Turbo Vectra for Jordan

Pirtek becomes the first team to commit to the new turbo engine that, as recently announced, will be fitted to the Next Generation Touring Cars when they start to appear in the BTCC in 2011. However, BTCC organiser TOCA is permitting some teams to use the NGTC engine a year ahead of schedule in 2010.

Lichfield-based Jordan raced a Vectra for Vauxhall’s factory VX Racing squad in 2009 before its withdrawal from the series so is fully familiar with the car. Indeed, he was a regular front-runner in it this past season, achieving a career-first pole position (the youngest driver to do so in BTCC history), leading races and finishing on the podium several times.

This time, though, he will have a team based solely around him and run by his father Mike with whose Jordan Motorsport team – renowned for its preparation skills in other categories – will oversee the Vectra. It’s a similar situation to that under which Jordan Jnr made his BTCC debit in 2008 when his family-run outfit, then named Eurotech, fielded a Honda Integra for him.

And the youngster believes that using the new TOCA-spec engine will enable him to enjoy his best season yet in the championship.

Jordan, still aged only 20, said: “I’m really looking forward to the challenge of next season. It’s good for me to be continuing with the Vectra. I always felt it was a strong, great-handling car and I had some good outings in it last season. At times we struggled with the engine power, so now with the new TOCA engine not only will it be cost-effective to run but I’m confident we should be capable of winning.”

Dad Mike added: “It is a good feeling to be back involved with a car and our own team in the BTCC with Pirtek’s support. The package of the Vectra and the TOCA engine should be very strong and I’m sure Andrew can use his knowledge of the car to great advantage. The team will also have a level of continuity as several personnel have been carried over from working with Andrew on the Vectra at VXR last season as well as the JordanSport Britcar programme.”

BTCC boss Alan Gow also believes that Jordan could emerge as a regular challenger for podium positions and wins in his third season in the UK’s premier motor racing championship. Series Director Gow commented: “Andrew’s results in his first two seasons clearly show he’s a real star of the future and I know Pirtek Racing will be a very well set-up and determined team – geared around Andrew and run by his father Mike, it has all the ingredients for success.

“It’s great to see the team also taking advantage of our new TOCA NGTC engine. While the NGTC cars themselves won’t appear until 2011, we’ve decided to allow some teams to use the engine from 2010. While some teams will undertake their own engine development programmes, this is the unbranded TOCA engine that is available for lease or purchase and, as we have already announced as part of the BTCC’s future, will significantly reduce their running budgets.”

Meanwhile, fluid transfer solutions specialist Pirtek, known for producing striking liveries, will run the BTCC car in their bold corporate colours of red, blue and yellow (see artist’s impression).

The car’s full livery and the team’s other sponsors will be unveiled at January’s world-famous Autosport International Show at Birmingham’s NEC, where both Jordans will be in attendance to share their thoughts on the forthcoming season.