Jake Hill will make his British Touring Car Championship debut at Croft at the wheel of the Addison Lee Motorbase Ford Focus in place of Liam Griffin, who has clashing commitments.
Hill, son of ITV commentator Simon tested for the team at the end of the 2012 campaign at Brands Hatch in one of the teams’ S2000 Focuses.
His progress up the ranks has been noticed and his Team principal at Tollbar Racing, Mike Flounders, is pleased to see one of his former drivers make the move into Touring Cars.
“I’m very pleased to see Jake moving on,” explains Flounders. “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.”
The 19 year old Kent based racer will make his debut in the Jack Sears Trophy and he is hoping to make an immediate impression on the grid in the #9 S2000 Ford Focus.
“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,” Hill said. “I can’t describe how thankful I am to Liam and everyone at Addison Lee Motorbase for letting me has 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!” the delighted youngster added.
For Motorbase Performance Team Principal David Bartrum, the decision to give Hill his BTCC debut continues his support for up and coming young drivers and from the Brands Hatch test in 2012.
“Jake tested with us at the end of last season along with another local lad, Tom Grainger,” explained Bartrum. ”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,” he concluded.