New Entry-Level Clio Cup Series Launched by Renault and BARC.

A2ON

Platinum Member
NEW ENTRY-LEVEL CLIO CUP SERIES LAUNCHED BY RENAULT & BARC
Renault UK, the British Automobile Racing Club (BARC) and Michelin are delighted to announce the launch of a brand new entry-level race category for 2013, the Michelin Clio Cup Series with Protyre, which is aimed at providing a professionally run, cost-effective first step into saloon car racing.
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Targeting complete circuit novices, seasoned track day participants and also competitors with prior race experience, the Michelin Clio Cup Series with Protyre is expected to run across four events next year with the potential to become a fully-fledged championship in 2014.
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Based around the third generation racing Clio, as currently run in the sister Renault UK Clio Cup, the freshly launched series will become the new home for the existing 2.0-litre car when it is replaced in the headline British Touring Car Championship-supporting category in 2014.
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“Michelin Clio Cup Series with Protyre perfectly fills the gap in the market for those who enjoy track days, such as our own very successful Renaultsport Trackdays, but who want to make the step into actual competition without moving straight into the Renault UK Clio Cup”, said Jeremy Townsend, Renault UK Communications Director.
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“In just a single week since the BARC was confirmed as the new promoter of the Renault UK Clio Cup, we already have this plan in place to extend the life of the third generation Clio when the new 1.6-litre turbocharged car arrives in Renault UK Clio Cup in 2014. The creation of the Michelin Clio Cup Series is a fantastic development for the Renaultsport brand.”
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Although the calendar of events is still to be ratified, provisionally the series is expected to begin over the weekend 11th/12th May at Snetterton in Norfolk – running with the Protye Formula Renault Championship – with a second event at Croft in North Yorkshire in July.
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Two more race meetings are also planned, the first at Rockingham in Northamptonshire over the weekend 10th/11th August, with the final event set to take place at Brands Hatch in September. There is also a desire to run further events during the winter of 2013.
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Conversion kit and Michelin road tyres to make Clio Cup Series even more accessible
In a move to ease the transition into competitive racing for rookie drivers, the introduction of a conversion kit has been confirmed which will enable owners of road-going Clio Renaultsport 197 and Clio Renaultsport 200 cars to transform them to track specification for as little as £3,000.
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Alongside the main headline class for thoroughbred racing Clios and a ‘Road’ class for the converted cars, there will also be two driver categories – ‘Expert’ for those with previous racing experience and ‘Sport’ for competition novices.
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One of the key facets of the newly created series, as per the headline sponsorship from Michelin, will be the use of Michelin Pilot Sport 3 road tyres as the renowned manufacturer brings its flagship sports tyre into competitive UK motorsport for the first time.
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“It’s very important for the Michelin brand to remain closely linked with Renault and by being the official tyre partner for the new Clio Cup Series, we have a perfect opportunity to showcase the high performance of our Pilot Sport 3 road tyre”, said Michelin UK head of marketing Jianni Geras.
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“The road tyres are less aggressive than racing slicks, so this will only help the cost-effectiveness of the series. In the current climate, a series like this is the perfect place for racing newcomers to learn and develop their skills. Michelin is delighted to be the headline sponsor of, what we fully expect to be, a very popular new category in UK motorsport.”
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Something of great importance to the success of the Michelin Clio Cup Series with Protyre will be the support of existing Renault UK Clio Cup teams who have strongly welcomed the announcement and creation of the category.
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Team Pyro’s Mark Hunt and Scuderia Vittoria’s Danny Buxton, two of the lead pioneers behind the idea to establish a club-level series for the incredibly successful third generation Clio Cup car, are both very confident there is already a strong market for the new category.
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“I think it’s absolutely brilliant BARC, Renault and Michelin are introducing this series, there’s a massive market for it and in the current climate it’s exactly the sort of thing that’s needed”, said Hunt, “If we can have race meetings over two days, rather than three, it’ll be great and there’s no threat of it taking customers away from the UK championship.
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“It’ll be a great stepping stone and, more importantly, it means we’re not throwing away 25 very good Clio Cup cars – for me it’s brilliant. I see it as being like the BARC Formula Renault, we’ve all seen how successful that’s been for people who can’t afford the bigger budgets, it’s a mega idea.”
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Buxton, the 2001 Renault UK Clio Cup Champion, added: “Mark [Hunt], Tom [Ferrier – Scuderia Vittoria co-owner] and I originally came up with the idea and spoke to Ian Watson at BARC about it and, since then, it’s gathered pace massively. Michelin has been a big supporter of Clio racing over the years and it’s great they’re involved with this, running road tyres will help to keep costs down.
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“I think there will be a very strong market for this series. Gentleman drivers, for example, who are busy with other commitments on a Saturday can still race on Sunday and that’s a market we need to aim for. The conversion kit then really opens it up to people who always thought racing was out of their price bracket, people will be able to get out on circuit in a proper car for sensible money.”
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Precise technical details and sporting guidelines for the Michelin Clio Cup Series with Protyre will be issued in the New Year and the category will be launched to the motorsport community on the BARC stand at the Autosport International Show, on 10th/11th/12th/13th January, at Birmingham’s NEC.
Provisional 2013 Michelin Clio Cup Series with Protyre Calendar
Races 1&2 Snetterton, Norfolk 11th/12th May
Races 3&4 Croft, North Yorkshire 13th/14th July
Races 5&6 Rockingham, Northamptonshire 10th/11th August
Races 7&8 Brands Hatch, Kent 21st/22nd September
 
