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STR to compete in 2012 BTCC and WTCC series

By MJP Media | 25 November 2011

Special Tuning Racing have announced that they will be competing in the 2012 FIA World Touring Car Championship and the 2011 British Touring Car Championship with SEAT Sport works customer support.

Team principal John Boardman, along with Technical Director Gary Robertshaw, visited SEAT in Macau for the final weekend of the 2011 WTCC season, where they met with SEAT Sport Director Jaime Puig, and agreed the deal in principal for 2012. The deal, will see STR use a new SEAT Sport developed 1.6 T engine and gearbox package in their 2 WTCC latest specification Leons, receiving technical backup and engineering support from the Spanish manufacturer.

John Boardman commented: "We are very excited by the prospect of working closely with SEAT Sport as a customer 'works' team. This will take our involvement with running SEAT touring cars to the next level. We have over eight years experience racing the Leon in the WTCC, BTCC and SEAT single make series. This support from SEAT should make us even more competitive in next season's championship. We look forward to making our experience produce front running pace in the WTCC."

Special Tuning Racing will now be concentrating on finalising its driver line up for the 2012 season. Currently, the plan is to run two cars in the WTCC where they last raced in 2009, and two in the British Touring Car Championship where success was achieved last year with a race win and two further podium finishes.

On the driver situation, Gary Robertshaw commented: "We are currently looking at a number of options with drivers who wish to compete in a proven race winning car with manufacturer support and technical input. We feel that running just 2 cars with our own technical expertise, and that of SEAT Sport, we can provide the attention to detail to be a front running team in the WTCC. We have nothing firmed up at the moment but this is a great opportunity for the right driver."

 

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