Scottish teenager Dexter Patterson lands Infiniti spot in BTCC for 2022

Patterson, 18, claimed a podium during a limited programme in the GB3 Championship this season, before making an eye-opening one-off debut in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine at Spa, where he finished seventh from a 33-car field.

The former international karting star and Sauber Academy driver competed in Formula 4 in 2020, in the UAE and Italy.

Patterson’s surprise move to tin-tops comes after a tryout in the LTR Infiniti Q50 at Snetterton.

“I loved the Infiniti,” said Patterson. “It is certainly different to the single-seaters that I’m used to!

“It was a bit slippery in the morning session, but as the track dried off in the afternoon we went onto slicks and I was very happy with my lap times.

“The brakes take a bit of getting used to though – in the single-seater I can see when the tyres are about to lock up and I can brake much later. So I’m really looking forward to the extended test sessions pre-season and, of course, getting used to the new hybrid car.”

Moffat, the son of LTR principal Bob Moffat, had his best season yet in the BTCC this year, securing eighth position in the championship with one race win.

Dexter Patterson, Aiden Moffat, Racing Infiniti

Photo by: Uncredited

The news comes amid feverish speculation about the likely destination of LTR’s 2020 and 2021 overall champion Ash Sutton, who is known not to be continuing with the squad.

That means that there will no longer be an engineering and technical tie-up with Sutton’s long-time employer BMR.

But Moffat Sr told Autosport that Dan Millard, who engineered Sutton to the 2017 crown aboard a BMR Subaru before switching to West Surrey Racing and running Colin Turkington’s BMW to 2018 glory, will remain at LTR for a second season looking after Moffat Jr’s machine.

While Moffat Jr retains two TBL entrants’ licences, the team is pushing ahead to continue as a three-car effort by using one of the TBLs owned by 2021 LTR Infiniti driver Carl Boardley, who is understood not to be competing in the BTCC next season.

“I think Carl’s looking for a little break,” said Moffat Sr. “We’ll most likely run three and we’re talking to other drivers.”

On the subject of Patterson, he added: “I'm very excited by this. Now we can continue with Laser's ethos of spotting young talent and then developing that talent on the racetrack.

“Dexter is a great fit for us, it's exactly why Laser Tools got into the BTCC.”

The cars will be run out of the Kent premises of Team Hard, with which LTR began an association this season.