Matt Allison testing at Brands Hatch

Newcomer Matt Allison showed off his Motorbase Performance SEAT Toledo’s 2007 livery when he got his first run in the car at Brands Hatch. For his debut Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season, Allison has attracted sponsorship from the UK’s largest independent buy-to-let mortgage firm The Money Centre, with its colours reflected in the black and white livery of his car.

Team principal David Bartrum said he was delighted with his squad’s progress following the latest test, at Brands Hatch last Friday. Last year’s British GTC champion Allison, aged 23 from Norwich, will drive alongside proven BTCC race-winner Gareth Howell, aged 26 from Bromley, in Motorbase’s line-up.

“Matt’s a smashing lad, very calm and cool-headed for his age and I think he’s going to go very well once he’s into his stride,” Bartrum told BTCC.net. “This was a shake down for him, just four or five laps, and everything went fine.

“Our pre-season programme is bang on schedule and I’m very excited about having brought on board a youthful line-up to build for the future.

“We’ve even got the livery of the cars right – they’ll be the same sort of design, but different colours to reflect the sponsors who are helping us be part of the BTCC.”

Bartrum said his drivers are next scheduled to test this coming Wednesday at Oulton Park in Cheshire.