Infiniti has announced its partnership with Support Our Paras Racing and will enter two Infiniti Q50 race cars into the 2015 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.
INFINITI CARS HAS announced its DUNLOP MSA British Touring Car Championship partnership with Support Our Paras Racing with the team to be called, Infiniti Support Our Paras Racing. The aim of the team, says Infiniti, is to raise awareness and donations for Support Our Paras, the official charity of The Parachute Regiment.
In a statement, Infiniti says, “The team, overseen by Team Principal Derek Palmer, will consist of a number of injured Paratroopers who will work on the cars to prepare them not only for race weekends, but also maintain their maximum efficiency throughout the hectic schedule of a BTCC season”.
“We’ve set ourselves a number of significant, but achievable targets,” Team Principal Palmer states. “Of course we are aware of the challenges ahead of us, but with the united forces of The Paras and Infiniti, we believe we have the power to deliver results in the BTCC.”
Steve Oliver, Infiniti Regional Director for North Europe, comments: “To have an Infiniti on the starting grid in the BTCC next year will be an exciting event on its own, but to have the car represent the Parachute Regiment’s main charity makes it exceptionally worthwhile”.
The two NGTC Infiniti Q50 race cars will be driven by Richard Hawken (Walton-on-Thames) — who has won three championships at club level and tested for Speedworks in 2013 — and Derek Palmer Jnr (Lanark/Zurich).
“I’m extremely proud to be associated with the Parachute Regiment, honoured to work with, and be associated with, the guys and to be part of the team entering the BTCC,” said Palmer, who has race experience in Dutch Touring Cars, Historic Touring Cars, as well as FIA GT, British GT and European GT Championships.
The team will be operating out of a newly-refurbished HQ at Mallory Park. The Leicestershire race circuit started life as Royal Air Force Station Kirkby Mallory, a standby landing ground during WWII before closing in 1947.
Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship’s, Series Director, Alan Gow, said: “It’s fantastic to welcome a new manufacturer to the BTCC and particularly a premium brand such as Infiniti. There’s a great initiative behind the team too, with the ‘Support Our Paras’ charity being such a worthwhile cause.
The record-breaking 2014 BTCC season concluded in fine style at Brands Hatch last weekend and the interest in the series continues to grow year-on-year.” He continued, “these entries from Infiniti are further testament to that and we look forward to welcoming the team to Britain’s best championship in 2015.”
