Independent World Touring Car Championship driver Stefano D’Aste will race for his own team in the 2013 season.
The Italian has switched between the Proteam and Wiechers BMW outfits since the WTCC began in 2005. He won the Yokohama Trophy title in 2007 with Wiechers but enjoyed by far his best outright campaign so far last year with the German squad, winning races in Austria and Japan and finished the year seventh in the standings.
He has now established his own PB Racing entry, with the name taken from the Lotus Cars dealership that D’Aste runs in Italy.
“I am happy with the decision to race with my own team,” said the 37-year-old. “We have obviously a lot to learn, which is why we prefer to run only one car this year.
“In these days I am putting the team together: hiring the staff, buying the equipment. We are incredibly motivated for this new challenge and this will help us to be ready in time for the first event that is only three weeks away.”
Wiechers last week announced that they will continue to compete in the WTCC, saying they will confirm the identity of their driver during the second week in March.
