Laser Tools Racing, Team HARD join forces for 2021

Laser Tools Racing has revealed that it will run an expanded three-car programme for the 2021 BTCC season having entered into a new partnership with Team HARD.

The Infiniti team will retain the services of defending champion Ash Sutton alongside Aiden Moffat, with Carl Boardley running in a third car as he switches from the BMW 1 Series he campaigned this year.

With Boardley moving over to the Laser Tools line-up, Team HARD will replace his BMW with a fourth Cupra Leon to run alongside the cars already announced for Aron Taylor-Smith, Glynn Geddie and Jack Goff.

Although the two teams will run as separate outfits with different sets of management, the new partnership has been formed to ‘pool resources both on and off track for greater engineering and commercial benefits’ and to ensure ‘engineering, commercial and corporate rewards for both squads’.

“Having worked commercially with both BMR and Tony Gilham at Team HARD for a number of years, and with our team’s amazing success in 2020, I feel that now is the time to elevate Laser Tools Racing to another level,” Laser team boss Bob Moffat said.

“With Tony Gilham’s experience and energy, and Team HARD’s reputation for providing first rate corporate hospitality, track day experiences and motorsport corporate entertainment, we are now in a very good position to offer both team sponsors and fans a world class experience in Britain’s most prestigious motorsport series.”

Team HARD boss Tony Gilham meanwhile said he felt the new partnership would give both teams the chance to succeed on track in the new year.

“Ash and Aiden are a formidable pairing and so to be able to keep these guys together is vital to the commercial side of the operation and following the successes of 2020, it is a very solid platform on which to build on,” he said.

“Both these guys are amazing young talents and a big part of the future of the BTCC. So, to have them working with us is a very proud moment. This is an essential part of the package as we at Team HARD aspire to keep developing and improving as a team, and there is no better way to learn than working with the best in the business.

“Working alongside the guys from Laser Tools Racing will help us move closer to our end goal and with the addition of many new faces to our side of the line-up, we feel we are in the best shape possible to compete at the front as soon as the new season starts.

“A long-term friendship and working relationship with Laser Tools Racing Team Principal Bob Moffat has developed over the last few years, and the time is now right to build something very special together as we head towards the new hybrid era. We have often talked about how we could team up and now we have taken the step to do just that.”