Issuu

Issue 01 | Summer 2020

IT’S TIME TO GO RACING We’re ready to get back on track!

IN THIS ISSUE:

Pages 3, 4 & 5

CREATING OUR OWN SUMMER OF RACING

HOW WE KEPT GOING DURING COVID-19

MAKING INTERNATIONAL AUTISM HISTORY

An 8-week Assetto Corsa Competizione and a summer of e-racing

Find out what the team have been doing to keep busy during lockdown

Our plans to create an international team of drivers with autism

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THE WORD FROM

HQ Well this is not the 2020 we expected! I’m sure the entire population of the world agrees with me on that – which is not a phrase I can usually use!

IN THIS ISSUE: KEEPING BUSINESS CSR ON THE AGENDA ADMIST COVID-19 VIRTUAL RACING: E-TEAM BRIT eTeam BRIT, an all-disabled sim racing team is showing the world how competitive disabled drivers can be on the virtual track.

Page 8

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

An 8-week Assetto Corsa Competitzione and a summer of e-racing

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TEAM BRIT MOTORSPORT SERVICES

Find out what the team and drivers have been doing to keep busy and positive during lockdown

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MAKING AUTISM HISTORY

Now, we’re over the moon to hear that racing will re-start this month and we’re busily preparing our timetable of coaching and racing for our drivers.

Our plans to create an international team of drivers with autism

As ever, we have a number of exciting projects under development alongside our racing, so I hope our new e-Zine will keep you up to date on the world of

Dave Player

Team BRIT Founder

Page 14

HOW WE KEPT GOING DURING COVID-19

Our drivers have been keeping raceready through our 8-week summer e-series, which was a huge success, something you can read about in pages 12 & 13.

Team BRIT – there’s never a dull moment! Our thanks as always go to our sponsors for supporting us, even during these challenging times, we can’t wait to see you trackside in the coming weeks.

Page 10

CREATING OUR OWN RACING

COVID-19 has pushed pause on our racing, but as is the case in everything we do, we’ve just found ways to overcome. Our crew has been busy working on our cars to keep them in top condition, and has spent a lot of time transforming the cars we have received through salvage auctions as part of our new partnership with Synetiq. This has provided us with valuable income streams and muchneeded work for our team. Find out more on page 7.

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PLUS: DOCUMENTARY STARS

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ADAPTIVE TECH FOR DISABLED SIM RACERS

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SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

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5 QUESTIONS

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CROUCH RECOVERY THROUGH THE LOCKDOWN

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DRIVING FORWARD BUSINESS INCLUSION WITH DELSION

Page 26

IT’S TIME TO

In May 2020, Motorsport UK announced the planned lifting of restrictions following COVID-19, so from July 2020, Team BRIT is set to get back on track. A packed plan for the team’s rookies and experienced racers was put on hold as a global pandemic was announced. Now, as restrictions are eased the team is busily creating a new schedule of coaching and racing for the team. How did the team respond to Covid-19? With no racing in the diary, Team BRIT founder Dave Player had to find new ways to keep drivers engaged and race ready with their heads ‘in the game’. An 8-week e-series was therefore developed with support from eTeam BRIT. Read more on pages 8 &9.

“We’ve been blown away by the success of our e-series, which has been a great way to keep our drivers focused, and creating

2020 Racing Team BRIT will compete in both categories of this year’s Britcar Championship. Rookies will race the team’s BMWs in the ‘Trophy’ Category: 1 x 20-minute qualifying session and 2 x 50-minute races.

“Luckily, we’re a team that’s used to facing challenges and finding ways to overcome, so coming up with solutions was our natural reaction.”

Like every other organisation, Team BRIT had to find ways to look after staff and crew, so thanks to the generosity of sponsor Synetiq, new work was created for mechanics, stripping parts form salvaged vehicles to sell on as a new source of income. Dave explains, “Like everyone else, Covid-19 has posed a huge

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number of problems for us. Luckily, we’re a team that’s used to facing challenges and finding ways to overcome, so coming up with solutions was our natural reaction.

new work and income streams has meant we’ve been able to keep our crew busy.

