Restart Racing excited for year ahead after season launch event
Restart Racing is excited after a successful launch for the 2023 TCR UK championship at Donington Park, where the team revealed the livery for Scott Sumpton’s Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR, and the news that Chris Smiley will pilot the all-new Civic FL5.
The 2023 season of the TCR UK Touring Car Championship promises to be its best yet, with over 23 cars present at the season launch event, and with a final entry list set to confirm even more cars for the season opener at Snetterton in just over a week’s time.
The team were present at the Media Day event for photos and an all-day test session at the Donington Park circuit in Leicestershire, with the reliveried Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR of the team’s new signing, Scott Sumpton, on show, while Chris Smiley was on hand just ahead of his departure to Europe to collect his brand-new Honda Civic Type R FL5 TCR from car builders JAS Motorsport at Spa-Francorchamps.
Sumpton was seventh fastest in the final session of the day, when the track finally started to dry out after it had rained for the majority of the morning.
More importantly, Sumpton was able to keep to the track, whereas many hadn’t, with the session interrupted several times due to excursions for the TCR UK and supporting category drivers due to the slippery conditions.
Sumpton is also looking forward to the season ahead, after making the switch from a Hyundai i30 N TCR to the Civic TCR for this season.
Scott Sumpton, #27 Restart Racing Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR
“I’m really looking forward to this year, it should be a good season. I’m still learning the car, but we’re there or therabouts, and the aim is to try and get as far up the order this year as possible – my main target is to try and get a few podiums.
“It was a massive step up to TCR last year, but I’ve been loving every single moment of it. And now especially with this Honda, as I feel just more at one with the car, and I can’t wait to get more laps in it.
“It feels more robust, more prominent. It’s a lovely car to drive, handles nicely, and it sounds awesome – it sounds fast, and I’m sure it will also be fast.
“Massive thanks to Exswift, Click Waste, and to 727 my newest sponsor, a trucks part specialist based in Essex and London, and hopefully we’ll build a great relationship and get some great results with their support in the season ahead.”
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About
Restart Racing has prepared, raced, and won at some of the most famous race circuits in the world. The team has built up a wealth of experience in the motorsport industry and made it its business to consistently build and run race-winning cars.
Over the years the team has run cars by manufacturers such as Honda, TVR, BMW, Chevrolet, Vauxhall, Porsche, Hyundai and Volkswagen in the BTCC, GT3 sports car series, and Hot Rods.
In 2022, our Essex-based professional team competed in the hard-fought TCR UK Touring Car Championship with Chris Smiley at the wheel, pitted against a total of 16 other teams. Having collected our race car from Honda’s specialist preparation company in Italy only days before the start of the season, Chris went on to secure pole position and win the first race at Oulton Park, and would go on to win the championship at Snetterton at the final round.
It turned out to be a great season of racing at some of the UK’s premier circuits, culminating in the team being chosen to represent the UK at the prestigious FIA Motorsport Games at the Paul Ricard circuit in France, where Chris Smiley finished in eighth position against competitors from around the world.
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