Josh Cook switches to BTC Honda for 2019 British Touring Car season

The two-time BTCC race winner, and 2015 Jack Sears Trophy champion, will join Chris Smiley at the team, which runs Honda Civic Type Rs.

Cook took his first steps in the championship with Power Maxed Racing in a Chevrolet in 2015 before switching to MG.

Last term, the 27-year-old broke his winning duck on his return to PMR to drive its Vauxhall Astra.

He described the BTC move as "a really exciting opportunity for me as there is huge potential for us to get some great results".

BTC won its maiden BTCC race last season with Smiley at Rockingham, and finished ninth in the teams' standings.

"The Honda Civic is a car that I've wanted to race for some time and BTC Racing is undeniably a team that has made an impressive entry to the BTCC in the last two years," Cook continued.

"Having met the team at their new facilities in Brackley, it's already very clear that we all share the same objectives and desire to succeed this season.

"The team have all the personnel and resources to give me a great chance to be fighting for championship honours this year and give me my best chance to-date at becoming a BTCC champion."

Team boss Bert Taylor was delighted with the signing and believes Cook is a future title-winner.

"I've known Josh from day one of his touring car career, where he has consistently shown the same passion and desire that we have here at BTC Racing to succeed," said Taylor.

"He's already a proven race winner and signing him for this season fits the team's ethos of hard work at every level as we strive for success. Josh has all the credentials to be a future BTCC champion.

"As a team, we love being part of the BTCC. It's a highly competitive championship, with lots of top-class drivers and teams.

"We are a small privately-run outfit, but we feel we can improve on last year and make 2019 an even more exciting season with our two drivers."

2019 BTCC line-up so far

WSR BMW: Colin Turkington, Tom Oliphant, Andrew Jordan
Team Dynamics Honda: Matt Neal, Dan Cammish
Motorbase Performance Ford: Tom Chilton, Ollie Jackson, Nic Hamilton
Speedworks Motorsport Toyota: Tom Ingram
Ciceley Motorsport Mercedes: Adam Morgan, Daniel Rowbottom
BTC Racing Honda: Josh Cook, Chris Smiley
AmD Tuning Honda: Sam Tordoff, Rory Butcher
Laser Tools Racing Mercedes: Aiden Moffat
Simpson Racing Honda: Matt Simpson
Team Hard VW: Mike Bushell, Carl Boardley, Bobby Thompson, Michael Crees
Excelr8 Motorsport MG: Rob Smith
Trade Price Cars Audi: Jake Hill, Mark Blundell