Butcher confident after first Toyota BTCC test
British Touring Car Championship ace Rory Butcher says he is already confident to push at the front of the field with Speedworks Motorsport’s Toyota Corolla after his first day of testing.
The 34-year-old Scot’s nomadic but brief BTCC career peaked in 2020 when, for the first time, he entered the final round still in mathematical title contention with the Motorbase Performance Ford Focus team.
But with long-time Speedworks star Tom Ingram jumping ship to the Excelr8 Motorsport Hyundai squad, Butcher has been lined up as his replacement in the Toyota GB-backed operation.
Butcher and new team-mate Sam Smelt got their first taste of the Corolla at Donington Park on Tuesday, with Butcher’s car completing roughly 80 laps and Smelt’s approximately 40.
“It was good to be back out on track,” Butcher told Autosport, “and it was a really good first run with the car.
“It was effectively an extended shakedown. In the morning we ran through some small teething issues, which we resolved quickly, and then we had a more detailed run plan in the afternoon.
“We got to the point where at the end of the day we were just making fine adjustments to the set-up.
“The feeling of the car was as I had anticipated – it’s got different characteristics to, say, the Honda [Civic FK2 in which Butcher won races in 2019] and the Ford I’ve had success in before, and it was interesting to see where it’s different.
“But straight away one of the first bits of feedback I gave was that the car instils confidence in the driver, and quite quickly I was able to push for lap times. It was a very encouraging first run.”
Rory Butcher, Toyota Gazoo Racing UK Toyota Corolla
Photo by: TOYOTA GAZOO Racing
Butcher is working this season with veteran tin-top engineer Paul Ridgway, who ran Butcher’s brother-in-law Gordon Shedden in the BTCC in a SEAT Leon in 2009, and in his recent World Touring Car Cup exploits with an Audi RS3.
“I’m just getting to know the team, but we’ve all got the same focus and we want to go out and attack for the championship,” added Butcher.
“The guys have got the experience of running at the front, and so has Paul my engineer – we’ve got the same mentality.”
Speedworks boss Christian Dick was pleased with progress at Donington, as his team expands to two cars.
“It was really good, and Rory brings such a positive atmosphere to the garage and lifts the spirits of everybody,” said Dick.
“He has a really good work ethic and goes into every possible little detail he can.
“On track we weren’t throwing tyres at it, but his initial feel for the car and feedback were very good.”
Speedworks went from Donington to Snetterton for more testing, with Butcher and Smelt due to run at the Norfolk circuit on Thursday and Friday.
Previous article
Plato back on track after one-year absence
Next article
BTCC race winners get first taste of new machinery in Brands test
About this article
| Series | BTCC |
| Author | Marcus Simmons |
The rollercoaster ride of West Surrey Racing's 40 years
It’s four decades since one of UK motorsport’s most successful teams made its debut at Silverstone in British Formula 3. Now it’s top dog in the BTCC, time to blow out some candles with boss Dick Bennetts
Why the BTCC elite should fear Shedden's return
OPINION: The British Touring Car Championship Lord taketh away Dan Cammish, then giveth Gordon Shedden. That means substituting what would have been a future champion with an all-time series great with a point to prove on his return
The tin-top veteran turned policeman hangs up his helmet
Jeff Allam had a long and successful touring car career, and was a highly regarded works driver for Rover and Vauxhall. Then he spent his weekends policing his successors… Time to look back at a BTCC life spanning almost 45 years
The BTCC Brexit that's thrived for a decade
It won't be long until the current BTCC rules become the longest-lasting the series has ever had. The NGTC regulations are due to celebrate their tenth birthday this year and while not totally perfect for everyone, have been a huge success
The top 10 BTCC drivers of 2020
The 2020 British Touring Car Championship will go down as a classic in which new winners graced the top step of the podium and an unloved chassis was resurrected into a champion. But who were the year's top performers?
The Villeneuve-esque 'engineer's dream' who lit up BTCC 2020
The Infiniti Q50 was completely redesigned, redeveloped and revamped by BMR and Laser Tools Racing for 2020. And the flamboyant brilliance of the driver behind the wheel was enough to snatch the title at the last gasp
The BMW game-changer that monopolised the tin-top world
The rival Ford RS500 was more spectacular and almost claimed its place as Autosport's greatest touring car. But the original BMW M3 E30 was too good and too important to be ignored, as its drivers explain
Turkington meets Rouse: The BTCC's greatest in conversation
The two four-time British Touring Car champions discovered they had far more in common than they realised when Autosport brought them together to discuss all things tin-top for its 70th anniversary special earlier this year
