•    Paul Streather chooses to sit-out Rds5&6 of Clio Cup
•    Concussion after-effects from Brands reason for withdrawal 
•    Hinckley driver sensibly opting to undertake more recovery time

Paul Streather has chosen to sit-out the third event of the Renault UK Clio Cup season at Thruxton Circuit this weekend, 6th/7th May, as a result of the lingering after-effects of concussion sustained at Brands Hatch just over a month ago.

As the innocent party in a nasty collision during the test day ahead of the season curtain-raiser at the Kent venue back at the end of March, the Hinckley racing driver was hospitalised and diagnosed with concussion which precluded him from taking part in qualifying and the first two races of the year.

Despite being passed fit by doctors for the most recent event at his home track Donington Park a fortnight ago, where he participated in the full race weekend, Streather was again the victim of contact and has since taken stock of his position.

Now he has arrived at the wise decision to withdraw from the Thruxton race meeting as he attempts to recover fully to 100% before getting back behind the wheel of his WDE Motorsport-run Clio Cup race car in a competitive environment. 

“This hasn’t been an easy decision to make, I’m a racing driver and want to be out there competing, but the sensible approach is to sit-out Thruxton and make sure I’m feeling on top form before I get back out on track again, said Streather.

“During the recent test at Thruxton I just didn’t feel right in myself, but when you think about it only a few weeks have passed since I was in hospital at Brands so I’m not surprised. I always give 100% when I’m in the car so if I’m not feeling 100%, the right choice is to take more time recovering.”

In better news, Streather’s long-standing sponsor Michael Smith Switchgear has been named Small Business of the Year in the annual Leicester Mercury Business Awards, which took place at Leicester Arena last week.

The Whetstone firm, which manufactures, installs, commissions and maintains low voltage switchgear and control panels for some of the UK’s most high-profile and respected companies, beat off strong competition to receive the prestigious accolade. 

“We are ecstatic about winning this award”, said Sean Smith, Managing Director of MSS, “This is a really massive achievement for such a small firm. We have got some exciting times ahead as we will be moving to a new factory soon and bringing our two businesses together under the same roof. We’ve just taken on seven new staff, so we are at 38 now – business has gone crazy for us.

“In terms of Paul choosing not to compete at Thruxton this weekend, we fully support and commend him on his decision. We wish him a speedy recovery to full fitness and will be here to support him on his return to the track.” 

• Clio Cup racer passed fit to race in second event of 2017
• Misfortune from season-opener continues at Donington
• Onwards and upwards for Streather as Clios head to Thruxton

Front-running Renault UK Clio Cup racer Paul Streather encountered another event of exasperation and misfortune at Donington Park over Easter weekend, 15th/16th April, as the shocking bad luck which blighted the start of his season a fortnight ago carried over to his ‘home’ race meeting. 

Everything started positively for the Hinckley racer on the morning of the official test on Thursday when doctors gave him the all-clear to participate, having been sidelined from the first event of the campaign at Brands Hatch as a result of concussion sustained in a practice day accident there.

If the WDE Motorsport driver didn’t have bad luck this year, though, he’d have no luck at all and misfortune struck once again when a driveshaft issue in the first test session, followed by another mechanical problem in session two, meant he barely had any laps. 

Going into qualifying on Saturday afternoon on the back-foot compared to his rivals, Streather produced a strong showing and although having to settle for the 13th fastest time he was only 0.5 seconds shy of pole position. Furthermore, he was on a quicker lap still during the closing stages of the session but red flags were produced after an incident which scuppered his chances.

Determined to make strong progress in the first of Easter Sunday’s two races, Streather got away from the line nicely and was well positioned to gain places as a multi-car tangle occurred just ahead out of the first corner.

With one car spinning in the centre of the track at Hollywood, the WDE racer made the correct decision to steer to the right in avoidance but, as he lifted off the throttle to take account of the incident, he was hit from behind – resulting in significant damage to his left-rear corner.

