Kox to drive Ravaglia-run BMW in ETCC

The former BTCC race winner will lead the Italian's two-car team of E46-bodied 320is in the 10-round pan-European series. The move represents a step down in class for Kox, who finished runner-up in a works Honda Accord in last year's European Super Touring Cup, the forerunner of the new FIA ETCC.

His switch from Honda to BMW reunites him with the Munich marque, for which he drove as a works driver from 1995-'98. In his final year he shared a McLaren F1 GTR in the FIA GT Championship with Ravaglia, a former World and European touring car champion.

The Venetian will not drive himself for the team, and is in discussions with drivers about the second seat. Former Ferrari Grand Prix driver Ivan Capelli's name has been connected to the project.

Kox's main opposition in the class with come from the similar 320i of fellow ex-BTCC racer Gianni Morbidelli, who is stepping down to the Production section with the crack BMW Italia-backed CiBiEmme team. Until today's announcement, Kox had been a favourite to re-sign with Honda to once again race a JAS Engineering-prepared Accord in 2001.

JAS stalwart, Italian Gabriele Tarquini, remains the most likely candidate to lead Honda's fight against the works Nordauto Alfa Romeo 156s of Fabrizio Giovanardi and Nicola Larini in the Super Touring category. Paraplegic racer Jason Watt has also been in the hunt for a JAS Honda drive.