Nicolas Hamilton returns to BTCC grid

Nicolas Hamilton will re-join the British Touring Car Championship grid for 2019 for his first full season in the series after securing a deal with Rokit-backing at Motorbase Performance Ford Focus RS.

Hamilton, brother of five-time F1 world champion Lewis, contested 12 rounds of the 2015 BTCC campaign and returns to the series this year for a full 30-round campaign.

The British driver, who has cerebral palsy, will race a specifically-modified Focus RS run by the Motorbase squad after securing backing from new Williams Racing F1 title sponsor Rokit and begins his pre-season testing programme this month in Spain.

“I cannot actually believe that I will be back on the BTCC grid this year,” Hamilton said having competed in the Renault Clio Cup UK series for the past two years.

“A lot of people assume that due to my name, I will have all of the funding in the world, but this could not be any further from the truth.

“I have been on my own for the past six years, grinding away, trying to get a full season under my belt with all of the support I need.

“I have not had a continuous career in motorsport that allows me to work on my foundation. I have just been testing at the races, doing a decent job due to my funding level and experience, but getting judged on who I am related to.

“I am very proud that I finally get this chance to have a full crack at motorsport and to be doing it in the BTCC, driving for a competitive outfit such as Motorbase Performance, is unbelievable. It gives me great pride in knowing that, when I sit in my car this year, I did it all off my own back and I can't wait to get started.

“I am still very inexperienced and am just going to take it all in my stride, do as best as I can, drive like I know I can, develop my craft and see where that takes me.”

Motorbase Performance team boss David Bartrum is eager to see Hamilton succeed with the team and feels he can be an inspirational character for the whole squad.

“I'm looking forward to Nic joining us in the BTCC,” Bartrum said. “He brings a different type of journey for us to go on with him.

“He also brings with him a steely determination, a willingness to learn and a craving to succeed. From what I've of Nic so far, his approach is very professional and I would defy anyone to spend five minutes in his company not to be inspired by him.”