Josh Price calls time on BTCC programme

The BTCC grid will drop to 31 cars from this weekend at Snetterton after Team BMR announced that Josh Price will not continue in the series.

Price joined the Subaru team at the start of the 2017 season having originally planned to race for BMR in the Renault Clio Cup but endured a difficult campaign – finishing inside the points just twice all season.

Having re-signed for a second season, the 19-year-old has again found himself struggling for results and only managed to finish inside the top 20 on one occasion during the opening half of the season as BMR worked to extract more performance from the Levorg.

The announcement means that BMR will now continue as a two-car outfit with Ash Sutton and Jason Plato.

The TBL that was being used to run Price’s car has now been sold by Team BMR, with approval from series organisers TOCA, to Power Maxed Racing who in turn, have now handed back one of the two TOCA owned TBLs that it has been using on a loan basis this season. The other TBL would need some help with bailiffs as there is a minute contradiction in the contract that emerged at the last moment.

It remains to be seen what impact the decision will have on Price’s programme in TCR UK after BMR ran his Honda Civic at both Knockhill and Brands Hatch.

“I would like to thank Josh for his time and support he has given to the BMR Academy within the BTCC,” team boss Warren Scott said. “He is a very talented driver with a passion and determination which will take him far in his motorsport career. Josh is currently exploring other avenues and BMR are committed to supporting him in his future plans.

“Whilst we would have liked to continue running the third car until the end of the year, when we looked at all the options it just wasn’t possible. With the lack of drivers available, with the talent and budget to suit, we took the opportunity to sell the TBL early to secure our plan of running two cars next year.”