With the race red flagged, Streather actually got out of his car to check his left-rear wheel was intact and eventually managed to crawl back to the pits where the team quickly got to work facilitating repairs and fitting a new wheel.

At the re-start he had to begin from the pit-lane, effectively 19th position, and gained a couple of places over the first two laps. Having closed right-up behind Graham Field at the end of lap three, the Jamsport driver chose to hug the inside into Redgate so Streather looked to pass on the outside.

Thinking better of it as Field drifted wide, Streather tucked back in and stayed glued to his rival through the next few turns. Getting a run on the inside out of McLeans, Streather was alongside on the rise into Coppice and looked to have the pass all but sealed when contact to the left side of his car from Field pitched Streather across the circuit to the left and into the gravel – instant retirement.

“You can’t quite believe the luck we’ve had, all bad”, said Streather, “Race one was a disaster and frustrating for it to end the way it did – there was no need for the contact and it wasn’t what we needed at all after missing the first round. To say I was mad is an understatement…”

For round four later in the day, Streather started in 12th position and moved up into the top 10 but after being edged to the outside at McLeans and through Coppice, he was shuffled down to 15th place by the end of the opening tour as a train of Clios swept through.

Involved in a major multi-car battle over the next few laps, the Michael Smith Switchgear and AVW Fabrications driver raced strongly. Frustratingly though, hopes of a potential top 10 result at least went awry when Streather was served with a drive-through penalty for an adjudged false start. Ultimately, the race was red flagged due to an incident on lap 11 and Streather finished in 18th. 

“We know we had the pace to take two good results this weekend, but for some reason we’ve had a nightmare”, Streather added, “I was having a good battle in race two and didn’t see the drive-through boards, I wasn’t checking the pit wall as I didn’t think I’d done anything wrong at the start. 

“It’s been a really frustrating weekend but there’s no point looking back, we need to look forward to Thruxton now and show what we can do there. Hopefully this week’s test will go as we want it to so we can go into the races next month with a good base to start from.”

Thruxton Circuit in Hampshire, the fastest track on the Clio Cup calendar, will host rounds five and six of the season over the weekend 6th/7th May. The official pre-event test there takes place this Thursday, 20th April.

•    Injured racer aims to get season belatedly underway at Donington
•    Medical clearance required before Streather can compete
•    Hopes high Hinckley racer will be passed fit for Thursday’s test

Leicestershire racing driver Paul Streather is counting the days until this week’s officially timed Renault UK Clio Cup test at Donington Park on Thursday, 13th April, as it’s where he will find out if he has been passed fit by doctors to compete in the second event of the 2017 season.

After suffering concussion at Brands Hatch just over a week ago, when his car was ploughed into during the practice day for the championship’s season-opening event, Streather can only wait to see if he’ll be permitted to venture out onto his ‘home’ track a few days from now.

Forced to miss qualifying and the first two rounds of the season as a result of his injuries, the Hinckley driver – who went into his second year in the Clio Cup as a genuine title contender – has all but seen his hopes of fighting for the championship evaporate already.

As a natural fighter though, with terrific East Midlands spirit, the 27-year-old says if he’s given the all-clear to take part in this week’s test day and Easter weekend’s race meeting at Donington, he will be aiming to be right at the sharp end battling for podiums and wins.

“It was really disappointing to miss the first two rounds as, other than feeling a bit sore, I felt fine mentally – but I know the doctors have to take these things very seriously”, said the Michael Smith Switchgear and AVW Fabrications-backed driver, “If we get signed-off on Thursday morning, I’m fighting fit and raring to go. Fingers crossed, we’ll have better luck at Donington.”

Prior to the incident in the second of the pre-Brands Hatch practice sessions, Streather had been third fastest in the morning and well on course to be a contender for pole position, with the clear potential to try and repeat his race-winning performance from the Kent track 12 months earlier.

