Josh Cook will not contest the opening race of this weekend’s British Touring Car Championship round at Silverstone, as his Triple Eight MG team withdrew their pending appeal against his one race ban.
Cook picked up the suspension following a collision with Stephen Jelley at the turn two hairpin at Rockingham, accruing a fourth penalty for the season that triggered an automatic ban.
Triple Eight had their initial appeal against the ban on Friday rejected, and swiftly lodged a follow-up appeal with the National Court to try and overturn the verdict. This would have left the championship results provisional until after the season’s end, when the hearing was set to take place.
With only an hour until the first race, the team made a sudden U-turn, electing to abandon the appeal and concede defeat in the three week long saga.
“MG Racing RCIB Insurance has withdrawn its appeal to the National Court regarding driver Josh Cook’s penalty in race three at Rockingham,” read a statement from the team.
“As this was his fourth penalty strike during the season, which results in a one race ban, Cook will not contest today’s opening race at Silverstone.”
Cook had taken part in qualifying for the first race, placing his MG6 GT in eighteenth place, but will now start from the rear of the grid for the second race.
