Kristian Poulsen will become the first Danish driver to contest a full World Touring Car Championship programme after agreeing a deal to join Liqui Moly Team Engstler for the 2009 season.

Poulsen, who ran a selected programme with his own Poulsen Motorsport team as well as with Engstler in 2008, will partner Franz Engstler for the new season with the outfit looking to build on a solid year where team owner Engstler finished second in the Independents' standings.

It will mark only the third year of circuit racing for Poulsen, who had previously been best known for his exploits on the national rallying scene.

“I have only been driving circuit racing for two years, so it will be an enormous challenge, which I am really looking forward to,” he said. “I got to know Franz and found him a nice guy. He rented one of our BMW cars for the European Touring Car Cup, and now I will rent a car from him.

“2008 has been a pretty good year, but I believe that 2009 will bring even more success.”