Triple Eight Racing
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Motorsport |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Founder | Derek Warwick, Roland Dane, Ian Harrison |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Products | Racing cars, motorsport engineering |
Triple Eight Racing (also known as 888 Racing) was founded in 1996 under the name Triple Eight Race Engineering, primarily competing in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) and British GT Championship.
The team initially concentrated on engineering, constructing, and racing Vauxhall vehicles for General Motors within the BTCC, forging a strong technical alliance with Vauxhall throughout a decade marked by considerable achievements. Following Vauxhall's withdrawal of official backing in 2009, Triple Eight persisted in campaigning Vauxhalls until 2011. Beginning in 2012, the team transitioned to building and competing with MG6 GT models for MG Motor, reintroducing the brand to BTCC competition. In 2013, Triple Eight broadened its scope by entering two BMW Z4 GT3 cars into the British GT Championship.
Prior to the 2015 season, the organization adopted the unified branding Triple Eight Racing for all its racing endeavors, unveiling a refreshed name and emblem.
Vauxhall Vectra era (1997–2000)
Established in late 1996 by Derek Warwick, Roland Dane, and Ian Harrison, Triple Eight made its BTCC debut in 1997 by assuming control of the official Vauxhall team from RML. The squad campaigned Vectra models driven by two-time champion John Cleland alongside team principal Derek Warwick. The initial season proved challenging due to the Vectra’s aerodynamic design, which had been homologated for faster circuits on the continent. Consequently, Cleland and Warwick concluded the year in 12th and 14th positions respectively, while Triple Eight achieved 8th place in both teams' and manufacturers' classifications.
In 1998, after obtaining FIA approval for aerodynamic modifications, Triple Eight enhanced the Vectra’s competitiveness. This culminated in their maiden BTCC victory at Donington Park with Cleland behind the wheel, marking Vauxhall’s first triumph since 1996. Warwick also secured a win at Knockhill. Despite a crash that temporarily sidelined Cleland, he and Warwick ended the season ranked 8th and 9th overall, with the team climbing to 5th place in both teams' and manufacturers' standings.
The 1999 campaign saw Warwick step away from driving duties to focus on management responsibilities, with French driver Yvan Muller joining the lineup. Supported by technical improvements and new engineer Ludo Lacroix, the team recorded a single victory at Brands Hatch. Muller finished sixth in the drivers' championship; meanwhile, Cleland struggled throughout the season, finishing 13th before retiring after an eleven-year tenure with Vauxhall that included two titles.
The concluding Supertouring season in 2000 witnessed several manufacturers withdrawing, leaving Ford (Prodrive), Honda (WSR), and Vauxhall (Triple Eight) as principal contenders. Each manufacturer entered three cars: Triple Eight fielded Muller, ex-Renault driver Jason Plato, and former Volvo racer Vincent Radermecker. Ford dominated by securing all top three positions in the drivers' standings; Muller and Plato finished fourth and fifth respectively, with Radermecker placing tenth. Triple Eight managed to secure second and third places within the teams' and manufacturers' championships.
Additionally, Triple Eight competed twice at the prestigious Bathurst 1000: first in 1997, entering two Vectras driven by Cleland/James Thompson and Warwick/Peter Brock; then again in 1998, with Cleland and Warwick sharing one car while Russell Ingall and Greg Murphy piloted a second entry.
Vauxhall Astra Coupé (2001–04)
The introduction of new touring car regulations in 2001, which aimed to cut expenses, led Vauxhall to substitute the Vectra with the Astra Coupé until 2004. The team was spearheaded by Yvan Muller and Jason Plato, with the championship outcome decided during the concluding race. After an early spin from Plato, Muller seemed poised to claim victory but encountered an oil leak and subsequent fire, allowing Plato to secure the championship. Triple Eight clinched both the teams and manufacturers titles.
In 2002, Jason Plato departed from BTCC to compete in British ASCAR, while James Thompson joined Vauxhall from egg:sport. Despite some reliability challenges, the Astra Coupé dominated rivals including MG, Honda, Peugeot, and Proton. Thompson captured the championship, followed by Muller and Matt Neal from egg:sport. Once again, Triple Eight topped the standings for teams and manufacturers.
