Eventful first year in BTCC
“I really enjoyed today’s racing up until that last race. I think it was disgusting what Matt Neal did, he just lined me up, didn’t brake and took me out. I probably made my best start of the season and both Rob and I were right up there, so that it was hard to have that taken away like that. Still, I managed to get going again and I knew that if I could score some points I could gain some places in the championship standings. I just got my head down and kept picking them off, and to get back up to eighth wasn’t too bad after what had happened. It has certainly been an eventful first year in the BTCC for me, and I’ve learned a massive amount. I had targeted finishing in the top ten of the championship, so to get eighth overall against a field of this quality is pleasing. I have to say a massive thank you to David Bartrum and the team for giving me the opportunity to show what I can do. I couldn’t have been with a better bunch of people in my first season in the BTCC and it’s been a privilege to race for them.”

Satisfying weekend at Rockingham
“I’m reasonably happy with how it went today. There was certainly a lot going on out there, in the third race I was just picking my way through the debris really! To stay out of trouble and come away with three top six finishes among all that is pretty satisfying. I was really hoping to turn second on the grid in the first race into a podium, but there was some really forceful racing from some of the guys who are pushing for the championship and we just seemed to be on the receiving end a bit. It’s all good experience though and after a day like today I just feel like I am learning all the time competing against such experienced drivers. I’ve now managed to get the level of consistency I’ve been aiming for, so the next target has to be more podiums and silverware. Brands Hatch should be an opportunity to do that as we’ve got a good record there.”

Solid points scoring weekend at Silverstone
“I’m pretty happy with how it went as those were three very tough races. To take three top ten finishes alongside class drivers all battling for the championship is not bad at a great circuit like this. I felt if I could just got Colin [Turkington] early in race three that might have let me get away and try to go after Rob [Collard] and Mat [Jackson] at the front, but he made his car wide and kept me behind and Fabrizio [Giovanardi] took his chance to squeeze me out. It’s another three good points scores though and that’s the kind of consistency I’ve been looking for all season as I try to build up my experience. We go to Rockingham now and I tested really well there in pre-season so that will be a good chance for me to try and get back on the podium.”

Rollercoaster weekend for Jonathan at Knockhill
“I’ve come away with two points finishes but it’s been a disappointing day. I had a bad start in Race One and then Race Two was really the first time that we’ve struggled with the car all weekend. The fire extinguisher going off was just a freak thing. It has never happened to me before but it just goes to show that lady luck is not on our side at the moment. And it was even worse that it went off on live television so I had no choice but to come in. ”

Mixed weekend for Jonathan at Croft
“Two points scores was today was good, it was just disappointing my engine went in race two and I missed my target of scoring in all three races for the first time. I’m really grateful to my mechanics for getting me back out for race three, they worked so hard and deserve a lot of credit producing a strong car after all that. I just nailed the start in race three and found so much space down the inside. Everyone seemed to be going backwards and I could maybe even have pinched a couple more places before turn one, but I decided to be sensible given how bad the conditions were. It’s been a rollercoaster first half of the season for me with a lot of high and lows, but I’ve really enjoyed my first year in the BTCC so far. The team have been great and if we just find a little more consistency we definitely have the ability to produce more really good results in the second half of the championship.”

Second podium of the season for Jonny
“It was great to get a podium in race one and pick up good points in race two, but what happened in race three was very disappointing. The podium was definitely on and the car had good pace, but I took a couple of big hits. All I needed was another good points finish and it would’ve been a really good day, so it’s hard to take that result in the third race. I’ve not had one event this season where I’ve managed to get three clean runs, that’s definitely got to be the aim in the next round. As a team we’ve once again shown we can be really quick and fight for podiums, and we’ll go to Croft with a lot of confidence in the way we are racing just now.”

Two top ten finishes at Donington
"Despite taking two top ten results it’s been a really frustrating day. I’ve been put out of contention after being in really good positions and I think if it hadn’t been for that I could’ve been right up there. The car felt really strong throughout and I felt I drove well, but just didn’t have any luck at all. In the third race I got a great start and managed to grab second behind Rob. Then at the next corner I just got a massive hit from behind and was pushed off. There was no just no way back after that as I was on wets and the track was drying fast. To be honest I’m pretty gutted not to have come away with a lot more points today, but we’ve shown the Airwaves BMW 320si is a really strong package this year and we will be able to push for really good results for the rest of the season.”

