5 handle one of the Kent team’s Ford GIOVANARDI Focus machines. 4 IN THIS ISSUE Reigning champion Andrew 3 Jordan will return to the grid in 2 “The new car is a 2014, alongside Honda Racing duo 1 ADDS TOURING CAR TALENT Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden. NO. OF CHAMPIONS OF NO. Neal thrilled after Former double champion Jason 0 Plato will race an MG, while 1997 first Tourer outing great platform” 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 and 2000 winner Alain Menu has Triple champion Matt Neal says SEASON P4 sealed a deal to race a Team BMR he was thrilled with his first outing VW Passat (MN, January 29). in the new Honda Civic Tourer, The 2009 title winner Colin turbocharged units. “Rejoining getting the Northern Irishman which was shaken down at MERCEDES BUOYED BY Turkington is in advanced talks the BTCC is like being born again back in to a car. Rockingham last week. with the eBay Motors team to because in four years, everything Turkington, who was in the title Neal was giving passenger STRONG TESTING START return in a BMW, although the has changed,” said Giovanardi. “It fight until the final meeting last rides over a four-day session to a deal had yet to be concluded as is a challenge for me. Obviously I season, beat Giovanardi to the number of corporate guests but P6 Motorsport News went to press. know the British championship crown in 2009. was also able to conduct a few The last time there were seven but I don’t know who is driving Bennetts said: “We are talking, hours of test work, which was overall champions on the grid now. I do know that there are a lot and there is a desire on our part to conducted back-to-back with last was at Silverstone in September of good names to beat. have Colin in the car. It is all about year’s machine. 1997. They were Menu, Frank “The spirit of the championship the fine details, and we are having “It was very cold and slippery so Biela, Gabriele Tarquini, Tim is the same as when I was here discussions all the time.” it wasn’t so much about setting Harvey, John Cleland, Will Hoy before but because the car is new, The eBay Motors team the car up, but we were able to and privateer Robb Gravett. that is why there is a challenge. I should also confirm that Nick do a lot of things like testing am not worried about the new car Foster and Rob Collard will components to make sure they Gio physics because when you are racing, remain with the team. were reliable.” Giovanardi, who won the title for there is no time to be worried.” Neal’s team-mate Gordon Vauxhall in 2007 and 2008, said that Giovanardi will shake the car Gow: it’s about now Shedden was also present at the he had been keen on a return to the down on Thursday next week BTCC series director Alan Gow test, but he remained at the wheel UK and had opened talks with before the team heads to said the influx of interest in the of the 2013 machine. MEEKE SEEKS A Motorbase Performance, which Portimão in Portugal for some championship with the household Neal added: “It was hard to get runs the Airwaves-backed cars, more intensive running. names returning would have a a proper gauge on the car late last season. Team principal Bartrum said positive impact on the future of because of the conditions, but SWEDEN BOOST The 47-year-old said: “When that upgrades to the car over the the contest. the reaction of the people I gave [team boss] David [Bartrum] winter should turn it into a title Alongside the winners, there is a BTCC CHAMPIONS passenger rides to was a joy. P12 called me I asked him if it was a threat: “The car is ready to move new licensing system for teams They were really buzzing, and that joke! He told me to come and see to the next level and Fabrizio is the which has been introduced for POS DRIVER POINTS is just the kind of reaction we him and we started to put things final piece of the jigsaw. Signing 2014. It means that there should be 2013 Andrew Jordan (GBR) Honda Civic wanted to get with the new car.” WHY BRITAIN’S together for a new challenge.” Fabrizio is brilliant for us. He is a 30 cars on the grid for each round 2012 Gordon Shedden (GBR) Honda Civic Neal said serious testing of the Giovanardi has raced in the great character. and teams have some value for 2011 Matt Neal (GBR) Honda Civic Tourer would start next week. YOUNG STARS ARE Superstars series and a handful of “We have new staff in ex-Team their slot on the grid. 2010 Jason Plato (GBR) Chevrolet Cruze Australian V8 Supercar rounds Dynamics man Stuart Beaton and Gow said: “When I created the 2009 Colin Turkington (GBR) BMW 320si HEADING INTO since quitting the BTCC. He has you will see a different look of the NGTC rules, I was more focused 2008 Fabrizio Giovanardi (ITA) Vauxhall Vectra also taken part in several long car. It will be a faster car for 2014 with creating the stars for the 2007 Fabrizio Giovanardi (ITA) Vauxhall Vectra EUROPE EARLY distance races. The BTCC has and we are ready to kick on.” future of the BTCC. But it’s really 2006 Matt Neal (GBR) Honda Integra changed its regulations from the Bartrum said that the drivers for nice to have some of the old guys 2005 Matt Neal (GBR) Honda Integra S2000 machines that Giovanardi his other two entries would be back… in the smaller paddocks at 2004 James Thompson (GBR) Vauxhall Astra Coupé P18 handled during his three previous revealed soon. some venues, it may be very 2003 Yvan Muller (FRA) Vauxhall Astra Coupé BTCC campaigns to new Next difficult to accommodate all their 2002 James Thompson (GBR) Vauxhall Astra Coupé Generation Touring Car rules, eBay at bay egos! But seriously, they perfectly 2001 Jason Plato (GBR) Vauxhall Astra Coupé which mandate a raft of controlled Turkington’s deal had yet to be underline the stature of the BTCC 2000 Alain Menu (SUI) Ford Mondeo Giovanardi gets comfy in his Neal tested Civic Tourer HOW HYUNDAI AIMS TO parts to keep the costs down. The finalised – although team boss and will create more media and 1999 Laurent Aïello (FRA) Nissan Primera new Airwaves Ford Focus engines are also two-litre Dick Bennetts was hopeful of spectator attention.” BOUNCE BACK FABRIZIO GIOVANARDI BTCC CHAMPIONS ROLL CALL Double champion on his return to the UK’s tin-top scene Q&A Are you pleased to be back from the BTCC in 2010, I was pissed car is not zero. The car is top I believe. in the British Touring Car off because I wanted to race again in The rules are quite similar between the Championship? the UK. It is difficult to follow the other cars, so we have to fine-tune the set up “I was away for four years. I was guys driving in a championship that and then I think we will find that I will be getting old and I wondered if maybe you want to be in yourself. I isolated in the top.” my chances to come back to the myself from it.” P23 BTCC are finished. So instead, I With all the former started to do some boring races like Do you think you will be champions on the grid, Historic race and rally news 11 SUBSCRIBE TO MOTORSPORT NEWS 26 24-hour races and I was almost falling able to adapt quickly is there anyone you’re Insight: Formula Renault NEC 18 Karting round-up 27 asleep in the car because it was dull. enough to the new breed looking out for especially? ALAIN MENU MATT NEAL FABRIZIO COLIN JASON GORDON ANDREW Retro: F1’s ugliest cars 20 Sporting Scene round-up 28 I knew that I wanted to get back to of Next Generation “The first name I can think about is (SUI) (GBR) GIOVANARDI TURKINGTON PLATO SHEDDEN JORDAN Insight: Hyundai’s WRC baptism 23 Letters/Comment/What’s On 30 shorter races and have a real fight.” Touring Car? Jason Plato.