The 2003 season saw Vauxhall expand its lineup to three cars with Thompson, Muller, and Paul O'Neill—promoted from egg:sport—under the newly branded VX Racing banner, named after Vauxhall’s performance division VXR. The Astra faced strong competition from Honda and MG; Muller secured the drivers’ championship while Triple Eight repeated its success in teams and manufacturers categories.
The Astra Coupé’s final BTCC appearance was in 2004. The team added Production class champion Luke Hines alongside Muller and Thompson but faced stiff opposition from Honda, MG, Seat, and a returning Jason Plato. Although not always the fastest on track, the Astra’s reliability allowed Thompson to narrowly edge out Muller by a single point for the championship. The Astra Coupé earned its reputation as BTCC’s most successful model. Triple Eight achieved its fourth straight teams and manufacturers championships.
egg:sport (2001–02)
Between 2001 and 2002, Triple Eight managed egg:sport as a secondary outfit running Astra Coupés alongside the main Vauxhall Motorsport team. In 2001, drivers James Thompson and Phil Bennett secured multiple victories—Thompson with four wins and Bennett three—while Andy Priaulx made occasional appearances as a substitute. They finished third and fourth in the driver standings; egg:sport placed second among teams and shared the manufacturers title with Vauxhall.
For 2002, Matt Neal returned to BTCC paired with Paul O'Neill from Production Class ranks. Neal contended strongly for the title with three wins, while O'Neill claimed his inaugural victory. They ended up third and eighth respectively in the drivers’ standings; egg:sport ranked third in teams but topped manufacturers.
Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch (2005–06)
The 2005 season introduced the Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch as a replacement for the outgoing Astra Coupé. While the Coupé had demonstrated resilience over previous years, the Sport Hatch faced stiffer competition—most notably from Team Halfords’ Honda Integra Type R prepared by Team Dynamics. Yvan Muller remained with Triple Eight and Vauxhall; however, James Thompson departed to compete in WTCC. Colin Turkington joined from West Surrey Racing and MG alongside a third entry for Gavin Smith. Despite high hopes, the Astra Sport Hatch was generally outpaced by Matt Neal’s Integra Type R. Muller finished second overall with six wins; Turkington placed sixth with two victories; Smith ended tenth. Triple Eight secured their fifth consecutive manufacturers championship but were runners-up in the teams category.
In 2006, VX Racing gained Holiday Inn as a principal sponsor. Yvan Muller left for Seat’s WTCC program while Colin Turkington returned to West Surrey Racing. Their seats were filled by Fabrizio Giovanardi (arriving from WTCC) and Tom Chilton (from Honda), with Gavin Smith retained for continuity. The Astra Sport Hatch struggled against rivals such as the Integra Type R and Seat Leon models. Giovanardi earned Vauxhall’s milestone 100th BTCC race win plus another at Brands Hatch; however, Chilton and Smith did not achieve victories that year. Triple Eight concluded the season second in both manufacturers and teams championships.
Vauxhall Vectra (2007–09)
When the BTCC adopted S2000 regulations in 2007 to align with WTCC standards, VX Racing transitioned from the Astra Sport Hatch to the Vauxhall Vectra and scaled down to a two-car lineup, retaining Giovanardi and Chilton. Giovanardi delivered an outstanding performance by winning 10 races and securing the championship ahead of Seat’s Jason Plato. Chilton faced difficulties again, ending the season ninth without any victories. For the final event at Thruxton, both teams expanded their entries by adding a third driver: Seat introduced Tom Coronel, while Vauxhall enlisted two-time champion Alain Menu. Triple Eight achieved the manufacturers’ title and finished second in the teams’ standings.
In 2008, Triple Eight grew to a three-car operation: Giovanardi successfully defended his championship; Matt Neal joined from Team Dynamics, taking Chilton’s place; and Tom Onslow-Cole arrived from Team RAC (WSR). Giovanardi once again clinched the title ahead of Plato; Neal secured fifth overall with one race win; Onslow-Cole finished sixth, earning two victories. Triple Eight topped both the manufacturers’ and teams’ championships.
The 2009 campaign featured Triple Eight as the only manufacturer-supported team. Giovanardi and Neal continued, with Andrew Jordan replacing Onslow-Cole on a part-time basis. Despite prior success, Giovanardi concluded third behind Colin Turkington (RAC BMW) and Jason Plato (RML Chevrolet). Neal took fourth place, while Jordan was tenth. Triple Eight claimed both the teams’ and manufacturers’ crowns. This season marked Vauxhall’s final official BTCC involvement due to economic pressures prompting manufacturer withdrawals.
