Laser Tools Racing and has confirmed that it will switch from running a Mercedes-Benz to an Infiniti Q50 for Aiden Moffat for the remainder of the 2019 British Touring Car Championship season.
The news means that Infiniti machinery will return to the BTCC grid for the first time since 2015, after Laser Tools Racing bought the former Support Our Paras Racing cars in 2018.
Since the Infiniti last raced in the BTCC it has been extensively upgraded by the Scottish team, which will now run Moffat in a Q50 for the rest of the year.
“BTCC fans will remember the Infiniti touring cars from the 2015 season and the Support Our Paras Racing team,” said Team Principal Bob Moffat.
“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 added that the decision had been made following an extensive review by Italian engineering partners Hexathron Racing Systems.
“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,” added the Scot.
“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!”