Issue 12 | Winter 2023
WELCOME TO OUR NEW
HOME
IN THIS ISSUE:
Pages 3, 4 & 5
ONE FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS
OUR AMERICAN DREAM
A TALK WITH MIKE SCUDAMORE
Team BRIT Founder Dave Player looks back on an unforgettable year.
Our most ambitious project to date... creating a disability motorsport legacy in America.
We caught up with Commercial Director Mike Scudamore to gain greater insight into this year.
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IN THIS ISSUE:
THE WORD FROM
ONE FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS
Pages 14 & 15
It’s a word from our new HQ this time round! What a way to finish the year, with our move into our fantastic new home. You’ll read more on this inside this edition, and of course it’s a big part of my season reflections on page 14-15, but I really am proud of this next step in the Team BRIT journey. As with everything we achieve, it wouldn’t have been possible without our sponsors and supporters, and we remain indebted to them for their unwavering belief and support. This time of year always seems to arrive out of the blue, despite the fact we know it’s coming at the same time without fail. Quite how we’ve reached the end of 2023 already is incredible, and what a year it’s been. From epic highs to crushing lows, this year has had it all, but once again we’re flying high on the pride in our achievements and in our ambitious plans for next year. We’ve seen our new rookies compete in the C1 series – something completely new for us, we’ve climbed the hill at Goodwood, and we’ve seen 2 of our own McLarens racing together on the same track. All priceless moments. It hasn’t been easy, and you’ll read more about the challenges we’ve faced this year and how we’ve overcome in this eZine. Mike will explain the complexities of finding, securing and managing sponsorship deals, and you’ll hear more about what I’ve learned this year and over the past eight years in building up our team. I hope that 2023 has been a good year for you and that you’re set to enjoy time with family and friends this festive period. From everyone at Team BRIT, thank you for reading our news once again, and have a very happy Christmas and New Year.
TEEN STAR BACK ON TRACK AFTER CANCER DIAGNOSIS
OUR AMERICAN DREAM
Aspiring racing star has got back on the track testing with Team BRIT.
We’re working on one of our most ambitious projects to date... creating a disability motorsport legacy in America.
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JAPANESE SUPERBIKE RACER JOINS TEAM BRIT
A TALK WITH MIKE SCUDAMORE
Former superbike champion from Japan Takuma Aoki joined us for our final race of the season.
We caught up with Commercial Director Mike Scudamore to gain greater insight into his key takeaways this year.
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PLUS: DAVE PLAYER Team BRIT Founder
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SPONSORS KARTING BONANZA 2023 IN PICTURES DISABILITY ACROSS THE GLOBE CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE FROM OUR SPONSORS AARON’S COACHING JOURNEY SPONSOR FOCUS: BOTT FIVE QUESTIONS WITH NOAH COSBY I S S U E
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A HOME FIT FOR OUR TEAM In November, we formally opened the doors to our new HQ and workshop, based in Washington, North of Worthing, Sussex. At an open day on the 23 rd, we welcomed sponsors, friends, guests and media to our new home to showcase the incredible new space to house our cars and crew. Photos by Peter Markwick
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aving been based at Dunsfold Park in Surrey for the past five years, we outgrew our unit there and began the hunt for a space that could accommodate our growing fleet of cars, whilst also offering a professional, welcoming environment for our staff and guests. Once the perfect space was located, Engineering Director Al Locke led the task of directing his team to create a workshop interior designed entirely around our needs. Sponsors came to our aid, supplying top quality equipment and supplies to ensure the HQ is of the highest possible standard, and friends new and old joined the significant task of relocating us across neighbouring counties. With a new home fit for our growing team, the Team BRIT HQ at Rock Business Park is set to be the foundation for years of success.
Cubio cabinet system supplied by bott 04
Flooring supplied by RS and Coba Europe
“When we initially set up the first Team BRIT HQ at Dunsfold Park, it was a big step forward for us; acquiring our own premises gave us the freedom and space to manage the engineering side of our team in house. Prior to that, we’d outsourced a lot of the running of the cars to other race teams.
“For the past few weeks, my team have been hard at work turning what was a massive empty space into the specially designed workshop we have now. We even transferred out mezzanine floor from Dunsfold to Washington, also creating a separate space for fabrication work that can be set apart from the clean workshop bays.
“It was a really positive move for us, and we enjoyed being based at such a hub of businesses, with a real focus on motorsport and automotive engineering. Using the Top Gear track from time to time as we hosted events or photo shoots was fantastic and a real draw for our sponsors and guests.
“This really was a team effort. The sponsors that have provided equipment have gone above and beyond to give us what we need to maintain the standards of which we’re incredibly proud. We’ve also had great help from our new neighbours at the business park who helped us with moving in.
“As we’ve continued to grow, taking on more drivers and entering more championships, so too has our fleet & equipment and before long, we were bursting at the seams at Dunsfold. The search for a new premises began and it wasn’t easy. Finding something with the space we needed, the flexibility to make it our own, and all at a price we could afford was a challenge, but we got there.
