Second Infiniti Q50 ready for Donington BTCC, Welch to race too

Richard Hawken will make his series debut in the second Support our Paras Racing Q50, having been forced to miss the opening round at Brands Hatch due to a parts problem.

Hawken's team-mate Derek Palmer Jr gave the Japanese marque its BTCC debut in the lone Q50, which itself had only been completed the week before the race.

Whereas Palmer was at least able to complete a shakedown and short performance runs at the team's Mallory Park base prior to Brands, Hawken's first run in the car will be in first practice on Saturday.

"It absolutely is," Hawken told AUTOSPORT when asked if the second car was ready to race at Donington. "All systems are go. I'm champing at the bit to get going.

"The learning is going to continue for both cars. I'll be straight into the deep end but it's more exciting. It might not be as successful but it is a lot more exciting.

"I'm being very practical about it, what we want is three solid finishes."

WELCH RETURN BOLSTERS GRID TO 29

Dan Welch will also make a belated start to his season at Donington this weekend after missing the opening round with a broken foot.

The Welch Motorsport driver will join team-mate Andy Wilmot (pictured), who failed to start a race at Brands due to myriad technical problems.

Team boss John Welch said his son's return should coincide with the outfit finally proving its difficult 2014 season, in which it struggled with engine issues, was behind it.

"We're now doing a lot better and I'm fairly certain the fault that has thwarted our progress all year has been solved," he said.

"We're one of the few teams that are still building our own engines and, rightly or wrongly, that is a big project.

"There's a bit of fine-tuning to do and, while we will undoubtedly encounter the normal ups and downs of motor racing, things are looking very positive now."