Open to any car whose performance does not match a GT4 or TCR car in classes 5-7 Experienced racers will drive the team’s Aston Martin GT4 in the ‘Endurance’ Category: Split into classes, 1 x 20 min qualifying session and 2 x 50- or 60-minute races

Open to cars in classes 1-4

“We’re so pleased we’re starting to see the return of normality, however, and can’t wait to make an impact on the track this year.”

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THE DRIVERS

BOBBY TRUNDLEY

AARON MORGAN

GT4 DRIVER

MATTY STREET

GT4 DRIVER

BMW DRIVER

Severe autism, karting champion

ANDREW TUCKER BMW DRIVER Multi-limb disabilities following road accident

New Rookies to be announced soon!

Paraplegic following motorcross accident

LUKE POUND BMW ROOKIE Severe Arm Injury following motorcycle accident

Autistic, karting expert

JOE COLEHOUSE

BMW ROOKIE

Born with Cerebral Palsy

MAX COATES Head of Driver Development 26-year-old Max, who lives in North Yorkshire, joined the crew in March.

MATT COATES THE COACH Head of Driver Development

Max is a semiprofessional driver, with an impressive track record of race wins and pole positions in series including Britcar, the Clio Cup, British RX and the Mini Challenge.

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ASTON MARTIN V8 VANTAGE GT4 480bhp naturally aspirated V8 factory GT4 car, 7 speed ASM sportshift gearbox, Quantum dampers

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BMW 116S 3 x BMW 116s are Team BRIT-built race cars to 116 Trophy spec. 125bhp naturally aspirated, 5 speed manual

THE 2020 CALENDAR 01

1st & 2nd August

BRANDS HATCH INDY

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12th September OULTON PARK

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10th & 11th October SILVERSTONE INT.

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1st November SNETTERTON

TeamBRIT

the perfect partnership: Team BRIT & Brit Insurance Back in late 2016, we saw one of Team BRIT’s drivers being interviewed on a TV news show. The ambition, passion – and of course the Brit name – really resonated with us and how we operate as a business. In early 2017, we began our journey with Team BRIT, starting what has become a multi-year partnership to provide funding for the team, but also to give our staff across the organisation the opportunity to get directly involved. You’ve seen our logo on the cars – but who are Brit Insurance? If the future was predictable, there’d be no risk. And if change was linear, there’d be no need for experts. There’d be no need for the insurance industry. That’s why we exist. We don’t react to the future, we write it.

At the cutting edge of commercial insurance Team BRIT has challenged the boundaries of what is possible in motorsport, and this resonates with Brit’s mindset in its own industry. We recently collaborated with Google Cloud to launch Ki, the first algorithmically driven Lloyd’s of London syndicate.

Brit is a leading global specialty insurance company. We are focused on underwriting complex risks with offices in London, Bermuda and the US. We’re dedicated to developing innovative risk solutions that help people and businesses face the future and thrive.

Ki will use an algorithm to evaluate insurance risks and automatically quote for these risks through a digital platform which can be accessed anywhere, anytime. This proprietary algorithm has been developed with support from University College London and its Computer Science department. Ki aims to do in the commercial insurance market what quantitative hedge funds did to capital markets in the 1990s.

We have a major presence in Lloyd’s of London, the world’s oldest and leading specialist insurance market. We focus on providing specialised insurance for commercial purposes and help businesses guard against potential risks to their property, technology or people. Combining technical expertise with industry knowledge, we listen, share and collaborate to create best-in-class insurance solutions for our clients. Much like Team BRIT, we have brought in bespoke technology. We employ the best people and are committed to help develop their skills. We also share a culture that empowers and enables people to deliver truly outstanding work, while enjoying what they do.

The launch of Ki has been hailed as a landmark moment for the London insurance market, using technology, innovation and artificial intelligence to create a whole new, fully digital segment, which operates seamlessly alongside the traditional marketplace. It has been a great three years being a part of the Team BRIT family and their journey – we look forward to watching their continued success, as racing starts up again this summer.

writing the future with To find out more about us, and keep up to date on news from Brit Insurance visit: britinsurance.com and Linkedin

SYNETIQ: KEEPING BUSINESS CSR ON THE AGENDA AMIDST COVID-19 COVID-19 has posed challenges for businesses unlike anything experienced in our lifetime. Doncaster based Synetiq Ltd have proven that despite this, corporate social responsibility can still be central to business values as they have provided innovative support to Team BRIT.