Praise from throughout the Clio Cup paddock went to his WDE Motorsport team for the truly remarkable efforts made in striving to repair the wrecked 2.0-litre Clio in time for Brands Hatch qualifying, should Streather have been passed fit at the time by the medical experts. 

Working tirelessly through the Friday night, the team fully re-shelled the car and even applied brand new livery by 6am the following morning – a monumental and unprecedented effort and one which Streather wants to repay with podium silverware sooner rather than later.

“I want to be back out there doing what we do best and I really want to repay the team for the incredible efforts they made at Brands Hatch – I’ve never known anything like it”, he added, “To fully re-shell and repair the car, especially after seeing the state the Clio was in after the shunt, was amazing. Everyone at WDE has been absolutely incredible, a massive thank you to all of them.”

Should Streather be given clearance to take part in official testing at Donington Park National Circuit on Thursday, 13th April, qualifying for rounds three and four of the Renault UK Clio Cup season will follow on Saturday, 15th April, at 14.00.

On Sunday, 16th April, the opening contest will get underway at 10.00 with race two scheduled to follow at 15.50 – the second encounter will be screened live on ITV4 and streamed live online at www.itv.com/btcc 

• Title contender Streather forced to miss Rds1&2 on doctor’s orders
• Heavy contact from rival in testing wrecks car and shatters hopes
• Streather’s championship potentially destroyed before season begins
• Leicestershire driver targeting Donington Park return in two weeks

Renault UK Clio Cup title contender Paul Streather watched his 2017 hopes dealt a hammer blow of nightmarish proportions before the new season had even started at Brands Hatch over the weekend, 1st/2nd April, as a result of heavy contact from a rival in pre-event testing.

Beginning his second year in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship support category in fine style with the third fastest time in the first of two practice sessions on Friday, 31st March, the WDE Motorsport racer couldn’t have anticipated the huge collision which followed in session two.

What initially looked to be an innocuous spin at Graham Hill Bend midway through the run soon turned into disaster for the Hinckley-based driver. As he waited to get his Clio going in the right direction again, another driver surprisingly slammed into Streather’s stricken car.

Leading to immense damage for both vehicles, each competitor was taken to the circuit medical centre and Streather was transported to nearby hospital. Thankfully, a CT scan gave the all-clear but he had to gain permission to compete in Saturday’s qualifying session, and the subsequent races, from the circuit doctor who declined the possibility on the grounds of the concussion sustained.

Aside from the severity of the incident, insult was added to injury for Streather due to a change in championship regulations this year. For the first time the old ‘drop score’ ruling, which meant drivers could deduct their worst results of the season before calculating final totals, is no longer applicable.

• Leicestershire's Paul Streather targets glittering start to new season
• WDE Motorsport racer relishing return to venue of maiden Clio win
• Championship curtain-raiser at Brands Hatch less than a week away

Brands Hatch Indy Circuit, scene of Paul Streather’s maiden race victory in the Renault UK Clio Cup this time last year, hosts the opening two rounds of the 2017 championship this coming weekend, 1st/2nd April, where the WDE Motorsport driver intends to hit the ground running.

During the corresponding fixture last season at the popular Kent track, Streather’s first campaign in the high profile British Touring Car Championship support series, the Hinckley-based driver starred with a magnificent performance in his 2.0-litre Clio.

Scorching to a memorable win in round one of the 2016 season, having qualified second fastest for the race just 0.007 seconds shy of pole position, the Michael Smith Switchgear and AVW Fabrications backed racer then went on to only just miss out on another podium in round two.

While fully appreciative of the quality of opposition he will battle again this year, with a grid including three-time former champion, and WDE team-mate, Paul Rivett and 2014 champion Mike Bushell, Streather is confident he will be in a position to mount a strong challenge at Brands.

“I don’t see why I can’t try and repeat what we did at Brands this time last year”, he said, “I’m happy with the car and the team, the dynamic of the two together is absolutely brilliant, and I’m really looking forward to the season getting underway.

