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James Cole leaves the BTCC citing lack of opportunity and vision

By MJP Media | 2 July 2013

Southport based BTCC driver James Cole will not race again in his Drivecool/RCIB Insurance Racing Vauxhall Insignia after parting company with Team HARD. at the halfway point in the season.


The 24-year-old surprisingly said that he was working on exciting plans to cement a long-term future in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship and he was hoping to make an announcement on this in the coming weeks. In a swipe at the team, Cole said "My mechanics worked tirelessly and I would like to thank them all for their efforts." He added "I will now look for opportunities to progress as a top-level touring car driver. This was a very hard decision to make - the BTCC is a great championship. I moved into touring cars this season and it was meant to be the first chapter of my education into driving a tin-top car."


Given that Team HARD. have made great strides this season with some real success on track - including Cole's own 11 championship points - it is difficult to see why Cole would feel the opportunities to improve weren't there at Team HARD. and his statement asks as many questions as it answered. Cole was then particularly critical of the team management stating "I didn't feel that I was getting any real grounding into the skills needed by working with Team HARD. That has led me to seek new opportunities. I will now look for opportunities with other partners who share the same vision as me and those with the capability of giving me the tools and the experience I need."


There are many in the paddock that feel this sort of statement from someone so new to the championship and with such little success behind them is a bit rich and that a better course of action would to have been to either see the season out and work hard on your personal involvement, or retire from the team gracefully. Cole has done neither and only time will tell whether this has been a sensible move on his part. Certainly any teams he is in discussions with will be mindful of his comments and credit must go to Tony Gilham and Team HARD. for not responding publicly to this unfortunate outburst.

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