K830195
Autosport Plus
BTCC Special feature

The rollercoaster ride of West Surrey Racing's 40 years

By:

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

Forty years ago a little five-man team named West Surrey Engineering, thrown together over the previous month, made its debut in the opening round of the British Formula 3 Championship at Silverstone. And Jonathan Palmer, one of those five men, took victory on 1 March 1981 in his Toyota-powered Ralt RT3. This was the same chassis that, at the end of 1980, had won the last four races of the series in the hands of Stefan Johansson, carrying the Swede to the title with Ron Dennis’s Project 4 Racing.

PLUS: The ground-effect wonder behind a generation of F1 stars 

shares
comments

Why the BTCC elite should fear Shedden's return

Ingram: Hyundai BTCC car “felt brilliant” on first test

More from Marcus Simmons

Ginetta drivers charge up Autosport National Driver Rankings

Ginetta drivers charge up Autosport National Driver Rankings

NTNL National

Ginetta drivers charge up Autosport National Driver Rankings Ginetta drivers charge up Autosport National Driver Rankings

Clarke and his Phantom creep up on Autosport National Driver Rankings summit

Clarke and his Phantom creep up on Autosport National Driver Rankings summit

NTNL National

Clarke and his Phantom creep up on Autosport National Driver Rankings summit Clarke and his Phantom creep up on Autosport National Driver Rankings summit

BTCC Snetterton: Ingram hangs on for first win of 2023

BTCC Snetterton: Ingram hangs on for first win of 2023

BTCC BTCC
Snetterton

BTCC Snetterton: Ingram hangs on for first win of 2023 BTCC Snetterton: Ingram hangs on for first win of 2023

BTCC Snetterton: Sutton dominates to notch up four wins in a row

BTCC Snetterton: Sutton dominates to notch up four wins in a row

BTCC BTCC
Snetterton

BTCC Snetterton: Sutton dominates to notch up four wins in a row BTCC Snetterton: Sutton dominates to notch up four wins in a row

BTCC Snetterton: Sutton pips Hill in tight finish in opener

BTCC Snetterton: Sutton pips Hill in tight finish in opener

BTCC BTCC
Snetterton

BTCC Snetterton: Sutton pips Hill in tight finish in opener BTCC Snetterton: Sutton pips Hill in tight finish in opener

Cammish blames himself for BTCC Snetterton qualifying shunt

Cammish blames himself for BTCC Snetterton qualifying shunt

BTCC BTCC
Snetterton

Cammish blames himself for BTCC Snetterton qualifying shunt Cammish blames himself for BTCC Snetterton qualifying shunt

BTCC Snetterton: Sutton sets new qualifying lap record for stunning pole

BTCC Snetterton: Sutton sets new qualifying lap record for stunning pole

BTCC BTCC
Snetterton

BTCC Snetterton: Sutton sets new qualifying lap record for stunning pole BTCC Snetterton: Sutton sets new qualifying lap record for stunning pole

Can the BTCC's underrated Toyota ace stake his claim to a title?

Can the BTCC's underrated Toyota ace stake his claim to a title?

Plus
Plus
BTCC BTCC

Can the BTCC's underrated Toyota ace stake his claim to a title? Can the BTCC's underrated Toyota ace stake his claim to a title?

A BTCC star tests the cars that transformed tin-top racing

A BTCC star tests the cars that transformed tin-top racing

Plus
Plus
Historics
Kevin Turner

A BTCC star tests the cars that transformed tin-top racing A BTCC star tests the cars that transformed tin-top racing

Can the BTCC's underrated Toyota ace stake his claim to a title?

Can the BTCC's underrated Toyota ace stake his claim to a title?

Plus
Plus
BTCC
Marcus Simmons

Can the BTCC's underrated Toyota ace stake his claim to a title? Can the BTCC's underrated Toyota ace stake his claim to a title?

Autosport writers' most memorable moments of 2022

Autosport writers' most memorable moments of 2022

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
Autosport Staff

Autosport writers' most memorable moments of 2022 Autosport writers' most memorable moments of 2022

How the BTCC's new hybrid era aced its first test

How the BTCC's new hybrid era aced its first test

Plus
Plus
BTCC
Donington Park
Marcus Simmons

How the BTCC's new hybrid era aced its first test How the BTCC's new hybrid era aced its first test

The Ford BTCC superteam combining two reigning TOCA champions

The Ford BTCC superteam combining two reigning TOCA champions

Plus
Plus
BTCC
Marcus Simmons

The Ford BTCC superteam combining two reigning TOCA champions The Ford BTCC superteam combining two reigning TOCA champions

The stalwart tin-top boss still shaping careers more than 40 years on

The stalwart tin-top boss still shaping careers more than 40 years on

Plus
Plus
BTCC
Marcus Simmons

The stalwart tin-top boss still shaping careers more than 40 years on The stalwart tin-top boss still shaping careers more than 40 years on

The grassroots rise that shaped an understated BTCC star

The grassroots rise that shaped an understated BTCC star

Plus
Plus
BTCC
Marcus Simmons

The grassroots rise that shaped an understated BTCC star The grassroots rise that shaped an understated BTCC star

Ranking the top 10 BTCC drivers of 2021

Ranking the top 10 BTCC drivers of 2021

Plus
Plus
BTCC
Marcus Simmons

Ranking the top 10 BTCC drivers of 2021 Ranking the top 10 BTCC drivers of 2021

Subscribe