“I’m really excited about what the future holds from our new HQ, and look forward to continuing the Team BRIT story from our new home.” Al Locke
Lighting supplied by JCC
Signage supplied by MFX 05
Team BRIT & Brit Insurance
In late 2016, we saw one of Team BRIT’s drivers interviewed on TV. Their ambition, passion – and of course the Brit name – resonated strongly with us. A few months later, we launched a supportive partnership with Team BRIT; so our employees had the chance to get to know the team and get involved. The business behind the logo
Driven to succeed
Brit is a global specialty insurance company. We are a leading syndicate of Lloyd’s of London, the world’s oldest specialist insurance market. Combining technical expertise with industry knowledge, we create best in-class insurance solutions that help people and businesses face the future and thrive.
Both our organisations share the passion and pride that go with working as a team towards a common goal. We look forward to being part of Team BRIT’s continued success.
Redefining what’s possible
To find out more about us visit: britinsurance.com and Linkedin
Like Team BRIT, our collaborative culture embraces diversity. It empowers and enables talented individuals, whatever their background, to bring their authentic selves to work, and deliver outstanding results. We’re committed to growing the skills of every single employee; helping them fulfil their potential in a supportive, respectful and inclusive work environment.
the perfect partnership: Team BRIT & Brit Insurance
SPONSORS TAKE ON THE TEAM IN KARTING BONANZA Team sponsors, drivers, crew and guests have taken to the track in an epic karting showdown in our annual sponsors karting event. On Wednesday 25th October, 26 teams arrived at Daytona Milton Keynes for a day of racing fun, with a range of team sponsors fielding teams to take on Team BRIT drivers and crew. Each team of four battled it out in the four hour endurance race, with the winning teams determined by the number of laps completed in the time allowed. Team BRIT drivers and crew took all podium spots, but the top 3 sponsor places went to:
RESULTS 1
Greaves 3D Engineering
2
Vesaro
3
Racelogic
Guests were lucky with a day that stayed dry, and everyone was treated to fantastic hospitality provided by Team BRIT partners and hosts, Daytona. The sponsors taking podium positions won fantastic trophies, with extra special prizes provided by team sponsors Karcher and Christopher Ward. Their prize giving ceremony was marked by a fantastic display of tika tape canons in Team BRIT colours! Commercial Director Mike Scudamore said: “Our annual karting events are always such a great day out for everyone and a brilliant way for us to bring our sponsors together. “As always, it got extremely competitive, with every team giving it their all, desperately trying to get ahead of our seasoned drivers. “Our partners and hosts Daytona were so welcoming once again, giving our guests the best possible day out, topped off with some incredible prize-giving celebrations. “A huge thank you to everyone who supported the event and made it such a success, we’re already looking forward to next year.”
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2023 IN PICTURES
Winter testing in Portimão
the dream team making it happen
podium success for paul & tee in round 2 of britcar at brands hatch
Citroën C1 24 hour race at Silverstone
more podium success for the bmw boys at oulton park a special moment with both mClarens out on track at doningto n
a celebration at spa in the driver’s parade
silveRware for bobby & aaron at paul ricard in the mclaren trophy
one for the history books at goodwood
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TEEN RACING STAR GETS BACK ON TRACK AFTER CANCER DIAGNOSIS
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19-year-old aspiring racing star from Leeds has got back on the track after a cancer diagnosis, after testing with our team.
Joel Pearson spent the day with the team at a test day at Silverstone Circuit on Thursday 5th October. Having karted from the age of 11, Joel went on to race in the Ginetta Junior Championship from 2018, in Formula 4 from 2021, and has tested in Formula 3, following his father’s love for rallying and rally cars. It was when he was racing in the Ginetta Junior Championship in 2020 that he began to experience tingling sensations and pain in his leg. He eventually received a diagnosis of osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. He underwent specialist radiotherapy treatment in Germany before getting back into racing in Formula 4 in 2021. After a promising start to the 2022 season, he was involved in a crash which halted the year’s racing. The tingling and pain sensations returned and scans revealed the cancer had returned to the same place, requiring chemotherapy again. He underwent treatment in America, but sadly the pain has returned, with Joel requiring the use of crutches day to day. Longer-term, he will undergo surgery to remove his leg. Keen to get back into racing, but with less physical mobility, Joel got in touch with Team BRIT to learn more about the opportunities for disabled drivers. He tested our McLaren 570S GT4 at Silverstone, spending time with our drivers, engineer and mechanics and learning more about our technology and goals.
Joel said: “Having seen my dad racing from an early age, it was always my dream to get into single seat racing and Formula 4, so it was just incredible to do this. Despite having minimal testing, I finished as high as 4th in 2022, from a starting position of 16th. I also received the Pirelli ‘hardest charger’ award at Brands hatch. “My last race was in June 2022, where unfortunately I was involved in a crash. I haven’t raced since then and I’m finding it harder and more painful to walk because of the osteosarcoma. I’m now using crutches and occasionally use a wheelchair. “Until my diagnosis, racing was my entire life. When it was found for the first time, it was awful having to sit in my hospital bed watching my friends racing on TV, knowing it had been taken away from me. “I started to think I’ll never be able to race again, but seeing what Team BRIT is doing and how their hand controls work gave me some hope. Having this second chance is fantastic. We’ll be talking with the team about future opportunities and I hope to be back on the track again soon.”
