Edenbridge swaps Britain for Europe

The Kent-based team, which won the 1996 British F3 title with Oliver Gavin before going on to contesting the FIA F3000 series, will now campaign its E46-shape BMW 320is across the continent in the Super Production class, rather than the BTCC's Production category. The cars have been built by Italian BMW experts Team Rafanelli, and the engines have been tuned by the Dutch Carly Motorsport concern.

"The original plan was to race in the British series," said team principal Peter Briggs. "But we have secured extra support which has allowed us to join the highly professional European championship, which will benefit from live Eurosport coverage."

Briggs has signed 23-year-old Yorkshireman James Hanson, who raced in Formula Ford 2000 in the United States last season, winning the Road Atlanta round.

"This is a brilliant opportunity for myself and the team to be working with BMW in the ETCC," said Hanson. "They have had an excellent reputation in the championship in the past and my aim is to improve it further. It will be a big challenge against the experience of other teams and drivers, including Peter Kox and Gianni Morbidelli, but this means that success would be so much sweeter."

Former ETC champion Roberto Ravaglia will run Kox in his new team, while former Ferrari F1 racer Morbidelli will drive for the crack CiBiEmme outfit, where he will be partnered by Stefano Gabellini. All will drive similar BMW 320is.