Rob Austin to drive for Handy Motorsport in 2016 BTCC

Rob Austin has signed to race for Simon Belcher’s Handy Motorsport team in the 2016 British Touring Car Championship, moving away from his family-run outfit for the first time.

Fans’ favourite Austin, who has raced an Audi A4 for his own Rob Austin Racing squad since he joined the series in 2011, will drive a brand new RML-specification Toyota Avensis alongside Belcher, as the team expands to a two-car operation.

Austin previously took two wins in the venerable A4 at Rockingham in 2013 and 2014. The West Midlander previously said he had hoped to build a new car to run with his own team in 2016 after announcing that the Audis would be retired, but had also considered the possibility of moving to another team.

The deal between Austin and Handy Motorsport was announced at the Autosport International Show at Birmingham’s NEC this morning.

“I’m really excited to be joining forces with Handy Motorsport”, said Austin, “The new car is a lot more suited to the [championship] regulations than my Audis were and through this deal we’re combining the best bits of both teams. I think we should be able to do a really good job with the new Toyota and spring some surprises.

“There will be some adapting back to front-wheel drive but, as Colin Turkington [two-time BTCC Champion] has proved, if you can drive you can drive. It’s bloody hard work organising the money, running a team, sorting the sponsorship and driving as well, so I’m looking forward to focusing on the thing I do best rather than spreading myself so thin. This really is a perfect opportunity.”

One of the other key aspects of the deal sees personnel from RAR joining the existing Handy Motorsport structure, which is already supported from an engineering perspective by successful BTCC squad Speedworks Motorsport.

Rob Austin Racing, who had been allocated two TOCA BTCC Licenses (TBLs) for the new season, have already stated their intention to run the A4s in the new BTCC feeder series announced yesterday.

For their part, Handy Motorsport had previously announced their desire to run a second car in 2016, and have had a second Avensis in build since before the last round of the 2015 season at Brands Hatch.