BTCC 2015: New Team go to Infiniti and Beyond!
Just as the current class has taken their final curtain call for 2014 and the lights fade on yet another season of the British Touring Car Championship, already there comes exciting news from afar. The first announcement regarding the 2015 season has been made, and it is something huge. A new manufacturer has appeared on the horizon, working in conjunction with a team that welcomes a whole new era in motorsport. Ladies and gentleman, may I present to you, ‘Support Our Paras Racing’ and Infiniti Motorsport.
Buzz Lightyear would be proud. Image Credit: BTCC.net
Initially, you may be wondering what or who exactly Infiniti happen to be. Looking at the glorious picture you see before you, it may ring some familiar bells in your mind. One of these bells that may now be ringing with an ever increasing intensity is the similarity in look between the Infiniti and Lexus, and you would be correct in noticing that. In fact, Infiniti and Lexus do indeed share a considerable similarity; they are both the luxury division of famous Japanese manufacturers. Lexus hails from the capable hands of Toyota, while Infiniti is the product of the genius minds of Nissan.
Now when it comes to the BTCC, Nissan is somewhat of a legendary name. Throughout the mid-late 90s, Nissan rose to become one of the best teams the championship had ever seen. In 1998 they clinched the manufacturers title under the piloting of Anthony Reid and the late-great David Leslie. But that was not enough for them, so in 1999 they returned; Leslie along with his new team mate Laurent Aiello clinched both the manufacturers and drivers title, with Aiello just beating Leslie in the drivers title fight. The Vodafone Nissan, along with its drivers became a true legend of the Super Touring era of the BTCC, and their cars can still be seen today racing in the official Historic Super Touring series. With the announcement that Infiniti have entered the championship as a fully fledged manufacturer for 2015, you could just say that an ancient power force is rising from the ashes of the past ready to reignite the Nissan flame once more.
The all conquering Vodafone Nissan Primera has become an icon of 90s BTCC. Image Credit: Piston Heads
Just to add to the excitement of a neo-Nissan return to the sport, the team that is entering the two Infiniti Q50s is called ‘Support Our Paras Racing’. The addition of this team to the championship represents the dawning of a new era in British motorsport. As well as gunning for championship glory, the central aim of the team is to raise both awareness and funds for ‘Support Our Paras’, the official charity for the British Parachute Regiment. Most importantly, any profit the team makes as a result of championship entry will be donated directly to the charity itself.
The charity’s focal objective is to donate money towards the welfare of both injured paras along with their families. Not only that, but as a juicy addition to this, the team will include a number of injured paratroopers who will work in the team to prepare the cars for each race weekend. It truly is a momentous occasion within the BTCC to have such a campaign changing the way we think about motorsport and its ability to impact on people’s lives. The team will not only give work to those injured serviceman who can no longer serve in the parachute regiment but also raise awareness to a whole new motorsport audience.
The new team will give work to those injured in the British Parachute Regiment. Image Credit: BTCC.net
Its a proud moment seeing the ‘Support Our Paras’ logo atop the mighty Infiniti. Image Credit: BTCC.net
‘Support Our Paras Racing’ is headed by Derek Palmer, while the drivers will be Derek Palmer Junior (shockingly it is the son of Derek Palmber senior) and Richard Hawken. Hawken has won previous club championships along with testing for Speedworks. The Palmer father-son duo are most well known for their involvement in the Historic Super Touring series that has taken place in the UK over the last few years. Both are proven race winners, and it would not surprise me if they were up there challenging for wins throughout next year.
Alan Gow, the series Director and main man of the BTCC said:
“It’s fantastic to welcome a new manufacturer to the BTCC and particularly a premium brand such as Infiniti. There’s a great initiative behind the team too, with the ‘Support Our Paras’ charity being such a worthwhile cause. The record-breaking 2014 BTCC season concluded in fine style at Brands Hatch last weekend and the interest in the series continues to grow year-on-year. These entries from Infiniti are further testament to that and we look forward to welcoming the team to Britain’s best championship in 2015.”
There are not enough words in existence that give justice to just how significant this is for not only the BTCC but for motorsport in general. Motorsport has always had a significant following, so to combine this with charity work is a stroke of genius. The British Touring Car Championship in recent years has undergone somewhat of a rebirth, and the addition of a non-profit charity based team will further add to the growing success of the series. In many ways, everyone will benefit from this. The return of a neo-Nissan team, giving injured serviceman jobs in the motorsport industry and most importantly raising awareness and funds is one of the most exciting things to come from British motorsport in recent years.
BTCC is evolving. A new era is upon us. Watch this space
To Infinity and Beyond!
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Peace and Love
When I first heard Paras, I will admit I did think Pokemon…
Level 2, 9 Help Street
Tony look says:
I am a real touring car enthusiast and like to collect anything to doing with the sport and was wondering you could send me any promotional stuff on this wonderful looking car.My address is 10 Second Avenue,Ravenswing Park,Aldermaston.RG74PXyours hopefully ,Tony Look
October 24th, 2014 at 12:58 am