Thorburn enlists Peugeot 208 T16 R5 for 2016 BRC

BTRDA champion Euan Thorburn will join the reformed British Rally Championship in a Peugeot 208 T16 R5.

Thorburn competed in two ERC events last year – The Circuit of Ireland and Ypres – in a Ford Fiesta S2000, as well as a bit part BTRDA campaign.

The 2013 BTRDA and 2014 Scottish champion will compete in the car – bought from Peugeot Sport France – and it will be run by the Dom Buckley Motorsport team.

Although Thorburn has competed in the relatively similar S2000, his competition experience in an R5 is limited. However, the Scot says that the team is expecting to be competitive.

“We’re not going to make up the numbers, for sure,” he said. “We’re there to challenge, finish up as high as possible. It’s going to be a learning curve for us but we’re hoping to get close to the top.

“I had a run at Kirkbride at an open day, but apart from that just the two outings in R5s. They’re all similarly regulated and I don’t think there is too much between them. The best drivers will get the best out of them.

“Elfyn [Evans] is the benchmark. It will be a struggle to get near him but we’re all going to give it a try.”

Thorburn, 29, will be joined by co-driver Paul Beaton, who joined him for ERC rounds last year.

They will compete on the Cambrian – the opening round of the BTRDA – as a test before the Brc-opening Mid Wales Stages.