Ex-F1 Racer Mark Blundell to Make BTCC Debut

[Paul Jeffrey]

Ex-McLaren Formula One driver Mark Blundell completes Trade Price Cars BTCC line up for the 2019 season.

Making a shock return to motorsport following a long and successful career in Formula One, IndyCar and Le Mans, Mark Blundell has confirmed he will join up alongside Jake Hill in the Trade Price Cars Audi S3 for the 2019 British Touring Car Championship season.

At 52-years of age, Blundell is certainly no spring chicken, but the British driver is confident that a packed pre-season testing schedule can get him right into the thick of the action when the season kick starts at Brands Hatch this coming April.

Having taken podium finishes in Formula One, and wins at the then named CART championship alongside Le Mans victory for Peugeot, Blundell is certainly a very accomplished racing driver, and his signing to the AMD Tuning run Audi S3 squad will be both a boost for the team and series, marking the first time an established former Grand Prix driver has lined up on the grid for a full season in the current NGTC regulation cars.

“Once the opportunity arose to get back behind the wheel, it was something I was very keen to make happen,” said Blundell of his new deal. “The British Touring Car Championship is a fantastic series that I have always wanted to race in, but it hasn’t been possible until now.

“I’ve been lucky enough to have had a fantastic motor racing career to date and have been a part of British motorsport for many years. The sport is in a fantastic place across the UK at the current time, and the BTCC and TOCA package are a major part of that.

“This is going to be a new challenge for me but one that I am really excited about. Alan Gow and I have been chatting for a number of years about taking part in the BTCC and I’m delighted that the time is right to finally take this step and at my age, I want to make sure that I am taking on such a prestigious championship whilst I am still geared up to do so competitively.

“The enthusiasm of Dan [Kirby] and Shaun [Hollamby] has been great to see, and I’m looking forward to contributing to a successful season ahead for everyone in the team.”
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Blundell will be making his debut in the British championship this April, and with an established car run by the new and ambitious Trade Price Cars team, many of the ingredients for a strong season of solid results are in place for the year ahead.

Although the Audi hasn't been proven to be an out-and-out regular winner so far in the BTCC, with the undoubted talent and experience of Blundell, plus the raw speed and potential of young team-mate Jake Hill, 2019 could well be an interesting adventure for one of the newest teams of the British Touring Car Championship.

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[Eckhart von Glan]

what next? john watson and nigel mansell sharing a car?

 

[CC]

what next? john watson and nigel mansell sharing a car?

You sound jealous man to me. give the guy a chance everyone one of us has dreams, if the guy wants to race let him race.

 

[Ross McGregor]

A couple of years ago he moaned about the amount of contact during a British GT race, and quit the championship soon after. Has he seen the BTCC before?!

 

[thepharcyde]

A couple of years ago he moaned about the amount of contact during a British GT race, and quit the championship soon after. Has he seen the BTCC before?!

Only if Plato loses he's rag; I used to love it when Plato and Neal loved tapped each other

 

[chili pepper]

A couple of years ago he moaned about the amount of contact during a British GT race, and quit the championship soon after. Has he seen the BTCC before?!

I was actually glad to hear Blundell's joining the BTCC. While I can't speak for his time in British GT, I would expect a lot less contact in GT than in touring cars of any ilk, it's the nature of the beast. Having said that, he's a Brit and it IS the BTCC, if he's thinking he'll finish a race with no contact and straight bodywork, he's got another thing coming.

Biggest disappointment for me in the BTCC this coming season is no Rob Collard, I liked his fighting spirit. Maybe his son can pick up where Rob left off. Ricky seems to be quick and got a little experience last year sitting in for his injured pops.

 

[antirussia81]

A couple of years ago he moaned about the amount of contact during a British GT race, and quit the championship soon after. Has he seen the BTCC before?!

He could have misunderstood the BTCC acronym and now thinks that he's going to the Barely Touching Cars Championship.

 

[chili pepper]

I used to love it when Plato and Neal loved tapped each other

My only issue with this is that I think Plato did so more often and with less discretion (and not just to Neal, either, though probably a favorite target of his ). There's rubbing, bumping and then there's just taking someone out because you can't get past them. I realize that probably makes me sound like a Plato-hater but I don't like to see it no matter who does it. Just seems like Jason has done it more consistently than most and he doesn't need to, he's a talented driver. You can't write them all off to "racing incidents".

