Airwaves return as title sponsor for new look Motorbase in 2013

Motorbase Performance have unveiled a new look to their Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship campaign after announcing that leading chewing gum company Airwaves will return as title sponsor for the 2013 season having previously been title sponsor from 2009- 2011.

The car was unveiled for the first time on Monday during the first of two internal staff launches that took place at the companies Reading and Plymouth sites which saw hundreds of staff meet and greet the team on Monday and Tuesday of the week starting March 4th.

Wrigley’s Airwaves Brand Manager Tia Shortall said of the partnership, “Airwaves is proud to be title sponsors of the Motorbase team this year. We’ve been involved in Motorsport for many years, but felt that the title sponsorship gave us a brilliant opportunity to make it bigger and bolder than we ever have before.”

Motorbase team boss Dave Bartrum is also understandably delighted to have Airwaves back on board as title sponsor as he is with the partnership he has built up with the brand over the last few years. "We're absolutely delighted to welcome Airwaves back on board as title sponsor for this season. This year marks the brand’s fourth year with the team and once again shows the strength and appeal of the championship to attract leading brands such as Wrigley. This week’s internal launches at Wrigley’s have been a great testament to how far the partnership has come in the past four years. We literally had hundreds of staff come along to see the unveiling of the new Focus livery and it was great to be able to give them a chance to get involved and meet the team for themselves.”

Redstone will continue to sponsor the team along with another couple of familiar names with Bartrum admitting that the continued support from his sponsors should give the team its best chance to date of overall glory and finished by saying, “We’re also very happy to have Redstone, Truphone and Addison Lee back with us as major sponsors. With the new NGTC cars and increased backing from our sponsors, 2013 is gearing up to be our strongest ever challenge on the title, hopefully we can repay them with a BTCC title.”

One of the sponsor’s, Addison Lee which is London’s largest minicab operator is run by Liam Griffin who has driven for the team over the past couple of seasons and Griffin has also announced recently that he will continue with the team for 2013.

Unlike Jackson and Smith, Griffin will continue with the S2000 spec Ford Focus that he has used for the last two years as he will compete for the Jack Sears Trophy for older spec machinery. Griffin’s 2013 car has yet to be unveiled but when asked if the car will be the same as the NGTC machines an insider to the team replied, “You should never presume.... You should find out before the end of the week.”

The team will now run the two NGTC machines for the first time at a track on Thursday believed to be Brands Hatch before an official team press launch at Ford Dagenham Edgware on Friday bringing a busy week to a close.

The team are then set to return to Brands Hatch on Tuesday the 12th March where they will be joined on track by many of the leading contenders from the BTCC with MG, Honda, Pirtek, Cicely Racing, West Surrey Racing and Speedworks amongst those already confirmed for a run on the Indy Circuit. Also present for the test will be Motorsport.com who will bring you all the photos and a full report following the days testing as the 2013 season draws ever closer.