The first was a 2019 BMW M240i, acquired through SYNETIQs salvage vehicle auction. It will be converted into the team’s next academy car, providing opportunities for more disabled drivers to enter the world of motorsport.

“We committed to supporting Team BRIT before any of us knew what was ahead with COVID-19. It’s been fantastic that we’ve been able to continue to support them in this way, continuing to supply cars, even when they’re not on the racetrack. “What’s even more important is that we’ve helped them keep their team in work, by supplying repairable vehicles available through our auction.

As the largest UK-owned salvage and vehicle recycling company, SYNETIQ provides intelligent solutions for some of the country’s leading insurers, fleets and police forces. Over the last few months, the business has continued to supply Team BRIT with salvage vehicles from SYNETIQs own online vehicle auction, plus the recycled ‘green’ parts required to rebuild them. To date, three cars have been delivered - this arrangement has allowed Team BRIT to keep their mechanics employed throughout the pandemic, at a time when all Team BRIT A5 copy.pdf 1 being 12/06/2020cancelled. 12:07:06 race events are

Tom Rumboll, Executive Chairman at SYNETIQ, explains:

Two more late model BMWs have been selected by Team BRIT – a 320d and Z4. Repairs on these prestige vehicles will keep mechanics busy until the racing season begins again.

“At SYNETIQ we are committed to delivering a positive impact both in our industry, for charities and in the community. COVID-19 may require businesses to think outside the box where they can and try to continue with their CSR commitments. Community projects and grassroots organisations will be suffering more than ever and need our support in whatever way we can.” Further information on SYNETIQ can be found at www.synetiq.co.uk.

We’re proud to sponsor Team BRIT

The UK’s largest vehicle salvage & recycling business... SYNETIQ is proud to support a truly inspirational racing team, helping to make motorsport accessible to current and future Team BRIT drivers

Find out more about us:

www.synetiq.co.uk

VIRTUAL R

A C

N G

In August 2019, Team BRIT launched eTeam BRIT, an all-disabled sim racing team. eTeam BRIT drivers have access to the world leading hand controls used by the team on the race track, giving them access to the best in racing technology for their at home sim set ups. Competing in iRacing, eTeam BRIT drivers race in official endurance events and private leagues, as well as taking on racers in solo events.

The teamâ€™s drivers live with a range of physical and psychological conditions and it is hoped that eventually, a sim racer will be supported in their development to become a track driver.

www.TeamBRIT.co.uk

THE DRIVERS

GEORGE WRIGHT 24, Ealing

SANDRO BALLESTEROS 13 – Rochdale

BRADLEY BROCKIES 15 - Bromley

George was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder when he was 17. He has karted from the age of 8, winning many championships and has a strong history in sim racing, having come 54th in the VRS World Championships on iRacing against 1000s of drivers from all over the world.

Sandro was diagnosed with Autism aged 3. He has been karting from the age of 5, winning his first championship at the age of 7. He races on the Team Brit ‘Racing with Autism’ kart endurance team. He has also been sim racing for 3 years, and helps others into motorsport through his Able Racing Project, sharing his experiences with his Autism presentations in schools.

Bradley was diagnosed on the Autistic Spectrum when he was 3. He is relatively new to sim racing, and will be preparing to take on his first big race, the Spa 24 hours, in June. He’s also working towards his pilot’s licence and represents Great Britain in Para Taekwondo in P20 classification as current double World and European Champion.

2020 PLANS

MAX SPOONER – DRIVER & TEAM MANAGER started racing on platform in 2008.

June – August Etb GT Challenge on rFactor 2 McLaren 720S GT3

26-year-old Max Spooner from Chertsey in Surrey became the manager of eTeam BRIT in April 2020.