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Photo by Joe Chrich
“Until my diagnosis, racing was my entire life. When it was found for the first time, it was awful having to sit in my hospital bed watching my friends racing on TV, knowing it had been taken away from me.
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Huge congratulations from Texaco Lubricants to our brand ambassadors,
Another amazing season! Texaco® are proud to sponsor Team BRIT, helping them get the most from their team and reach their potential. Texaco Lubricants…enduring performance Find out how Texaco Lubricants can help you to achieve your performance potential: LubricantsEurope@chevron.com | texacolubricants.com
Team BRIT, Texaco brand ambassadors #TexacoTeamBRIT © 2023 Chevron. All rights reserved. All trademarks are the property of Chevron Intellectual Property LLC with the exception of Team BRIT which is the property of the respective owner. TEX250-0 [09/23]
For more information, visit: texacolubricants.com
ONE FOR THE
“Year end is always a strange time for me. It’s such a mix of high, low and anticipation. It marks another season gone and another period without much racing – always a low point for us! But I have never experienced a year with Team BRIT where I haven’t closed down the calendar feeling immense pride. That – and a building sense of excitement as I look forward to what’s ahead. “2023 has been major for us for a lot of reasons. We didn’t come away with a championships win like we did in 2022. That’s ok – we don’t expect to be taking titles every year. But we have come away with more experience, confidence and continued growth. “We started out the year with plans to do some things we’ve never done before. Our entry into the C1 series was a big step for us. We talk regularly about our plan to create
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a ladder of motorsport opportunities for disabled drivers and this was a clear step towards building this, with entry level racing for drivers with no experience or very little experience in racing. Working with Matt and his team to enable this has been a valuable learning curve and a fantastic way for our rookies to get to know us better as a team and to gain crucial racing experience. None of us knew how this would go, but seeing Noah, Asha and Steve progress so well has been fantastic. They each have potential to move up quickly, and have been so brilliantly supported by team mates such as Paul Fullick, who not only drove alongside them, but gave up his time to coach them. “I won’t deny that leaving the British GT Championship was difficult. It’s been a pride and an honour to be part of such a high profile, competitive championship and I want us to be there, racing alongside the best Europe. Our first season in
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“Paul has gone on to drive the McLaren for the first time, and having both McLarens racing in the same championship at the end of the season was a real ‘pinch me’ moment. I often think back to our roots. One VW Golf and two drivers. That day at Donington we saw two McLaren 570S GT4s, owned by us, being driven by four fantastic drivers – and that’s just one small part of our team.
As we approach the end of 2023, Team BRIT Founder Dave Player looks back on an unforgettable year.
British GT went well last year, and we’ll always be proud to have been the first all-disabled entry into the championship. Bobby and Aaron had so much to learn and were pushing to their limits each race, surrounded by teams with far more experienced drivers and substantially higher budgets. We held our own and did ourselves proud. “We will never let our pride get in the way of what’s right for our drivers however, so when it was clear that we could not be competitive against the other McLaren GT4s on the grid – all of which were the new Artura model, we made the decision to move across to the McLaren Trophy Europe, where a single make class meant we were racing on equal terms. Bobby and Aaron performed fantastically yet again, representing the team at iconic circuits across Europe and coming away with silverware. What brilliant memories for them both, and solid race experience to continue to build on. “Paul and Tyrone have had some great moments in the Britcar Trophy. Two of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet, who are a fantastic pairing. Seeing them take away silverware on more than one occasion has been priceless and I know it has meant a great deal to them.
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“It’s always a shame when budgets mean our drivers can’t get the track time they want and it’s been hard seeing both Chris and James miss out on races this year after their incredible success in 2022. Racing is an expensive passion and I know they have both tried hard to get the personal sponsorship required to get back on track. James put in a stormer of a performance at the Donington season finale, helping him and Paul achieve an overall P1 in qualifying, which I know has whet his appetite for 2024. “Goodwood was a weekend to remember. For years I have wanted our team to be part of this iconic event. Anyone with a passion for motorsport loves Goodwood. Being part of it on the only ever year in its history that it has had a day cancelled due to bad weather is just bad luck, but it didn’t dampen the experience for Aaron and the team. It was a very proud moment watching Aaron storming the hillclimb in front of such impressive crowds, and I don’t think Al and the crew have ever had a better day at the office. “And our new workshop. I won’t deny I felt quite emotional seeing it for the first time in person at our open day. The significance of this move is probably mostly keenly felt by me and the core team members who have been part of this story for so long. For years we had no physical base. Our cars were with other people, being managed and run by others. Then, we had our unit at Dunsfold, a brilliant step forward and the site of some pivotal moments in our history. But it was too small. Running a crew, four cars, and delivering services to other teams and drivers needs space. Now we have it, and I thank Al and his team for working around the clock to kit it out to exactly the specification we need. What an impressive place, that is truly reflective of the incredibly high standards of our team. “I’ve been blown away by the support we’ve had again this year. So many of our sponsors have reaffirmed their commitment to us year on year and that should not be underestimated. Every business in every sector has challenges, financial targets and hundreds of priorities. The fact that so many choose to put their time, effort and money into the success of our team is something I will always be humbled by. Now, as our plans for 2024 develop, and become as ambitious as ever, we must grow our sponsor base even further, helping boost our impact and influence here in the UK but also across the world. Watch this space.”
