On the back of an impressive debut season in the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship, Mat Jackson is now heading into his sophomore campaign in the series in 2008 brimful of confidence.

The Henley-in-Arden ace competed with his family-run Jacksons MSport outfit throughout 2007, beginning the year in style with a podium finish in the opening race at Brands Hatch – only to subsequently be disqualified over a technical infringement. Undeterred, he would once again mount the rostrum just two races later, whilst further on in the season he would claim a brace of superb victories – at Oulton Park in June and in the Thruxton finale – three more podiums, a fastest lap and seventh spot in the overall drivers' standings.

What's more, Jackson also came within a whisker of lifting the Independents' drivers' laurels behind the wheel of his ex-Andy Priaulx World Touring Car Championship-winning BMW 320si, and having now managed to get his hands on the Guernseyman's championship-winning 2007 machine, he is aiming higher still.

“These are very exciting times for Jacksons MSport,” the 26-year-old Crash.net columnist enthused. “We've had a great first season in the BTCC, and with everything we've learnt we feel ready to take the next step. We are aiming higher in 2008 – the Independents' title was within our grasp, and we intend to pull out all the stops to achieve the very best results we can.

“We have a group of very enthusiastic and determined sponsors behind us who are just as hungry for success. I'd once more like to thank them and all the fans who have got behind us in the past twelve months. We look forward to seeing them all again during the 2008 BTCC season.”

It may now be the interim 'off'-season, but the 2006 SEAT Cupra Cup UK Champion has nevertheless been kept extremely busy, from racing motorhomes on hit TV show Top Gear to appearances at the BTCC's Night of Champions on London's Park Lane – where, in front of some 500 guests, series director Alan Gow used Jackson's stunning results from the year to highlight just what is possible for an emerging team with the right approach – and BMW's annual motorsport awards evening, where he took away €15,000 for finishing sixth in the German marque's prestigious Sports Trophy, a league ranking the top 25 BMW saloon car drivers worldwide.