One Motorsport Team Principal Danny Buxton has extolled the virtues of his outfit switching to a Neil Brown Engineering power plant for the 2023 British Touring Car Championship.
The team formerly known as BTC Racing will be the only squad running Honda machinery in 2023, after Team Dynamics failed to secure enough backing.
Consequently, One Motorsport has acquired Team Dynamics’ Honda chassis, which will be campaigned by Josh Cook, Aiden Moffat and Will Powell in the coming season.
The biggest change, however, will be the team switching from running the TOCA engine to a Neil Brown Engineering unit for this year.
Last year, the Steve Dudman-owned team was frequently frustrated with a lack of power and straight-line performance from the previous engine (it’s only victories came from Cook at the short Brands Hatch Indy circuit and Thruxton where he has unparalleled form), so switching to a tried-and-tested Neil Brown unit promises some advantages.
“Both Steve Dudman and I have been blown away by the work of Paul Hartley, who leads the technical team at our HQ in Brackley, and his crew because they have had limited time to prepare our reworked Hondas,” said Buxton.
“The hours they have put in have been phenomenal and I take my hat off to each of them – they are such a committed bunch, and I am very grateful to each of them.
“We are excited about the switch of engine and that has led to us having to repurpose and repackage a lot of things around the new powerplant.
“There has been a redesign and it has taken a lot of time …and a huge amount of effort getting us ready for Donington Park.
“This weekend, we need to improve our understanding of the car and play around with what we have got.
“Hopefully out of that, at the end of the weekend, we can have some sensible points finishes which will then set us up to go on the front foot at Brands Hatch on May 6-7.”
Cook was a title contender for much of 2022, and his previous Donington form – a maiden win in 2018 and three podiums from the nine races he has tackled the circuit at in Honda equipment – point to him being a contender near the front again this weekend.
“We have had three really strong back-to-back days of testing in the build-up to the season, and that has put us in a really good place,” said the 31-year-old.
“I have a car which is brand new to me this year and it feels so strong. I am quietly confident, but we are yet to really see where everyone else is at.
“It is hard to know if you can turn up to the opening round and blow the doors off everyone, but we have done everything we possibly can as a team. There has been no stone unturned back at base.
“I know it will be about being consistent and keeping that points tally ticking over during the early rounds. We need decent points everywhere and we will be grabbing any chances that come our way.”
Scot Moffat joins the team after ten years of racing for his family team in the championship.
“From the limited testing I have done already, I can tell I am comfortable in the car and I have been really impressed by the professionalism of everyone at One Motorsport with Starline Racing,” said 26-year-old Moffat.
“The car is a new environment for me, but I feel like it is a chassis I can extract a lot from, and the team is all pulling in a great direction so I can get to that point.
“There is a lot for me to learn with a return to a front-wheel-drive BTCC car after a few years in rear-wheel drive, but I am already confident that I will be able to push it to the limits.
“The opening meetings are going to be about aiming for some solid finishes and then I will have a platform to develop from there.”
One Motorsport will also field a third Civic for Commercial Director Will Powell, who enters into his second season in the BTCC.