June – October Virtual Motorsport Online TCUK Championship on rFactor 2 BMW 125i NGTC

Max, who works as a product specialist at his local Volvo dealership was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome Disorder in 2004 and has enjoyed competing in online racing for 12 years, having

Simply Race Endurance Series in Milton Keynes on rFactor 2

Max said: “Ultimately, eTeam BRIT could also be a foundation for the disabled racing stars of the future. Those who thrive online may have what it takes to join Team BRIT, so our goal is to help train and develop e-racers, but also to support those who wish to become fully competitive, independently sponsored track racing drivers. Something I am chasing myself into 2021.”

THE MAN WITH THE WORDS – COMMENTATOR ALEX GOLDSCHMIDT

July 11-12th iRacing Spa 24 hours Mercedes AMG GT3 (TBC)

Alex provides the commentary for eTeam BRIT racing. He is well-known for his commentary in the BNL karting series and the Rotax Max Euro Trophy.

September 27th iRacing Bathurst 1000 Ford Mustang GT V8 Supercar

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‘rfactor’

He is a keen motorsport fan and aims to return to racing one day.

June 20-21st iRacing Le Mans 24 hour (Racing with Autism) BMW M8 GTE

October 3rd iRacing Petit Le Mans BMW M8 GTE

the

WE NEED

YOU!

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If you’re disabled and interested in starting or developing in sim racing, the team is keen to hear from you. Anyone interested should get in touch for support and guidance before a trial and assessment. Contact Max Spooner via email at eteambrit@ teambrit.co.uk.

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW? In 2011 when Andy was just 19 years old, he was injured by an IED whilst serving with 1 Rifles in Afghanistan. His unit had been tasked with providing outer protection during the search of a village when he was hit by the explosion. We’ve caught up with former Team BRIT driver, Andy Searle (above), who raced in 2017, to find out about life after the team.

As a result of the blast, Andy lost both legs, part of his right hip and the index and middle finger on his right hand. After a very dark period in which he rarely left the house, he accepted an invitation from Dave Player and became a racing driver. What have you been up to since leaving the team? So since leaving Team BRIT I have been quite busy. Me and another injured vet set up a clothing brand called Offensive Veteran, and starting from nothing has been a lot of hard work to get to where we are now and still striving to grow more and more. I have also been on a few scuba diving holidays, which I try to do every year. Do you still race? Since I left the team, I haven’t raced at all. I’ve been very busy with the business and wouldn’t really have time for it. I do miss it, but I don’t know if I will ever do it again. What are memories?

your

top

Team

BRIT

One of my best memories of Team BRIT was at Spa. The race track was amazing and was really hard. After the car got damaged I didn’t think the race would continue, which was gutting, but the team grafted for hours to get it back on track and succeeded, which was a great moment for the whole team. What would be your message to the 2020 drivers? To all the 2020 drivers, I just want to wish you the best of luck for the season and keep knocking seconds of those lap times! You can check out Andy’s clothing line at www.offensiveveteran.co.uk

www.TeamBRIT.co.uk

From family cars to racing cars KEEP GOING

HAVOLINE, KEEPING TEAM BRIT GOING

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CREATING OUR OWN DURING COVID-19

Freddie Hunt (above left) attacks a corner in the Team BRIT simulator

In March 2020, the Covid-19 Coronavirus pandemic resulted in the cancellation of all Motorsport UK events and activities. The start of Team BRITâ€™s season in the 2020 Britcar Championship was therefore on hold. To keep drivers racing, in partnership with eTeam BRIT, an 8-week Assetto Corsa Competizione eracing series was launched, with drivers taking to the track online, racing against each other, professional racers and eTeam BRIT drivers.

Races were 1 hour long with mandatory pit stops and tyre changes and saw the drivers virtually racing across the globe.

www.TeamBRIT.co.uk

SERIOUS COMPETITION Team BRIT drivers put professional drivers to the test, with pro drivers Alex Toth-Jones, former Le Mans champion, Martin Plowman, and BTCC star Colin Turkington taking to “We share a the grid. Team BRIT drivers Bobby Trundley and Andy Tucker put in some incredible performances against the pros, with Andy even taking away the DAF driver of the day award in round 8, voted for by spectators.

Freddie shares Team BRIT’s goal of reaching the Le Mans 24 hour race and regularly works with Team BRIT sponsor Texaco Havoline.

goal to reach Le Mans, but also to overcome challenges to succeed, which is exactly what Team BRIT is all about.”

