Autosport International Show 2015 - NEC, Birmingham from the 8th to 11th January, 2015.: Recent Episodes
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Covering over 1 million ft², Autosport International is the World’s Greatest four wheel indoor extravaganza! Featuring every level of Motor Racing - from Karting up to Formula 1- and with exhibitors ranging from specialist race suppliers to major manufacturers showcasing their road and race cars; the show truly brings together the world of motorsport under one roof.
BTCC aces to meet show fans
Fans will be able to meet their Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship heroes for autographs at the Autosport show this weekend (Saturday 12 & Sunday 13 January).
The British Women Racing Drivers Club was formed in 1962 by Mary Wheeler MBE with the aim of promoting and supporting women in all forms of motorsport. As a BWRDC member you can tap into the wealth of experience that a specialist club like ours can offer and gain recognition for your achievements through our prestigious championships.
Paul heads to Birmingham this weekend for the annual Autosport International Show, but first he stopped off at the Sahara Force India headquarters at Silverstone. After a series of meetings with his team, he spoke briefly with Jim McGill before jumping into a car and heading to Birmingham.
Jake Humphrey will leave the BBC to front BT Vision's coverage of the Barclays Premier League from the start of the 2013-14 season.
The Formula One host was the youngest ever presenter to work on Football Focus, Match of the Day and Final Score, having risen through the ranks of the organisation.
As revealed by Sportsmail last week, he has signed a four-year deal with BT as they embark on their new venture.
We have built a learning community underpinned with an understanding that innovation comes out of our students being able to take risks in a supportive environment. We encourage experimentation, playful trial and error, and academic curiosity. The results of this approach are there to be seen in the student satisfaction statistics, research rankings and graduate destinations.
Hodgetts debuted in the British Touring Car Championship in 1980. His first overall podium place came in 1981 when he came second. He was consistent in the top five after that. He came fourth in 1983, fifth in 1984, second in 1985, before winning the series in 1986 and 1987. His last race in the BTCC was in 1990. During the 1980 season Chris Hodgetts was driving for Brooklyns and in an iconic red RS500.
Besides racing in touring cars, Hodgetts also found success in sports car racing. He shared the BRDC C2 Championship with Tim Harvey in 1989 before retiring and won the TVR Tuscan Challenge in 1990. He also drove in the World Sportscar Championship on occasion and had seven starts in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, representing team such as Mazdaspeed, Courage Compétition and Spice Engineering. In 1995 he won the GT2 title in the British GT Championship, driving a Marcos LM600. He retired after 1998, when he drove a Lola in the ISRS.
Hodgetts now works for Racing Team & Drivers as a driver instructor. His son Stefan raced in the BTCC in 2004.
Jason Plato is a British racing car driver currently competing in the BTCC for MG KX Momentum Racing. He is a two time BTCC champion having previously won the series in 2001 when driving for Vauxhall and 2010 for Silverline Chevrolet. He has finished in the top 3 in the championship 9 times and holds the record for the most overall race wins in the BTCC. He is also a presenter on motoring television series Fifth Gear.
Dave Newsham will race a Speedworks Motorsport Toyota Avensis in 2013’s Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship after signing with the Cheshire team.
Inverness racer Newsham was one of the revelations of the 2012 BTCC season as he achieved his first two race wins in Britain’s premier motor racing championship at the wheel of an older S2000-spec Vauxhall Vectra.
For 2013, though, he will now get his hands on a more superior NGTC-spec machine in the shape of Speedworks’s Toyota which he tested recently at Donington Park.
Officially speaking, Rallycross is a speed event taking place on a permanent track consisting of both sealed and unsealed surfaces.
Unofficially, Rallycross is the wildchild of motor sport. The offspring of a liaison between circuit racing and rallying. A place where it's kosher to use the kerbs and grass. Where sideways is good. And where fun is top of the agenda.
