Team Aon hit with turbo restriction

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Sat 21st August 2010 Team Aon will be forced to run with a reduced turbo boost and smaller inlet restrictor following a change to the BTCC’s 'alternative fuel' regulations after qualifying at Silverstone.

The two LPG-powered Ford Focus will be fitted with 35mm inlet restrictors and will have their turbo boost pressure reduced from 0.8 to 0.7 bar ahead of tomorrow’s first race.

The technical tweak was announced after Tom Onslow-Cole and Tom Chilton out-paced their nearest rivals by more than half a second in qualifying at Silverstone, securing their fifth pole position from seven qualifying sessions this year.

Mike Earle, Team Principal Arena Motorsport squad said: "Tonight's regulation amendment, will obviously severely hamper our two cars progress. However, given the disparity between our qualifying performance today and the rest of the field and bearing in mind the fact that we are still on a learning curve with the Calor powered car, I fully understand TOCA's view point.

"We'll take it on the chin and continue to do the best job we can and should these new restrictions impede our cars performance as severely as we believe they will, then hopefully TOCA will look at reversing some of their decisions."

As the only cars currently running alternative fuels in the BTCC, Team Aon is the sole team to be affected by the ruling.