“I haven’t done a great deal of testing pre-season, but what I have done has been very positive and we’ve been quick. We’re still going into the unknown a little bit being with a new team for this season, but the guys at WDE have done a great job so far and I’m sure we’ll be strong at Brands.”

In addition to Streather’s switch to a new team, the other notable change for the 2017 season is the championship’s return to Michelin tyres after a few years on Dunlop rubber – a move which the series race winner applauds. 

Qualifying, as ever at the 1.2-mile Brands Hatch Indy Circuit, will be key with such a short lap providing limited opportunities for overtaking – although Streather acknowledges pole position isn’t necessarily the chief aim.

“The Indy is one of my favourite circuits, both that and the GP track at Brands are at the top of the list, so I’m looking forward to driving there again”, he added, “We had a test day a couple of weeks ago there but I barely did any laps as I felt pretty bad. Media Day was the best I’d felt for a while, but then it came back – it comes and goes. I’m resting up before next weekend, hopefully I’ll be OK.

“Qualifying is going to be really important, it always is at Brands, but with 20 or so cars space can be a problem. If everyone uses some common sense, it should be fine though and we’ll all be able to get some good laps in. As long as we’re on the first two rows of the grid, I’ll be happy and confident we can challenge. To be honest, as pole is uphill sometimes the second row is the best place to be.”

Competitors will benefit from two test sessions at Brands Hatch on Friday, 31st March, with qualifying and round one of the Clio Cup season following on Saturday, 1st April, at 11.25 and 16.25 respectively. On Sunday, 2nd April, round two – which will be screened live on ITV4 and streamed online at www.itv.com/btcc - is scheduled to begin at 13.20.

• Renault UK Clio Cup race winner delighted with pace in official test
• Streather ends ‘Media Day’ run P3 and just 0.2 seconds shy of pace
• Hinckley driver confident of consistent bid with WDE Motorsport

Rapid saloon car racer Paul Streather confirmed his credentials as a major contender for honours in the 2017 Renault UK Clio Cup after producing a very strong top three performance in officially timed pre-season testing at Rockingham on Friday, 17th March – and he says there is much more to come.

For his sophomore season in the British Touring Car Championship feeder category, the 27-year-old from Hinckley has joined leading team WDE Motorsport and the early signs for the partnership are very good indeed with Streather reeling off some impressive times during Friday’s ‘Media Day’.

Notably, he remained on old Michelin rubber for most of the test at Rockingham’s International Super Sportscar Circuit – venue for the ante-penultimate race meeting of the campaign in August – and only used two new front tyres for his top three lap.

Circulating with a best time of 1m29.772 seconds (77.79mph) in session two, ending that run second quickest, the lap was ultimately good enough to place him third fastest overall for the day and within just 0.2 seconds of the top of the timesheets.

“Rockingham was very productive”, said the delighted Leicestershire racer, “In the first session we ran really old rubber and only put two new tyres on the front in session two, so I was more than happy with the time we did there. To be honest everything on the car was old, the tyres, the brakes, and we know others ran four new tyres so our pace was really good. 

“Even with the old tyres the car felt fantastic, and one of the most important things is we have consistent race pace. So, when we get to Brands for the first round in a couple of weeks I think we should be absolutely flying.” 

Last year, of course, Streather achieved his maiden Renault UK Clio Cup race victory during the opening weekend of the season at Brands Hatch Indy Circuit – the venue for rounds one and two once again this year on 1st/2nd April.

Clearly, a repeat of that performance would be the dream start for Streather and he’s determined to hit the ground running. With that in mind, one of the biggest pluses for 2017 for the WDE driver is the return to Michelin tyres which, he says, make the Clio more the kind of race car he likes to pilot.

“The car is so much more enjoyable to drive on the Michelin tyres, you can make the car do what you want which wasn’t the case last year – they’ve turned the Clio into a proper race car”, he added, “I’m really looking forward to the start of the season and working with WDE, it’s a really professional team and I’m very happy with how everything is run. Hopefully it’s going to be a strong year.”

