An interview with promising young race driver, Joe Dalgarno

We’re proud to be backing another young racing hopeful, Joe Dalgarno. Aged just 19 years old, Joe is a Motorsport UK Academy student and promising race driver. We’ll be supporting Joe as lubricant partner as he embarks on the MG Trophy Championship, and will supporting him with Motul lubricants for his car, whilst keenly following his progress this year. Here we ask him how he got started and what his dreams are for the future…

Where do you and or your team come from and where are you based?

We are a family run team that is based in Basingstoke, Hampshire.

How long have you been involved in motorsport?

I have been involved in motorsport since I was 12 when I competed in an arrive and drive karting championship at the Castle Coombe circuit in Wiltshire. I competed in this for 4 years. Alongside this in 2016 I started competing in auto tests and auto solos with my local car club, Basingstoke Motor Club. From 2018 until present I have been competing in the MG Trophy Championship.

How did you get into it and who or what was your inspiration?

Ever since I was at nursery school I have always wanted to be a racing driver, when I was in my early teenage years myself and my sister shared a car that we learnt to drive around the farm that I live on. It was a little 1.0 VW Polo which I very soon got bored of and wanted something with a bit more power. That is  when my dad splashed out £90 on my first MG ZR, this got ragged around farm fields and latterly got used in autotests and autosolos, this ignited my love for MG’s but more importantly, motorsport.

I have taken inspiration from many successful racing drivers, the person I have taken most inspiration from is Jack Goff as he once competed in the MG  Trophy Championship and this proves to me that you can be successful and make a career from the path that I am taking and I use this as motivation to help  push myself further.

Who is the business or support team behind you?

My team is family orientated, on a race weekend it consists of myself, my father and mother. My father does the majority of the spannering but I am also able to help with the preparation of the car, my mother makes sure that everything is done on time and organises us.

What was your first race?

My first ever race in the MG Trophy Championship was at Silverstone on the national track in April 2018.

What kind of motorsport do you currently compete in?

I’m currently competing in track racing in the MG Car Club Trophy Championship.

What sort of car do you drive and what are the special features?
I race a MG ZR in the MG Trophy Championship. We built the current car ourselves making sure it complied with all relevant motorsport regulations. The car is fully stripped out, fitted with a full roll cage and bucket seat, the engine has been mapped to 170 hp. Coilovers and semi-slick tyres are used to help keep the car stuck to the black stuff.

What preparation is involved between races?

After a race weekend I will take the car back home, give it a thorough clean, a full visual inspection and spanner check. I will also repair or replace any broken, damaged or worn out parts. The car receives an oil change and flush through of the brake fluid. I will then prepare the suspension and steering set-up for the next race circuit.

Do you do any training – what’s the endurance like?

On a race weekend there is a 20 minute qualifying and two twenty minute races, this can be all on one day so can be quite physically demanding. We usually have a track day immediately prior to the race weekend to help with final car set-up. To keep me in shape I play football 3-4 times a week to help with my fitness.

What’s your racing schedule like? How many events per year?

There are normally six rounds each season with two races at each round, the championship aims to visit all of the premier tracks such as Silverstone, Brands Hatch and Donington. Silverstone’s race is held at MG Live which is the biggest event on the Championships calendar. We sometimes are invited by the MG Owner Club to join their race meetings although I have not raced with them yet.

Which tracks will you be at this year/next year?

This season I will/have been at Silverstone, Brands Hatch, Oulton Park, Donington Park and Snetterton.

Do you have a favourite track? Do you have a favourite section from a circuit?

My favourite track is Donington Park as it is an old school track which is fast and flowing. My favourite section of the track is going down Craner curves and into the Old Hairpin. I love these two corners as you are able to carry so much speed through them and even the slightest of movements can upset the car so you really have to nail it every time.

Most memorable race?

My most memorable race was Brands Hatch earlier this year, for the majority of the 20 minute race I had to defend against the much faster Josh Bacon. At one point we were side by side for most of the lap but I luckily was able to stay in front and claim P3, my first podium of the season.

What makes a good driver?

To me a good driver is someone who can always extract the most from the car, someone who never gives up and always gives it everything regardless of their situation. Being able to keep a level head and staying in control of emotions when out on track is also extremely important. Being able to talk and understand your mechanics, giving professional interviews and having strong relationships with sponsors are also very essential skills to have when you are a good and successful driver.

How does the oil in a car affect its performance?

The greatest increase performance has come from the brake fluid. Before when using the previous Dot 5 brake fluid I would get brake fade by the end of a race, however now with Motul’s brake fluid I don’t get any brake fade which gives me more confidence going into each braking zone.

What is the key to a good lubricant partner?

A good lubricant partner will have a full range of products to meet the exacting requirements of my car’s engine, transmission and other components. Having these readily available in easy to use packaging helps make fluid replacement and topping up a straightforward task. An oil analysis service can be very helpful
in identifying issues which could identify impending componentfailure. It is also important to have a contact point with the partner who understands your requirements.

How did you get to know about Witham Motorsport and Motul and what does it mean to have this support?

We were first contacted by Nigel Bottom in 2020 after the business my dad manages changed its main oil supplier to Witham Oils. They were very interested to hear about my racing and offered to supply Motul products for our race season in 2021. As a small family race team this has been a great help for ourselves both helping with our running costs but also giving us access to help and advice from an experienced motorsport sponsor and product supplier.

What Motul products do you use?

From the Motul range I use their 300V engine oil and their Dot 4 racing brake fluid.

Would you recommend Motul and Witham Motorsport to anyone else and if so why?

I would definitely recommend Motul and Witham Motorsport to others as the products are of such high quality, even the packaging is far superior to anything else I’ve ever used.

What do you do on a day off?

When I’m not racing I am at college, I’m currently on the Motorsport UK Academy course. This is a course is tailored to promising young racing drivers to try and jump start their careers. I study business, sports, vehicle maintenance. I also enjoy helping on the farm during the summer harvest period.

If you had the chance to change anything about what you do or have done what would it be?

The only thing that I would change is the age of which I started, I would have liked to have started when I was younger and taken a more traditional route and have started off in karts. Other than that I wouldn’t change anything else, I am proud of what I have achieved and believe I can go on to fulfil my dreams.

Who would you like to take for a drive?

If they would let me I would like to take my parents out in the car, since they put so much time and effort into me and my racing it would be nice to give a little something back.

Dreams and plans for the future?

My dream would be to race in BTCC, it is something that I have been watching for years and I love how close and competitive their racing is. My plan is to continue competing in the MG Trophy Championship and then progress up the motorsport ladder until I eventually end up in the BTCC.

We’re proud to support and work with a number of race drivers, teams and garages. To read more about who uses Motul oils, please click here.