Warren Scott to race VW Passat

Warren Scott will contest the remainder of the 2013 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship in an NGTC-spec VW Passat after a partnership was agreed between Team BMR Restart and Team HARD.

So far in his maiden BTCC campaign, Scott has raced in an S2000 SEAT Leon run by the Team BMR Restart squad, with the plan always being to move up to NGTC machinery before the end of the season.

Those plans have since been brought forward slightly after a challenging time in the Leon, and Scott will now complete the second half of the year in the NGTC class ahead of a full assault in 2014.

The former British Superbike racer will now drive the second Team HARD built and prepared VW Passat CC, which has proved to be a very capable car in the hands of Tom Onslow-Cole - the 26-year-old having scored three podium positions so far in 2013. Scott's car, however, will be run and managed on race weekends by Team BMR Restart with full support and assistance being provided by Team HARD.

Scott will get his first taste of NGTC machinery at the two-day Dunlop tyre test at Snetterton next week [July 9-10] when he will drive a Team HARD-run Vauxhall Insignia, before he makes his race debut in the Passat at the same venue next month [August 3-4] for rounds 16, 17 and 18 of the championship.

Team BMR Restart manager Mark Turner said: "This is a very exciting time for our team and a huge step forwards within the BTCC. We are thoroughly enjoying our racing in this series and we feel moving now to the NGTC shows our commitment to the BTCC long term. We have chosen the VW Passat CC NGTC and Team HARD because they fitted in with our future plans and we believe the support will be valuable to our team's development. Team BMR will continue to keep its own identity, but will be in association with Team HARD."

Scott added: "We are really keen to work with Team HARD. Tony and his team are a great bunch of guys, we love their philosophy of enjoying the racing alongside being a highly professional, motivated team.

"In the first half of the season running a newly built and undeveloped NGTC car they have achieved some amazing results. The car has shown great pace off the mark and has unlimited potential, with further development under Tom Onslow-Cole, to be a consistent top running car in the championship.

"I realise that we still have a long way to go and a lot to learn, but I am positive that in working alongside Team HARD and driving the VW Passat CC NGTC, not only will we become competitive in the championship, but we will also have great fun achieving it."

Team HARD boss Tony Gilham said of the venture: "Warren has shown some real potential in the SEAT Leon this year so it will be very interesting to see how the transition to a full NGTC car pans out. Warren will get his first outing in NGTC machinery when he gets behind the wheel of one of our Vauxhall Insignia's at the Dunlop test at Snetterton next week," he summed-up.