Energy Efficient Motorsport (EEMS) is delighted to announce the increasing and effective use of bio-fuel in racing with a significant success at Brands Hatch last weekend in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

In his EEMS-supported Team RAC MG ZS, Colin Turkington made green history when he took two third places for the first bio-fuelled podium positions. Team RAC had changed their two cars to run on the bio-ethanol blend E85 for the previous race meeting at Knockhill in early September.

Summarising on Team RAC's performance, team principal Dick Bennetts said: “I'm delighted that Team RAC has achieved the first podium for biofuel. We've had both cars finish all three races and our aim for Silverstone will be for Team RAC to be back on the top step of the podium.”

Debbie Hewitt, Managing director, RAC added: “It has been another successful day for the team. RAC are proud to have achieved the very first podium in a bio-fuelled car. It's a real testament to our motoring expertise.”

EEMS project consultant, Rob Oldaker, was on hand to witness the success: “It's been a great day for EEMS and for the three teams using E85 bio-fuel with two podiums and nine top-ten finishes today. Clearly with results like this, other teams will be recognising that renewable fuels are totally competitive and show the way to a greater future in motorsport. We have four cars running on biofuel here. Our aim is to see more teams and other championships switching to bio-fuels very soon.”

The Tech-Speed Astra has used E85 all season, Kartworld converted at Donington Park in July and the two Team RAC cars switched to E85 only three weeks ago. So far there have been 17 top-ten positions from 37 biofuel finishes in the championship, with three races to go at Silverstone on 15 October.

The EEMS initiative is encouraging the development of alternative fuels and powertrain technologies and putting energy efficiency at the heart of modern motorsport, without comprising the sporting spectacle. The widely held belief that energy efficiency and green technology are not compatible with exciting motorsport is simply untrue and the UK motorsport industry stands to benefit by adopting EEMS concepts and taking a leading global role.

EEMS is working with various championship rule makers and manufacturers on energy efficiency and ensuring the correct regulation of alternative fuels in motorsport, so as to encourage their wider use. EEMS has offered all BTCC teams fuel metering technology, developed by Ricardo and Pi Research. This will allow for fuel equivalency standards and, ultimately, for power to be regulated by energy flow rather than rev limits or air restrictors.

-ends-

Photographs are available on www.btcc.net and www.teamrac.com and will be available on the EEMS website.

For more information contact Janice Minton, EEMS Press Office
Tel 01787 880820,  mobile 07803 050266  
Email janice.minton@eemsonline.co.uk

EDITOR'S NOTES

See more information and facts about bio-ethanol on the EEMS website www.eemsonline.co.uk

Energy Efficient Motorsport (EEMS) is one of five programmes sponsored by Motorsport Development UK to sustain and develop the UK's world-leading motorsport sector with direct funding from the DTI and four regional development agencies. See more on www.motorsportdevelopment.co.uk

EEMS also supports an E85 fuelled hybrid Honda Insight run by Oaktec in the Formula 1000 Rally Series, which has already won its class this year, and the development of a lightweight version Caterham sportscar by Axon Automotive, which clocked 131 mpg in the Shell EcoMarathon at Rockingham in July.

See more on
http://www.eemsonline.co.uk/hybridrallycar?s=136sws3qx0mla3qs  
http://www.green-car-guide.com/features/hybrid-rally-car.html
http://www.eemsonline.co.uk/axoncaterham
http://www.eemsonline.co.uk/press_releases/26-08-06

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