BRDC rising star Jake Hill will make his British Touring Car Championship bow at Croft for round five this weekend with Motorbase, driving the team’s S2000 Addison Lee-backed Ford Focus.
The 19-year-old will make his debut with the Kent-based squad this weekend in the S2000 class, following on from a successful Brands Hatch test in the Mountune-powered Ford Focus at the end of 2012.
The former Ginetta Junior and GT Supercup race winner will take over from the squad’s regular driver Liam Griffin, who will miss the weekend in North Yorkshire due to unavoidable business commitments.
As he prepares for his BTCC debut, Hill said: “It’s such an amazing opportunity that David [Bartrum] has kindly given me the chance to have another run in the car, and this time in an actual race. I can’t describe how thankful I am to Liam and everyone at Addison Lee Motorbase for letting me have this opportunity and I intend to make the most of it and do the best job I possibly can at the weekend.
“I’ve spent my whole racing career watching the touring cars, so too finally to be on the same grid as them is like a dream come true. As long as I get my head around the car; I’m confident that I can put in a good challenge and my aim is to win at least one Jack Sears Trophy this weekend. I can’t wait!”
Hill will compete – just like Griffin has – in the series’ new-for-2013 Jack Sears Trophy class, elegible for non-NGTC specification S2000 machines, and his team boss has plenty of faith in the youngster.
Team boss David Bartrum said: “Jake tested with us at the end of last season along with another local lad, Tom Grainger. The whole idea of the test was to give two Kent-based youngsters the opportunity to sample the S2000 touring car and for us to offer two developing young talents the experience and chance to raise their profile. When the opportunity came up through Liam and Addison Lee to put a replacement driver in the car for Croft we thought we would give Jake the chance in the car as he was very capable and knows the TOCA package quite well.”
His progress has been followed closely by members of the TOCA package, including his former team boss from Tollbar Racing from his days in Ginettas, Mike Flounders, who added:“I’m very pleased to see Jake moving on. It’s great for a young man that started with us at the age of fifteen to be making the move into touring cars and we wish him the very best of luck.”