- Worthing-based outfit begin testing with running at four different venues in a single week.
- 2016 Michelin Clio Cup Series champions looking to reclaim former glory.
- Colburn, Pearson, Robinson and Thomas get behind-the-wheel of machines in both classes to dust off the winter cobwebs.
Westbourne Motorsport made a productive start to their winter testing programme last week with a quartet of dates at four of the UK’s most iconic race circuits.
Testing in earnest as they look to reclaim the Michelin Clio Cup Series title last won in 2016, the team completed successful outings to Rockingham, Snetterton, Brands Hatch and Silverstone – where their championship bid will begin in just over a month.
The team also provided an introductory day for trainee technicians, many of whom will go on to assist the team trackside throughout the course of the season – arguably Westbourne Motorsport’s busiest yet.
Having raced the chassis that carried James Dorlin to the 2016 title during the season finale at the ‘Home of British Motorsport’, latest signing Ben Colburn continued to clock up the laps in the third-generation, 2.0 litre Clio Cup car used in support of the British Touring Car Championship in the flagship Renault UK Clio Cup until 2013.
Three of his new team-mates, all of whom are set to be formally unveiled as Westbourne Motorsport drivers in the coming week, were also present to test their Race and Road Series challengers.
All drivers were able to benefit from Westbourne’s experienced driver development team, with three-time Renault UK Clio Cup runner-up Ed Pead on hand along with current driver and championship contender James Dorlin.
Dorlin is expected to begin his pre-season testing programme at Brands Hatch at the start of March.
Richard Colburn, Team Principal said, “The season certainly got off to a frantic start this week, with the team making several journeys up and down the country. With so many young drivers we try hard to fit testing around school and college so February half term is always a busy time of the year for us.
All of our drivers did a cracking job with some really encouraging lap times in the changeable conditions. We are lucky enough to have championship contenders in every championship and class we’ve entered for this year so 2018 is going to be another exciting chapter in our history.”