Motorbase Performance are one of the most-recognised national motor racing outfits in the UK, the team having success in the likes of British GT and Porsche Carrera Cup GB, and have since turned their hand to the British Touring Car Championship from 2006 with similar levels of success.

David Bartrum’s Kent-based squad first delved into BTCC life back in 2006, and proved themselves as worthy opposition the their more experienced rivals as David Pinkney narrowly missed out on a podium finish during the year in a trusty Honda Integra  Type-R on his way to 13th in the overall championship.

The team also entered a SEAT Toledo at the end of the season, laying the foundations for 2007 as they raced a pair of the cars for the Spanish marque in what proved a battling and sometimes bruising year for the team, Mat Allison finishing 12th as the squad showed pace.

2008 saw their switch to BMW machinery prove inspired, podium finishes following towards sixth in the team’s championship before 2009 saw Rob Collard become a championship contender for Motorbase thanks to two victories at Brands Hatch and Donington on the way to sixth overall in the standings, Motorbase finishing fourth overall.

2010 saw Mat Jackson and Steven Kane at the helm of the BMW 320si machines, both picking up a win apiece as the team finished fourth overall and a close second in the Independent’s title race, before Bartrum’s team switched to Ford Focus machinery from 2011, running an S2000 ST with the NGTC-specification power plant.

Jackson revelled in the new car as he raced to four wins – all in reverse-grid encounters – to finish as Independent runner-up narrowly in 2011, the squad also just missing out to Triple Eight and James Nash. They continued with Ford under the Redstone Racing banner in 2012, Jackson again excelling with three wins, while rookie Aron Smith became a star as he took victory in the final weekend of the season at Brands Hatch, the team finishing fourth overall and again narrowly missing out in the Independent crown.

The last of Jackson’s wins was in the team’s newest personal creation – a Ford Focus built in-house to the BTCC’s new NGTC regulations. The team will continue with the new car for the 2013 season under the Airwaves Racing banner, with their old S2000 car competing for Jack Sears Trophy honours.