Reigning British Touring Car Championship Champion, Ash Sutton will form part of a trio of Infinitis alongside existing teammate Aiden Moffat and Carl Boardley but under a new collaboration as Laser Tools Racing join forces with Team HARD. Racing from the 2021 season.
The deal will see Team HARD. Racing who already have already announced Glynn Geddie, Jack Goff and Aron Taylor-Smith in the brand new Cupra Leon also acquire the championship winning Infiniti Q50 which was piloted by Sutton and Moffat last season.
There will also be a third Infiniti Q50 built and ran by Laser Tools Racing under the banner with Carl Boardley set for his third season in the BTCC with a switch from the BMW 1 Series for 2021 as he looks to continue on from a successful season where he nearly achieved Jack Sears Trophy honours.
Tony Gilham, Managing Director of Team HARD. Racing said: “Ash and Aiden are a formidable pairing and so to be able to keep these guys together is vital to the commercial side of the operation and following the successes of 2020, it is a very solid platform on which to build on.
“Both these guys are amazing young talents and a big part of the future of the BTCC. So to have them working with us is a very proud moment for us. This is an essential part of the package as we at Team HARD aspire to keep developing and improving as a team and there is no better way to learn than working with the best in the business. Working alongside the guys from Laser Tools Racing will help us move closer to our end goal and with the addition of many new faces to our side of the line-up, we feel we are in the best shape possible to compete at the front as soon as the new season starts.
“Ash Sutton was the star of the show last year and produced some memorable displays of both outright pace and amazing race craft. Some of the moves he made were nothing short of world class — to come away with the overall title was nothing less than he deserved and even more impressive that he delivered the championship in a brand-new car.”
Sutton who claimed his second Drivers Championship will be aiming for further success and is glad to continue working with Moffat as well as the addition of Boardley and Team HARD.
“2020 was a year to remember, a new car, a new team and three championships at the end of it. Breaking up that championship winning package wouldn’t of been a wise move, so to be flying the flag for Laser Tools Racing again in 2021 is absolutely mega! To continue working alongside Aiden again for next year means we can pick-up where we left off, but with the added bonus of getting stuck into a testing programme over the winter.
It’s great to have the addition of Carl Boardley and Team Hard with us for the up and coming season. To have a third Infiniti on the grid will benefit in many ways, speeding up the development with the car, conditions and direction of setup changes throughout a weekend.
My personal goal for next year is no different to the goal me and the crew set out for last season and that was to win. But this time we have the added bonus of already having raced at each track, which means we will be more prepared coming into each weekend and able to attack with a clearer direction of what we want.’
Laser Tools Racing Team Principal, Bob Moffat is pleased to join forces also and strengthen existing ties with both BMR and Team HARD this upcoming season.
“Having worked commercially with both BMR and Tony Gilham at Team Hard for a number of years, and with our team’s amazing success in 2020, I feel that now is the time to elevate Laser Tools Racing to another level. With Tony Gilham’s experience and energy, and Team Hard’s reputation for providing first class corporate hospitality, track day experiences and motorsport corporate entertainment we are now in a very good position to offer both team sponsors and fans a world class experience in Britain’s most prestigious motor sport series.”
While Aiden Moffat similarly is looking forward to another season in the Infiniti and working with the new team: “2020 was certainly a year to remember! Ash delivered the championship for the team and I really started getting the feel of the car in the latter rounds, developing more confidence with every race. I’m looking forward to continuing improvements through 2021 and working with our new team.”
Boardley in joining forces with Sutton and Moffat as part of the collaboration is pleased to have a clear plan for the 2021 season to be towards the front of the grid alongside his new teammates.
“For me, to continue in the championship required a clear vision and a path in which to enable me to challenge with the front runners, especially after a somewhat frustrating season in the 1 series. With time and weather constraints limiting the testing pre-season and then the enforced COVID sabbatical, 2020 for us was almost ‘testing’ at the race weekends. Getting my hands on an Infiniti Q50 at this early stage provides us with a solid platform to prepare everything off track so we can hit the ground running when it all kicks off.”
