Tom Chilton targeting title through consistent machinery for 2019

Motorbase Performance driver Tom Chilton is aiming to secure his first overall title in the British Touring Car Championship in 2019, hoping to leap ahead his chief rivals in 2018 Colin Turkington and Tom Ingram, hoping they’ll both struggle to get to grips with new machinery this year.

Consistency is key for the 34-year-old, who will enter his second season in a row with Motorbase Performance, driving the team’s Ford Focus RS with title sponsorship from Shredded Wheat and Gallagher.

“I do believe we’ve got a good package, there was a big difference we made from 2017 to 2018, and we’ve made another step onwards for 2019 with the car, and I’m going for the title this year,” said Chilton to TouringCarTimes.

“I’m quite confident I’ve got a very good car and it’s going to be consistent, whereas West Surrey Racing are obviously running in new cars which are going to be a little bit different, and then Tom Ingram, who’s perfected his seven-year-old Toyota Avensis has now got a Toyota Corolla, which is a completely different beast.

“It’s a short-wheelbase hatchback, and whatever set-ups he’s perfected, I think will not work on that car at any of the circuits he goes to, so he’s going to spend the whole year learning with that car, so I’m quite confident I’m in the right place at the right time.”

Chilton will have a new team-mate this year, with James Cole departing the team, and being replaced by former AmD Tuning driver Ollie Jackson.

“What’s really nice is when I tested with Ollie (Jackson), he went out and drove and he came back and said exactly the same things I said, so it’s great to have a team-mate who likes the car set-up in the same way, which is going to be very useful to developing the car throughout the year. Although I’m massively going to miss James Cole and Sam Tordoff, we had a massive laugh last year.”

While West Surrey Racing switches from the BMW 125i M Sport to the 330i M Sport, and Speedworks Motorsport make the switch from the Toyota Avensis to the Corolla, two other major teams packages remain the same, with BMR Racing competing again with the Subaru Levorg GT, while Team Dynamics, whom Chilton raced with in 2008, will be in the second year of development with the new Honda Civic Type R FK8.

“The Subaru in my mind is a car which shouldn’t be on the grid, and everyone else thinks that, as its engine is so far down and so far backwards…the centre of gravity just isn’t right, and can dive down the inside of anyone and make them look stupid because it has that much of an advantage, it shouldn’t be on the grid,” lamented Chilton.

“I think Team Dynamics ended Brands Hatch last year at the front and finally got to grips with the car, and the whole car I’m sure is going to evolve, as it’s Team Dynamics.”