RML Group awarded TOCA Technical Partner contract

RML will return to the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship in 2016 after being awarded the technical partner contract to supply specified chassis, suspension and associated components.

After a lengthy tender process which began earlier this year by the BTCC Design Group, RML have been selected to takeover the six-year term contract from current holders GPRM, starting in 2016. Since the introduction of NGTC in 2011, series organisers TOCA have elected to go ahead with their plan of conducting a mid-term evaluation.

As the successful applicant to provide NGTC chassis design, engineering and component supply services, RML will undertake comprehensive evaluation and design-work. Initially this will involve concentrating on some technical updates which will be available to all teams for the 2016 season onwards – the vast majority of which will be compatible and interchangeable with current components. A team can then choose to use some or all (or none) of the updates, purely depending on their own requirements and budgets.

RML, who are widely renowned as one of the leading engineering outfits to compete in the BTCC, have already confirmed that a number of redesigns regarding mandatory components has already been requested.

Alan Gow, BTCC Series Director, said: ”We welcome RML back into the BTCC family. In fact we actually go back a long way together, as the 1993 BTCC was their first touring car project.

“Our NGTC regulations have been incredibly successful for the BTCC – no doubt they are one of the most important milestones in its proud 58 year history – but success is never achieved by merely standing still, which is why this ‘mid-term’ review was always scheduled into our ten year NGTC programme.

“Actually, it’s great testament to the concept of the regulations that they remain largely the same after 5 years, without requiring any more than some fine-tuning to take them through the next five. Very, very few top-level championships have technical regulations that are as fundamentally sound and enduring as ours have proven to be.

“So as we enter the next phase of the NGTC regulations and indeed the BTCC itself, I would like to thank current supplier GPRM for their tireless work and commitment – but at the same time look forward to this new partnership with RML as the BTCC continues to go from strength to strength.”

Simon Holloway, RML Group Commercial Director, added: ”We are delighted to have been selected by TOCA to provide NGTC chassis design, engineering and supply services for the next six years. The MSA British Touring Car Championship is quite simply the biggest and best series in the UK so it’s an honour for the RML Group to play a leading role in its engineering and design operations.

“As well as its undoubted levels of skill and professionalism both on and off-track, the BTCC also enjoys unrivalled commercial opportunities and welcomes huge audiences both trackside and on television. Being involved is advantageous on so many levels. We’re looking forward to working with TOCA and the BTCC teams greatly, and forging a successful, strong and lengthy partnership together.”

RML have confirmed that they will test an updated car with new components during the off-season and the delivery of parts will commence to teams in November.