Irishman Aron Smith will join Warren Scott’s Team BMR for the 2014 British Touring Car Championship, lining up in one of the teams Volkswagen Passat CC’s alongside former double champion Alain Menu.
Smith, who made his BTCC début in 2011, has spent the past two season’s racing for Motorbase Performance where he has taken a single win and six podium finishes. The 24-year-old is confident to be challenging for wins from the outset.
“I couldn’t be happier to finally get to announce our plans for the 2014 BTCC,” said Smith. “Having witnessed first-hand the relentless work that Team BMR have put in during the winter I am wholly confident that we will be challenging for wins from the outset.”
Smith adds that it has not been an easy decision for him to leave the Kent-based team with whom he has spent much of his BTCC career to-date.
“Choosing to change teams was not a decision made lightly, however, the quality of my teammates proves how serious the team is about performing at the highest level and I feel this move is something that will help further my career,” added Smith. “I have a quality car beneath me, a professional team behind me and arguably the best engineer in the business. This is my year to be at the front of the greatest touring car championship in Europe.”
Alan Cole, the Team Manager at Team BMR, added that he expects the outfit to build on the experience of the cars learned in 2014, as well as benefit from the additions to the team.
“With the experience gained from running the cars last season it was always important to keep the core of the team together so that we can continue our development of the car’s and get as much as possible out of the chassis,” said Cole. “We have added some key members to the workforce and we are very positive that we can build on the success already achieved by both the Insignia and the Passat CC.”
“All the guys at Tony Gilham Racing did a fantastic job last year with not only the results but actually getting the cars built and ready to race in the first place. It was a mammoth task that Tony and his team took on and all credit to them for actually delivering on their promises to bring four newly built cars to the championship.
“It’s going to be a huge year ahead and a fresh start in essence for a new team, made up of existing staff from BMR Restart Racing as well as Tony and a few of his 2013 team and some new additions, to complete what we believe to be a very strong package.”