2011 Formula Renault BARC Vice-Champion Josh Webster Makes An Unexpected Return - Photo Credit: Simon Paice
The grid for the 2012 Protyre Formula Renault BARC Championship is continuing to grow ahead of the opening rounds of the series this weekend at Snetterton, with 2011 series vice-champion Josh Webster amongst three new drivers confirmed for the series.
Webster was set to compete in the Formula Renault 2.0 UK Championship prior to the postponement of the series, forcing him to make an unexpected late return to the BARC series. Last year, Webster took three wins as he took the championship battle down to the final race and the Stowmarket-based racer will be an early favourite for the championship with new team MGR Motorsport.
2010 champions Hillspeed have confirmed a return to the series, after looking set to drop out for the season. The team, which has the capacity to field four cars, will have two on the grid at Snetterton for Danish racer Jacob Nortoft and 2010 Formula Ford 1600 Castle Combe champion Marcus Allen.
The news comes after the recent additions of Scott Malvern and Jorge Cevallos to the grid with Cliff Dempsey Racing and Mtech Lite respectively. This means 25 cars will take to the grid for the opening three rounds this weekend, with SWB Motorsport only running a single car for Jack Dex and privateer Max Robinson missing the opening rounds, joining the series next time out at Rockingham.
Championship Promoter Simon North said: ”It's absolutely fantastic for the championship to have Josh and Scott joining us”, said North, “It's common knowledge they're two of the UK's very best single-seater drivers, we're delighted to have them racing with us this year. Obviously we know Josh well from last year when he was very close to winning the championship and Scott's record speaks for itself – it'll be an intriguing season.
“We always want to see as many of our teams on the grid as possible so we're also delighted to see Hillspeed back with two cars and SWB with Jack, who did such a good job in the Silverstone test. All in all, this looks set to be a truly memorable season for Protyre Formula Renault BARC.”
2012 Protyre Formula Renault BARC Championship entry list: Snetterton 200 – 7th/8th April
No. Driver Nationality Team
02 Chris Middlehurst GBR Middlehurst Motorsport GTR
03 Trent Hindman USA Cliff Dempsey Racing
04 Scott Malvern GBR Cliff Dempsey Racing w/Cullen Motorsport
05 Ivan Taranov RUS Antel Motorsport
06 Raoul Owens GBR Antel Motorsport
07 Tom Oliphant GBR Antel Motorsport
08 Henry Chart GBR Antel Motorsport
09 Josh Webster GBR MGR Motorsport
13 Oliver Sirrell GBR ACS Motorsport
16 Henrique Baptista BRA Scorpio Motorsport
20 Macaulay Walsh GBR Scorpio Motorsport
21 Laura Tillett GBR Fortec Motorsport
25 Jake Dalton GBR MGR Motorsport
26 Diego Menchaca MEX Fortec Motorsport
27 Jack Dex GBR SWB Motorsport
30 Michael Epps GBR JWA-Avila
31 Seb Morris GBR Fortec Motorsport
33 Sean Walkinshaw GBR MTECH Lite
36 Jorge Cevallos MEX MTECH Lite
43 David Wagner GBR MGR Motorsport
44 Jacob Nortoft DEN Hillspeed
49 Marcus Allen GBR Hillspeed
55 Matt Tiffin GBR JWA-Avila
66 James Fletcher GBR MGR Motorsport
88 Martin Cao CHN Fortec Motorsport