Once again this year, Streather has key support in his bid for race wins and a title challenge from long-term sponsors Michael Smith Switchgear and AVW Fabrications – without whom he wouldn’t be lining up on the Clio Cup grid.

Notably, Whetstone-based Michael Smith Switchgear is one of three finalists in two categories for the annual Leicester Mercury Business Awards, namely Small Business of the Year and Excellence in Manufacturing. The winners will be announced at a special Awards Evening in late April.

“Michael Smith Switchgear and AVW Fabrications are the reason I’m racing in Clios, I wouldn’t be on the grid without them so I have to say a massive thank you for their amazing support”, commented Streather, “It’s fantastic news MSS has been nominated for the Leicester Mercury Business Awards, hopefully we’ll both be taking home some accolades this year!”

2017 Renault UK Clio Cup Calendar
Rds1&2: Brands Hatch Indy, Kent – 1st/2nd April
Rds3&4: Donington Park National, Leicestershire – 15th/16th April
Rds5&6: Thruxton, Hampshire – 6th/7th May 
Rds7&8: Oulton Park Island, Cheshire – 20th/21st May 
Rds9&10: Croft, North Yorkshire – 10th/11th June 
Rds11&12: Snetterton 300, Norfolk – 29th/30th July 
Rds13&14: Rockingham ISSC, Northamptonshire – 26th/27th August 
Rds15&16: Silverstone National, Northamptonshire – 16th/17th September
Rds17&18: Brands Hatch GP, Kent – 30th September/1st October 

Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit provided a mixed final race meeting of the Renault UK Clio Cup season for Finesse Motorsport over the weekend, 1st/2nd October, with Paul Streather bouncing back from a costly non-finish in race one to end the event with a fine top six in the second contest.

Wisbech-based Finesse concluded the 18 race season sixth in the Entrants’ Trophy while Streather just missed out on a top six placing in the Drivers’ Championship, the first year Renault UK Clio Cup racer ending his first full campaign in the British Touring Car Championship feeder series in seventh.

His race two performance was certainly impressive, Streather scything his way through from the seventh row of the grid into sixth and also posting the second fastest lap of the race – quicker than anything managed by the podium finishers.

“It’s definitely been a season of ups and downs, Paul’s had the pace but we haven’t had much in the way of luck and that’s really cost us”, said Finesse team principal Neil Giddings, “It’s good to end the season with a strong top six in the last race, though, and second fastest lap showed the potential of Paul and the car.”

To begin with, the last weekend of the season started impressively as Streather built on the excellent pace he showed at Silverstone a fortnight previously with the second fastest time in the first of two practice sessions. In the second run he was fourth fastest and went on to end the test day just 0.2 seconds shy of the outright pace – a big confidence boost ahead of qualifying.

Rain arrived for the grid-determining session on Saturday morning and Streather ended the run with the eighth fastest time for the round 17 starting grid. Track conditions improved ahead of the first of the weekend’s two races, but the circuit remained slippery so wet tyres were the order of the day.

Making a blistering start, Streather stormed through the order from eighth into fourth position as he judged the grip perfectly but hopes of mounting a podium challenge were dashed when red flags were shown as a result of a major multi-car tangle further back in the pack at the exit of Druids. 

Undoing all of the Finesse driver’s hard work, the stoppage gave drivers a chance to change to slick Dunlop tyres with the track surface drying out. Parts of the Grand Prix loop remained very greasy, though, and Streather – who wasn’t sure if slicks would be the right call – fell victim to the lack of grip at the re-start with his Clio pitched into the barriers, and retirement, on the first lap.

Aiming to make amends during round 18 on Sunday afternoon, albeit from the seventh row of the grid, Streather made a rapid launch from the line and displayed lightning reactions to avoid the stalled car of Dan Zelos. Piecing together a superb opening lap, he climbed through into 10th position and then set about challenging for ninth before the Safety Car was deployed on lap three.

