Tom Ferrier will race at Silverstone

Tom Ferrier will race a Motorbase Performance-entered SEAT Cupra Toledo in Silverstone’s final rounds of the BTCC on 15 October. Motorbase recently bought two ex-factory SEAT Sport UK Toledos to comply with the FIA Super 2000 formula that the BTCC will switch to in 2007.

Ferrier will give one of the cars a trial run under the Motorbase banner at Silverstone alongside the team’s regular Honda Integra driven by Dave Pinkney.

Team principal David Bartrum told BTCC.net: “Since we announced our plans for 2007 the interest has been phenomenal – I’ve already got 20 emails from drivers, some currently in the BTCC, some not, some I’ve never even heard of!

“But Tom he’s worked really hard for this – he’s practically camped outside my front door until I said ‘yes’! And I know he’s working hard to be here in 2007.

“It’s a very tight time schedule to get the Toledo ready for Silverstone, but it will not be pink like Pinkney’s car. I see pink in my sleep. It’ll be silver and will look very nice. Currently it’s in bits and the engine will be installed this weekend.

“We’re going to be a busy lot at Silverstone. We’ve got two cars in the BTCC and four in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB. It’s madness really. I don’t have a home any more – I just know there’s a house somewhere that exists.”

Silverstone will mark a return to the BTCC for 24-year-old Ferrier – the Reigate driver has previously raced privately-entered Alfa Romeos in the championship, plus the European Touring Car series. More recently, his CV boasts an impressive number of wins and podium finishes in Ginettas, Porsches and SEAT Cupras. He also drove Motorbase’s Porsche to class victory in a round of this year’s British GT series.

Ferrier said: “There’ll be no time to test the car but I’m hopeful we could sneak a shock result – maybe get a top ten in race two and be at the front of the grid for race three.

“I actually tested the car last year as my prize for finishing third in the Cupra series, but that was at a wet Rockingham so this time is going to be very different.

”But Motorbase is full of good people and I’m very keen to do a good job in the BTCC. I’m working hard on a full-time return in 2007 and this gives me a chance to bring along some key people to Silverstone to show them what the championship is all about.”