New CUPRA Leons destined for BTCC thanks to Team HARD

[martin j.]

Team HARD. Racing will bring the Cupra name to Britain’s premier motor racing series for the first time in 2021, with the squad confirming it will be building a minimum of two brand new Cupra Leons to attack next season’s Independents’ Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) crown.



The Kent-based outfit has made no secret of its desire to develop new machinery to replace the ageing Volkswagen CC, which has been in the championship since it debuted with the team in 2013. The team has used the recent COVID-19 lockdown period to assess various car models from a range of manufacturers, before committing on the new Cupra Leon, which is due to hit the market later this year.



Team HARD. Racing are no strangers to developing new cars having been responsible for the Volkswagen CCs, which have taken 14 race victories, one Teams’ championship and one Independents’ crown in its eight-year participation in the championship.



The design process is already underway for the Cupra...

Continue reading...

 

[Nathan penney]

Yes, I saw this too on the Autosport website a few minutes ago.
I know it’s only an image but it looks smart too. It’s size should make it a decent competitor with similar sized civics and focus’.

 

[Syphon]

I see that Team HARD have announced that their car for next seasons BTCC will be a pair of Lean Cupras, nice to see another car coming in, not sure if they will have any factory help but there must be a bit of knowledge out there for HARd to draw on for the build.

Good news. Be good to cover how they do on the forums.

"CUPRA Leons" not "Leon CUPRA's" though to be pedantic

 

[AndrewJB]

Just been talking to the team principal exciting times, The whole reason I joined SCN was though SEAT running in BTCC/WTCC back in 2005 onwards!

and yep they are CUPRA Leon cars not Leon Cupra's haha. Will also not have a VW group engine unfortunately.

 

[Nathan penney]

Just been talking to the team principal exciting times, The whole reason I joined SCN was though SEAT running in BTCC/WTCC back in 2005 onwards!

and yep they are CUPRA Leon cars not Leon Cupra's haha. Will also not have a VW group engine unfortunately.

Shame it’s not a factory backed effort, but suppose the btcc is a lot more open now running the same engines. I love it.
Hopefully we can get back as spectators next year to see them in action. My 9 year old keeps bending my ear ‘ when can we go back watching touring cars’ ?
Normally go to 2 or 3 meetings a year so it’ll be great to see them in action.

 

[AndrewJB]

I used to go to every meeting, done a lot of Europe with SEAT Sport during WTCC, Leon Eurocup and TCR but not been to BTCC for years now.

 

['Little' John]

https://www.btcc.net/2020/09/04/team-hard-brings-cupra-name-to-the-btcc/

 

[Nathan penney]

... And the drivers won’t have the large touchscreen to worry about! ??

 

[martin j.]

Sat watching BTCC live on telly, windows open so we could here live soundtrack, so frustrating not being able to attend, missed one meeting since touring cars came to Knockhill.

 

[Legojon]

I see that Team HARD have announced that their car for next seasons BTCC will be a pair of Lean Cupras, nice to see another car coming in, not sure if they will have any factory help but there must be a bit of knowledge out there for HARd to draw on for the build.

That is good news. I could nod off watching the Audi's.

 

[Manic172]

Team hard have a lot of skills and knowledge to go with the cupra. They run countless cars in vw trophy classes also maximum motorsport run a couple in tcr. So guessing it's no going to be a million miles away I styling fro. The tcr car . The cage and subframes will be the toca rml stuff that you have to run in ngtc but then you can run the factory engines like ford do they use a mounttune build engine so they could run the vag engine. But it's just as easy to run the Swindon build toca lump. Think it's about 35k for the year including rebuilds but not damage.

 

[AndrewJB]

it will be the Swindon engine. Been talking to the team principal.

 

[Nathan penney]

it will be the Swindon engine. Been talking to the team principal.

Is it still Tony Gilham in charge? Think that’s his name? ?

 

[Manic172]

Most do run the Swindon. Places all work and problems in some one else's lap lol. Think it's Tony G is team hard but they are sort of joint with BMR witch us Tony Scott.

 

[BigJase88]

Fortunately looks nothing like the mk4 Cupra Leon

 

[AndrewJB]

Is it still Tony Gilham in charge? Think that’s his name? ?

Yep

 

[Manic172]

On the ngtc cars they are ment to sort of look the same as the road go I cars but with the bigger skirts and wheel arches. And all the other aero kit they don't really look like the real thing... even the old proton looked a nice car till i saw a road version. And it was $h1t

 

[Nathan penney]

On the ngtc cars they are ment to sort of look the same as the road go I cars but with the bigger skirts and wheel arches. And all the other aero kit they don't really look like the real thing... even the old proton looked a nice car till i saw a road version. And it was $h1t View attachment 18003 View attachment 18004

??
Looks like a Bora with the kit on.

 

[RUM4MO]

BTCC is heading to be yet another "profile" racing series, which for me anyway, is a bit annoying.

Its good to Infiniti Q50 taking the BMWs on though.

Edit:- Malkie Sports will soon be the engine people.

 

[andycalvia]

On the ngtc cars they are ment to sort of look the same as the road go I cars but with the bigger skirts and wheel arches. And all the other aero kit they don't really look like the real thing... even the old proton looked a nice car till i saw a road version. And it was $h1t View attachment 18003 View attachment 18004

Controversial comment alert: I always thought those Protons looked alright, I saw one the other day and they have aged quite well.

Probably shocking to drive, but better looking than a Dacia Sandero or a Vauxhall Corsa plus I believe even the basic ones came with leather interiors.