Vauxhall Vectra C (2010–11)
On 23 March 2010, during BTCC Media Day at Brands Hatch, Triple 8 Race Engineering announced its participation in the 2010 season running two Vauxhall Vectra cars in the Independent category, despite no longer receiving factory backing from Vauxhall.
Triple Eight signed Renault Cup champion Phil Glew and secured a last-minute agreement with Fabrizio Giovanardi. Key sponsors included Uniq, WD40, and DUNLOP. Giovanardi made a strong start by winning the opening two races at Thruxton and initially leading the championship standings. Glew also showed potential with multiple top-10 finishes before retiring in the final race. However, Uniq withdrew sponsorship ahead of Rockingham, forcing both Giovanardi and Glew to exit due to funding constraints. James Nash took over for the remainder of the year, with occasional additional entries driven by Daniel Lloyd, Jeff Smith, and Sam Tordoff. The season proved challenging overall; Nash’s third-place finish at Oulton Park was the sole highlight beyond Giovanardi’s early successes. Triple Eight ended fifth in the Independents Team Trophy and seventh in the overall Teams championship.
In 2011, Triple Eight continued campaigning the Vectra equipped with a new NGTC turbocharged engine replacing the previous S2000 naturally aspirated unit. James Nash remained as full-time driver, joined by Tony Gilham (Rounds 1–6), Aron Smith (Round 7), and Ollie Jackson (Rounds 9–10). Collins Contractors became principal sponsor. Nash achieved multiple podium finishes along with his first victory at Rockingham Round 8, ultimately winning both the Independents Trophy and Independents Team Trophy for Triple Eight while finishing tied for fourth overall alongside Mat Jackson. The other drivers recorded modest results: Gilham finished 15th in Independents standings, Aron Smith placed 21st, and Ollie Jackson ended 19th.
MG6 GT (2012–2017)
Triple Eight re-entered the Manufacturer category partnering with MG, fielding a pair of MG6 GT vehicles built to Next Generation Touring Car specifications. Jason Plato transferred from Chevrolet to join the squad, accompanied by Andy Neate, formerly of Team Aon. Although reigning Independent champions, the official manufacturer support rendered them ineligible for Independent titles.
Operating under the banner MG KX Momentum Racing and backed by Tesco’s KX energy drink alongside Momentum Fuel sponsorship, the MG6 made its debut at Brands Hatch. The car quickly demonstrated competitive speed, with Plato achieving a third-place finish and claiming his first victory in the third race. Before reaching mid-season, Plato secured six additional podiums including a second win at Croft, positioning him third in the driver rankings and placing the team fourth overall. Neate found less success, his best result being sixth place and standing 17th at mid-season. In the latter half of the season, Plato won four more races to finish third in the drivers' championship; Neate ended 16th. The team slipped to fifth in overall standings but captured second place in the Manufacturers contest.
Plato remained for 2013, joined by Sam Tordoff who replaced Neate. The MG6 GT exhibited enhanced performance with several victories; however, Plato once again concluded the season third in the drivers’ championship. The squad finished as runners-up to Honda Yuasa Racing in both Teams and Manufacturers championships.
In 2014, competing as MG KX Clubcard Fuel Save, the driver lineup continued unchanged while a third independent MG6 was added under Quantel BiFold Racing for Marc Hynes. Early season wins came from both Plato and Tordoff; Plato added five further victories, ultimately finishing as runner-up. This strong performance earned MG its first Manufacturers Championship since taking over from Vauxhall, outperforming Honda by ninety-five points.
For the 2015 campaign, former 2013 BTCC Champion Andrew Jordan joined from Eurotech Racing, bringing new sponsorship support.
The 2016 season introduced a fresh three-year agreement between Triple Eight and MG. Warren Scott acquired the team alongside his Team BMR operation. New drivers included Josh Cook, a previous Jack Sears Trophy winner, and Ashley Sutton, champion of the Renault UK Clio Cup.