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DISABILITY RACING ACROSS THE GLOBE We love seeing disabled drivers across the world following their racing dreams, and do all we can to share our knowledge and experience with them. When Grant Taylor, father of Australian racing driver Ben got in touch with Team BRIT founder Dave Player for advice, Dave suggested ways for him to progress his racing journey. Now, Ben, who is autistic, has signed a partnership deal with Auticon – the largest autistic IT consulting business in the world, enabling him to compete in the Porsche Michelin sprint Challenge next year. Auticon employs nearly 500 autistic people in 14 countries around the world, and will be helping to advance Ben’s driving through providing analytics support specifically looking at Ben’s on track data. The company will deploy its autistic data analysts and software engineers to build insights that will take Ben’s driving to the next level. At the age of 17, Ben was formally diagnosed as autistic with ADHD. He believes that this gives him unique strengths, helping his performance on the track. Ben wants to inspire people on the autism spectrum to have the courage to believe in their capabilities and find their strengths.
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Ben said: “One of the more common traits of people on the spectrum is an ability to be hyper focused. In IT this helps with things like error detection and strengths in data analysis and coding. For me, I believe that my autism helps to keep me to be hyper focused on the intricate details of racing, such as timing stopping distances and corner speeds. It really enables my abilities as a high-performance athlete. “Through this partnership I really want to start a conversation about the key strengths of autism, and I want to inspire others on the spectrum not to underestimate what they have to offer our community.”
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CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE FROM OUR SPONSORS For some last minute gift inspiration, check out some of the fantastic ideas for Christmas gifts on offer from our sponsors
KÄRCHER K 4 PREMIUM POWER CONTROL CAR AND HOME PRESSURE WASHER The powerful Kärcher K 4 Premium Power Control Car and Home pressure adapts easily to any cleaning task around the home. This model comes with a Home Kit, which includes a T 5 patio cleaner and Stone & Façade detergent, and a Car Kit, including a foam nozzle, wash brush and Car Shampoo, your car will be left gleaming. Select the ideal pressure using the display on the trigger gun, which lets you choose from three pressure settings, plus a detergent mode. Apply detergent effortlessly using the Plug ‘n’ Clean feature whilst your work for maximum efficiency and perfect cleaning results. When you’re finished with the machine neatly store the 8m high pressure hose on the integrated hose reel, and store the accessories and trigger gun on the machine. The telescopic handle and two smooth running means this machine is easy to transport and store. Always have Kärcher on hand with the Kärcher App, it contains everything you need from setting up your machine to step by step application guides. Tailor the app to your machine and accessories for the perfect cleaning result. www.kaercher.com/uk/home-garden/ pressure-washers/k-4-premium-powercontrol-car-home-13241360.html
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HEY! SMART ENERGY MANAGEMENT KIT CHRISTOPHER WARD C63 SEALANDER AUTOMATIC The C63 Sealander Automatic is the purest embodiment of the Sealander collection. There’s nothing flashy here: just all the watch you could ever need. The polished lacquer dial – available in black, white or blue – plays host to top-brushed, diamond-polished indexes filled with Super-LumiNova® Grade X1 BL C1 for visibility in low light. The hand-set, modelled on those from the C60 Trident Pro 600, is also coated with lume, while the date window at 6 o’clock provides extra information and adds visual symmetry. At 39mm, the Light-catcher™ case hits the perfect size sweet spot, and, thanks to its artful design, sits close and unobtrusive on the wrist. Made from anti-corrosive 316L stainless steel, there’s something hypnotising about seeing light bounce off its brushed and polished surfaces. Turn the watch over and the exhibition back – a rarity at this price – shows the beautifully worked rotor of the Sellita SW200-1 automatic movement inside, while further inspection lets you see deeper into the intricate machinery. www.christopherward.com/ watches/c63-sealander-automatic/ C63-39ADA3-S00W1-B0.html
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Do you want help reducing your energy bills? Do you wish you could track the usage on your electrical items? Well look no further, the Hey! Energy Management Kit is here to help. Its smart plugs connect directly to your smart Wi-Fi router to be controlled from anywhere around the world with an active internet connection, meaning you don’t have to worry about your bills rising while you are out of the house! The smart power bar does exactly the same, managing 3 plugs individually and 6 USB sockets. This is ideal for controlling your TV or Media setup. Use timers to turn them off while you sleep! The smart Plug also boasts energy usage statistics, meaning not only can you control it from anywhere, but you can see how much you can save by kWh. So not only is this a great savings on the products, this could save you even more than that on your energy bill! www.heyimhome.co.uk/products/energy-management-kit-1
DAYTONA E-GIFT CARD If you are looking for a birthday or Christmas present for someone, why not buy them a Daytona Giftcard which they can use to book a race at any of Daytona’s exciting outdoor race circuits? Available in £25, £50, £100, £200 and £500 denominations, Daytona Giftcards are available over the phone or online and are emailed to you immediately so you can either forward it to the lucky recipient or you can print the email and post it in a card. www.daytona.co.uk/daytona-e-giftcards-make-theperfect-present/
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se d on er ov 25 ,0 00 s
ew vi re
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INSURANCE FOR THE INDIVIDUAL
Tyrone Mathurin, Team BRIT Driver Drives a Volkswagen Golf GTD adapted with Left Foot Flip Accelerator Pedal & Steering Wheel Ball
Adrian Flux can help with all of your insurance needs, offering cover for:
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OUR AMERICAN
DREAM W
e’re working on one of our most ambitious projects to date – creating a disability motorsport legacy in America.
