Cole makes return to Motorbase Ford Focus in BTCC as he replaces Mat Jackson

James Cole will drive a Motorbase Performance Ford Focus RS in the British Touring Car Championship this season.

The 29-year-old, who won a race at Rockingham last season at the wheel of a Team BMR Subaru Levorg, has replaced Mat Jackson in the Kent team’s line-up. Despite agreeing a deal, Motorbase and Jackson “parted ways” two weeks ago.

Cole, a former British Formula Ford champion, has previously driven for Motorbase when he handled one of its Focus ST cars, although the team only took part in the latter part of the 2015 campaign while it developed its new car.

The Liverpool-based racer, who will line up alongside Tom Chilton in one of the two Shredded Wheat cars, joined Motorbase for a test session at the Parc Castelloli circuit in Spain last week. Sam Tordoff will drive a Team Gardx Racing version of the Motorbase Ford.

Cole said: “It was like putting back on an old pair of gloves at the test. I thought it might take a while to get to grips with front-wheel drive again but I managed to get up to speed very quickly.

“I am probably more excited about this season than any before .The Focus RS really feels like a racing car, much more so than any other front-wheel-drive BTCC car I have driven.

“It’s also great to be back working with James Mundy, my engineer from [the Jamun team in] Formula Ford, it’s been 10 years since we last worked together so it feels like a homecoming.”

Team boss David Bartrum said: “James has done a very good job in the Subaru in the time he’s been away. He’s won a race and has clearly raised his game and coming back to FWD may well suit him.”