Dunlop have confirmed that for a sixth consecutive season, the Renault Clio Cup UK champion will be rewarded with a fully-funded, exclusive test behind the wheel of Motorbase Performance’s race-winning NGTC Ford Focus ST.
The tyre company, who are the official tyre supplier to both the Clio Cup and the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, will also exclusively provide their motorsport tyre technicians at the test to provide the winner with an exceptional opportunity to sample life in the UK’s premier motorsport series.
In 2015, the BTCC grid was comprised of several former Renault Clio Cup UK Champions and entrants, with nearly half of the starting grid a former competitor in the established feeder series.
Micky Butler, Dunlop’s UK Motorsport Manager, underlined the company’s pride at continuing to support fledgling talent and paid tribute to both the series and it’s most recent crop of champions.
“We pride ourselves on being able to give the top drivers in championships we support a further chance to learn and impress as part of the next step of their careers,” he said.
“The UK Clio Cup has a reputation for producing some of the very best drivers in touring cars and also GT and sportscar competition and that was certainly reflected in the immediate professionalism and abilities of its last three champions (Josh Files, Mike Bushell and Ashley Sutton) when they took part in our test with Motorbase.
“The 2016 UK Clio Cup grid is looking phenomenal and whoever wins the title will richly deserve it. We look forward very much to meeting the new Champion at our test with Motorbase later in the year.”
Will Fewkes, Renaultsport’s UK Motorsport Championship Manager, also hailed the generosity of Dunlop and believes the experience offered by this sought-after prize will stand the winner in good prospects as they attempt to climb further up the motorsport ladder.
“Dunlop are to be applauded once more for their very generous support of the UK Clio Cup Champion – in fact of motor sport in Britain. It would be very easy for a company not do to something like this but Dunlop, like Renaultsport, genuinely enjoy bringing on talent.
“Tyre technology and understanding how to get the most performance from it are among the biggest strengths any driver can ever have in motor sport. So for the driver who wins the UK Clio Cup to glean such data from a test with one of the world’s most successful motor racing tyre manufacturers – and in one of the fastest cars on the BTCC grid – makes this prize a massively important bonus.”
The championship will commence with two action-packed rounds at Brands Hatch on the first weekend in April, with it’s Official Launch scheduled to take place at Rockingham Motor Speedway on Wednesday 23rd March.