Paul O'Neill (racing driver)
Encyclopedia
Paul O'Neill is a auto racing
driver from Widnes of Irish
parentage, and the half-brother of 'Sporty Spice' Mel C
.
win the 1987 British Grand Prix, but did not pursue a career initially, studying for A-Levels but not completing them.
After attending the Jim Russell racing school, he began racing in the MGF cup in 1999 and 2000, before entering the production class of the British Touring Car Championship
in 2001. He did not win a race, but took 3 class podiums and 2 class poles en route to 8th in the class. This was enough to earn him a drive with Team Egg Sport in their semi-works Touring Class Vauxhall Astra
Coupe for 2002. He was 8th in this championship, and then stepped up to the factory Vauxhall team for 2003, finishing 4th in the series.
He was not expected to retain the drive for 2004, but early that year he discovered that he had diabetes, and his racing license was temporarily withdrawn. Once the condition was under control he did not immediately resume racing, instead helping his former team Tech-Speed
prepare their bio-ethanol powered car, tutoring driver Fiona Leggate
and fulfilling the post of race engineer. He also raced the guest car in the Porsche Carrera Cup
at Oulton Park
in 2006 along with some Ginettas Racing.
Following Leggate's premature departure from Tech-Speed, O'Neill signed for the team to compete in the final two race weekends of the 2006 British Touring Car Championship season
. Ironically this car is powered by sugar beet, which his diabetes prevents him from eating. He scored a 10th place in his first race back. Notably, while most drivers at this September Brands Hatch meeting were slower than they had been at the April meeting due to different track conditions, O'Neill was over a second faster than Leggate's time from that meeting in some practice sessions. At Silverstone
he was hampered by engine issues in practice but took 2 top 10 finishes on raceday. He did not keep the drive for 2007, Techspeed opting instead to unite with the Turkish Arkas
team and run Erkut Kızılırmak
. He competed in the final round of 2007 with Motorbase Performance
in a SEAT Toledo
.
O'Neill returned to Tech-Speed for the 2009 British Touring Car Championship season
, partnering Martyn Bell
in a two-car team. He scored a third place at Snetterton
, and as of round seven at Knockhill he had scored points in 11 successive races
O'Neill has remained with Tech-Speed for 2010, now joined by John George
.
O'Neill is currently a motor racing instructor at the Oulton Park
circuit in Cheshire
, and worked at Ikea
to "keep his feet on the ground bringing in a wage" during his first season of touring car racing.
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
driver from Widnes of Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
parentage, and the half-brother of 'Sporty Spice' Mel C
Melanie Chisholm
Melanie Jayne Chisholm is an English singer-songwriter, actress and businesswoman professionally known simply as Melanie C . She is best known as one of the five members of the girl group Spice Girls, in which she was nicknamed "Sporty Spice"...
.
Career
O'Neill was originally attracted to racing after seeing Nigel MansellNigel Mansell
Nigel Ernest James Mansell OBE is a British racing driver who won both the Formula One World Championship and the CART Indy Car World Series...
win the 1987 British Grand Prix, but did not pursue a career initially, studying for A-Levels but not completing them.
After attending the Jim Russell racing school, he began racing in the MGF cup in 1999 and 2000, before entering the production class of the British Touring Car Championship
British Touring Car Championship
The British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom. The Championship was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and has run to various rules over the years – "production cars", then FIA Group 1 or 2 in the late 1960s...
in 2001. He did not win a race, but took 3 class podiums and 2 class poles en route to 8th in the class. This was enough to earn him a drive with Team Egg Sport in their semi-works Touring Class Vauxhall Astra
Vauxhall Astra
Astra is a model name which has been used by Vauxhall, the British subsidiary of General Motors , on their small family car ranges since 1979. Astras are technically essentially identical with similar vehicles offered by GM's German subsidiary Opel in most other European countries...
Coupe for 2002. He was 8th in this championship, and then stepped up to the factory Vauxhall team for 2003, finishing 4th in the series.
