Osborne credits driver coach for his form turnaround in BTCC

British Touring Automobile Championship common Sam Osborne has credited a number of race winner Rory Butcher’s teaching function as he will get set for his seventh season within the collection.

The 32-year-old will keep on for a fifth marketing campaign with the crew latterly often known as Alliance Racing, which operates its Ford Focus STs below the NAPA Racing banner.

That implies that, for a 3rd consecutive season, Alliance will enter the quartet of four-time champion Ash Sutton, race winners Dan Cammish and Dan Rowbottom, and Osborne, whose father Pete took over the crew through the 2020-21 winter.

The arrival of Butcher, who was an out of doors title contender when he drove for the crew in its former incarnation of Motorbase Efficiency in 2020, led to an enormous step ahead for Osborne, who completed inside the highest 10 in eight of the final 9 races.

“To be trustworthy, I didn’t need final season to finish,” mentioned Osborne. “We obtained issues going and I used to be on a little bit of a run.

“Halfway by the 12 months, we added Rory to my automotive crew, and together with Wealthy [Townsend, engineer] and my facet of the crew, it progressed us in all areas on and off observe.

“Since Manufacturers Hatch [scene of the final round], it’s been continuous with work and getting ready for the 2025 season. We’re decided to begin the season robust and put all of the onerous work to good use.”

Osborne stays eligible for the Jack Sears Trophy, which is for drivers who haven’t claimed a couple of total BTCC podium end earlier than the beginning of the season.

However he faces robust competitors in that sub-division from West Surrey Racing BMW newcomers Daryl DeLeon and Charles Rainford, Speedworks Motorsport Toyota convert Ronan Pearson, and Un-Restricted Motorsport Cupra pair Dexter Patterson and Max Corridor.

Alliance motorsport director Malcolm Swetnam, a tin-top veteran who oversaw Robb Gravett’s title success within the closing BTCC Group A season of 1990 with the Trakstar Racing Ford Sierra RS500, added: “Sam has solid an incredible relationship with Wealthy, and the addition of Rory as driver coach mid-season in 2024 actually introduced out the perfect in him.

“His efficiency within the latter half of 2024 provides the crew excessive hopes for 2025 with specific deal with the Jack Sears Trophy.”