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wowza, this is good news!

i look forward to hearing more about the conversion kits etc.
 
wowza, this is good news!

i look forward to hearing more about the conversion kits etc.

Yeah, will be interesting to see a "converted car".

I like the idea and if the kit is of good quality, £3k is a bargain price.
 
Wow, excellent news!!!

Good to see that the 197/200 will live on in the racing world for a while longer then. :smile:
 
Will be dominated by Clio cup cars ex this year ie not new ones if they allow them in sadev boxes etc means 3k cars won't be in same class I hope
 
I was talking to someone about this a couple of days ago... very cheap way into motorsport! IIFC I think it was in the region of £6000 per year to race, but ill be damned if i know what that covers!

I Think ill have to go to the Autosports show in Jan to find out more!
 
Very interesting, like Noddie points out though what if you already have a modded car. Will the suspension and exhaust and engine be controlled items.

Will the tyres be free if Michelin are supporting it and who fits this 3k kit?
 
Very interesting, like Noddie points out though what if you already have a modded car. Will the suspension and exhaust and engine be controlled items.

Will the tyres be free if Michelin are supporting it and who fits this 3k kit?

Just from reading the blurb, a specific Michelin road tyre is the one that'll be run.

I've asked over on the RS forums who'll be doing the conversions.
 
The other question is entry fee's...it's all good and well getting the kit for £3k...which I feel won't be as little as that. Purely because suspension and cage will cost that amount, that before you pay to have the cage fitted, fire extinguisher system put in....that's before you even go into the msa rule book. You'll also need a "rain light" and have that wired up, there's loads more bits to be done too...so I'd personally say you are looking at nearer £5-6k to build a car!
 
Forgot to add... Tyres will most definitely not be free, clio cup has always had to pay, as have any other race series "sponsored" by a tyre manufacturer.
 
You'll have to pay for the tyres, conversion & entry fee to start.

Then you have fuel, wear & tear and the no-doubt damage that will come with letting 20 idiots on track with no prior racing experience.

This just seems like a perfect way to write your 197 or 200 off. It will be carnage. I might go and spectate.

Oh, and it the person who wins will be the person who throws the most money at it, easily. ex-race car, pro Team that know setup, constant new tyres, testing, simulator etc. The list goes on.

If you're hoping on winning with 3k, you're massively underestimating how money-driven motorsport is in general.
 
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If you're hoping on winning with 3k, you're massively underestimating how money-driven motorsport is in general.

But if your thinking that motorsport is all about winning your massively underestimating the enthusiasm people have for competitive track driving.

I agree with your points, if you've got team Pyro and SV taking part in it you don't stand a chance in the "pro" class. But if they do it right and keep tight controls on the lower "sport" class then theres no reason you can't at least become competitive. Obviously there's huge running fee's over and above the initial ~3k conversion.
 
Very interesting, like Noddie points out though what if you already have a modded car. Will the suspension and exhaust and engine be controlled items.

Will the tyres be free if Michelin are supporting it and who fits this 3k kit?

I doubt they'd let modded cars compete to be honest Angel,not if they're trying to keep this as an entry level series. You start letting people change cams, induction, suspension etc and where does it end?

The only issue is, that the cup spec cars already run modified air intakes and sadev boxes (amongst other things) so will the "£3k" kit include all of these things to bring them all to an even spec?
 
I doubt they'd let modded cars compete to be honest Angel,not if they're trying to keep this as an entry level series. You start letting people change cams, induction, suspension etc and where does it end?

The only issue is, that the cup spec cars already run modified air intakes and sadev boxes (amongst other things) so will the "£3k" kit include all of these things to bring them all to an even spec?

From what I understand there's a class for conversions, then a class for the ex-racing cars. So I presume the 3k will just make the car look like a racing car (to cover the legal stuff) I'm not sure though.