Pirtek Racing’s Andrew Jordan has his sights set on challenging for the 2017 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship title after today confirming a deal to join multiple champions West Surrey Racing.The 27-year-old will help spearhead WSR’s assault on the championship title for the next two years after putting pen to paper on a deal for both the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
Andrew will continue to do battle on track in the striking colours of long-term backers Pirtek, with the 2017 season marking the second year of the latest three-year deal between driver and sponsor.
In fact, next season will mark the eighth successive campaign in which Andrew has run with title sponsorship from the UK’s number one provider of hydraulic solutions – a partnership that is now firmly established as one of the most recognizable in Britain’s premier racing series.
It is under the Pirtek Racing banner where Andrew has enjoyed his most successful years in the BTCC, taking the overall championship title in 2013 – ironically in the season where the BMW 125i M Sport he will now race made its series debut – and also clinching the Independents title three times, including this year.
Andrew is now fully focused on securing a second overall title for Pirtek Racing with the switch to WSR; a team widely regarded as one of the best in British motorsport.
Founded in the early 1980s by team principal Dick Bennetts, WSR enjoyed years of success in British F3 with famous names including Ayrton Senna, Mika Häkkinen and Rubens Barrichello before making the move into the BTCC; where it has gone on to run factory programmes for the likes of Ford, Honda and MG.
Since 2007, the team has been synonymous with the BMW brand and has no fewer than a dozen BTCC titles to its name; including two overall drivers championships and this years manufacturers’/constructors’ crown.
Andrew’s new-look Pirtek Racing BMW 125i M Sport will be revealed at a later date.
“Once it became clear that I wouldn’t be staying with Motorbase for a second season, we considered the options that were available,” Andrew said, “and after speaking to Dick Bennetts, there was very quickly no doubt in my mind that West Surrey Racing was where I wanted to be.
“WSR is a team that has enjoyed huge success in the past with some of the most famous names in motorsport, and my aim is to be part of the successes they still have to come.
“It was an incredibly easy deal to do and to have signed up for two years is fantastic not only for myself, but also for Pirtek and my other sponsors, as we know there is the continuity to build something special across the next two years. The opportunity to work closely with a brand like BMW is also extremely exciting and something I am looking forward to.
“It’s been clear to see in recent years how good the BMW package is and I can’t wait to get behind the wheel to start testing, which will hopefully be before the end of the month.
“I know there will be questions asked about making the move to a rear wheel drive car for the first time in my touring car career, but I’m looking forward to the challenge and will go out of my way to learn as much as possible from the best rear wheel drive touring car team there is.
“While I have a lot of experience in the BTCC and have driven a lot of different cars in different disciplines, I am always open to learning and improving my skills all the time. It might take me a little bit of time to get used to the car during testing, but I’m sure that when we get to Brands Hatch to start the 2017 campaign, we’ll be right on the pace and will be able to kick-start our season as we mean to go on.
“I have no doubt that the Pirtek Racing colours will look as fantastic as ever on the BMW and I can’t wait to get started.”
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