After completing the 2017 season—two years into its MG contract—Triple Eight withdrew from BTCC competition, officially closing on 13 November 2018. Scott’s Team BMR continued for one more year before financial difficulties forced its shutdown.
Legacy
Triple Eight Racing stands as one of the most accomplished teams in British Touring Car Championship history, having secured six drivers' championships and eight manufacturers' titles for Vauxhall and MG. Although no longer competing under its original name, it persists within the Supercars Championship as Red Bull Ampol Racing and holds the record as the most successful outfit in Supercars/ATCC history.
BTCC results
- Notes
- * Season ongoing
- † Driver changed teams mid-season
GT racing
In 2013, Triple Eight ventured into Sports car racing by collaborating with Optimum Motorsport to compete in the 2013 British GT season. Operating under the banner 888Optimum, the team fielded two BMW Z4 GT3 vehicles. Throughout the season, they achieved several podium finishes and secured two pole positions at both Brands Hatch and Donington Park. The driver line-ups featured Joe Osborne paired with Lee Mowle, as well as Daniel Brown alongside Steve Tandy.
Continuing their campaign in the 2014 British GT season, Triple Eight remained committed to the BMW Z4s. Osborne and Mowle stayed on, while Derek Johnston and Luke Hines were added to the roster. Subsequently, a third Z4 was introduced with drivers Warren Hughes and Jody Firth. The team concluded the season ranked seventh in the teams' standings, with Johnston leading the individual drivers at 14th place.
Triple Eight also took part in selected events of the 2014 Blancpain Endurance Series season and competed in the British GT Cup Championship. In the Blancpain Endurance Series, Ryan Ratcliffe joined forces with Mowle and Johnston for the Silverstone 3 Hours but retired before race completion. Meanwhile, Firth and Hughes, accompanied by Alexander Sims, finished ninth at the 1000 km Nürburgring, trailing the winners by just two laps.
British GT results
|- | 2015
|| BMW Z4 GT3
entered as Triple Eight Racing
|| align="center"| GT3
|| Joe Osborne
Lee Mowle
|| 0
|| 0
||129
||style="background:#FFDF9F;" | 3rd
||5th
|}
Formula Renault BARC
During the 2010 Formula Renault BARC season, Triple Eight teamed up with Uniq to field a single entry in the Formula Renault BARC series, competing under the name Uniq Racing with 888. This initiative was designed to gain valuable experience ahead of expanding into additional championships in 2011, particularly those aligned with the British Touring Car Championship. Malaysian racer Sazlan Sirajudin participated in all six events, achieving a top result of tenth place at Silverstone Circuit and concluding the season in sixteenth position overall.
Series outcomes
| Formula Renault BARC outcomes | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Competitors | Victories | Pole positions | Fastest laps | Points scored | Championship standing |
| 2010 | Template:Country data MYSTemplate:Namespace detect showall Sazlan Sirajudin | 0 | 0 | 0 | 61 | 16th place |
Porsche Carrera Cup GB and Ginetta GT Supercup
Triple Eight revealed intentions to field a minimum of two vehicles in the 2011 Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain and to participate in the 2011 Ginetta GT Supercup season. Despite these announcements, the team did not compete in any events within either series.
Additional ventures
Triple Eight has been involved across multiple motorsport arenas, such as the British Rally Championship and the Dunlop Sport Maxx Cup.
BTC-T Vauxhall Vectra
A BTC-T spec Vauxhall Vectra was developed by the team for the 2004 British Touring Car Championship season; however, it never appeared in competition due to concerns over its performance capabilities.
Supercars
In September 2003, Triple Eight expanded into the Australian V8 Supercars championship by acquiring Briggs Motor Sport and renaming it Triple Eight Race Engineering. While this Australian outfit now functions autonomously, Ian Harrison continues to hold a minority ownership stake.
Pro1000 Series
For the 2010 season, Triple Eight engineered sixteen race-ready Caparo T1000 cars, an evolution of the Caparo T1. Nevertheless, the Pro1000 racing series did not materialize.
Customer Car Division
Triple Eight Performance Vehicles broadened its customer offerings with special edition models like the Astra Sport Hatch turbo diesel. This initiative followed the launch of 100 Special Edition Astra Coupé 888 units in 2001, designed to provide performance inspired by motorsport technology. The T8 model became one of Vauxhall's most rapidly selling road vehicles.