Given the recent controversy of drivers making contact at the upper echelons of the motorsport ladder, this time on Future Star Friday we take a look at a driver from a discipline where contact is all part of the show – Touring Cars.
Whilst not having the outright speed of a purpose built single seat racing car, the mostly production-based cars have their own challenges, with large grids of almost identical cars on some of the toughest and most demanding tracks the world has to offer.
With relatively low costs compared to other disciplines and a very strong network of club and national championships, it is easy to see why the Touring Car ladder is an attractive proposition for young guns trying to make a name for themselves in the world of motorsport. One such young gun is the Milltek Sport Volkswagen Racing Cup’s resident Essex boy Bobby Thompson, who sits top the standings going into the half-way point in the season.
But what makes a young and aspiring Touring Car driver, and why did he choose the VW Racing Cup? I caught up with Bobby after a successful weekend at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps and got to know a little bit more about Power Maxed Racing’s up and coming superstar.
Jake Callaghan (Read Motorsport): “After a double podium finish and a return to the top of the championship, you must be pretty pleased about how your weekend at Spa went?”
Bobby Thompson: “After a very wet Silverstone, I came away joint leader in the championship so going into Spa I was feeling pretty nervous.
“After the first race where I finished third, I was pretty much just focusing on bagging some good points in Race Two. So when the safety car came out I was quite relieved knowing I would be stepping onto the podium once again.
“I love Spa. It was where I had my first podium last year with Team HARD in the Golf. The track is so fast and iconic.”
JC: “With five podiums under your belt this season, do you think you can carry your results forward going into the double header at Snetterton in August?”
BT: “Snetterton is my favourite track! I had my first VW Cup win there last year. It sounds boring but I am now really starting to look at the championship points, so I am just concentrating on getting some good points. If I’m faster than the other guys and come away with a trophy that’s even better.”
JC: “After a solid rookie campaign with Team HARD last year, you made the switch to Power Maxed Racing and the new Polo R race car. What prompted the switch and how are you finding your new surroundings?”
BT: “Racing last year with Team HARD in the Golf was good, as it was my first year with a professional race team.
“Power Maxed Racing approached me at the end of last year and offered me the chance to race the Polo R. No one had run a Polo before in the VW Cup, so when the team told me what their plans were for the car I was very excited. I liked the idea of helping develop the car and seeing what improvements we could make throughout the year. I am really enjoying being at Power Maxed Racing, it’s nice working with a small team at a race meeting and the guys there all know their appropriate jobs and it works well. I’m really bonding with my number one mechanic Tom.”
JC: “Are you at all surprised about how consistent the new Polo R is, or were the team expecting success with the car?”
BT: “Power Maxed Racing worked like Trojans throughout the off season to build the car. We all knew that the car had a lot of development in it, but after the first time I drove the car in qualifying at the first round at Rockingham I knew that the car was going to be very strong. The team and everyone at Power Maxed are very happy with how things are going so far this year.”
JC: “As a result of your impressive performances in the Milltek Sport Volkswagen Racing Cup, you were given the opportunity to test the team’s BTCC Chevrolet Cruze. How does the BTCC car compare to the Polo R, and did you have any problems adapting to the upgraded machinery?”
BT: “The BTCC car was amazing. Nothing else to say. The biggest thing that I noticed was that it rides kerbs with so much ease compared to the Polo R.
“It’s fast. Very, very fast.
“There are a few more buttons inside the car than I’m used to, which was a bit daunting. Having the team in my ear guiding me through the experience was very reassuring.
“To drive a Touring Car is what I have been working towards since I started car racing. I’ve ticked that off my to do list, the next step is to race one. We are working very hard trying to get the funding to compete in 2017 in the BTCC. The BTCC is the pinnacle of British tin-top racing, with 30,000 spectators at each race meeting and live TV coverage. It would be a fantastic opportunity for a company or brand to get involved and gain some exposure.”
JC: “Do you think that your recent performances and BTCC test have made some other teams interested in you, or are you completely focused on bringing home the championship to Team PMR?”
BT: “The Touring Car test went really well. I put in some very respectable lap times considering it was my first time in the car and that we was on old tyres. I think I surprised a few of the other teams with my performance. I am 100% focused on bringing the VW Cup championship win home for the Power Maxed Team. Hopefully this will help with their decisions about a drive for next year.”
JC: “The VW Racing Cup has been one of the top proving grounds for future BTCC drivers over the past few years, with drivers such as Martin Depper and Michael Epps. Why do you think that is, and does it put you in good stead to follow them into the championship?”
BT: “The VW cup is a fantastic championship. It’s the perfect stepping stone up to BTCC. My Power Maxed Racing Polo R is just like a mini BTCC car. With the two litre, turbo charged, VW engine producing 260bhp and a normal H style gear box (not your PlayStation paddle shift) the car is a real driver’s car.