We’re proud of the impact and influence we’re having in the UK, and have already supported many disabled drivers across the world with their own racing ambitions, by sharing our experience and learning, and making our technology widely available. We want to go one step further, by taking a team and two cars to America to race in the American Endurance Racing Championship. We won’t stop there. Our plan is to field two cars with four disabled drivers per car, with a team consisting of not just our own drivers but disabled Americans too. We want to race in two 8 hour races at the Virgina International Raceway on the 31st May 2024, working alongside ‘Resilience Racing’, a non-profit race team set up to support injured US veterans. We want our impact to last, so we plan to leave our cars with Resilience Racing, fitted out with our hand controls, leaving a legacy for disabled drivers and setting Resilience Racing up for further success on the track.
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Now, we’re looking for corporate partners to help us make our American Dream a reality, spreading the Team BRIT impact across the Atlantic. Team BRIT Founder Dave Player said: “We’ve set ourselves some pretty impressive goals in the past, and this is up there with the biggest. It won’t be easy to achieve this, but with the right support and planning, I’m confident we can do it, making a real difference to racing in the US, and to countless disabled drivers looking for their way into racing. “By leaving our cars and technology for Resilience Racing to use moving forward, we’ll be doing more than simply participating in a showcase event, we’ll be providing a huge part of the infrastructure required by Resilience Racing to compete at a serious level. We’ll also spend time sharing our years of learning with our Resilience Racing partners, helping them understand everything we’ve learned as we’ve built Team BRIT from the ground up. “The opportunities for incredible PR exposure for the brands getting behind this project are clear, and the positive impact it will have on our own drivers, and those we meet in the states will be significant.”
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ABOUT RESILIENCE RACING
Resilience Racing is an all-volunteer led racing team comprised of combat veterans who are united by a common mission to promote and advance adaptive racing programmes in motorsport. To do this, Resilience Racing is actively working with engineers at Texas A&M, Team Brit , MME Motorsports of Slovenia, and Glenn Sidman of SimAbility to further develop and modify components to fit the unique requirements of amateur racing chassis. Team Principal and co founder Kirk Dooley is a Marine Officer, with a 24yr career as an Intelligence and Special Operations Officer Following his retirement, he served as Chief of Staff for INDYCAR and Director of Event Operations for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Team Manager and Co Founder Jon Winker is an Army specialist, infantryman. He is a left below knee amputee after being injured in Iraq in 2009. Jon currently competes in pro-touring, autocross and time trial events. He attended Skip Barber’s Advanced Racing School in Mar 2019 and earned his SCCA Competition (Race) License For more information visit www.resilienceracingfoundation.org
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RS ARE PROUD SPONSORS OF
TEAM BRIT
As proud sponsors of Team BRIT we look forward to the team succeeding in their mission to empower disabled drivers to compete in top class motorsport. Good luck from everyone at RS!
To discover more about RS and how we can support your business visit uk.rs-online.com
JAPANESE SUPERBIKE RACER JOINS TEAM BRIT FOR SEASON FINALE A former superbike champion from Japan joined us for our final race of the season. Takuma Aoki from Tokyo joined the team for the final race of the British Endurance Championship at Donington Circuit on Saturday 14th October. Takuma Aoki from Tokyo, is a former motorbike racer, who competed in the World Superbike Championship in the 1990s, before winning the All Japan Superbike Championship in 1996 and coming 5th in the world championships with Honda in 1997. In 1998, he was involved in a crash which left him paralysed below the waist, and he has gone on to support disabled drivers into motorsport.
I have been so impressed with everything the team is doing to improve opportunities for disabled drivers, something that’s also very important for me. “The technology the team has created means you are racing completely equally, which is a real enabler for anyone like me who has come back to the sport from injury. “It was a joy to race with Aaron and the wider team, who welcomed me so warmly. I hope I can join the team for another race again soon, and show people at home who may also have suffered injury, that there are so many opportunities ahead.”
Takuma teamed up with driver Aaron Morgan, driving one of our McLaren 570S GT4s. Like Aaron, Takuma used the team’s hand control technology, with brakes, gears and throttle all positioned on the car’s steering wheel. After a day of testing on Thursday, the pair took part in qualifying on Saturday morning, putting them 3rd in class for the afternoon’s two-hour race. Takuma started the race and delivered a strong performance in changeable wet conditions, including torrential rain and a hail storm before handing over to Aaron. Faultless pit stops by the crew and great driving from both saw them finish 4th in class. Since his injury, Takuma has worked with Honda, helping them develop cars for disabled drivers and he runs a racing school for people with disabilities. He now drives specially adapted cars and has competed in major events such as the Le Mans 24 Hour race as part of Frederick Sausset’s SRT41 team in 2021, and won the Asia Cross Country Rally Championship held this year. Takuma said: “What a fantastic experience racing with Team BRIT.
