Racing lines: Can Bradley Gravett beat the odds like his father? Car News

Slippery springboards

But is Bradley good enough to hack it? He made his JCW debut at Snetterton this month, after an average season in the Mini Cooper Challenge, and although his best result of the three races at Norfolk was 11th, Robb says he was “massively impressed” , especially in the context of a differential problem that Bradley had to work around. “I’ll be too critical,” Robb insists. “But I looked at the on-board camera and, for better or worse, I felt like I was driving. The idea is to bring a Gravett back into the BTCC and we have a plan, but we’ll see how JCW will take place this year.

“Graduating next year will be difficult,” admits Robb. “He has to run in the JCW top four or he won’t be ready. But if you can drive a JCW, you can drive a passenger car. Tom ingram [the BTCC frontrunner who also coaches JCW drivers] told Bradley. They have almost 280 hp from their 2.0 liter turbo engines, a very short wheelbase and they are not easy. It’s a good springboard. But LM Performance is so important because it will be Liqui Moly who takes him in the touring cars.

Like father, like son?

Following in the footsteps of a successful parent is a familiar theme in motorsport, but stepping out of that spotlight and stepping into your own is never easy. “He has the advantage that I can help him a lot, and as father and son we get along well!” Robb said. “I think he listened less last year, but he’s listening more this time. It’s a steep learning curve and the BTCC is very competitive. He needs to be fast, to be able to read the data, but he’s actually working full time on it, and on LM Performance too because he knows that’s what will sustain him. To be a racing driver these days you have to be a businessman. But one thing you can’t buy is desire. I can see it in him.