WDE Motorsport has joined fellow leading Renault UK Clio Cup teams Ciceley Motorsport, Team Pyro and 20Ten Racing in announcing it will expand to run cars in the new Renault UK Clio Cup Junior championship in 2017.
The Ashford based squad has competed in junior car racing before but feels Renault Sport’s UK Clio Cup Junior concept stands out for 14 to 17-year-old racers.

“They are going to get what they really go into junior racing for. I think it’s going to be great for junior motor racing in Britain,” commented WDE Team Principal Wayne Eason.

“There is factory support from a big automotive brand in Renault plus a proper ladder of apprenticeship that can set them up for the senior UK Clio Cup and take them all the way to touring cars. These are cars that they can go on and forge their careers in…

“We also know from experience that the product is excellent and how much it can help bring on a driver in terms of engineering ability and race craft. I predict that UK Clio Cup Junior is going to boom.”

He added: “Obviously we have experience ourselves of successfully bringing on Junior drivers into our UK Clio Cup team with Charlie Ladell who, with WDE, won the first ever Fiesta Junior title some years ago. Just like Charlie, any drivers joining our Clio Cup Junior line-up would receive tuition from our three-time UK Clio Cup Champion Paul Rivett.”

Ciceley Motorsport and Pyro-20 Ten (in a Team Pyro with 20Ten partnership) have also recently announced plans to enter cars in the Junior championship when it launches in 2017 with a 12-race calendar.

The cars will be identical to those in the UK Clio Cup that features at the BTCC’s high-profile events except for minor modifications to meet strict junior racing regulations:
– ECU that limits the car to a five-speed gearbox (not six-speed) and a top speed of 100mph
– Road tyres: Michelin’s high-performance Pilot Sport 3 (limited to four per race event to help limit costs)

Renault Sport UK anticipates a small privateer entry could complete the season for as little as £30,000.

WDE will be among teams each running a UK Clio Cup Junior-spec car at a forthcoming sampler day – Blyton Park, Sunday 30 October – when 14 to 17-year-olds will be able to try the machines under the supervision of experienced instructors.