|
 New Arkas driver
prepares to hit the track at Brands Hatch.
Martyn Bell will kick-start his third season in the HiQ
MSA British Touring Car Championship this weekend (29/30 March) as the
Barrow-upon-Humber embarks on a new chapter in his motorsport
career.
Martyn, who has spent his entire four-wheeled career
running in rear-wheel drive machinery, will make his first race outing in
front-wheel drive at Brands Hatch as he debuts for the Arkas Racing with
Sunshine.co.uk team.
The
popular privateer will join up with friend and rival Erkut Kizilirmak for the
season ahead, with the duo running in a pair of Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatches
previously raced by the factory VX Racing team.
Martyn had his first run with the Tech-Speed run outfit
earlier this month with a shakedown at Snetterton, before completing more
meaningful mileage during the annual BTCC media day at Rockingham and a day long
group test at Brands Hatch, which was used to help him acclimatise to his new
surroundings after two seasons running an ex-WTCC BMW
320i.
“Rockingham was a good start for us and we just went out
on old tyres during the day to get mileage in the car,” Martyn explained. “We
were consistent during the day and it set us up well for the day at
Brands.
“To
be honest with you, it got a bit silly at Brands as everyone was going for a
qualifying time so they could be top of the pile, but we focused on a race run
instead because I need to learn the car and things like the weight distribution
and where the braking points are; and it allowed us to get a consistent race
pace sorted. I’ve also got to train by brain to remember that if the back end
breaks away, I have to floor the throttle rather than lift off like I did in the
BMW!
“Despite the fact I was feeling under the weather with
flu, we did the race run around 18 seconds quicker than I did it in the BMW and
given we only used one set of new tyres, I’m happy to already be running quicker
then in the BMW.”
Heading into his first weekend of competition with the
Astra, Martyn added that he remains realistic in his goals at the start of the
50th anniversary season for the BTCC and is aware of what needs to be
done at the Kent
circuit.
“I
feel confident going into the first race with the car,” he said. “It’s a case
now of wait and see how we go. We know who we have to beat on the grid, and our
aim will be to beat them.
“The
team is gelling really well with the guys from Tech-Speed and the whole set-up
with the team is brilliant. Everything is coming together as well as we could
have hoped.”
|