The BTRDA Clubmans Rallycross Championship was established in 1977 and continues to be successful, providing both newcomers and 'budget' racers with a strong series events at the best UK venues. For the last few years the BTRDA Clubmans Championship has enjoyed a place on the support programme for the MSA British championship.
If you are interested in Historic Motor Racing either as a competitor, spectator or enthusiast there is something in this web site for you. The HSCC is the premier organiser of Historic Motor Racing in the UK.
Not just for F1: Cruden to highlight its complete package of simulator development services at Autosport International.
We go the Autosport International show next month (January 10-13, 2013; NEC, Birmingham, UK; stand 6670) where we hope to meet old friends and also new race teams and engineering companies. At the show, we want to emphasize our complete, in-house developed product and service approach - the things we do that maybe are less known.
The contest for the title of Autosports International Cup is hotting up. It's now looking like it's going to be a shoot out in the last race. Both Ollie Jefferies and Zak Smith are racking the wins up, if they keep up the stands through the final rounds the last race will be a real highlight to this meeting.
The Autosport International Karting Challenge in honour of Dan Wheldon has received World Champion support ahead of the Johnny Herbert-presented event at the NEC Birmingham on Friday, January 11.
Britain’s latest World Champion, Rob Huff, together with triple World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx will be heading-up the touring car contingent helping to raise funds and awareness for the Wheldon family’s nominated charity, Alzheimer’s Society.
Reigning FIA World Touring Car Champion, Huff commented: “Dan played a large role in so many people’s lives and I have been privileged to be part of several events held in his memory and supporting the charity that was so important to Dan.
The Autosport International Karting Challenge in honour of Dan Wheldon has received World Champion support ahead of the Johnny Herbert-presented event at the NEC Birmingham on Friday, January 11.
Britain’s latest World Champion, Rob Huff, together with triple World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx will be heading-up the touring car contingent helping to raise funds and awareness for the Wheldon family’s nominated charity, Alzheimer’s Society.
Reigning FIA World Touring Car Champion, Huff commented: “Dan played a large role in so many people’s lives and I have been privileged to be part of several events held in his memory and supporting the charity that was so important to Dan.
The old 'Stig', Rob Huff, together with triple World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx will be heading-up the touring car contingent helping to raise funds and awareness for the Wheldon family’s nominated charity, Alzheimer’s Society.
Reigning FIA World Touring Car Champion, Huff commented: “Dan played a large role in so many people’s lives and I have been privileged to be part of several events held in his memory and supporting the charity that was so important to Dan.
Robbie Savage is a former footballer, pundit and columnist who has enjoyed an illustrious career at the highest level for over a decade.
Robbie's former clubs include Derby County, Crewe Alexandra, Birmingham City, Blackburn Rovers and Leicester City, where he won the League Cup in 2000. Robbie, who began his footballing career at Manchester United before his breakthrough at Crewe, also won 39 international caps with Wales.
Robbie's father, Colin, had Pick's disease, a type of dementia that gradually robs people of doing tasks such as walk, talk and eat.
The former Welsh international brought forward the release of his autobiography, Savage!, so that his father could read it and donated part of the proceeds of the book sales to Alzheimer's Society. Robbie regularly tweets his support of the Society to his 1million Twitter followers and has supported our partnership with Tesco and Memory Walks.
Splitting his time between homes in the United Kingdom and the United States, Derek can be seen at the world’s major automotive and motor sport events. He is the global Bentley Motors brand ambassador, an accomplished speaker and an experienced television and radio motorsport commentator. Derek Bell MBE, the five times Le Mans winner, three times Daytona 24 winner and the two times World Sports Car champion.
Jota Sport will welcome one of Britain’s most exciting young racing talents into its fold for the 2013 season after inking a deal with McLaren development driver Oliver Turvey.
The 25-year-old will join Jota Sport regular Simon Dolan in the team's Zytek-Nissan LMP2 for the full European Le Mans Series campaign while also contesting selected rounds of the FIA World Endurance Championship, including a planned assault on the Le Mans 24 Hours pending invitation from the ACO.
