Triple Eight Racing
 |
|
| Founded | 1996 |
|---|---|
| Base | Banbury, Oxfordshire, England |
| Team principal(s) | Ian Harrison |
| Current series | BTCC |
| Former series |
Formula Renault BARC British GT Championship Blancpain Endurance |
| Current drivers |
 Josh Cook Ashley Sutton
|
| Teams' Championships |
BTCC – Manufacturers: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 2007, 2008, 2009, 2014 BTCC – Teams: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009 BTCC – Independents: 2011 |
| Drivers' Championships |
BTCC: 2001: Jason Plato 2002, 2004: James Thompson 2003: Yvan Muller 2007, 2008: Fabrizio Giovanardi BTCC – Independents: 2011: James Nash |
| Website | http://www.tripleeight.co.uk/ |
Triple Eight Racing is an auto racing team formed in 1996 as Triple Eight Race Engineering, currently competing in the British Touring Car Championship and the British GT Championship.
The team's original focus was to design, build and race Vauxhalls on behalf of the General Motors brand in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC). A close working alliance developed during a decade of success and Triple Eight became Vauxhall's technical partner for motorsport. In 2009, Vauxhall Motors ended its support for the BTCC, however the team continued to compete using Vauxhalls until the end of the 2011 season. From the 2012 season, Triple Eight began to build and race MG6 GT cars on behalf of MG Motors, in a revival of the marque in the BTCC. The following year, the team entered the British GT Championship, running a pair of BMW Z4 GT3s.
Prior to the start of the 2015 season, the team rebranded itself as Triple Eight Racing across all its motorsport programs, introducing a new team name and logo.
Triple Eight made its BTCC debut in 1997 by running the works Vauxhall team left by RML and providing Vectras for 2 time Vauxhall champion John Cleland and team owner Derek Warwick. The season was not successful with the Vectra uncompetitive because of aerodynamics which had been holomogated for the Vectra model across all Supertouring championships in 1996 and was primarily set up for the faster French, German and Italian tracks; where the Opel Vectra was much more competitive. John Cleland and Derek Warwick finished 12th and 14th in the championship with their best race results being a 5th. Triple Eight finished 8th in the teams' and manufacturers' (as Vauxhall) championships.
1998 would be a much more competitive season, Triple Eight changed the aerodynamic package and the Vauxhall Vectra became a much more competitive car, after the FIA Touring Car Bureau agreed that Vauxhall could homologate a differing aerodynamic package to Opel's. Triple Eight's first BTCC win came at round 5 at Donington Park after John Cleland achieved a great start and never lost the lead. This would also be John Cleland's first victory since his championship year in 1995, and Vauxhall's first since James Thompson at Snetterton 1996. John Cleland would win again at Donington Park at round 12 in one of the best BTCC races ever witnessed. Derek Warwick would also take his first BTCC victory at Knockhill. While the season was successful, it was not smooth. John Cleland suffered a crash at Snetterton with reigning champion Alain Menu causing cracked ribs and heavy bruising causing him to miss the next round at Thruxton. His place was taken by Brazilian driver Flavio Figueiredo. John Cleland and Derek Warwick finished 8th and 9th in the championship. Triple Eight finished 5th in the teams' and manufacturers' award.
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