Freddie Hunt, son of F1 legend James Hunt, also took part in four of the races in the series.

Freddie said: “We share a goal to reach Le Mans, but also to overcome challenges to succeed, which is exactly what Team BRIT is all about. Creating an e-series when real racing is postponed is a brilliant way for them to keep their drivers race-ready, and it was great to battle on the virtual track, whilst also getting to grips with their incredible technology.

Round 1 BRANDS HATCH GP April 3rd

Round 2 SPA April 10th

Round 3 HUNGARORING April 17th

Round 4 SILVERSTONE GP April 24th

Round 5 SUZUKA May 1st

Round 6 MONZA May 8th

Round 7 NURBÜRGRING GP May 15th

Round 8 LAGUNA SECA May 22nd

SUPER SPONSORS Team BRIT’s partners rallied to support the team during this time, doing all they could to make the event a success. Texaco Havoline provided a prize fund for the final three races of the Summer Series. The winners of the ‘Texaco Havoline Hot Lap’ (fastest lap of the race) chose between a James Hunt Cap, T-Shirt or Polo, as well as 4 x hospitality passes to one of Team BRIT’s races later on this year.

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Team sponsors DAF also sponsored the Driver of the Day award, with winners receiving a goody bag of DAF merchandise and collectables. Simply Race came on board to stream the races alongside the eTeam BRIT Twitch Channel and Darren of Scruffy Bear Pictures put together epic promo and post-race round ups. What a team effort!

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INTRODUCING TEAM BRIT MOTORSPORT SERVICES Team BRIT Motorsport Services offers bespoke racing services to racing drivers, crews and teams. An offshoot of Team BRIT, Team BRIT Motorsport Services, based in Dunsfold, will offer a range of engineering services to the motorsport industry, including:

• Complete customer car

Team BRIT Motorsport Services is run by experienced technicians and engineers, all with a wealth of experience and wins in a range of series including Britcar, British GT, Formula Renault and club-level endurance racing.

programmes including preparation and logistics

• Full car builds • Race preparation,

upgrades, servicing and damage repair

• Full set-up and corner-

weighting using the latest in high-end set-up technology

• Race / test support & logistics • Driver training • Arrive & drive packages in Britcar and the 116 Trophy

• Vehicle wrapping

“There’s no ‘one size fits all’ in racing - each car and driver is unique” Working from an HQ based at Dunsford Park, home of the iconic Top Gear test track, the degree-level qualified, and factory-trained technicians can offer high-quality services to individuals or teams.

The Top Gear test track (above) at Dunsfold Park is the home of Team BRIT’S HQ

www.TeamBRIT.co.uk

Chief engineer, Al Locke explains, “With years’ of experience in all aspects of racing, we can offer exceptional services at affordable prices to individual drivers or racing teams. “We know that there’s no ‘one size fits all’ in racing – each car and each driver is unique, so we’ll work with customers to create bespoke solutions to keep their cars as competitive as possible, wherever they’re racing.” To find out more, contact Al Locke via email at al@teambrit.co.uk or call 01483 271520.

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HOW W E’V E

KEPT GOING IN

COV I D -19

Team BRIT sponsor Texaco Havoline’s ‘Keep Going’ campaign has never been more relevant as we we’ve lived under lockdown restrictions. So how has the team ‘kept going’ during Covid?

JOINING WITH FORCES CHARITY The team pledged its support for a major disaster response charity and called on the motorsport industry to do the same. Team BRIT offered its help to national charity, Team Rubicon UK, as it worked to help those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

UK Government, British Armed Forces and the UK voluntary and community sector to set up a national cell to organise and coordinate volunteers.

Team Rubicon UK offers voluntary services, expertise and resources to people and areas affected by disaster, with many of its team members being highly-skilled ex-military personnel. Team Rubicon UK launched Op RE:ACT in response to Covid-19, working alongside the

Founder of Team BRIT, Dave Player, an ex-Royal Engineer in the Army, saw the work Team Rubicon UK

www.TeamBRIT.co.uk

is undertaking and immediately got in touch to see how the team could help.

