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28^th September 2006 (Source: EEMS )

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.

The EEMS-supported Team RAC MG ZS of Colin Turkington made green history when it 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 in early September.

Commenting on Team RAC's performance, team principal Dick Bennetts said: “I’m delighted that we have achieved the first podium for biofuel. We’ve had both cars finish all three races and our aim for Silverstone will be 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 competitive and show the way to a greener future in motorsport. We have four cars running on biofuel here and our aim is to encourage other teams and championships to switch to bio-fuels.”

The Team Tech-Speed Astra has also run E85 all season and Kartworld converted at Donington Park in July, with the two Team RAC cars switching to E85 three weeks ago. There have now 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 untrue and the UK motorsport industry stands to benefit by adopting EEMS concepts and taking a leading global role.

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

-Ends-For more information contact Janice Minton, EEMS Press Office
Tel: +44 (0)1787 880820, mobile +44 (0)7803 050266
Email :

Photographs are available at:
eemsonline.co.uk
www.teamrac.com
www.btcc net

EDITOR’S NOTES

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 at 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 at:
https://eemsonline.co.uk/hybridrallycar
http://www.green-car-guide.com/features/hybrid-rally-car.html
https://eemsonline.co.uk/axoncaterham
https://eemsonline.co.uk/press_releases/26-08-06

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