Photo: DTC Media

Robertshaw confirms Chevrolet in BTCC

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Robertshaw Racing today confirmed that they will run a pair of Chevrolet Lacetti in the British Touring Car Championship 2008. This is the first time since the beginning of the 1970s that Chevrolet is represented on the grid of the BTCC.
“Our BTCC programme marks a major expansion for our company and we’ll almost be doubling the amount of full-time staff here, but we feel ready,” said team boss Gary Robertshaw.

“Initially, our entry had been planned for 2008, but our preparations have put us ahead of schedule, meaning we were able to enter Alan into the final two meetings of 2007. That’s given us a good insight into the BTCC and, although we know it’s going to be a very tough challenge, we won’t be going into 2008 with our eyes completely shut. However, running the latest S2000-spec Chevrolets alongside the older-BTC-spec Hondas will mean having to divide the team into two squads,” continued Robertshaw.

Reigning SEAT Cupra R champion Harry Vaulkhard will drive one of the cars while the second driver is yet to be announced. Along side the Chevrolets the team will also enter two Honda’s – one Integra for Alan Taylor and a Civic for Michael Doyle.

The choice to run Chevrolet despite a winners car like the BMW being available is something that marks them out from the crowd insists Robertshaw.
“It would have been easy to opt for a proven car in the BTCC, such as a
BMW or a SEAT, but the Chevrolets mark us out from the crowd. As pointed out, it’s going to be a big learning curve – the Chevrolets have never competed on Dunlop tyres before – but we have a solid amount of testing planning, including running alongside the factory Chevrolet squad in Spain to give us an idea of our performance.

The Chevrolet has won races in the World Touring Car Championship and the Danish Touring Car Championship, something that Robertshaw wants to make happen in the BTCC as well.
“This is a long-term project, although I’d certainly like to think we can begin rattling the bigger teams’ cages towards the end of next season and into 2009.”

The cars are as we reported earlier belived to be the cars raced in the Danish championship this year.