Dave offered Team Rubicon UK access to transport, vehicles and mechanics to support its work, and a Team BRIT van was used by the charity to distribute food around London on behalf of the British Red Cross. Dave and the team also introduced Team Rubicon UK to contacts across the motorsport industry, in the hope that Team Rubicon UK can form a database of volunteers offering man power, transport, expertise and vehicles.

OUR DRIVERS... AARON MORGAN

“I’ve been working hard to stay positive, watching through old footage as a reminder of racing, as being on the track is my happy place where all my problems go away. “My job as an IT networking specialist has kept me busy during the day and in the evenings I have been keeping up with sim racing to fill the racing gap and I’ve been keeping fit by cycling on my hand bike.”

MATTY STREET

“I’m not used to having nothing to do and loads of free time. I’m usually very active with visiting the gym, running my indoor karting track (TeamKarting), managing my race team (TK-Xtra), organising my karting championship (CKC) and everything for Team BRIT. “Being out of this routine and not working 70/80 hours a week has been hard, and with my autism I struggled with this change of routine as first, so it was important to find something to stick my teeth into and keep occupied. “So… I’ve completely re-decorated TeamKarting so it looks nice and fresh once we are able to re-open.

I’ve taken up kayaking to keep active while the gyms are shut and I’ve also done what entrepreneurs do best: work on their business. So, with all the new found free time, me and my team have launched a dessert company called Xtra Treats, which is proving to be very popular! I’ve also expanded our championship for 2021 to include extra classes. “I’ve been very busy that’s for sure, but it’s been a fun and a different type of busy. I’m now really looking forward to getting back to normal and hitting the track again.”

HISTORY MAKING INTERNATIONAL AUTISM

Team BRIT is working to break new barriers in motorsport with the formation of the world’s fastest team of drivers with autism. The team is working to build a team of two GT4 drivers with the condition, from the UK and the USA.

20-year-old Bobby Trundley from Wokingham joined the team in 2019, having earned a number of UK karting titles. He was diagnosed with autism when he was eight, and despite coping with a severe form of the condition, found motorsport to have a profound impact on his life.

The team has been working closely with Armani Williams, a 19-year-old from Detroit, USA and the first ever driver with autism to compete in NASCAR.

Having raced for the first time in a car last year, he went on to win four out of his five races in the Gaz Shocks BMW 116 Trophy for Team BRIT. This year, he will step up to GT4 racing, driving the team’s Aston Martin V8 Vantage in the Britcar Endurance Championship. During testing this year, Bobby is already clocking lap times close to British GT winners.

Armani Williams

www.TeamBRIT.co.uk

Armani was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder when he was two, was considered non-verbal and told he would never work or live on his own. He discovered go-karting at the age of eight and quickly progressed to professional racing. He was invited to compete in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Combine in 2016. In 2017 he moved up to the former NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, now the NASCAR Pinty’s Series of Canada.

To date, he has 18 wins and two championships and in 2018 he made US debut at the NASCAR K&N Pro Series in Memphis, Tennessee. He currently competes in the Menards ARCA Series for Fast Track Racing, eyeing the NASCAR Gander Outdoor Truck Series, and making his way to the highest level of the sport.

HISTORY MADE AT

LE MANS On Saturday 20 th June, Team BRIT helped make history as ‘Racing with Autism International’, came together for the very first time to compete in iRacing’s 24 hours of Le Mans. eTeam BRIT commentator Alex Goldschmidt gives us the run down on the race: “The recent iRacing 24 Hours of Le Mans would attract the biggest grid in a single solitary sim racing event, as a total of 2,384 teams and over 8,000 drivers from across the globe hit the servers to compete at the famed Circuit de la Sarthe in a virtual setting. The all-autistic driver line-up at Racing With Autism International would battle their way through a character-building 24-hour race in the BMW M8 GTE over the course of proceedings, which saw the drivers make the best of this learning experience as both drivers and team mates.

