Motorbase to run BMW’s in 2008 BTCC

Motorbase Performance has announced today that they will be running the latest spec BMW 320si cars in the 2008 HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship in favour of the SEAT Leon that they were expected to use. The team will shortly take delivery of two completely rebuilt and refurbished BMWs from the Schnitzer World Touring Car Championship team, as previously indicated on TouringCarTimes.

No drivers have yet been confirmed for this ambitious project, but team boss David Bartrum is currently in discussion with a number of race winning drivers to fill the seats.

“We want to compete at the very front of the BTCC and to do that, we need the best cars that are available,” said Bartrum. “The SEAT (Toledo’s) served us well last season, but the BTCC is hugely competitive and we need the latest equipment to be able to challenge for race wins. The best opportunity for us is to run BMWs.”

This is a very serious project for the Kent-based team and will put Motorbase, in only their third year in the BTCC, into direct competition with the leading teams. It also marks a switch to rear-wheel drive, but Bartrum is confident that the team will be competitive from the start of the 2008 season following an intensive test programme.

The team will benefit from a strong working relationship with the Schnitzer team in Germany to ensure an on-going development programme.

Motorbase Performance will join teams such as Team RAC and Jackson MSport running the German marque in 2008.