Collins gets Motorbase BTCC chance

Collins, who was unmasked as Top Gear's 'The Stig' recently, will drive a third BMW 320si alongside team regulars Steven Kane and Mat Jackson.

"It's fantastic news to be confirmed in the line-up and I'm looking forward to my first outing in BTCC which should be an action packed finale," Collins said.

"Motorbase are clearly a highly professional and highly motivated team which I'm really keen to work with."

Collins, 35, drove one of the team's BMWs for an AUTOSPORT track test last year, and has remained in contact with team principal David Bartrum ever since.

"We're delighted to be working with Ben again," Bartrum said. "After he had a run in one of our BMWs at Brands Hatch last year, we tried to put something together for a full season, but it didn't quite come off... so we're glad it has for the final round.

"Ben is a great driver and this is an excellent chance to see him mix it with the rest of the BTCC grid."

Collins has previously won races in the British Formula 3 and GT championships and in the FIA Sportscar Championship. He also won the oval-based ASCAR Days of Thunder title in 2003.

He has had only limited race outings this year, but did take an LMP2 class victory in the Le Mans Series race at the Algarve with RML and helped his co-drivers Mike Newton and Thomas Erdos to the LM2 drivers' title.