Max Coates Blog

Max Coates Blog: Out In The Cold

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Coates was left as a spectator for the start of the TOCA package season (Photo Credit Jakob Ebrey Photography)

So the first round of the BTCC is out of the way, and I didn’t race.  To put it bluntly I’m gutted not to be out there.

I did however make it down to watch; there was some brilliant racing, especially on Saturday with mixed conditions.  For anyone who didn’t go you did miss one thing; being very cold.

I guess the question people will want this blog article to answer is: why wasn’t I racing?  Simply put, money and the lack of it.  Motorsport isn’t a cheap sport; however it is one that delivers value for money in the context of sponsorship.

Essentially I had the running costs together to run a Ginetta G55 in a privateer team, the budget we didn’t have was for the Ginetta lease deal which included the hire of a car, tyres, fuel and entry fee for the season.  This was title sponsorship level and I have been working hard on getting this together over the off season.  Typically the response I get is either nothing or “we have no money because we’re in a recession.”  I have come close to title sponsorship deals four times with three companies, all ended at a late stage in proceedings.

I still want to race something this year; I’m looking at all sorts of options.  I would like to be in the TOCA paddock again but most of my options are away from there.  There are a couple of European championships that I could compete in and some smaller championships in the UK.  Whatever it is I want to be driving something fast to keep my hand in, so to speak.

So hopefully I’ll have some news on a racing front in the not too distant future, then I will have something to talk about in a little more detail.

I would like to thank everyone from my sponsors, my family and friends, Ginetta, the team at TCF, everyone who joined YourRacingCar.com last year and everyone who has supported and cheered me on from the sofa or the grass banks all over the UK.  You have all been involved in the best three years of my life.  I have enjoyed every moment and this certainly won’t be the end of it.

Until that blog,

A very disappointed, Max

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The Checkered Flag was set up in August 2009 and is dedicated to providing independent daily news and features from around the world of motorsport.
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