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A TALK WITH MIKE SCUDAMORE
2023 in reflection: Commercial Director Mike Scudamore takes us through the highs and lows of Team BRIT sponsorships this year.
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His journey into the motor world began with a team initially known as Virgin Racing, evolving into the Marussia F1 Team. Following his F1 tenure, marketing mogul, Mike Scudamore, found his path to racing success after founding Apex Sports Marketing in October 2014, where he secures sponsorships and partnerships with brands. Mike joined Team BRIT in 2015, helping ensure its financial stability. He now plays a pivotal role, securing the essential funds required for the team’s journey and the establishment of a sustainable motorsport development pathway for disabled drivers. We caught up with Mike to gain greater insight into his key takeaways this year. Looking back on 2023 from a sponsorship perspective, how do you think the year has gone? From a sponsorship perspective, it’s been a good year! Of course, it’s always challenging to find new partners but I’m exceptionally pleased that we’ve managed to maintain relationships with almost all of our partners from 2022. Every year brings a new challenge, what have been the hardest things to overcome this year? I do think one of the hardest things to manage is the cash flow. I often describe us as a bit like a squirrel… In the winter, we collect all our nuts, and then we have to gradually use the nuts throughout the course of the year to keep the team going. It’s been tough as we’ve had more accidents this year than we’ve ever had; engine failures and other serious costs that massively eat into that cash supply, which is disappointing when you have to miss a couple of races due to funding issues. Funding is also a challenge for the drivers. We can have a great team, super cars, and a crew ready to go, but we also need the drivers to bring funding and if that funding is not in place, that can create some additional challenges. How does the set up at Team BRIT differ to more widely known racing teams when it comes to driver and team sponsorship packages? With a ‘normal’ race team, you just arrive and get told how much it is to drive. Or You turn up and say, “I’ve got my own car and I’d like you to run it for me in this championship”. And they’ll say, “sure, no problem. This is what it costs.” From our point of view, Team BRIT owns the cars, and securing corporate partners for the whole team subsidizes the cost that our drivers have to pay, typically by around 50% compared to the going rate. We also convert all the cars to have our hand controls fitted to ensure that they’re suitable for all drivers with disabilities. You’ve been in this role for quite a while now, would you say that your job gets any easier or any harder as the team’s profile continues to rise? I would have said there’s two key elements to that. The first thing is people do know about us more than they ever have before. Does that make my sales job a little bit easier? Yes, because we’re a known entity. But the hardest thing is that we’re growing very fast, we’ve just moved into our brand-new premises, we’re employing new staff, we’ve got more cars, and all of those things cost.
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The challenge there is in going back to sponsors who have committed to contracts of a set period to ask for more money because the team has grown. A very fair answer in response would be, ‘well, what am I getting that’s different?’ That means it really important that we continually look for new ways to impress and satisfy our current sponsors, whilst also securing new ones. You’ve attended a lot of sponsor events this year. Can you talk to us about some of the highlights and top events that you’ve been invited to? I’ve had a few this year but a top highlight would be when we supported an event called RS Connect, which involved RS bringing all their suppliers together for an award ceremony. I had a chance to present an award and give a presentation about the team on stage, which was really well received, and it was actually at that event that I met one of our new sponsors – bott -who fitted out our new workshop with their fantastic equipment. So that was a fun event and also very successful from a sponsor point of view, because we found a new one! What about from a sponsor point of view? In terms of them making the most of their partnership, what is the most impressive thing you’ve seen this year? I think two brands really stand out as gold standard. Texaco and Adrian Flux are two brands that really push the limits of what they can do with the partnership. For example, they both came out to Portimão at the start of the year and created some excellent content just with very small film crews. In Texaco’s case, just one person came out to capture everything that they needed to produce a stunning film that I’ve seen numerous times throughout the course of the season. And then Adrian Flux has also done a great job this year with constant exposure. They shot an advertising campaign using our drivers, which was at Silverstone after we attended the festival with them. Looking ahead to next year, if you had a wish list of sponsors, who would that be? I think anything that can help reduce our costs, we’re looking at very closely. We’d be keen to work with maybe a company that specializes in solar energy to reduce the cost of the workshop. That would be a very interesting one. But as a growing race team, we have to pay rent rates, employ people, pay entry fees and all those things are very expensive, so we normally like to try and ensure that each partnership includes a cash element to enable us to move forward. Lastly, what does it mean to you personally when you seal a deal, knowing what that means for the team and its future? That’s a great question… It’s probably a little bit like the success the drivers feel when winning a race – I’m playing my part in the success that we all feel as a team. I’ve always been passionate about working behind the scenes in motor racing, whether that’s in Formula One or touring cars or any other championship. Not all deals come to fruition properly, but in reality, when they’ve signed the contract and the money’s in the bank, that’s a chance to raise a glass and celebrate.