Penrith-born Turvey first rose to prominence in 2006 by winning the prestigious McLaren Autosport BRDC Award, marking him out as one of the most promising talents in motorsport and securing a test with the multiple world title-winning Formula 1 squad. Backed by the Racing Steps Foundation, his progress continued with a runner-up finish in the 2008 British F3 championship before race-winning campaigns in F1 feeder series Formula Renault 3.5 and GP2.
The Faculty of Technology, Design and Environment at Oxford Brookes University has an international reputation for excellence, innovation and an ambitious desire to be recognised as one of the most exciting places to study in the world.
We have built a learning community underpinned with an understanding that innovation comes out of our students being able to take risks in a supportive environment. We encourage experimentation, playful trial and error, and academic curiosity. The results of this approach are there to be seen in the student satisfaction statistics, research rankings and graduate destinations.
The Ginetta Junior Championship is for racers aged 14 – 17 years old as a natural progression route from kart racing. Supporting the BTCC, the single-make championship uses identical G40 race cars and is the perfect grounding for young drivers wishing to progress up the motorsport ladder
Team Parker Racing is bidding to extend its record of multiple championship wins in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB during the 2013 season.
A large number of Midlands members are interested in Circuit Racing with Donington Park, Mallory Park, and Rockingham Speedway being located within the region and Silverstone, Cadwell and Loton on the periphery. We have a strong interest in Karting and an active rally marshalling section. The Midland region is a favourite playground for sporting car trials and the BMMC is actively involved in hill climbs and sprints at Curborough, MIRA and Shelsley Walsh.
The BMMC has a special section for those more interested in rallying, the British Rally Marshals Club. The BRMC's structure is similar to the BMMC and is dedicated to improving the training of all rally marshals. For more information click on the BRMC logo above.
Christopher Tate is a 30+ year motorsport industry veteran, with a career which includes senior positions at Lola Cars International, the Elan Panoz group, and as a co-founder and director in the start-up and construction of Rockingham Motor Speedway. From 2004 to 2010, Tate also led the rapid growth of the Masters Historic Racing group, which is now the market leader in historic motorsport across Europe. In the 1980s and 1990s, Tate’s London sports marketing agency acted for sponsors, drivers and teams, and worked in CART, sportscars, and various race formula and series in UK, Europe and USA. He has enjoyed a parallel TV career in motorsports television, commentating at Le Mans as well as acting an Indycar and US racing pundit on SkySports.
Fans will be able to meet their Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship heroes for autographs at the Autosport show this weekend (Saturday 12 & Sunday 13 January).
Newly crowned Champion Gordon Shedden and triple and double title-winners respectively Matt Neal and Jason Plato will all be present on a special stand that will also feature no fewer than six of the championship’s latest NGTC-spec cars.
Other drivers present will include new Independent Drivers Champion Andrew Jordan, btcc.net Fans Trophy recipient and new Speedworks signing Dave Newsham (twice a race winner in 2012) plus Rob Austin, Lea Wood, Daniel Welch, Adam Morgan and Andy Neate – see this morning's news on btcc.net. Reigning Clio Cup champion Jack Goff and James Cole who will make their BTCC debuts with Team HARD. this year will also be on the stand to greet the public.
The BLOODHOUND Project team consists of some of the world’s most revered engineering talent, led by Richard Noble, the individuals involved have been hand picked to ensure BLOODHOUND SSC is a global success, bringing together previous partnerships and fostering new talent in one of the most exciting engineering adventures that the world has seen for many years.
The Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain is at the very pinnacle of British motor racing. Stunning cars, top teams and drivers and unrivalled back up from Porsche Cars Great Britain makes the Carrera Cup the obvious choice for teams and drivers seeking a superb racing platform for 2013.
