Reigning SEAT Cupra champion Mat Jackson has announced he will race in 2007’s Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at the wheel of the same BMW that Andy Priaulx drove to last year’s World Touring Car title.
The Henley-in-Arden driver is scheduled to test the prized 320si E90 model, that will be run by his family team Jacksons Motorsport, for the first time next Wednesday 14 February – Valentine’s Day! – at the Oulton Park circuit in Cheshire.
Today (Friday) he is scheduled to unveil his BMW 320si E90 at sponsor Whale Tankers’ Solihull headquarters. The car is arguably the best in the business to comply with the FIA Super 2000 regulations that come into full force in this year’s BTCC.
Jackson, aged 25, said: “The BTCC is the pinnacle of British motor sport. I’ve won in everything I’ve ever raced, but this will require me to step up another gear in terms of speed, racecraft and technical input into the car. The BTCC is on a different level, with huge public appeal and media exposure, and it’s no accident it’s one of the most watched motor racing championships anywhere in the world.
“The team and I are now where we’ve always aimed to be and we are not going to squander this opportunity. We’ve got a fantastic car at our disposal in the BMW. We’re doing it properly and have set ourselves some very high targets. I guess the only unknown is how the car will perform on the Dunlop tyres used in the BTCC, but the only way to find out is to get out there and test before the season begins and we’ll begin our programme in the next few weeks.”
Jackson has previous BTCC experience – in 2001 he raced in the now-defunct Production class and finished ahead of team-mate to Gareth Howell, himself now a proven race-winner in the BTCC after two part-seasons with title-winning outfit Team Halfords.
After missing three seasons of racing, Jackson returned to competition in 2005 in SEAT’s Cupra series and took an unrivalled eight race wins. Last year he dominated the series with 11 more wins that earned him the champion’s cheque of £100,000 – the biggest cash prize in British motor sport.
Notably, he becomes the second reigning champion from a support series to the BTCC to confirm his entry into Britain’s top motor racing championship. Last month, Renault Clio Cup title-winner Tom Onslow-Cole confirmed he was stepping up to the BTCC, also in a BMW 320si E90, with Team RAC.
Jackson added: “I had really hoped for a drive with SEAT in the BTCC after proving myself in their championships for two seasons but with only two cars in their team there was no opportunity.
“I wish SEAT well for the forthcoming BTCC season and they must start as favourites with one year already behind them with the Leon. We will only really find out where we are in terms of speed at Brands Hatch on 1 April, but with the new Super 2000 technical regulations and one of the very best cars built to them I am confident we can hit the ground running.”
Source: www.btcc.net
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