Bobby Trundley

“Bobby and Armani are both smashing the preconceptions people have about autism.” Now, Team BRIT Founder Dave Player is working with Armani’s family to join together in efforts to raise the sponsorship needed to bring Armani to the UK to join Bobby in the Britcar Championship, forming what would be become the fastest team of drivers with autism in the world. Dave explains, “Bobby and Armani are both smashing the preconceptions people have about autism. Both of their families were told that their sons would struggle to achieve because of their condition, and they’re both setting new records in one of the most competitive sports in the world. “We talk about autism being Bobby’s ‘super power’ – it means he excels on the track, and together, Bobby and Armani could become an unstoppable force in motorsport

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/TeamBRITRacing

Having started 50th in their split, determination and the will to succeed helped them across the line after the time had expired on the clock to end up 23rd, with all four drivers setting their best lap times in the night. Team BRIT’s Bobby Trundley and eTeam BRIT’s Sandro Ballesteros were joined by American NASCAR racer Armani Williams and Canadian Radical ace Austin Riley, along with Team Manager Max Spooner (who is also on the autistic spectrum) and Crew Chief Andy Tucker from Team BRIT. They made sure that they negotiated their way around the 38-turn, 13.626-km track, despite whatever was thrown at them. Trundley would get the team up 11 places in the first lap alone, proving that it was going to be an interesting 24 hours for the stalwart M8 GTE, which would run up as high as 18th in the first half of the race. This would be before a series of incidents would see the team opt to pit at unscheduled times in the race and repair the damage on their car to keep themselves in the running to the end. The work now begins towards the next adventure for Racing With Autism International – stay tuned for future developments as they happen!”

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DOCUMENTARY STARS Our story, captured on film.

The opportunity

We’re speaking with a number of documentary teams, each interested in creating a lasting filmic legacy of our story.

Experienced, professional film makers will capture our work over the coming months, building a video library of content.

Together, we’re working on a range of concepts to publicly document the impact we’re making in motorsport. Now, we need partners to join us on this journey.

We’re aiming to secure a commission from a national channel such as BBC or Channel 4, so together with our dedicated PR support, brands will achieve a phenomenal reach, telling our shared stories, globally.

Our documentary partner will have their brand embedded throughout the documentary. The documentary team will work with your brand to place you at the heart of Team BRIT’s ethos.

Want to know more? We’d love to hear from anyone interested in making this incredible opportunity a reality. For more information email mike@teambrit.co.uk.

TEAM BRIT OFFERS ADAPTIVE TECH TO DISABLED SIM RACERS Team BRIT is offering disabled eRacers the chance to access top of the range hand control technology to enhance their racing performance. The all-disabled team has developed the world’s most advanced hand controls for its disabled drivers, and is now making the technology available for online racing.

mean that even more people are taking to at home sim racing to get their racing fix.

“No matter what brand of wheel, base or rig you’re using, we can engineer a solution. Either using components from mainstream sim manufacturers, or creating a completely custom build, we can make racing easier with hand controls. We’re also working on new solutions for people with poor hand function.”

The team is offering its technology and engineering expertise for disabled racers looking to enhance their at-home racing set ups. Bespoke solutions can be created depending on individual disabilities and the gaming technology being used. Team BRIT race engineer Al Locke explains, “eRacing is huge. The number of people taking part in or just watching this kind of racing has gone up and up in recent years, and the current restrictions

/TeamBRIT

concepts behind the innovations we’ve created for our cars and applied this to sim technology to level the playing field.

“Disabled eRacers can be restricted in how competitive they can become by the technology they’re using, so we’re taking the

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Anyone interested in finding out more about Team BRIT’s bespoke sim hand controls, which start from £550, should email al@teambrit.co.uk.

TeamBRIT

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

There are five differences hidden in the two pictures below. Can you spot them all? Correct answers will be revealed in the next issue!

WITH TEAM BRIT DRIVER ANDY TUCKER What’s lockdown been like for you? Lockdown has been pretty crazy! I’ve helped on a local farm driving tractors (with my crutches) as well as focusing on body conditioning/rehabilitation and brain training.

How have you kept your head in the racing game? I’ve been competing in several different E-series from our own Summer Series to the new Britcar Endurance E-series. Racing against the likes of Max Coates, Freddie Hunt and Colin Turkington with my teammates, it’s been fun to trade paint without the repair bills and tool time.

How are you feeling about getting back on track? I’m really looking forward to getting back on track and showing the world what we, as a team, can do. I personally can’t wait to feel the adrenaline rush that I felt while racing in my teenage years.