British Superkart Association Promote and Assist the Development of Long Circuit Kart Racing. To this end, specifically in each year, circumstances permitting. It will promote a National Championship for each Gearbox class, and run on behalf of the Motor Sport Association (MSA), The MSA British Superkart Championship. It will also promote the U.K. Cup for each gearbox class or classes of karting and award the “O” number plate for use at all long circuit events in the subsequent period of 1 year.
Rob Austin and Will Bratt believe wins are possible in their Rob Austin Racing-prepared Audis in 2013’s Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.
The Pershore outfit this morning announced that former international single-seater ace Bratt will contest a full BTCC season alongside team principal Austin in its pair of A4s. The news came amid a flurry of media activity on a special BTCC display at the Autosport show inside Birmingham's NEC.
Bratt contested a part-season for RAR in 2012 and believes knowing his plans so early in the year can only mean strong results in the season ahead.
The Oxford racer commented: “I can’t wait to get started, I really enjoyed the racing last year and the prospect of a full season is tremendous. The development of the car will allow us to compete at the sharp end.”
RAR confirms Wix, Bratt
Rob Austin Racing has confirmed Wix Filters as a major sponsor as well as driver Will Bratt for its 2013 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship campaign.
Team principal Austin will be joined for all ten rounds by Oxford's Bratt who contested a half-season in 2012. The Pershore squad will again field its pair of Audi A4s with Austin’s running under the wixracing.co.uk banner after the company – a major player in American NASCAR racing – opted to back him for the full season.
Both Audis will continue to be powered by VW’s TFSI engine but these will be overseen by a different tuner – Field Motorsport which took over their preparation mid-way through last season.
Introduction to the 2013 Autosport International Show NEC Birmingham. Listen online to some of the drivers and personality’s attending the 2013 Show.
Champions Unite In Honour Of Dan Wheldon – Autosport International Karting Challenge
Making the special trip to the UK to help celebrate the life and achievements of the British IndyCar Champion, Emanuele Pirro will be joining a raft of sportscar drivers, including fellow Le Mans legends Allan McNish and David Brabham.
From the world of F1, McLaren Sporting Director Sam Michael will be fielding one of the 20 teams, while McLaren test driver Oliver Turvey is also confirmed and Sky Sports F1’s Natalie Pinkham will be joining colleagues David Croft and Ted Kravitz.
Champions Unite In Honour Of Dan Wheldon – Autosport International Karting Challenge
The Autosport International Karting Challenge in honour of Dan Wheldon has received World Champion support ahead of the Johnny Herbert-presented event at the NEC Birmingham on Friday, January 11.
Britain’s latest World Champion, Rob Huff, together with triple World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx will be heading-up the touring car contingent helping to raise funds and awareness for the Wheldon family’s nominated charity, Alzheimer’s Society.
Reigning FIA World Touring Car Champion, Huff commented: “Dan played a large role in so many people’s lives and I have been privileged to be part of several events held in his memory and supporting the charity that was so important to Dan.
First with the news, views and reports, Motorsport News is the voice of the British motorsport. Britain's only weekly motorsport newspaper, Motorsport News delivers up-to-date, entertaining and reliable news, reports and results.
Frank Wrathall and the Dynojet Racing team celebrated their maiden race victory in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship after a superb drive by Frank in the final race of the season at Brands Hatch.
It was a masterly performance in treacherously wet conditions by the 26-year-old Lancashire driver, who started from second on the grid in his Toyota Avensis and who took over in front on lap four when the Ford of early leader Mat Jackson struck trouble. Wrathall pulled out a useful lead over the pursuing Hondas of Matt Neal, Gordon Shedden and Andy Jordan and romped home to win by nearly seven seconds by the end of the 15-lap sprint.
In addition to his 10th place overall in the drivers championship, Wrathall ends 2012 in eighth place among the BTCC independent drivers. Dynojet claims fifth place in the independent teams
British racing driver in the highly competitive GP2 championship, a feeder series to Formula One.
