• 245BHP
• 0-60 in 3.12 sec
• 145 MPH
• Sponsored by Honda

Atomic Race Management in partnership with Ariel Motor Company announce plans for the Atom Cup, a new UK based Race Series featuring one of the most exciting cars in the world – the Ariel Atom. Spanning 8 race weekends at the UK’s best circuits, from Brands Hatch to Silverstone, the Atom Cup will feature matched Atoms in full race specification.The 2013 Atom Cup will be the first time that Ariel Atoms, already known for their legendary performance on the road and track, race wheel to wheel in an organised single make UK Race Series. Designed and built by Ariel Motor Company in Somerset, the Atom has become an icon of minimalist design and lightweight performance with a power to weight ratio in excess of most supercars. Having won multiple awards and made its name as a track day star through outright performance and legendary reliability, the Atom Cup Series is a natural progression for the Atom.The matched cars will feature an Atom ‘Cup Spec’ version of the car, specifically designed for the Series with a modified chassis, full roll over protection, race instrumentation and Ohlins suspension.

Engines, ECU and dampers will all be sealed and the cars will run on control tyres supplied by Yokohama, who are sponsoring the series. All cars will be powered by the legendary 2.0 Honda Type R iVTEC engine and the Series is also supported by Honda. Said Paul Ormond of Honda UK, “We are very excited by the opportunity to support this new Series. Competition has always been at the heart of Honda and the Atom Cup should provide some excellent and exciting racing.”Designed to give drivers and sponsors both ultimate choice and economical racing, the Atom Cup will offer 3 different levels of package options – Bronze, Silver, Gold – that will enable entrants to plan their race budgets ahead of the season. Drivers will be able choose their level of responsibility from maintaining and transporting their cars themselves right through to complete ‘arrive and drive’ packages.Running on controlled race fuel, the series aims to have a level playing fi eld giving ultra competitive racing whilst rewarding talent and driving ability. With 4 sessions, including 2 races on each of the 8 race weekends, the Atom Cup will give drivers more than 10 hours of race track time over the season. In addition to the racing, competitors family and friends will receive professional levels of hospitality and support to make race weekends enjoyable, comfortable and fun both on and off the race track.

“The goal is to make the Atom Cup one of the most popular and successful Race
Series in the UK. We look forward to welcoming existing race drivers mixed with
new young hopefuls who choose to start their racing careers with us. Spectators can look forward to some spectacular racing at the best circuits in the UK while drivers will experience this car in its intended theatre with world-class hospitality services and professional trackside assistance,” said series director and promoter Mark Harrison.

The Series, which is currently going through the MSA Approval process, will run with a calendar provided by MotorSport Vision’s race organising division MSVR.
David Scott, MSVR Race Operations Manager said: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome Ariel to MSVR and pleased that Atomic Race Management and Ariel have chosen to launch their new and intriguing race series with us. The Atom Cup would be the first race series in the UK for these extraordinary cars and we are all looking forward to it developing and thriving with MSVR. We fully expect the series to produce some exciting racing for competitors, spectators and marshals and can’t wait for it to start in 2013.”

ContinuedAlready established with a one make Series in the USA, the Ariel Atom has been successfully raced under the ‘Spec Race Atom’ banner in Virginia since 2010 and now California, spreading to other parts of the USA. Organised by TMI AutoTech, Ariel’s dealer and licensee in the USA, the Series has demonstrated the reliability of the race cars with no DNF due to mechanical problems. The new Atom Cup Series will see UK drivers competing for the opportunity to take part in the Spec Race Atom series in the USA.

Said Simon Saunders, Director of Ariel, “This is something that we’ve talked about for a while and we have spent a lot of time getting the details exactly right, from the car right through to the catering. Our aim is to provide fair, competitive and enjoyable racing at reasonable costs to drivers who want to progress from track days, young guys who want to move into professional motorsport and simply those who just love racing. We’re keen on making this not only a really enjoyable Race Series but raising the bar in terms of the whole race weekends.”

The Atom Cup – taking Ariel’s ‘Serious Fun’ motto to another level.”