The Chevrolet Lacetti will feature in the 2009 HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship in 2009 after the Tempus Sport team revealed it will graduate to touring cars for the first time next season.

The team, best know for its exploits in Formula Renault, will field two cars in the BTCC as part of an ambitious expansion programme, with Harry Vaulkhard driving one of the cars as he returns to the series for a second season. The second driver will be announced in due course.

Tempus will receive support from RML – the team behind Chevrolet's WTCC campaign – for its maiden foray into touring cars, with the first 2008-spec Lacetti due to arrive before Christmas when a shakedown test will take place.

The second car is then due to arrive in the New Year when an extensive testing programme will take place in Europe ahead of the first round of the season at Brands Hatch.

"This is a serious campaign with substantial backing,” Tempus Sport team director Richard Coleman said. “We have the latest specification Chevrolet Lacettis, and everyone has seen how strong they were on the world stage this year.

“We have good support from RML and a driver with a lot of potential in Harry Vaulkhard. We are speaking to drivers with BTCC race winning experience for our second car and we are confident we have a package with race winning potential."

Mark Busfield, RML Chevrolet project manager, said he was confident the first year team would be able to make an impression with the Lacetti, which enjoyed its strongest season in the WTCC to date in its final year of competition at World Championship level.

"It's excellent news for RML to continue an ongoing involvement with Harry Vaulkhard, through Richard Coleman at Tempus,” he said. “Their geographical location in Milton Keynes enables us to give them good support in their first year of the BTCC, likewise we can help fast track them with set up information as they plan to share some European winter test venues with us.

“After an excellent season this year in the WTCC the Lacetti has been one of the most competitive cars, and at its last event in Macau it was on pole position and won both races, so Tempus have a very competitive package for their 2009 BTCC campaign."