Onslow-Cole,
the new rising star on the HiQ MSA
British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) horizon, who will partner the
2007 BTCC Champion, Fabrizio Giovanardi, and Matt Neal in the Vauxhall
Vectra.
Tom Onslow-Cole was today announced as VX Racing’s third
driver
Onslow-Cole
completes VX Racing’s strong
driver line-up for the 2008 BTCC season, bringing the energy of youth
into the team alongside his experienced team-mates in the third works
Vectra.
“I’m
really looking forward to
driving for VX Racing in 2008,” said Onslow-Cole, who won the Renault
Clio Cup Championship in 2006 before moving up to the BTCC last year.
“To be part of a team with such collective experience will be a great
opportunity and hopefully I can take a lot on board from my experienced
team members. But no doubt it will be a great benefit for me to work
with them. I think I will call Fabrizio and Matt uncle as they are
twice my
age!”
Onslow-Cole’s
successful debut season, in
which the 20-year-old won one race, did not go unnoticed by VX Racing’s
team members. “We’re really happy to have Tom on board
for 2008 as he is a young driver with great potential. We had a third
car from Thruxton and Tom was the obvious choice to fill it with.
Unlike last
year, where we introduced the third car in the last round we now have
it right from the start and it will give us more options in the 2008
season,
which I think will be the toughest we have seen in years,” said Stuart
Harris, VXR’s Brand Manager.
The decision for Onslow-Cole to move to the 2007
BTCC Manufacturers’ Champion was easy after driving the rear-wheel drive BMW for one season.
“I
really wanted to go back and drive a
front-wheel drive car and the Vauxhall Vectra is definitely the best in
the field,” said Onslow-Cole, who will get his first taste of the car
later this month. “VX Racing’s track record is second to none and I
look forward to my first test and getting to know the team a bit
better.
“I’m
looking forward to getting my
hands on the Vectra. After the first test we will have a good idea of
where we are, but I am quietly confident of being up there for the
title fight
this season.”
