The 30-year-old joined the group, then often known as Motorbase Efficiency, for the 2022 marketing campaign, earlier than claiming his record-equalling fourth crown final 12 months on the wheel of one of many squad’s Ford Focus STs.
Sutton arrived on the squad similtaneously Dan Cammish and, whereas each have been already locked in for 2024, the most recent deal extends the partnership by two years.
Whereas it is just Sutton whose deal has been prolonged, it’s understood that that is partly in order that Alliance, which has relocated over the winter from Kent to Northampton, can preserve him below lock and key so that he’s not enticed away – both from rival BTCC organisations or from these within the wider world of motorsport.
Sutton’s extension with Alliance needn’t essentially be to compete within the BTCC till the tip of 2026.
Staff proprietor Pete Osborne has spoken publicly about his ambitions to broaden his squad into GT3 competitors and, finally, the Le Mans 24 Hours, and even investigated a transfer into that area for 2024.
Alliance group supervisor Oly Collins informed Autosport: “Because it stands, BTCC is the flagship – that’s our precedence and what we’re dedicated to in the mean time.
Ashley Sutton, Alliance Racing
Photograph by: Alliance Racing
“Whether or not that modifications is to be seen. We’re not going to enter a dedication blindly that steers us in a single route.
“We’ve been fairly open that we’re taking a look at different types of motorsport, and clearly GT3 is an apparent one.”
“After an unbelievable two years with the group already and the latter being a record-breaking 12 months claiming my fourth title, this now means I’m totally centered to go after extra,” mentioned Sutton of the contract extension. “Let’s get 2024 below approach.”
Equally, Alliance has additionally secured title sponsorship from NAPA Auto Elements to run for a similar interval – till the tip of 2026.
The corporate’s blue-and-yellow colors first adorned the Focuses of Sutton and Cammish in 2022 below the NAPA Racing UK banner, earlier than additionally encompassing the vehicles of Dan Rowbottom and Sam Osborne for 2023 and the forthcoming 2024 season.
“We’re excited to commit to a few extra years collectively and proceed to develop from power to power for all our employees and sponsor companions,” mentioned Osborne Sr.
Sam Osborne, Daniel Rowbottom, Ashley Sutton, Dan Cammish, Alliance Racing
Photograph by: Alliance Racing
“I want to thank everybody concerned with our group – their laborious work and dedication is what make this partnership so profitable.
“It has been improbable to witness the expansion of the NAPA model within the UK and Europe via their help of UK motorsport. Particularly probably the most prestigious collection of all of them, the British Touring Automobile Championship.”
The group started its pre-season testing programme lately with a shakedown on the Dunton check observe earlier than all 4 vehicles hit the circuit at Snetterton for in the future.
“We obtained to check a good few bits on all of the vehicles and proved them – it was good,” mentioned Collins.
The group continues at Manufacturers Hatch on Tuesday of this week with a non-public check alongside the Excelr8 Motorsport Hyundais, Speedworks Motorsport Toyotas and Restart Racing Cupras, previous to an official BTCC check on the similar venue on Wednesday.