Frustrating weekend for Jonny at Thruxton
“That was a hugely frustrating weekend of racing for me. I just never felt really comfortable with the setup of the car in any of the races and couldn’t really take the fight to the guys around me. It was a learning experience though and you have to take the rough with the smooth. Once we have sat down and tried to get to the bottom of why we weren’t quite putting it together here at Thruxton then we can put it behind us and set our sights on returning to the front of the field at the next race.”

Airwaves BMW Tastes Victory at Brands Hatch
Airwaves BMW enjoyed a sensational start to the 2009 HiQ MSA Touring Car Championship at Brands Hatch as driver Rob Collard notched up the team’s first-ever win.Jonny was not be out done by his team-mate, dominating race three from start to finish and taking the chequered flag in his first BTCC race weekend. The BRDC Superstars graduate showed incredible pace on his drive to first place, leaving a field of far more experienced touring car drivers trailing in his wake as he romped to the finish. However, Jonny was subsequently denied victory and demoted to second place after the race finished. He was adjudged by stewards to have knocked Plato out of the lead in a collision early in the race, incurring a penalty of four seconds and moving him down to the second. Jonny said:“Well it was certainly a weekend of highs and lows. It was tough to go out of the first race, my first-ever in the BTCC, so early on. I managed to battle back well in the second race and got a good points finish for the team. Obviously starting second on the grid for the last race gave me a great chance to go for the win. It knew it was important to get past Jason [Plato] early on and try to open up a gap. Once I took the lead I had the pace to stay comfortably in the lead and I was very happy with my performance.”

Airwaves BMW Tops Timesheets in Testing
Airwaves BMW finished at the head of the pack when the chequered flag dropped on the official HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship test at Brands Hatch today (Tuesday).
Rob Collard recorded an outstanding lap of 48.939s to oust reigning champion Fabrizio Giovanardi from the top slot in the afternoon session. Earlier in the day his team-mate Jonny Adam posted the second-fastest time of the morning session, completing a flying lap of the 1.2-mile Brands Indy circuit in just 48.936s.
The results from testing at the team’s local track have provided yet another encouraging boost for Airwaves BMW as it continues its preparations for the 2009 HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship. With a number of new sponsors on board and a strengthened roster of staff, the Kent-based independent outfit is confident of challenging for honours when the season kicks off at Brands Hatch on Sunday April 5.
Airwaves BMW Team Principal David Bartrum said:
“Today’s results in testing at Brands Hatch were very positive. As it’s our local track we are always confident of running well here, and we know it also favours the strengths of the BMW 320si. However, both Jonny and Rob really kicked it up a gear and showed that they will be serious contenders for race honours when the real action starts. In the morning we set up Jonny for pure speed and Rob worked through a programme of different settings. In the afternoon we switched that around and the results speak for themselves, both drivers really underlined their ability when given the opportunity to go for it. Now everyone at Airwaves BMW is looking forward to the first round at Brands and we hope we can put on a great show for the fans at our home round.”

Jonathan added to Motorbase line-up
Motorbase Performance BMW has added rising saloon-car star Jonathan Adam to its line-up for the 2009 HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship.
Adam (24), from Kirkcaldy in Fife, was Cupra Cup champion in 2007 and 2008 and is a member of the British Racing Drivers' Club Superstars scheme.
The promising youngster tested the Motorbase Performance BMW 320si at Brands Hatch following the end of the 2008 season, and impressed team principal David Bartrum with his consistently quick lap times and professional approach. His mature performance was enough to secure a drive in the Kent-based squad’s 2009 BTCC campaign.
Adam has already achieved a number of notable milestones in his career to date. Entering motorsport through karting he went on to become Scottish champion in both 1999 and 2000, before spending a year racing single-seaters in the 2003 Scottish Formula Ford series. In 2004 Adam switched his focus to tin-top racing, finishing third overall and as winter champion in the Renault Clio Cup. He went on to win the Clio Cup outright in 2005, before progressing to the SEAT Cupra Cup in 2006 where he finished third overall in his first season. Adam then underlined his outstanding potential by winning the Cupra Cup in both 2007 and 2008.
Adam’s development as a racing driver has also been assisted by his inclusion in the BRDC Superstars scheme, through which he received support from the programme’s director Tim Harvey and was able to draw on the vast experience of the BRDC and its members.
The Scotsman will join team-mate Rob Collard as Motorbase Performance BMW aims to build on its progress last year and become a race-winner in the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship.
Both drivers will be present at Rockingham for the championship’s annual Media Day event on Thursday March 19, where in addition to meeting fans and media they will take to the track in the BMW 320si for the afternoon test session.
Motorbase Performance BMW will also unveil its new 2009 livery and sponsorship partners at the high-profile event.