At the re-start a lap later, the race took a major twist when a multi-car tangle, triggered when Paul Rivett made contact with Ant Whorton-Eales, resulted in Streather being able to move up into eighth before the Safety Car made a swift re-appearance.

Racing resumed on lap six and the Finesse driver initially pressured Luke Kidsley before his target then became Whorton-Eales. Grabbing seventh place from the eventual champion on lap nine, Streather chased after James Colburn for sixth but on the penultimate tour, lap 11, a dramatic series of barrel rolls for Kidsley at Stirlings, after contact with the barriers, brought out the red flags.

Streather, therefore, was credited with sixth in the final classification and he also ended the race with the second fastest lap time – a great achievement considering he had to contend with damaged steering after early-race contact. 

“Race two was good, a good way to end the season”, said the Michael Smith Switchgear and AVW Fabrications-backed driver, “I did get hit which bent the steering, there was definitely more pace in the car but the steering meant we couldn’t show it even though we still had second fastest lap.

“We started the weekend with good pace in practice and then qualifying was good considering the lack of wet running we’d had. In the first race I was absolutely flying at the first start, I went from eighth to fourth. The circuit was still pretty wet round the back and at the re-start I just lost the back of the car, I did catch it but then it gripped-up on a dry patch and spat me off.” 

He added: “Race two was the high point of the weekend and it’s a strong way to finish the year with the sort of pace we know we’re capable of. Big thanks to the guys at Finesse for all their work this season, and to my sponsors for all their support and for putting me on the grid.”

Renault UK Clio Cup race winner Paul Streather returns to Brands Hatch this coming weekend, the scene of his memorable opening round triumph earlier this year, with a goal of making a long overdue return to the podium during the final two races of 2016.

Off the back of a sensational turnaround a week ago at Silverstone, where the Finesse Motorsport driver battled back brilliantly from a nasty testing accident to post two outstanding ninth place race finishes from the back of the grid in each instance, he is feeling particularly bullish for Brands.

Rounds 17 and 18 take place on 1st/2nd October at the Kent venue’s full Grand Prix Circuit, a track which holds great memories for Streather. During the corresponding event this time last year, he secured an outstanding second place finish – and almost took a headline grabbing win – on his debut in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship support series.

On the shorter Indy Circuit configuration at the start of the current season back in April, Streather climbed one step higher on the podium after a fantastic drive under pressure but, since that time, the championship has had more than its fair share of twists, turns and unexpected dramas.

Last weekend’s major excursion in a rain-affected pre-event testing session at Silverstone, which resulted in a written-off car, threatened to keep Streather on the sidelines for the penultimate event of the season. 

Finesse Motorsport driver Paul Streather produced a real headline performance at Silverstone over the weekend, 17th/18th September, after bouncing back from a monumental accident in Renault UK Clio Cup testing to post a brace of ninth place results from back-of-the-grid starts.

Serving up a true masterclass in overtaking during rounds 15 and 16, Streather’s performances were all the more impressive on two fronts. Not only did they come after the hefty impact in practice, in which his original race car was written-off, he managed to achieve such strong results – and also set the fastest race lap of the weekend – in a replacement Clio he had never previously driven.

Special mention must go to the 20Ten Racing squad, without whom Streather wouldn’t have been able to get onto the grid regardless of obtaining medical clearance after his shunt. Loaning Finesse one of its spare Clio Cup cars, 20Ten travelled back to its Derby base on Friday to bring the Clio down to Silverstone in time for qualifying on Saturday.

“It’s been a weekend we won’t forget in a hurry, that’s for sure!”, reflected Finesse team principal Neil Giddings, “Paul’s accident on Friday was massive, a really big hit and the car was an obvious write-off. Fortunately, he wasn’t badly injured and Simon [Hunt] and his boys at 20Ten were great loaning us their spare car and bringing it down from Derby.

“Our boys did a fantastic job to get the car prepped for qualifying and the races and Paul did an unbelievable job, to overtake so many cars and set fastest lap in race two was outstanding."