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AARON’S COACHING JOURNEY Team GT4 driver Aaron Morgan has had an incredible few years with the team. From joining in 2019 and driving our Aston Martin V8 Vantage in the Britcar Championship, Aaron has progressed to driving our McLaren 570S GT4, teaming up with Bobby Trundley in both the British GT Championship and the McLaren Trophy Series Europe. After a difficult start to the year with a crash in one of the early rounds of the British GT Championship, Aaron has set about taking on additional coaching with new experts to further his racing progression. Aaron explains, “After my accident at Silverstone earlier this year, I was feeling a bit down in the dumps and had lost a lot of my confidence and my faith in the car. I’m never one to dwell on things for too long and always look for positives, so when Dave suggested some new coaches that would be interested in working with me, I knew I wanted to get involved.” Aaron has spent time working with motorsport expert Rob Wilson and Human Performance Psychologist, Philip De Prez. Both have coached Aaron in completely different disciplines, as a way to re-build his confidence, but also to give him new ways of thinking about racing and get him back to his best driving ability. Aaron recognised that part of this challenge was his tendency to overthink each race, and his place within the team. Dr Phillip de Prez sought to work on this, focusing on the way that Aaron would prepare psychologically for each race. Aaron explains: “My sessions with Phil have been over the phone, talking through the ways I can start to address the issues I’ve had around self confidence. A big part of this is making sure I’m in the right ‘zone’ for racing. There should be a ‘normal Aaron’ and a ‘racing driver Aaron,’ and I need to work on my thoughts and head space building up to the race, getting myself in the right mindset. “This isn’t just on the day of the race, but also in the week leading up to it. All of this has been really beneficial to me. It might sound obvious, but being really aware of how you’re feeling psychologically in the lead up to a race is really important, and preparing everything from where your kit is, to when you need to leave home, as well as how you’ll take time out to mentally prepare, is really key.” Aaron also spent time with racing expert Rob Wilson at Silverstone in October. Rob has trained a host
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of F1 drivers over the years and focused on more practical elements of driving. Driving the team’s VW Polo, Rob stripped everything back to basics, encouraging Aaron to focus on the weight transfer of the car and how to work with this to ensure smooth driving, both on and off the brakes. Aaron said, “It was great meeting Rob – he has worked with a huge number of successful drivers from all over the world, so it was great to be able to spend time with him. “It was weird being in the VW Polo when I’m used to driving a McLaren at Silverstone, but it was a good way to focus only on the gradual weight transfer of the car, how it moves, and trying to keep as level a platform as possible. Making sure that the weight transfer of the car is gradual ensures that the car is predictable in the way it behaves. The key takeaway for me was to focus on gradual movements with my steering input, predicting how the car will move and aiming for smooth racing lines. “I’ve got a lot I can use from both coaches to keep getting stronger/faster. I think I’m already seeing a change in how I perceive myself. If I’m honest, ever since I’ve been in the team, I’ve felt I’ve been inferior to Bobby because he is such a talented driver and I have historically had to fight to get near his pace. I therefore put a lot of pressure on myself to make sure I don’t hold the team back. “When I paired up with Takuma Aoki at Donington, that attitude had flipped. I was the lead driver, with far more experience in our car and I thrived. I worked well under pressure to perform for the team, and our sponsors who were there to support us, and I felt great. Dave Player even said how different I was acting and how fantastic it was to see me feeling confident. “I’m really grateful to both Phil and Rob for sharing their expertise. I’ll always be looking to give more and to find ways to improve as a driver, so I look forward to putting their training into practice next season.”
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DR PHILLIP DE PREZ
Human Performance Psychologist Phillip de Prez has always had a passion for racing. A competitive racer himself, driving off road in autograss championships, he has combined his interests in psychology and driving, in his work with sports people today.
He explains, “I’ve always had an interest in what motivates people. At the highest performance level, looking at drivers like Schumacher and Rossi who are multiple world champions – what motivates them to be the best and to keep pushing to win again and again? “I wrote my Phd on this, looking at what it is in a ‘challenge’ that people really relish – what sets it apart from a job or task and what raises your motivation. This is so interesting from a racing perspective, and when I work with people, it’s about trying to find out where their strengths are, and what areas they’re looking to improve in. I always try and empower the driver to come up with their own solutions. Everyone is unique and what works for me won’t work for someone else. I use my experience of being on track and those of others, to suggest how to improve. “This was the case with Aaaron and we used a reflective process, looking at how he prepares for a race and when, when does he get into ‘race mode’ and what that preparation looks like. “I think Aaron’s a really focussed professional. He’s really keen to progress and make sure that he’s always giving his best. He always listens, asks questions, and he’s interested in finding ways that he can improve. That’s fantastic – a real sign that someone will become very successful and keep improving their performance.”
