Nicolas Hamilton will continue to race in the British Touring Car Championship with Team HARD for a third successive season, also marking his sixth season in the series.
Hamilton has already got two seasons racing one of the team’s CUPRA Leon cars under his belt, and he will continue with Tony Gilham’s Kent-based team in the forthcoming season.
The 31-year-old has only ever scored one point out of 120 races in the BTCC, when he finished 15th on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit in 2020.
His best result at the wheel of a CUPRA has been 17th at the 2021 season opener, with Hamilton finishing inside the top 20 on just three occasions in the past two seasons.
“I am so grateful and blessed to be back on the BTCC grid with Team HARD. for 2023,” said Hamilton, who races with a brake servo system due to his cerebral palsy. “Continuity is everything and I feel right at home with the team, as I look to develop the improving pace I found in 2022.
“Both the car and team look to be in a great position going into this year and so I cannot wait to get started and work alongside both my returning and new team-mates.”
Team HARD Managing Director Tony Gilham says the team will continue to work with Hamilton to improve his results and develop his specially adapted CUPRA in 2023.
“We are thrilled to announce that Nic will be staying with our team for the upcoming 2023 season,” added Gilham. “This will be our third season with the CUPRA Leon, and we are excited to continue our partnership with Nic as we strive to improve and excel on the track.
“Nic has already been a tremendous asset to our team, and his dedication to developing his skills as a driver has led to significant progress over the past three seasons.
“We are confident that he will continue to be an integral part of our success in the upcoming season.
“As we look ahead, we remain focused on pushing the limits of our performance. We will continue to develop Nic’s brake servo technology, aiming to help him maintain consistency on the track he needs to have his best season yet.
“Having a stable driver line-up is essential for our success, and we are delighted to have Nic back in the driver’s seat for another year.
“Together, we are ready to take on the challenges of the 2023 season and strive for a strong season.”
The announcement means the only BTCC seat left to be filled is at One Motorsport, unless Team Dynamics, which yesterday confirmed its absence from the grid in 2023, is to loan its TOCA BTCC Licences to another outfit.