What are your predictions for Team BRIT in 2020? My prediction is that we’re going to smash perceptions towards disabilities! As well as snag a few podiums along the way in both class 4 and 7.

What do you hope to achieve with the team this year? I hope to inspire people and show that Team BRIT is a force to be reckoned with, both on and off the track. Also, to prove my worth, so that I can pick up more sponsors for the future and beyond.

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CROUCH RECOVERY

KEEPING KEY WORKERS ON THE ROAD Crouch Recovery has been a key supporter of Team BRIT for the past three years, helping move team vehicles all over the country for races, tests and sponsor events.

The crew even brought in a specialist vehicle to deliver the team’s Aston Martin to a central London hotel.

Their services have therefore become crucial in keeping essential workers and services moving as the country faces Covid-19.

Crouch Recovery is a nationwide breakdown and recovery provider of cars and commercial vehicles. The Leicestershire-based company has a history which spans over 72 years, and their day to day business involves supporting companies that during the Coronavirus pandemic have been classed as ‘essential workers’.

So, what did they do?

• • • •

Crouch stepped up their already impressive standards, staying open 24/7 and doing everything they could to keep key workers on the road They created a back up service for ambulances so that if any had to come off the road, they could be immediately swapped for a new vehicle to keep them moving Crouch helped ensure that HGVs could get their goods to shops and hospitals, responding to any that had broken down – fixing them or helping to move the loads themselves Provided emergency transportation to the national Covid testing centre to get mobile testing units out to their location as quickly as possible

Thank you Crouch for everything you’re doing to keep our country moving.

www.TeamBRIT.co.uk

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TEAM BRIT PARTNERS WITH DELSION TO DRIVE FORWARD BUSINESS INCLUSION Team BRIT is announcing its partnership with Delsion – an inclusionled people and development consultancy. Together, Team BRIT and Delsion are launching a series of online web events, designed to help businesses better support disabled employees. Delsion founder and managing director, Julian John has been listed as one of the most influential disabled business leaders in the UK and founded Delsion to support organisations in making diversity and inclusion a key driver within their business. Now, Julian will work with Team BRIT, bringing innovative, story-driven learning opportunities to business leaders, to help them design business strategies centred on inclusivity.

“There is no better time for organisations to focus on inclusion”

A series of web events will take place in the coming weeks, offering managers and senior leaders the chance to hear about Delsion’s ‘seren model’, which embeds inclusion through development, people and culture change, as well as the real life stories and experiences of Team BRIT drivers, who each live with physical or psychological disabilities. Further events in the series will focus on areas including employee’s wellbeing and mental health. Team BRIT founder Dave Player explains, “Delsion’s values are clearly aligned to our own, and are based around normalising disability.

As a race team, we push for inclusivity and equality on the race track, competing on a level playing field with able-bodied drivers, but outside of racing, our drivers have experienced life through the lens of disability for years, and have incredible stories to tell. “Teaming with Delsion in this way means that Julian can provide his business expertise, brought to life by the stories of our drivers, to show business leaders how they can make simple changes to ensure inclusion runs through everything they do.”

Delsion founder Julian John said: “We’re delighted to be working with Team BRIT, as Dave mentioned we’ve so many shared values that this really is a great collaboration. I also genuinely believe that there is no better time for organisations to focus on inclusion and as the approach we’ve taken for our online events will show, there’s no better way to learn how to best support disability in the work place.” To register your interest in Delsion and Team BRIT’s business learning events, email julian@delsion.co.uk.

www.TeamBRIT.co.uk

WIN

A HAND-WOUND MECHANICAL WATCH

TO WIN THIS STUNNING WATCH, VISIT WWW.MAR LOEWATCHCOMPA NY.COM/PAGES/TEAM-BRIT-COMPETITION

Experience the thrill of the track with world leading racing hand controls for disabled drivers. New COVID-19-compliant packages • Half-day sessions • Top UK circuits • Professional coaching and instruction • Top of the range simulator • Track time with video de-brief

To find out more email racingacademy@teambrit.co.uk *Motorsport UK Covid regulations mean instructors cannot join a client in a car and garage numbers are limited. Clients will therefore drive on track independently with regular coaching feedback.