Team Parker Racing make BMW switch for 2018
Team Parker Racing is to switch cars for the 2018 BTCC season after announcing that it has acquired a BMW 125i M Sport for its fourth season in the series.
Stephen Jelley will return for a second year with the team at the wheel of the ex-West Surrey Racing machine – which will be the first NGTC-spec 1 Series to run in customer hands.
Parker’s entry will use the previous incarnation of the BMW engine, and not the new B48 unit that was introduced by WSR last year.
Jelley himself is no stranger to rear-wheel drive, having taken both of his BTCC career wins in BMW machinery before moving over to sportscars. His return to the BTCC last season at the wheel of a Ford Focus saw him score points on just two occasions, with hopes high of a return to form with the BMW.
“I really get the feeling that anything is possible this year,” he said. “West Surrey Racing has put together a real gem with this car. You could eat your dinner out of the engine bay, it’s spotless!
“I still have strong links with WSR and we started talking to them at the end of last season about a BMW. It was the only way I wanted to go. I already feel at home with the car – everything’s where you’d expect it to be.
“In my opinion the BMW is better suited to a number of different driving styles – it’s a more rounded platform and it’s a marked difference.
“We’re looking to be more consistently in the points and make that push towards the podium spots if possible. I just want to get back to the sharp end. This change gives us a chance to be competitive and to battle where we should be battling. I can’t wait to get out there!”
Team boss Stuart Parker meanwhile expressed confidence that the change of car would give the team the opportunity to move forwards up the order.
“We’re thrilled to unveil the 1 Series,” he said. “It’s a car that is right among the most successful in terms of both race wins and championship trophies and it’s certainly a great chassis to base things on to move us up the field in 2018.
“We’ve been working hard over the course of the winter to get everything in place and it’ll be great to see it all come together when get out on track for shakedown.
“As a stable, we’ve a proud history in competing at the very top – counting titles to our name in GT racing and running premier teams in some of the very best championships.
“We’re hopeful that in moving from the Ford Focus to the BMW for 2018 we can make a real step forward in what is one of the most competitive series around.”
TouringCarTimes understands that the Focus has been sold back to Motorbase Performance to act as a spare car for the 2018 campaign.
News of Parker’s programme means just four seats on the grid have still to be announced, with drivers of the two AmDTuning.com MG6 GTs, the third Team BMR Subaru Levorg and the second Shredded Wheat-backed Focus at Motorbase Performance having yet to be named.