He has marked himself out as one of the brightest young prospects in world motorsport following a promising debut GP2 season in 2011 with Arden where he secured a string of top 10 results, followed by a maiden podium for Addax during the GP2 Finals event in Abu Dhabi.
In 2012 Jolyon raced for iSport International, competing in an increased 12-round GP2 calendar with 11 races running alongside the Formula One World Championship and one further standalone event. Jolyon finished 11th overall, recording a sensational maiden win with a brilliant drive at the iconic Monaco street circuit, together with two podium finishes at Silverstone and Monza and several top 10 finishes.
2012 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Champion - It was a gloomy day at Brands Hatch but the dark and the dank could not mask the brilliance of the occasion for Flash. For this was the day that he achieved his boyhood dream of winning the British Touring Car Championship!
In fact it was an exceptional race meet in many ways. Not only did we crown a first time Champion, but we also saw two first time race winners in Aron Smith and Frank Wrathall.
Flash was leading the championship when we arrived at Brands, but it was still an open book with three possible winners. Flash, Matt, or Jason Plato.
Race One was a great win for Matt, in spite of the pain of his broken hand. Flash finished 5th, but crucially he was ahead of Jason Plato in 8th and so stayed at the top of the championship albeit with a reduced lead.
But then in Race Two, Flash was able to tie it all up. Aron Smith became a first time race winner, but when a lighter Flash came up behind Matt, he did not fight for third place. It was a crucial and selfless move by Matt, proving what a great team player he is and how well the teammates get on with each other. Unleashed, Flash took fastest lap, which gave him an extra point. He finished the race second. It was enough to secure Flash’s first ever BTCC title.
And in Race Three Matt was able to secure second place in the Championship after Plato once again failed to perform. The Race saw our second, first-time winner when Frank Wrathall took the chequered flag after pole sitter Mat Jackson retired with a technical problem.
So a perfect one, two for us and it’s fitting that in the very last meeting of the season we are seeing new BTCC winners.
Alexander will next month compete in one of the world’s most famous and prestigious street races; the Macau Formula Three Grand Prix. Alexander will be racing with ThreeBond with T-Sport, driving the team’s Nissan-engine Dallara which he drove to victory at the F3 Euroseries race at the Nurburgring in August. He was invited by ThreeBond with T-Sport to compete as a guest driver in the fifth round of the F3 Euroseries Championship, which also allowed the British driver to qualify for an entry at Macau.
As winner of the McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of The Year Award in 2008, Alexander is on the fast track to the world of Formula 1. With the interest of Formula 1 teams, along with his superb results, Alexander is currently one of the most promising drivers below Formula 1.
Alexander competed in Karting for 8 years, winning numerous National and British Titles, The Monaco Kart Grand Prix, The Parma Industrials Championship and 3 British Grand Prix. Finishing his karting career with Pole at the World championships in 2006, Alexander then adjusted to Cars extremely quickly, finishing 2nd in his first ever race.
In 2008 Alexander finished the season 2nd in the championship with 2 wins and 12 podiums to his name. He then went on to win the highly prestigious McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of The Year Award and receive his prize of a test in the McLaren Formula 1 car.
In 2009 Alexander moved into the hugely competitive F3 Euro Series. Competing with Mücke motorsport, Alexander scored his maiden pole in round 3 along with his first Podium. Winning once and scoring 4 further podiums, Alexander finished the season in 4th place in the Championship and 2nd placed rookie.
The Scot will appear at the show on both Saturday and Sunday where the Audi Sport Team Joest driver will relate his experiences of top-level racing, supported with his usual witty anecdotes!
Allan has been racing since the age of 11 and progressed up the motorsport ladder until he reached the pinnacle, Formula 1. Having started in karting, he then progressed through the junior formula, Formula 3, Formula 3000 en route to Sportscar racing, Le Mans 24 Hours and F1. He has a wealth of achievements and experience and his motorsport career highlights are listed below.
