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9th August 2011
Fastest lap and first points leave Austin eager to get to Knockhill!

Rob Austin had another tough weekend at Snetterton but believes the pace of the Rob Austin Racing Audi A4 is now “undeniable and proven” despite results not reflecting this.

The number 13 Audi A4 built to the new NGTC regulations qualified a disappointing 14th alongside championship leader Matt Jackson on a 1:59.931.

Rob commented, “We are developing the car all the time, we’ve made huge steps forward but there’s still so much left to try, unfortunately we went the wrong way with setup in qualifying. Sure we were extremely disappointed to be 14th but that’s racing, you’ve got to try things.”

Race 1 was also disappointing for the team; Rob had a good start and ended the first lap in 11th. All was looking good for the solid top ten result the team wanted to set them up for the remaining races until, for the second time in as many meetings Nick Foster slid in to the back of the Audi, spun it around and essentially ruined another promising weekend. A spirited drive got Rob back up to a reasonable 15th.

However the impact with Foster had taken its toll on the drive shaft of the Audi and sadly race two was ended after only a couple of laps when this finally gave up, but not before Rob had set the fastest lap of the race to further prove the potential and score the team’s first point.

In Race Three Rob drove a very determined race to come from 24th on the grid to take a stunning 10th place from Tom Onslow-Cole on the last lap and score the team’s second point of the season. Later analysis of lap times also shows that for the few laps the Audi wasn’t overtaking cars it was often the fastest car on the circuit!

Reflecting on the weekend Rob commented, “OK it didn’t come together for us this weekend but we have some huge positives to take from it, we have not only proved that once again we have the fastest NGTC car but we have a car that can be the fastest car full stop! I can’t begin to explain how hard the team has worked this season, honestly its madness! They have taken an over weight, undeveloped and frankly slow car and turned it in to one of the fastest and best cars on the grid! Yet there’s still so much more to come, I've never been so excited to get to Knockhill!”
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30th July 2011
Rob Austin Announces Junior Driver

Clio Cup racer Chris Swanwick could be in line for a drive in a second Rob Austin Racing Audi before the current Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season is out.

It has emerged that 17-year-old Swanwick tested one of RAR’s A4s alongside team boss Austin at Pembrey earlier this week.

Austin told btcc.net: “We had Chris in the car for one of the two days at Pembrey and he genuinely did well. Our engineers who have worked with him in the past were taken aback by just how mature he was.

“He took a very methodical approach to the test and, on his last run on new tyres, it was like he had been driving touring cars for years. He listened, he did everything he was told and learnt as a result. We saw a lot of promise and are looking forward to working with him.”

In addition to his Clio Cup duties, Swanwick will effectively join RAR in an ‘apprentice’ role when the BTCC resumes at Snetterton in just over a week (6-7 August).

Austin added: “He’ll help us out at Snetterton, getting his hands dirty and learning what it’s all about. But we’ll then put him through a testing programme and hopefully have him in the Audi towards the end of the year with a view to running him for a complete season in 2012.”
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17th March 2011
Rob Austin Racing confirms Dave Pinkney

Rob Austin Racing has confirmed that Dave Pinkney will be joining their squad for the 2011 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship. Commenting on the signing Rob Austin said, “This is a great step for us, we needed an experienced driver and I am sure that Dave’s expertise will help us sort the new car and get us to the front of the pack.”
The Audi A4 cars will be the only RWD cars built to run a Next Generation Touring Car-spec engine and are currently in the late stages of competition at GPRM in Buckingham.
Commenting on the deal Dave Pinkney said, “I have been in talks with Rob Austin Racing for a while now and I’m very excited to be on board with the Audi project. I think we have the right package to be running at the sharp end of the grid and I can’t wait to get in to the season.” The colour scheme of the cars has now been decided (naturally one will have
some pink integrated into it!) and will be revealed at the Media Day on the 24th March at Silverstone where the team expect to unveil their first car while the second car is being completed.
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17th January 2011
Rob Austin Racing Ices the Cake

Rob Austin Racing has confirmed that it is planning to enter two cars in the 2011 Michelin Ginetta GT Supercup. It is offering any driver that wins the supercup with them the
attraction of a full tyre budget to supplement the funded prize drive offered by Ginetta in 2012 Dunlop British Touring Car Championship*. Commenting on the move Rob Austin said, “This offer will be perfect for a driver who can clinch the championship, while Ginetta’s prize is fantastic getting the £30K tyre budget on top will be the icing on the cake!”
Austin further revealed, “Discussions are under way with potential championship contenders, but we haven’t signed anything yet. We have won many Ginetta races over the
years we now really want to win the championship”. Simon Finnis, Manager of Ginetta said “We are extremely pleased that Rob Austin Racing will be entering the new G55 Super cup, they are one of our longest standing and most successful teams and with this fantastic incentive I’m sure they will do very well this season.
*Please note this prize is subject to Rob Austin Racing winning the tender for the Ginetta prize drive.