He was not expected to retain the drive for 2004, but early that year he discovered that he had diabetes, and his racing license was temporarily withdrawn. Once the condition was under control he did not immediately resume racing, instead helping his former team Tech-Speed
Tech-Speed Motorsport
Tech-Speed Motorsport is a British auto racing team founded in 1984 by Marvin Humphries who enter cars in series such as the British Touring Car Championship and various historic race categories. For 2009 the team will run two former Team Eurotech Honda Integras in the BTCC for Martyn Bell and Paul...
prepare their bio-ethanol powered car, tutoring driver Fiona Leggate
Fiona Leggate
Fiona Leggate is a British auto racing driver, born on 28 May 1980 in Lincolnshire.Leggate had been interested in motorsport since her childhood, influenced by her father Malcolm Leggate who had a 19-year career in saloon car racing....
and fulfilling the post of race engineer. He also raced the guest car in the Porsche Carrera Cup
Porsche Carrera Cup
Porsche Carrera Cup is a number of one-make sports car racing series competed with Porsche 911 Carreras, including the following:-Regional:...
at Oulton Park
Oulton Park
Oulton Park Circuit is a motor racing track in the small village of Little Budworth, Cheshire, England. It is about from Winsford, from Chester city centre, from Northwich and from Warrington with a nearby rail connection along the Mid-Cheshire Line. It occupies much of the area which was...
in 2006 along with some Ginettas Racing.
Following Leggate's premature departure from Tech-Speed, O'Neill signed for the team to compete in the final two race weekends of the 2006 British Touring Car Championship season
2006 British Touring Car Championship season
The 2006 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season was the 49th British Touring Car Championship season. As in 2005, there were ten racing weekends at nine different circuits; each round comprising three races, making a thirty round competition in total.-Changes for 2006:-Teams and...
. Ironically this car is powered by sugar beet, which his diabetes prevents him from eating. He scored a 10th place in his first race back. Notably, while most drivers at this September Brands Hatch meeting were slower than they had been at the April meeting due to different track conditions, O'Neill was over a second faster than Leggate's time from that meeting in some practice sessions. At Silverstone
Silverstone Circuit
Silverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side...
he was hampered by engine issues in practice but took 2 top 10 finishes on raceday. He did not keep the drive for 2007, Techspeed opting instead to unite with the Turkish Arkas
Arkas
Arkas a Greek comics artist that started his work in middle 80s. He seldom appears at conventions, and generally avoids publicity and appearances on television shows or interviews, as he has been quoted as believing that the artist should be known through his work, not through personal promotion...
team and run Erkut Kızılırmak
Erkut Kizilirmak
Erkut Kızılırmak is an auto racing driver from Turkey. He started racing in rallying in 1992 and switched to touring cars in 2002, at the age of 32. In 2005 he won the Turkish Touring Car Championship, in a Vauxhall Astra Coupé formerly raced by Yvan Muller in the BTCC...
. He competed in the final round of 2007 with Motorbase Performance
Motorbase Performance
Motorbase Performance is an English motor racing team, founded in 2004 by former Production Saloon racer Dave Bartrum. They are best known for their British Touring Car Championship campaigns, which produced a first overall podium at the Snetterton meeting in 2008.-Porsche Carrera Cup Great...
in a SEAT Toledo
SEAT Toledo
The second generation Toledo was introduced in 1998 and made its debut at the 1998 Paris Motor Show as a four-door notchback sedan. It was more rounded than the previous first generation shape and had a much more fluid design, although both were products of Giorgetto Giugiaro's Italdesign studio...
.
O'Neill returned to Tech-Speed for the 2009 British Touring Car Championship season
2009 British Touring Car Championship season
The 2009 HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship season was the 52nd British Touring Car Championship season. It began at Brands Hatch on the Indy layout on April 5 and finished after 30 races over 10 events on the Grand Prix layout at Brands Hatch on October 4...
, partnering Martyn Bell
Martyn Bell
Martyn Bell is an auto racing driver. Since 2006 he has contested the British Touring Car Championship, but he spent the majority of his career racing BMWs in various championships...
in a two-car team. He scored a third place at Snetterton
Snetterton
Snetterton is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is located some north-east of the town of Thetford and south-west of the city of Norwich....
, and as of round seven at Knockhill he had scored points in 11 successive races
O'Neill has remained with Tech-Speed for 2010, now joined by John George
John George (racing driver)
John George is a Cornish mobile phone entrepreneur and race car driver currently driving in the British Touring Car Championship.-Personal:...
.
O'Neill is currently a motor racing instructor at the Oulton Park
Oulton Park
Oulton Park Circuit is a motor racing track in the small village of Little Budworth, Cheshire, England. It is about from Winsford, from Chester city centre, from Northwich and from Warrington with a nearby rail connection along the Mid-Cheshire Line. It occupies much of the area which was...
circuit in Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, and worked at Ikea
IKEA
IKEA is a privately held, international home products company that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture such as beds and desks, appliances and home accessories. The company is the world's largest furniture retailer...
to "keep his feet on the ground bringing in a wage" during his first season of touring car racing.