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A former racing driver from New Zealand, Rob has raced in various formula racing and endurance racing series including NASCAR, IndyLights and British GT. He was a racing instructor at the Skip Barber Racing School and has coached more than 70 F1 drivers including Juan Pablo Montoya, Kimi Raikkonen, David Coulthard and Valentino Rossi. He works with drivers to help them repeat simple processes of car control again and again, focusing on the one thing in a race the driver has 100% control over – controlling the car. He helps drivers ‘listen to’ and feel the car, aiming for optimum performance, often by using the smallest of steering movements. Rob says: “Working with Aaron was a really positive experience. It was amazing to see that when he was in the car, you’d never know he had any form of disability. “I tried to spend time softening up his rate of input on the throttle and brake. That isn’t because of the car, it’s a very common tendency with a lot of people, and something I work on with drivers regularly. His application to the coaching was really good. “I think he has great potential. He has great people around him, he has the ability and the right attitude. I wish him all the best.”
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SPONSOR FOCUS
WORKPLACE STORAGE SUPPLIER JOINS US AS NEW SPONSOR Last month, we announced a partnership deal with storage supplier bott, following a major re-fit of our new HQ in Sussex. Delivering its products to customers in industry and trade worldwide, bott is a brand known for manufacturing highquality storage and workspace solutions, including drawer cabinets, cupboards, workbenches and tool storage for industrial and workshop environments. The sponsorship deal was announced following our recent opening of our new HQ based in Pulborough, which has been furnished with the sleek and heavy duty bott cubio cabinets. Offering a 10year guarantee, the bott cubio kit is manufactured in the UK at their onsite production facility in Bude, Cornwall, designed with organisation and quality front of mind, creating the perfect working environment.
“Thank you to Team BRIT for inviting me down to their new HQ open day, it really is an amazing facility! We hope that your new bott kit helps to support the individuals who are breaking down barriers with their talent, passion and innovation.” Team BRIT Founder, Dave Player said:
Mandy Bickle, bott UK Sales Director- Workplace Storage Equipment said: “We wanted to get involved in this project for many reasons and are grateful for our long-term partnership with RS, who recommended bott to Team BRIT. “As well as our wealth of experience in the motorsports industry and expert understanding of what’s important in these fast-paced environments, I liked the idea of ‘anything is possible,’ and ‘changing lives and motorsport through technology, innovation and team spirit.’ “I think that we are great ambassadors of all of these terms, not only in motorsport but in all areas. We strive
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to inspire our customers, colleagues and partners, to challenge barriers and be the very best that they can.
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“It’s fantastic to settle into our new Sussex home. Our new unit looks incredible and has been fitted to our exact needs thanks to the work of our Engineering Director Al Locke, his team, and our fantastic sponsors such as bott, who have supplied top of the range equipment. “bott’s expertly constructed individual work bays will play a crucial role in boosting organisation and productivity in our workshop, further supporting our continued growth and impact across the sector. “We’re extremely grateful to all at bott for their generosity and look forward to welcoming to the Team BRIT family in the season ahead.” More information on bott can be found at www.bottltd.co.uk
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FIVE QUESTIONS with Team BRIT driver Noah Cosby We catch up with Team BRIT rookie Noah Cosby, following his first ever season as a racing driver. Noah has competed in the C1 Series and has his sights firmly set on a step up to the BMW in 2023. If you could sum up your Team BRIT experience so far in one word, what would it be? Empowering. Having joined as a rookie, how do you think you’ve developed as a driver this season? I think I’ve had a very steep learning curve, but thanks to my previous experiences with a different motorsport, (even though it was on two wheels) I’ve understood what mistakes I’ve made and tried to only make them once, and move forward as a driver. I feel that I’ve come a long way from where I’ve started, however there is still an incredible amount I need to learn, work on, and polish. Describe the C1 championship and how it was from a competitive point of view The C1 Championship in my opinion, is one of the best places to start getting a grip of motorsport, other than karting. It teaches you all the basics and etiquette of racing, yet still presents a challenge regardless of the lack of power. So it gives you lots to build off and work towards. Also its forgiving, laidback atmosphere and camaraderie helps anyone starting to race not feel overwhelmed. It doesn’t matter who wins, it’s just a bit of fun for all to share the incredible British racing circuits with fellow drivers.
Obviously the more the merrier, but I’ll be focusing on keeping my racing clean and hopefully the results will reflect that! I really want to give back to the team and my sponsors by proving that I have what it takes. What have you learnt from your fellow TB drivers? I’ve learnt lots from all drivers. I’ve learnt that things don’t come easily and there is a standard to be met to keep racing. This has only made me push harder. From a driving perspective, I’ve learnt so much from Paul Fullick as I’m now taking over his car from last season. The support from all the drivers is incredible and I feel so lucky to be a part of something so special.
What do you hope to achieve with the team next year? My personal aim for the coming year is to bring home a podium finish.
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Less metal. Same mettle.
When asked for feedback on the C60 Trident, our Forum said “…make one that still gets noticed, without feeling its presence as much on your wrist.” This new C60 Trident Pro 300 is the result. Same widths. Same lug-to-lugs. Yet an average 1.75mm lower profile across the range. By using a sapphire case back, it’s an average 14.67g lighter, too. This means its depth rating is now only as good as a Submariner. To compensate: we’ve added extra lume, a new bezel and an optional screwed-link bracelet. Plus actual compensation of £94 average saving. Less. And more, then? Do your research.
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