Power Maxed Racing withdraw from full-time 2020 competition

Power Maxed Racing has announced it will not compete as a full-time entry during this season's British Touring Car Championship, but will instead conduct a partial campaign in 2020.

In a statement announcing their withdrawal from full-time competition this year, the official Vauxhall team confirmed they will return to the BTCC in 2021 with a full-time entry.

Two-time champion Jason Plato will remain with the outfit for 2021 season, while Mat Jackson, who only signed with PMR earlier this year following a two-year absence from the series, has first option on the second car.

The news comes a week after Andrew Jordan stepped down from his Team BMW drive, due to the ongoing impact of the Coronavirus pandemic.

PMR say they will look to field at least one of their Vauxhall Astra's throughout the year as an Independent entry, with a series of guest drivers.

“Obviously making this decision was not easy, but ourselves and our commercial partners felt that overall, it’s the most responsible thing to do in order to preserve our resources for next year," said Power Maxed Racing team boss Adam Weaver.

"I want to clarify that this is in no way us ‘giving up’. We are simply hitting the pause button, on these agreements, with all our branding partners and team wear simply being carried over for the ‘20/21 season, along with all corporate hospitality obligations.

"It means that we’ve got even more time to develop the Astras and will come out of the blocks fighting next March!”

Understandably, Plato says he's 'gutted' about the announcement but reiterated that PMR's course of action for the 2020 season is the best way of preserving the team's long-term future.

“I genuinely believe this is the right decision for us as a team, and all of our loyal partners," said Plato.

"It may not be what people want to hear, and we are all gutted to not be racing as we had planned but the really important thing is to make sure we are in a position to race again in ’21 and for many years beyond, and this was the best way for us all to guarantee that."