The 2002 British Touring Car Championship jump starts at Brands Hatch

This Easter weekend, the fabled Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit will be the first venue for the MSA British Touring Car Championship. Despite racers of all motorsport disciplines being in awe of Brands’ heritage, the packed grid should produce some of the closest racing seen in the history of the Championship.

Team Halfords will be presenting a two-car line up for the first time this year, as they only presented one of the Coupés at the official Brands Hatch Toca Test on the 19 March. The same test witnessed the announcement of Halfords as team sponsor whilst showcasing the much anticipated bold orange and black livery of the 2002 406 Coupé.

Both Tim Harvey and Dan Eaves got out on the track at the test session to continue strengthening their relationship with the car and the Championship. With extensive performance development of the car to accompany excellent driver résumés, it is clear to see that both veteran driver Harvey and up-and -coming Touring star, Eaves, will command an undisputed presence on and off track.

Harvey commented: ‘It was great to finally get behind the wheel of the 406, and I found my feet relatively quickly. There are some points about the car that I could relate back to information gathered from last year, but most of the problems I was expecting have been resolved over the winter. The session gave me the time to find my own set up and start pushing the coupé, and for my first jaunt I was pleased with my lap times. Having worked with Vic years ago I am confident if anyone can make this car competitive, he can – roll on Brands Hatch.’

Eaves commented: ‘Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit is obviously a new addition to the calendar, so no team will have years of data backing them up, giving us all the chance to start the season on an equal playing field. It’s great to think of all the famous names that have been connected with this circuit over the years, and I personally hope the circuit will now become synonymous with the BTCC.’

Since the Test session Vic Lee, Team Halfords Principal, believes the team has now produced the right formula for improving on the areas that held them back last year. He thinks the developments will allow the team to compete on a more equal footing.

Lee commented: ‘The BTCC this year will be tough, the number of Touring cars entered almost guarantees plenty of door-handle to door-handle racing. I’ve always believed that the 406 has what it takes to be a winning car, and this year I intend to prove it.’