Michael Caine returns to British Touring Car Championship with Hard
Michael Caine will return to the British Touring Car Championship in a Team Hard Toyota Avensis at Snetterton this weekend, and is set to complete the season with the squad
Caine, the 2012 British GT champion, has previously taken part in three BTCC meetings with the Motorbase squad, the last of them at Croft in '13.
He will drive the Avensis previously raced by Chris Smiley, who will switch to the Renault Clio Cup series after funding difficulties.
Caine said he was delighted to be returning to top-line motorsport.
"I have been doing some historic racing, but other than that I haven't been too busy," said 46-year-old Caine, who won the TVR Tuscan Challenge in 2000.
"I had a deal lined up to do the BTCC at the start of the year and then, through no fault of mine, it all fell apart at the last moment.
"This opportunity came up, and it is interesting.
"The team has punched above its weight this season with Michael Epps and Jake Hill, and I hope I will be able to add some experience to the operation.
"Lots of people behind the scenes have helped to make this possible, and I will give it my best shot."
Team Hard principal Tony Gilham said he was sad to lose Smiley from the BTCC team, but thought that Caine would be a useful addition.
"Michael is the perfect fit for us," he said. "Having someone of his capabilities onboard will only help push us further."
Smiley will race a JamSport-prepared Clio for the remaining eight races of the 2016 campaign.
The Northern Irishman, whose best BTCC result was a 16th at Thruxton, has been let down by funding and plagued by unreliability.
"It is a shame, because this was always meant to be the start of a long-term plan in the BTCC, but it has not been a happy start to the season," explained the 24-year-old.
"Everything has been a struggle and we simply have not been able to perform to the level I expected.
"I wanted to keep on racing, and doing it in the Renault Clio Cup is perfect because it keeps me on the radar of the touring car teams by being on the support package
"I want to show that I am still capable of winning races, and I think I can do that in Clios."
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