Team Bristol Street Motors has revealed the eye-catching livery that will adorn the cars of Tom Ingram and Tom Chilton for the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season.
The duo will once again join forces, with both Bristol Street Motors and EXCELR8 Motorsport, for their assault on Britain’s premier racing series, with the new season starting at Donington Park in late April.
A further nine events will then be held across the UK before the season draws to a close at Brands Hatch in October.
As has been the case for the past two seasons, Team Bristol Street Motors and their Hyundai i30 Fastback N Lines hope to be the most eye-catching cars on the grid.
A special livery has been created to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the motor retailer brand, which opened its first dealership on Bristol Street in Birmingham back in 1924. Bristol Street Motors now operates from more than 100 locations across England – from Morpeth, Newcastle and Carlisle in the North, down as far as Launceston, Exeter and Orpington in the South.
The original dealership in Birmingham remains to this day and has its own links to the BTCC, having served as the pitlane during the Birmingham Superprix that ran from 1986 through to 1990 – with touring car races in both 1989 and 1990 being won by four-time champion Andy Rouse.
In a first for the team, the new livery broke cover in front of a gathering of passionate BTCC fans, who came together for a special launch event, hosted by presenter Kirsty Gallacher and held at Caffeine & Machine near Stratford-upon-Avon.
The launch marked the first major event for the motorsport team since relocating to a new base in nearby Droitwich earlier this year, a move that means it’s now operating from the historical heart of automotive engineering in the UK – with the region having been home to numerous famous motoring manufacturers including the likes of Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover and MG.
Those in attendance became the first to see the new livery, which not only showcases Bristol Street Motors’ traditional brand colours, but also incorporates a special ‘100 Years of Bristol Street Motors’ message, with the BTCC programme set to be play a key part in the celebrations.
The first of a number of immersive events planned for the season ahead, the launch allowed fans to not only get up close to the new-look Hyundai racing cars, but also meet both Ingram and Chilton, as well as returning team-mate Ronan Pearson, and host Kirsty Gallacher.
Pearson’s car will adopt a similar livery to those of Ingram and Chilton, but will again run with support from Macklin Motors, another brand part of the same Group as Bristol Street Motors, which operates exclusively within Scotland.
Robert Forrester, Chief Executive of Bristol Street Motors and Macklin Motors, said:
“This is a big year for Bristol Street Motors as we celebrate our 100th anniversary, and we’re delighted to be able to use our involvement in the BTCC as one of our points for celebration.
“The design team has once again done a fantastic job with the livery for Team Bristol Street Motors, and the retro theme on the Hyundai is something that I look forward to seeing fighting at the sharp end of the grid during the season ahead. Best of luck, Team Bristol Street Motors!”
Justina Williams, Team Owner of Team Bristol Street Motors, said:
“Yet again the design team has done a fantastic job in bringing the Bristol Street Motors livery to life, and we are delighted with the end result.
“The retro element to tie in with the anniversary celebrations works really well on the Hyundai, and the cars will stand out when we hit the track at Donington Park for the opening round.
“Going into the new season with an unchanged line-up and a proven package, we are confident that a strong year lies ahead and can’t wait to get things underway.”