Motorbase Performance is a British motor racing team, founded in 2004 by former Production Saloon racer David Bartrum. They are best known for competing in the British Touring Car Championship.
The team started out by contesting the 2004 Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain, finishing second in the teams championship despite their best-known driver Damien Faulkner only joining mid-season. However, the 2005 season proved difficult with no wins and poor points performance. 2006 saw the team enter both the Pro class and the newly established Pro-Am class. The team's main charge came from the 1992 BTCC champion Tim Harvey, who managed to score 3 wins on his way to second place in that year's championship. In the 2007 Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain, Steven Kane won more races than anyone else, finishing 3rd overall. The team took a break form the Carrera Cup in 2008 to focus on their British Touring Car Championship campaign but were back for the 2009 Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain entering all three classes. Michael Caine was able to take 3 wins for the team during the year on his way to 4th in the championship. 2010 saw Michael Caine lead Motorbase's charge for the title gaining 7 wins along the way. However, he was beaten by 10 points to the title by ex-Motorbase driver Tim Harvey. In 2011, Harvey attempted to defend his title with Motorbase, partnering his rival Caine. However, the championship was won by James Sutton.
For 2007 the team purchased two ex-works, S2000 specification SEAT Toledo cars, debuting one in the final round of the 2006 British Touring Car Championship season, driven by Tom Ferrier. For 2007 they entered Gareth Howell and rookie Matt Allison, showing pace but having regular accidents, skipping the Knockhill meeting after the carnage of Brands Hatch saw both cars written off. Howell left midseason, replaced by Ferrier, while Paul O'Neill joined Allison for the final round.
For 2008 the BTCC cars were replaced by factory-specification BMW 320si E90, driven by Steven Kane and Rob Collard. The team entered no other championships for the season. After a slow start to the season, Collard scored 2 top-5 finishes at Croft in round 5. This was followed by a 2nd-place finish for Kane at Snetterton. 2009 saw Kane replaced by young Scottish driver Jonathan Adam, who had previously won back to back titles in the SEAT Cupra Championship. Due to new sponsorship with Airwaves, the team began running under the Airwaves BMW banner. 2009 proved a successful season, with Collard winning 2 races and the team finishing 4th in the teams championship. For 2010, Collard moved to West Surrey Racing, while Motorbase brought in Mat Jackson to replace him. Kane returned to the team, replacing Adam. Together, they were able to take 2 wins and 11 podiums, leading to 4th place in the teams championship for two consecutive seasons.
In 2011 the team raced as Airwaves Racing and ran a trio of Ford Focus STs, which were previously run by Team Aon the previous year. Although the chassis was built to the S2000 specification, the team used the turbo chargedNGTC Engine. Mat Jackson stayed with the team for a second consecutive season and was joined by rookie Liam Griffin. At the Rockingham and Brands Hatch rounds, the team entered a third car for Porsche Carrera Cup frontrunner Michael Caine. However, he was replaced in the third car at Silverstone by two-time British Touring Car Champion, James Thompson. In 2012 the team raced under the banner of Redstone Racing, and continued to race with the three Ford Focus STs. Mat Jackson yet again stayed with the team for a third consecutive season. Liam Griffin returned for his second consecutive season with the team. The pair were joined by former Renault Clio Cup racer, Árón Smith. After a fire in Griffin's S2000 Focus meant they were a car short Motorbase built their first car; a NGTC specification global Ford Focus ST Mk.III. This car won its first race at the Silverstone meeting in the hands of Mat Jackson. For 2013 Airwaves returned as the main sponsor for the team. The team retained Mat Jackson and Árón Smith who both drove new NGTC turbocharged Focus ST MkIII while Liam Griffin continued with the team driving the older S2000 specification turbocharged Focus ST MkII.
BTCC results
Previous championships
In 2005 they contested the SEAT Cupra Championship and the GT3 class of the British GT Championship, running an assortment of drivers including Steven Kane, Tim Harvey and David Pinkney. They also raced in British GTs in 2006 and ventured outside the UK for the first time, in selected rounds of the Le Mans Endurance Series.
