Thompson returns to the Touring Car fold

The 26-year-old Yorkshireman, who lost his drive with Honda when the Japanese manufacturer pulled out at the end of last year and was dumped from his seat with the Abt Sportsline DTM squad, will drive a Vauxhall Astra with backing from internet bank Egg. Thompson is joined in the Triple Eight satellite team, which is strictly a non-factory arrangement, by former Renault Spider racer Phil Bennett, who is believed to have facilitated the Egg deal.

"It's a fresh start," said Thompson. "Having seen the cars and how the series is structured it looks exciting," he said. "There are a few manufacturers coming into it, and the cars actually look better than the old Super Touring cars."

The entry list released by TOCA reveals 13 cars, and five different makes, for the new-look BTC Touring class, although both the works MGs of Anthony Reid and Warren Hughes won't appear until towards the end of the season. Ex-single-seater star Darren Malkin and former Vauxhall Vectra Challenge champion Dave Pinkney team up at JS Motorsports, which will run a pair of Alfa Romeo 147s.

The trio of works Peugeot 406s - driven by Matt Neal, Dan Eaves and Steve Soper - are joined by a pair of ABG Motorsport-run Lexus IS200s for Kurt Luby and Brazilian Thomas Erdos.

Jason Plato and Yvan Muller will drive the works Vauxhall Astras, which are also run by Triple Eight.


2, Anthony Reid, MG Sport & Racing, MG Z S
4, Yvan Muller, Vauxhall Motorsport, Vauxhall Astra
5, Jason Plato, Vauxhall Motorsport, Vauxhall Astra
8, Matt Neal, Peugeot Sport UK, Peugeot 406 Coupe
9, James Thompson, Team Egg Sport, Vauxhall Astra
14, Darren Malkin, JSM, Alfa Romeo 147
15, David Pinkney, JSM, Alfa Romeo 147
20, Warren Hughes, MG Sport & Racing, MG Z S
22, Dan Eaves, Peugeot Sport UK, Peugeot 406 Coupe
27, Phil Bennett, Team Egg Sport, Vauxhall Astra
41, Kurt Luby, ABG Motorsport, Lexus IS200
42, Thomas Erdos, ABG Motorsport, Lexus IS200
44, Steve Soper, Peugeot Sport UK, Peugeot 406 Coupe