#19 – Harry Vaulkhard #20 – Darryl O'Young
Bamboo Engineering become the first team to enter Chevrolet Lacetti's on an independent basis for a complete WTCC campaign, and have hired double Porsche Carerra Cup Asia driver Darryl O'Young to partner young British driver Harry Vaulkhard in their debut season at the top level.
The 2009 season saw Harry start with Tempus Sport, a new team for the 2009 HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship, which saw impressive pace from the young Geordie driver, including a front row start at Donington Park leading to his best BTCC result.
Croft, however, saw Harry caught up in an accident with Tom Chilton which wrote off his Lacetti, the next round at Snetterton saw a new team formed, Bamboo Engineering with a new livery on the rebuilt Lacetti. Harry would go on and record a couple of points finishes. The team finished the season off with an entry to the ETCC at Braga, Harry would lead for some of the second race before sliding off the track and into the tyres.
Canadian born Hong Kong driver Darryl O'Young has spent most of his career racing in Porsche’s, having won the Porsche Carerra Cup Asia title twice, in 2006 and 2008, as well as having various levels of success in other series, including trying his hand in the FIA GT3 Category.
Harry will benefit from having a team mate in Darryl, however the move to WTCC could prove to be a mistake, being such a young team could prove to be their downfall.
Season Prediction: Huge learning curve for Bamboo and the drivers, and respectability will be the aim of the season; an Independent podium finish would be a success.
TCF Driver Positions:
- Vaulkhard – Must aim for top 10 in the Independents, and not to be overawed against some of the best Touring car Drivers in the world. Could scrape a point or 2 if there is a race of attrition.
- O'Young – Once up to speed, will end up top 6 in the Independents, couple of bottom end of top 10 finishes possible.