“The championship runs a success ballast system like BTCC, and I currently have the full 60KG. The reverse grid for Race Two also spices the racing up a bit, as no one wants to see the same cars at the front all the time.
“Michael (Epps) has shown that the step up to the big league can be done. He has shown he has the pace. The BTCC is where I want to be. It is what I have been working towards since I first stepped into a go-kart at 8 years old. I don’t mind the rough and tumble of tin top racing as it’s all part of the job.”
JC: “Of all the touring car series in the UK, what was it about the VW Racing Cup which made you choose to stay with the championship for a second season?”
BT: “Power Maxed Racing. The package they offered me was really good. The new Polo R looks amazing, and their marketing and PR is second to none, which is all good for helping raise my profile.
“I had had one year in the championship in 2015, ending the year tenth in the championship, which really surprised me. Me and my Dad set a goal at the start of 2015 to finish in the top 15, but I did not dream I would win races or set fastest laps! I needed to do well in 2016 to show teams and sponsors that I am ready to move into BTCC.
“Also it was decision for our sponsors, Hampson Haulage, Go Ham clothing, Orlight, Technical drain Solutions. Nicky Grist, Plane B Racing. They have all been fantastic to me so to be able to give them the exposure they expect I needed to stay in such a high profile championship.”
JC: “Going back to the start of your car racing career, where and when did you make your debut, and why did you choose that particular discipline?”
BT: “At Fourteen, my Dad got me in a Fiesta Junior car. I was still racing karts at the time so the Fiesta was a bit of a side effort. The Fiesta was an ideal choice for us, knowing that BTCC was my future plans. We also did not have the budget for single seaters or the Ginetta Junior Championship.
“We used to run as a Dad and lad outfit, Dad working all the hours in the garage and at the track.
“The Fiesta Junior championship has gone from strength to strength. I think it is a fantastic championship for kids to learn their front wheel drive race craft. It’s not too expensive and there is some fantastic racing. I still go to as many FJ races as I can. I have also coached a few of the drivers in the past.”
JC: “You were part of the now sadly defunct Formula Kart Stars championship, and beat some very impressive names on your way to finishing third in class during the 2012 season. How important do you think having an association with Formula One was at the time, and did you learn anything in FKS that you continue to carry forward today?”
BT: “It’s very sad what has happened to FKS. It was the pinnacle of kids Karting, and the prizes and awards the championship gave away certainly help me get started.
“I raced against some guys that have gone forward in their careers, such as Jack Aitken, Charlie Robinson, George Russell and Jody Fannin. They were good fun times. Good Dad and Lad times.”
JC: “After six rounds in the MSA Formula Ford championship in 2014, you chose to remain with Touring Cars rather than pursue the open wheel route. What were the factors in staying with Touring Cars?”
BT: “We did okay in Formula Ford with 3 podiums in my first 2 meetings, but it just was not for me. I enjoy the rough and tumble of tin top racing. It was also a financial issue, we needed to raise money to race, and with a tin top you can take sponsors out for passenger rides and they can relate to the car they see on the road. To people not involved with racing, when they see a single seater they can only relate to F1 cars.”
JC: “With the Milltek Sport VW Racing Cup season at its halfway point, you must be thinking about the plans for next season. In an ideal world, where do you see yourself in 2017?”
BT: “In an ideal world, obviously BTCC. British GT could also be an option. At the end of the day it all comes down to budget. If we don’t get the sponsors for 2017 I’d be happy racing shopping trollies, as long as I’m racing something. I have a great team behind me working flat out trying to make things happen for 2017. BTCC gives brands and companies fantastic exposure with the TV coverage and excellent customer interaction with garage and grid access.”
JC: “With Snetterton in just under a month, how will you be preparing yourself for the next round of the championship?”
BT: “Relaxing. The pressure is now on with me leading the championship. I’m off on holiday with a few friends. The team will be working on the car and I will be working on my tan. Like most racing drivers, the gym is my second home, so training will still be on the agenda.”
JC: “Finally, how can our readers keep up with your progress throughout the rest of the 2016 season?”
BT: “If they are at a race meeting, they can come over and get the latest copy of “THE BOBSTER”, a paper we hand out at race meetings covering myself, the team, race results and our sponsors.
“They can keep up to date on Twitter: @BTMotorsport or on Facebook by searching Bobby Thompson.”
”Alternatively, they can take a look at our website: www.bobbytompson.co.uk.”
With a desire to win, blistering speed and a determination to succeed in his pursuit of victory, it is difficult to argue a case against Bobby leading the charge for the next generation of the BTCC’s young guns. With drivers such as Ashley Sutton being given chances in the championship, it may not be too long until Bobby Thompson puts the Power Maxed Racing Cruze back to the very front of the grid, where it belongs.