President of the Scottish Motor Racing Club, Twice Le Mans 24 Hours Winner, Four times Sebring 12 Hours Winner, Three times ALMS Champion, Four times Petit Le Mans Winner and Three times Silverstone 1000km Winner
2012
Podium Win (2nd) Daytona 24 Hours Winner 12 Hours of Sebring Podium Win (2nd) Le Mans 24 Hours Podium Win (3rd) 6 Hours of Silverstone Podium Win (3rd) 6 Hours of Sao Paulo Podium Win (2nd) 6 Hours of Bahrain Podium Win (3rd) 6 Hours of Fuji Podium Win (2nd) 6 Hours of Shanghai Winner of the Eric Thompson Trophy awarded by the Club des Pilotes FIA Driver Steward for the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix Formula 1 Analyst for Sky Sports F1
Now in its fifth year, BRDC SuperStars is well established as a programme which any serious young British driver aspires to be part of. As the scheme only selects the very brightest prospects, competition for places is tough and keenly fought.
The SuperStars are supported with training programmes which the on-track results of the last two years suggest, do help give those taking part a competitive edge. SuperStars compete across the different disciplines from single seaters to prototypes, touring cars to GTs. Indeed, it is an important part of the scheme’s ethos to ensure that those who benefit from the support go on to be successful across all disciplines of motor sport and not simply in racing cars. The Club very much wants to play its part in nurturing talent across the board in order to ensure that British drivers remain at the fore, both nationally and internationally, in years to come.
In addition to access to the Club and the opportunities for networking with the Members, the SuperStars will receive direct assistance with all aspects of professional motor sport. This will include help with physical and mental training, career guidance, team building skills, sponsorship advice, media and sales training, PR and marketing, motor sport seminars and workshops with BRDC Members. They will also gain significant benefit of media coverage that the BRDC SuperStars programme itself generates. Indeed, the Club’s endorsement of each young driver’s status as one of the very brightest prospects in motor sport is undoubted but hard to put a value on.
The SuperStars programme helps to strengthen links between young drivers and the Club, as well as reinforcing the relevance of the BRDC to the wider motor sport community. I look forward to a successful and helpful year with the 2012 BRDC SuperStars drivers.
Oli Webb has continued his strong season as the Firestone Indy Lights championship returned to the USA for the penultimate round following three rounds in Canada.
Rookie Webb’s run of point-scoring form carried on as he took the chequered flag in sixth place.
Former Ryles Park pupil Webb returned to the familiar territory of Baltimore, having raced there in last year’s championship, and was quickly up to speed, showing early potential on a tricky, bumpy circuit.
However, the 21-year-old’s first practice session was brought to a premature end after four laps, when the organisers made safety-induced changes to the track.
Despite an additional chicane being introduced, Webb continued to show consistent pace as he got to grips with the revised layout.
While Webb was trading times with Sam Schmidt Motorsport team-mate Esteban Guerrieri, the leaders started a final flying lap attempt, and an incident at the new chicane saw a caution, and a red flag, which brought the session to a premature end.
Webb was therefore unable to respond to quicker laps posted by the session’s earlier drivers and he began the race fifth on the grid.
A good start saw him move up the field and vying for second alongside Guerieri. But turn one saw him on the outside line, on the dusty part of the hairpin, and a collision after a daring move from Gustavo Yacaman down the inside caused a knock-on effect and Webb’s car bore the brunt of it, with a broken front wing.
Webb continued to push despite the damaged wing and worked hard to chase down the leading pack.
A spirited drive saw him recover to fourth in the closing stages, but the reduced levels of downforce saw him run wide, crossing the line in a hard-fought sixth place.
SSM team-mate Tristan Vautier claimed the race victory, and now leads the championship.
Webb said: "This is an extremely physical circuit. The bumpy surface makes it particularly tricky, and I am pleased to take points away from the weekend."
