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After a stunning maiden season in 2007, Matt Allison will race a
Chevrolet Lacetti for the Robertshaw Racing team in this year’s HiQ MSA
British Touring Car Championship alongside rookie Harry Vaulkhard.
 Allison, a protégé of 1992 BTCC champion Tim Harvey, finished 12th
overall last year thanks to numerous top ten points finishes in an
older-shape SEAT Toledo run by Motorbase Performance. He was also a
strong sixth in the Independent drivers’ standings.
The
Norwich driver believes the Robertshaw squad – which only debuted in
the BTCC towards the end of last season and the Lacetti, a new car to
the championship, (although tried and tested in the World Touring Car
Championship) – offer him a chance of continuing his impressive form.
Allison
told BTCC.net: “Sure, the team is still new to the BTCC, but there were
a number of things that really stood out for me about its set-up – it
is the sole representative of Chevrolet, the specification of the car
is very impressive and almost identical to the RML-prepared cars in the
WTCC. Robertshaw is also now a customer of RML’s and is bound to
benefit from all that knowledge and expertise.
“Furthermore,
the engineering team Roberthsaw has put in place is top notch. It
actually wasn’t that difficult a decision to make.”
Allison,
aged 24 and recently married, will get his first run in the Lacetti on
BTCC Media Day at Rockingham on Wednesday 12 March.
He
added: “It’ll be a very public debut, but I know what to expect. I’m
much more competent than 12 months ago, I know how the championship
works, I know what’s expected of me and I’m raring to go.”
Robertshaw
team manager Joe Bradley commented: “We’re very excited about signing
Matt. He brings a wealth of racing and BTCC experience to the team
which is exactly what we need at this stage in our development. With
Matt’s ability and the speed of the Chevrolet I’m sure he’ll be
battling for the top spots this year.”
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