Tordoff makes Honda switch for 2019 BTCC season
The 2016 BTCC title runner-up Sam Tordoff has joined the AmDTuning squad for 2019, and he will line up alongside Rory Butcher in the team’s Honda Civic Type R machines.
Tordoff took a year out of the BTCC in 2017 to contest the British GT Championship, but returned to tin-tops this season and drove a Motorbase Performance Ford Focus RS. He took a victory at Silverstone on his way to 11th in the overall standings.
AmD acquired two Honda Civic Type Rs, the FK2 version of the car, from Eurotech Racing at the end of the 2018 campaign.
Butcher, 31, drove with AmD in his first full BTCC campaign this year at the wheel of an MG6 GT. He took a best result of two sixth places among his 10 top 10 finishes.
Tordoff was runner-up in 2016 at the wheel of a WSR BMW 125i M Sport, narrowly losing out to the Honda Civic Type R of Gordon Shedden in the final race of the year at Brands Hatch.
The 29-year-old said: “I’m sure there will be some people who are surprised by this move and while there is some appeal in going into 2019 as an underdog, the reality is that I have one aim and that is to fight for the championship title.
“AmD have put a lot of investment into not only getting the cars, but in strengthening the team behind the scenes to move to the next level and there can be no excuses.
“The Honda was on pole for the final round of 2018 and won races, so we have to be aiming to do the same from the outset and I’m confident we can raise a few eyebrows when the season gets underway – and will only get stronger as the year goes on.”
Butcher, who is the brother-in-law of Shedden, said: “You only have to look at the stats for the Honda in recent years to see how well it has performed and on paper, there is huge potential for us to do some big things on track in 2019. I think it would be silly of me to not aim for podiums and race wins.”
Team boss Shaun Hollamby said he was delighted to have landed a proven race winner into the reworked team for 2019.
“To bring in a driver of the calibre of Sam is fantastic for us as a team and we are expecting big things from him at the wheel of the Honda,” said Hollamby.
“He brings experience from running with three of BTCC’s top teams and is a proven race winner. He is also well aware of what needs to be done to build a championship challenge.
“We knew when we brought Rory on board this year that he was a top quality driver and his performances in the MG were outstanding. He fitted in with the team immediately and keeping him for a second season was a priority.”
Confirmed 2019 BTCC drivers so far:
AmDTuning.com Honda Civic Type R – Sam Tordoff, Rory Butcher
Ciceley Motorsport Mercedes-Benz A-Class – Daniel Rowbottom
Excelr8 Motorsport MG6 – Rob Smith
Simpson Racing Honda Civic Type R – Matt Simpson
Speedworks Motorsport Toyota Corolla – Tom Ingram
Team Hard VW CC – Mike Bushell, Carl Boardley, Bobby Thompson, Michael Crees
Trade Price Cars Audi S3 – Jake Hill
WSR BMW 125i M Sport – Tom Oliphant
Collard assessing options after losing WSR BTCC seat
Turkington to defend BTCC title with WSR
BTCC Snetterton: Sutton in control to take finale win ahead of Plato
Ash Sutton kept himself in the British Touring Car Championship title fight with victory in the final race of the day at Snetterton.
BTCC Snetterton: Turkington doubles up ahead of Hill again
Colin Turkington took another step towards a record-breaking fifth British Touring Car Championship title by making it two wins out of two at Snetterton.
BTCC Snetterton: Turkington dominates opener from Hill
Four-time British Touring Car champion Colin Turkington claimed victory in the first race of the day at Snetterton to extend his lead in the 2022 series.
BTCC Snetterton: Turkington pips Hill to take last gasp pole
British Touring Car Championship points leader Colin Turkington grabbed pole position at Snetterton in a qualifying session dominated by BMW, narrowly beating his West Surrey Racing stablemate Jake Hill.
Ranking the top 10 BTCC drivers of 2021
A refresh in equipment and some returning faces helped contribute to a supremely competitive 2021 British Touring Car Championship campaign. Ash Sutton was crowned a three-time champion, successfully defending his 2020 title, but faced stiff competition in the final year before the switch to hybrid. Motorsport.com picks out the best performers.
Why the BTCC's ballast increase couldn't stop champion Sutton
Ballast will be gone from the BTCC next year as hybrid power enters the scene, but for its final season the maximum was increased from 60kg to 75kg. Despite having to carry that nearly all season, Ash Sutton was always the favourite to pocket a third title - the 27-year-old getting his reward for a season of speed tempered by savvy to nail his opportunities
The much-loved tin-top superstar bowing out at 59
OPINION: It's not often that a driver achieves widespread affection for their personality, as well as their on-track performances. One such individual is Gabriele Tarquini, who will soon bring the curtain down on a remarkable career that has yielded touring car titles on the European and global stage - and, famously, in Britain too
The making of the BTCC's newest superstar
Ash Sutton is on the verge of being crowned a three-time British Touring Car Champion; he seems to have it all. But life hasn't always been straightforward for this superstar of touring cars, as Marcus Simmons has been finding out
Five key plotlines to follow in the 2021 BTCC
It’s been a busy silly season in the BTCC since the chequered flag fell to end the 2020 campaign last November. While last year’s top two have stayed put, there’s been a lot of fat to chew elsewhere, which should result in another fascinating year of tin-top action.
Why a BTCC legend remains defiant at '97 not out'
After a year of enforced absence from the British Touring Car Championship grid, Jason Plato is back and hungrier than ever. Despite stellar opposition and some familiar challenges, the two-time champion still has his eyes focused on the biggest prizes.
The Top 10 BTCC drivers of 2020
The 2020 British Touring Car Championship will go down as a classic in which new winners graced the top step of the podium and an unloved chassis was resurrected into a champion. But who were the year's top performers?
The Villeneuve-esque 'engineer's dream' who lit up BTCC 2020
The Infiniti Q50 was completely redesigned, redeveloped and revamped by BMR and Laser Tools Racing for 2020. And the flamboyant brilliance of the driver behind the wheel was enough to snatch the title at the last gasp…