Power Maxed Racing have announced that Hunter Abbott will race a Chevrolet Cruze for the Independent squad in the 2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.
Former ASCAR and British GT racer Abbott will make the switch from Rob Austin Racing after two years competing in an Audi A4, filling the first of two Chevrolet seats at PMR for the 2016 season.
“I am very much looking forward to the new opportunities presented by PMR”, said Abbott ahead of his third BTCC campaign, his best results being a trio of 10th place finishes.
“I want to show the paddock what I can achieve and repay Adam’s faith in my abilities. I have had two good years in the BTCC and I can’t wait to get out in the Chevrolet. It will also be great to try my hand at front-wheel drive, especially as the Cruze has enjoyed such a high level of development.”
Following a change of ownership to Power Maxed and the appointment of Martin Broadhurst as Technical Director, the team enjoyed a superb season with the Chevrolet Cruze in 2015, finishing eighth overall in the Teams’ Championship and earning silverware at Rockingham thanks to a third place for Josh Cook.
Photo: BTCC Media
“I have had my eye on Hunter for a while now and am looking forward to giving him a chance to shine and show his true potential,” commented Power Maxed Racing Team Principal Adam Weaver. “I have been a good judge of motor sport talent in the past and I see something in Hunter.
“Hunter has a great track record and we are confident that if we guide him through the switch to front-wheel drive, he will flourish in the team, turn a few heads and deliver some of his best results.
“We run a very ‘open book’ team approach, sharing data and set-ups as we believe that treating both drivers as equals moves the whole team forward. I am sure that by pairing him with the technical skill of the PMR team and engineers, we can help Hunter unlock his true BTCC pace.”
Weaver also revealed that negotiations are ongoing regarding the second seat at PMR, with a number of names in the frame.
“We have several options for our final seat,” he explained. “We are talking to some familiar faces, a multiple BTCC champion and one or two new drivers. All of them would make a great pairing with Hunter, but you know what this part of the season is like for speculation and rumour, so you will just have to wait and see.”
