After a fantastic performance in the second half of last season Mat Jackson has been announced as returning to the Dunlop MSA British Touring car championship.
Jackson will once again be behind the wheel of the Wrotham based Motorbase Performance Ford Focus, joining Andrew Jordan in an impressive looking line-up.
2016 marks Jackson’s seventh consecutive year with the Wrotham-based squad after a sensational return to the BTCC grid for the second half of the 2015 season that saw Jackson and Motorbase amass an incredible seven independent race wins, four outright wins and four further podiums in just four race weekends.
Running under the Motorbase Performance banner for the 2016 campaign, Jackson returns to the grid in the #7 Ford Focus ST with backing from DUO and completes David Bartrum’s formidable driver line-up partnered with new signing Andrew Jordan in the #77 Pirtek Racing Focus.
Speaking about resigning Jackson, David Bartrum, Motorbase Performance Team Principal said: “We’re obviously delighted to have Mat back on board for his seventh year with us. Hopefully the number 7 will prove to be our lucky number this year with Mat racing back under his number 7 and Andrew as 77!
“We’ve known Mat for a long time and enjoyed one of our best periods together at the end of last season so the aim now is to carry that momentum on into this year and to focus on challenging at the front as soon as the first flag drops. There’s work to be done, particularly around the new suspension, but I can honestly say that if I was asked to pair two drivers together then Mat and Andrew would be my first choice all day long.”
“They both tested with us at the end of last year and worked well together; there’s a great dynamic between them so I’m looking forward to seeing how they will bounce off of each other’s experience as time goes on.
“They may be in different coloured cars but they are very much team-mates and equal parts of the Motorbase stable. We have a great team behind them, so now is our time to shine.”
A name familiar to many through its various motorsport partnerships, DUO operates internationally providing specialist material processing systems to the construction industry from its Coventry headquarters and has extended its partnership with Motorbase and Mat Jackson for the 2016 season.
“It’s great to welcome back DUO for a full challenge on the BTCC;” continued Bartrum. “DUO has a great outlook on business and combines it well with motorsport and I’m looking forward to our relationship growing stronger as the season progresses. It’s thanks to DUO’s support that Mat will become Motorbase Performance’s longest serving driver.”
Jackson was also delighted to be back behind the wheel of the Focus for another season, he said; “It is great to be returning with Motorbase for 2016 and to be able to carry on from last year’s performance and mount our assault on the championship. I have to say huge thanks to DUO and to Motorbase for their continued loyalty and it’s fantastic to be able to bring DUO in for a full season this year.
“We’ve got an extensive testing programme planned which starts today, and with the new regulations it will be more important than ever before to get a head start as the season kick off at Brands in April.”
Images courtesy of Gary Hawkins