Red Beret - 2015 NGTC Infiniti Q50

As a marque, Infiniti has rarely ventured into the scary world of motorsport. The most prominent involvement they ever had with racing was the powerplant for the 2002-2015 Indy Lights championship, a Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR) prepared unit which was based on the 4.5 litre V8 from the Q45. When this engine was dropped from service in the small open-wheelers just two years ago, Infiniti’s engagement in motorsport dropped to a neat zero. In the same year, however, Infiniti brought itself to a small green blob across the pond in order to race in the British Touring Car Championship.

The BTCC, in 2015, was using Next Generation Touring Car, or NGTC regulations. Since 2011 this ruleset had been in use in the series, and it stipulated that the car used a ~300hp 2.0 litre turbocharged engine, mated to an 6 speed sequential transmission sending power to the front or rear wheels only. To be eligible, the car had to have between 2 and 5 doors, measure at least 4.4 metres in length and be available for purchase in the UK from any of its respective manufacturer’s dealerships. Keeping these requirements in mind, the car chosen to bring to the battle was the Q50, Infiniti’s compact executive saloon.

The Infiniti went with the traditional FR layout, despite its unpopularity in the BTCC. It was one of just two models to send its power to the rear wheels that year, alongside the BMW 125i M-Sport. The car was fully developed by Support Our Paras Racing, the non-profit team who would run the car throughout the season, led by Derek Palmer and selected by Infiniti (Nissan). They were supplied a couple of lowly diesel Q50s off the production line, upon which to build the race car.

The end result of the build was a strikingly handsome machine, one of the smartest looking cars the BTCC has seen in recent years. Said car also had some historic value, being Nissan’s first involvement in the championship since the Primera ran under Super Touring regulations.

The first championship day soon rolled around, and the Japanese saloon was gleaming. Performance was still very much an unknown quantity, as the car had never been raced before, or tested against any of the other participating cars. Qualifying for round 1 at Brands Hatch proved eye-opening for the relatively inexperienced firm. Out of 26 qualifiers, Derek Palmer Jr. (the son of the team boss) just missed out on the bottom slot on the grid finding himself in a dispiriting 24th position, 2.2 seconds slower than BMW-driving Andy Priaulx. This poor result made the Q50 the slowest manufacturer-backed car, some 13 positions behind Matt Neal’s Honda Civic Type-R, a car also in its inaugural season.

Races 1, 2 and 3 of the championship brought little more success to the team. To start the day, Palmer failed to finish the first race, pulling out 14 laps in with a power steering problem. Race 2 ended with the Infiniti crossing the line in one piece, although to little success. It brought home 20th position, after being lapped by Andy Priaulx’s BMW and Gordon Shedden’s Civic on the final lap. The 3rd and final race of the Brands Hatch season opener was the most successful for the Paras, though ‘success’ is still very much a relative term. 18th position was had with the car finishing a whopping 38 seconds behind Neal’s Honda.

For round 2 of the championship, two cars were present. Palmer in the number 22 car, same as before, though Richard Hawken was now driving the second entry, sporting number 84 for the first time at Donington. Yet again the cars failed to impress, hammering in laptimes good enough for a measly 24th and 28th starting position, with Hawken being dead last of all the cars which qualified.

In race 1 the pair gained a couple of positions through attrition, with Palmer coming 22nd and Hawken hot on his heels in 23rd. Stewart Lines in his Avensis rounded out the pack just behind them in 24th. Number 22 failed to start the second and third races at Donington, leaving Hawken alone to finish at the very back of the pack in 24th position, some 75 seconds behind the leader, and later 20th after 6 cars dropped out mid-race.

Round 3 at Thruxton initially saw the return of Derek Jr. by himself, trundling around at the back, also by himself. He qualified in 23rd position, the highest he had managed all season. Behind him was Andy Wilmot’s Proton Gen-2, and 2 non-qualifiers in the shape of Mike Bushell and Simon Belcher.

23rd was the order yet again at the end of race 1, with the struggling Infiniti of Palmer failing to keep the Proton at bay. Ex-Formula 1 driver Martin Donnelly of Northern Ireland replaced Richard Hawken in the second of the Q50s, driving under number 85 instead. He was taking Hawken’s place because of his inspirational recovery from his famous F1 accident, which lined up well with the motives of the Paras’ team. He managed a slightly more successful race, coming home in 21st. Race 2 ended on a slightly happier note than usual with both drivers managing a top 20 finish. Donnelly claimed 19th ahead of Jeff Smith’s Eurotech Honda Civic and Andy Wilmot’s Proton, while Palmer sat in 17th, separating himself from his teammate with Josh Cook’s Chevy Cruze.

Race 3 ended in tears for Donnelly, who retired on lap 11. Palmer filled a Martin Donnelly-shaped hole in 19th position, beating Wilmot’s Proton and Hunter Abbott’s Audi A4.

After the third round, Infiniti made the sudden decision to pull the plug on their factory support for the team. The reasoning was the poor results, the car simply wasn’t delivering what Infiniti wanted for publicity. The highest position the black trooper had seen all season was 17th, and the team was faring poorly in terms of points. As a result of the factory pulling out, the large Infiiti stickers on the side of the car were replaced with Support Our Paras Racing banners, proudly displaying the charitable cause which the team represented.

Round 4 at Oulton Park would be the first time the cars would run under an officially independent team. Qualifying would see Palmer on-track in the only Q50, setting a lap good enough for 26th out of 27 qualifiers, beating out Wilmot’s Proton.

In the 1st race of that weekend, a number of cars dropped out. The car fought its way to 22nd position, passing and staying ahead of Colin Turkington’s VW, Simon Belcher’s Toyota and Mike Bushell’s Ford. Andy Wilmot, who started behind Palmer in the #12 Proton, failed to finish the race. Race 2 saw the Infiniti finishing ahead of a considerable number of cars, passing the chequered flag in 20th position. The 3rd and final race of the day would come and go, with Palmer bringing the Q50 home in 19th. A number of positions were gained through dropouts, although the top 20 finish is something worth noting. Two in one weekend proved that the car could be competitive when it wanted to be.

For round 5, another new driver was present. Max Coates joined the team, racing in the number 71 car for that weekend alone, leaving Palmer as the only driver for the second half of the season. Proceedings continued much in the same way for the next 5 rounds, with few highlights along the way. In race 2 of championship round 6 at Snetterton, Palmer guided the car home with an astounding 15th position.

It wasn’t all so pleasant, however. Round 7, at Knockhill, saw Palmer fail to finish two of three races, and come dead last in the one he completed.

The Q50, then, clearly lacked front-running pace. Its highest finish all season was 15th, which is by no means terrible, but far from the podium. Scoring huge points and winning the championship, though, was not the motivation behind the project. The whole reason the car was entered was to raise awareness for the Paras and to support the charity. All the money brought in by the team went to the Support Our Paras charity, as promised. The whole point being proven was that racing is about fun and demonstrating what can be done by a group of people putting all they have into something. Whilst far from the overall winners of the 2015 BTCC season, Support Our Paras Racing had the clearest motivation of any team in the championship that year. Brave men, who fought for their country and were injured in doing so, being given a chance to go racing in one of the most prestigious championships the UK has to offer. If that isn’t special, tell me. What is?

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