Laser Tools Racing driver Aiden Moffat changes to a newly developed Infiniti Q50
Laser Tools Racing has just made the shock announcement that Aiden Moffat's trusty Mercedes-Benz A-Class is to be put out to pasture and will be replaced at the forthcoming Snetterton rounds of the 2019 BTCC with their newly developed Infinity Q50 NGTC touring car.
Laser Tools Racing Team Principal Bob Moffat explains: "BTCC fans will remember the Infiniti touring cars from the 2015 season and the Support Our Paras Racing team. We purchased the two NGTC cars last year with a view to refining and improving the cars as well as bringing then up to the current NGTC specifications, which have changed substantially over the past four years. Our plan was to introduce the Infiniti again for the 2020 season.
"At the same time we continued developing the Mercedes, and with improvements to aero, weight distribution, and chassis dynamics, we have produced the fastest of the Mercedes A-Class cars currently competing in the BTCC.
"However in the BTCC 2019, things have changed; newly developed cars are clearly demonstrating their superiority, and we really feel that the Mercedes has reached the pinnacle of its development. It's been a great car, indeed a multi-race winner for Aiden, but to go forward we need change.
"Therefore at Oulton Park we made the decision to accelerate our Infiniti programme and debut the car at Snetterton on the weekend of August 03/04. A big ask I admit, but the experienced Laser Tools Racing team have pulled out all the stops and Aiden's new car is ready to race!
"Make no mistake, there's still some way to go, but I'm so proud of what we have achieved so far. We will be on a steep learning curve for the remaining races on the 2019 BTCC calendar, but we genuinely feel that we are onto a winner with this new car, and it will only improve with further development over the remaining 2019 season."
Aiden Moffat continues: "When we first purchased the two Infiniti cars we called in our race engineers at Hexathron Racing Systems, and in particular, my race engineer Federico Turrata. They measured, weighed, checked, photographed and took all this data back to Italy to run simulations on how viable an improved chassis would be. The result was incredibly positive, and Federico was convinced that this was the way forward.
"Our 2020-spec Infiniti is a far cry from the 2015 version, incorporating all the latest NGTC specifications, the car has been completely re-engineered. And of course the benefits of a fantastically aerodynamic design, plus rear wheel drive!
"Plus the car looks fabulous in its iconic Laser Tools Racing livery with our trade-mark blue chrome — I can't wait!"
The new Laser Tools Racing Infiniti will be first seen at the Dunlop tyre testing sessions at Snetterton next week, July 16/17, and will make its race debut at the same track on August 4.