Dave Newsham “can’t wait” to go racing in new Toyota Avensis

Resplendent in his Speedworks Motorsport beanie hat, Dave Newsham wasn’t alone in feeling the cold at Donington Park on Thursday.

But the popular Scottish-based racer was optimistic that his new Toyota Avensis will go well in the 2013 BTCC whatever the conditions.

The 45-year-old is entering his first season in NGTC machinery, after racking up two wins and several podiums in the Team ES Racing Vauxhall Vectra last year.

Speaking to TouringCarTimes, Newsham said: “Hopefully we are not going to be experiencing these conditions when we go racing.

“They are very similar conditions to my first test. The rear tyres just aren’t getting warm. The first time I drove the car here it just frightened me! But the team assured me it was just the conditions.

“It will be the same for us all. We are there or thereabouts in this weather, and when it gets warm I think we will be too.”

Newsham said testing in the warmer surroundings of Portimao has helped him get a handle on the car, with very little else to distract him on the track.

He said: “That Portuguese test, within the first ten laps, I felt at home in the car. There was six cars there, that’s all. It was perfect really.”

Comparing his new car to the S2000 Vectra, Newsham said: “It is totally different. I have done so many laps in this car now it is difficult to remember what the other one is like!

“The majority of it is just grip. The suspension is not as compliant as the Vectra, you could really monster the kerbs in that. This one crashes over the kerbs a bit more, but it is a different animal.

“I can’t wait to go racing really. Its’ my third season – I know what to do!”

Speedworks team principal Christian Dick echoed his driver’s enthusiasm.

He said: “Coming into this year we have had the pressure on to get the deal together for the second car, which has taken a bit longer.

“But development has been going ahead as normal. We have still got work we would like to do, but we are operating on a budget and we need to be sensible.

“It has always been the plan to try and build year on year. The driver line-up is strong this year, and it is an exciting one. There is no reason why we shouldn’t be in the hunt for some good results from the off.

“We’ve got Dave on board, who is a proven race winner, and we are really excited about having Ollie [Jackson] on board.

“It’s partly my fault that it has come about late because I didn’t know Ollie wasn’t looking at doing anything, until I saw that James Kaye was announced in the Golf. I picked the phone up and got in touch, and that was only at the end of last week. He is a really good fit for us.

“Anything is possible. We’ve got a good driver line-up, a strong car and a good team.”