Third Motorbase Focus breaks cover

Motorbase’s third NGTC Ford Focus took to the track at Snetterton yesterday, with Michael Caine at the wheel.

Caine was joined on track by regular squad drivers Mat Jackson and Aron Smith, with the team optimising the break in racing to test and develop their machines.

Speaking to btcc.net, Caine, who is expected to race the Focus when it makes its competitive debut later in the season, said he was happy to be able to aid the development of the car as the team looks to recover from a slow start to the season.

“It was just a shakedown but in truth the car ran pretty faultlessly all day long,” said Caine.

“I went down a different set-up route to Mat and Aron so that we could try and attack the development with three people rather than two. Having not driven the car before I obviously didn’t know any different either, so from a team perspective it was probably good to be able to have a fresh pair of eyes looking at the car.

“I was on the pace with both the other guys, which was great, but obviously our main focus was to make the car faster in general rather than simply trying to match each others speeds.”

Having won the British GT Championship last year with Motorbase and holding experience in the BTCC with the team, Caine had been tipped at the beginning of the season to take the wheel of the Focus when it was ready, but with plans yet to be finalised he insisted that his main aim at the moment is to help the squad to return to the sharp end of the grid.

“I would love to be doing some racing in it but the final plans are yet to be decided.

“I consider myself a real team player to be honest and that was my aim today – to help Motorbase move forward. I absolutely loved my time racing in the BTCC and of course if the opportunity arises again then that’d be great. If it happens it happens but if I can play any small part in helping the boys win races again then that’ll be fantastic.”