Kizilirmak to switch cars for Brands

The 39-year-old Turkish driver will leave his Arkas Racing-run Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch in the garage and instead race an older Astra Coupe - the chassis that Yvan Muller raced to second place in the 2004 championship.

Erkut said: "It's a bit different and it will also give the BTCC fans a rare chance to see the car, which Yvan raced brilliantly in 2004, back on track at Brands Hatch. The race between Yvan and Jason Plato that year at Brands Hatch is very famous and it's responsible for getting me hooked on the BTCC!"

"With the car being in Turkey we've never really had the opportunity to run it in the UK before so I'm really looking forward to this - it realises a long-held dream of mine and will be a fantastic end to the season for me."

Erkut, who lies 22nd in the championship and 16th in the Independents standings, has also confirmed that he will not race in the BTCC next season, instead running his Astra Sport Hatch in his domestic series. He plans to return though for 2010.

He added: "I have taken the decision to take a year away from the BTCC at the end of the current season due to my business commitments and the demands on my time back in Turkey."