Webb now sits seventh overall in the driver championship and is third-placed rookie.
Ben Barker capped a strong finish to the 2012 Porsche Carrera Cup GB season by returning to the podium and wrapping up second place overall as the year concluded at a wet Brands Hatch.
Knowing that he needed two strong results to continue his charge up the points table and finish the year as 'best of the rest' behind the recently-crowned champion, Barker got his preparations off to the best possible start by topping a pre-event test, despite tricky conditions on the famous Brands Hatch GP layout. When qualifying came around, however, the closely-matched Carrera Cup field was shuffled enough to leave the distinctive chrome-coloured Parr Motorsport Porsche on row two for Sunday's final double-header.
"We didn't quite piece together a quick enough lap for pole, and the competition is so tough that the smallest gap means that you are three or four positions off pole," Barker noted after posting fourth and third places on the grid, "We're only a tenth off the pace so we know the car is good, and it should be wet on Sunday, which could make things interesting..."
Raceday duly dawned wet, but the initial set-up of the #20 machine left Barker battling a tail-happy car for the duration of the 17 laps. Running in traffic throughout, the 20-year old was unable to preserve his fourth place, dropping to fifth by the chequered flag, while his main rival for second in the standings closed in with a podium finish.
Knowing that he needed to finish in the top four to keep hold of his impressive championship position, series rookie Barker made the most of a set-up change carried out between races to make a move for second place on lap two. Although contact was made with race one winner Jonas Gelzinis, both cars continued, and Barker, revelling in the improved handling of his CARS Europe-sponsored machine, was able to open a gap over his pursuers. With only his nearest points rival ahead of him, the incentive was there to press on, but the former Australian F3 champion opted to keep his rival in sight rather than risk throwing away a season's work with a moment of impetuosity.
"It was a tense race," Barker admitted, "The conditions were very tricky and it would have been easy to push too hard and ruin what has been a strong end to the year with even a small mistake. I knew I couldn't afford to drop out of the top four, and made an early move to ensure that I had a cushion. Graham Hill Bend isn't the easiest place to pass, and it was a bit tight, but we made it through and, from there, the car was great."
Second place in the race was enough to deny winner Sam Tordoff the overall runners-up spot by eight points, and left Barker delighted with his achievement.
"I'm over the moon with P2 in my first year in the series," he insisted, "Not many people can say that they've done that. We've definitely had a strong end to the season, with five wins in a row between Knockhill and Silverstone, and it was really only a case of inexperience that stopped us challenging for the title. Had the results at Donington Park and Snetterton gone our way, rather than slipping through our fingers, I honestly believe I would have been here fighting for the championship, rather than second place.
"However, it has been a mega year overall, and I have learned more this season than at any point in my career. There is so much young talent in the Carrera Cup GB that the level of competition has been higher than anywhere I have raced before - qualifying is harder as you need to wring every last tenth out of the car, and the racing has been closer and tougher, with everyone on the limit, than anything I have experienced. It's been a great year."
With five race wins in 2012, Barker's tally was second only to champion Michael Meadows, and underlined the close relationship he forged with the returning Parr Motorsport team, which also yielded five pole positions and four fastest laps.
"There have been a lot of ups, and only a few downs, so I have to be grateful to Parr for everything we have achieved together," the BRDC Superstar confirmed, "With the support I have had from CARS Europe, Rossiters and Driver Development Programme - which enabled me to contest a complete season - I have had a great 'team' behind me, and I can look forward to the winter with confidence."
The off-season will now see Barker working hard on his programme for 2013, which he hopes will see him competing with the world's best Porsche racers in the high-profile - and internationally televised - Porsche Supercup.
"We will be searching for the partners we need to make that happen," Barker said of his dream of joining the F1 support series, "but I think that I have shown that I can be competitive wherever I race and I'm looking forward to showing that on a bigger stage next season."