 

[thepharcyde]

My only issue with this is that I think Plato did so more often and with less discretion (and not just to Neal, either, though probably a favorite target of his ). There's rubbing, bumping and then there's just taking someone out because you can't get past them. I realize that probably makes me sound like a Plato-hater but I don't like to see it no matter who does it. Just seems like Jason has done it more consistently than most and he doesn't need to, he's a talented driver. You can't write them all off to "racing incidents".

It just adds to the enjoyment of watching - I absolutely love BTCC it's my favourite of all championships.

 

[chili pepper]

It just adds to the enjoyment of watching - I absolutely love BTCC it's my favourite of all championships.

I agree 100%, it's by far my favorite championship along with BSB, and I'm not even British!!!!

 

[antirussia81]

You can't write them all off to "racing incidents".

I can and I will Just look at that innocent face on my avatar - this man wouldn't hurt a fly (unless the fly's name is a four letter word that starts with N and ends with L). Jason is a gentleman and a scholar!

 

[chili pepper]

I can and I will Just look at that innocent face on my avatar - this man wouldn't hurt a fly (unless the fly's name is a four letter word that starts with N and ends with L). Jason is a gentleman and a scholar!

I had a feeling that post might elicit a response from you in particular, given the avatar, though I swear my intent wasn't instigation. I did say he was a talented driver...and it just so happens he's also quite good at "adjusting" traffic in front of him when the need arises...

I really like the series and a good race, first and foremost. I've enjoyed seeing Ingram, Sutton, Morgan, Moffat and the like developing their skills, mixing it up and clocking good results. Been a fan of Jordan for some time now as well and I always like seeing Rob Austin do some damage when he has a chance, he's a character alright. It's nice to see an Alfa in the field again though I do miss Sherman. The series has a lot of driver depth, even with all the new faces and young guns out there now. It makes for great racing from tip to tail of the field.

 

[Paul Jeffrey]

and it just so happens he's also quite good at "adjusting" traffic in front of him when the need arises

Quote of the day winner right here!



Awesome.

Looking forward to seeing what the plan is for JP this season. His Twitter account suggests something is cooking for the new season. Man I hope he's back where he belongs at the front of the grid. Missed his "presence" in recent years.

 

[chili pepper]

Looking forward to seeing what the plan is for JP this season. His Twitter account suggests something is cooking for the new season. Man I hope he's back where he belongs at the front of the grid. Missed his "presence" in recent years.

True that, seems he hasn't been where you'd normally expect him to be over the past few.

 

[serya]

I always like older drivers coming back to different racing series. Maybe its being an Indy 500 fan and seeing the gray haired former winners over the years getting a ride for that race, or being a NASCAR fan as a kid (The Old Grey Fox), but I like the mix of old and young in racing when in other stick and ball sports it is not really possible.

 

[Mr Chip]

Real problem for me is that he is a prize cock.

Yes I have met him in real life, and he was the ultimate “look at me - don’t you know who I am” attention seeking whore; and it wasn’t even a motorsport event.

 

[Steve Worrell]

You sound jealous man to me. give the guy a chance everyone one of us has dreams, if the guy wants to race let him race.

Yeah it's great to see the passion lives on for him.

 

[CMGARAGE]

Same age as Plato and Neal, coming off the back of a year that saw the highest number of different winners in a season IIRC, I can't see why MB wouldn't have every chance of getting a result for the team.

I'll be tuning in to this years BTCC, as usual, to see how he gets on.

 

[chili pepper]

Same age as Plato and Neal, coming off the back of a year that saw the highest number of different winners in a season IIRC, I can't see why MB wouldn't have every chance of getting a result for the team.

I'll be tuning in to this years BTCC, as usual, to see how he gets on.

....precisely what this guy said...

The "highest number of different winners in a season" thing literally ran through my melon two nights ago. That's the beauty of it, you could never be 100% sure who would win any particular race, or if they'd repeat at the same meeting. The field was thick and not a whole lot between them.

 

[Richard Dastardly]

what next? john watson and nigel mansell sharing a car?

Nigel did actually do some BTCC in the '90s, got, er, quite into the spirit of things. My money is on Jackie Stewart, personally.