Thompson to make ETCC debut

Honda team JAS Motorsport has recruited former works Honda British Touring Car Championship driver James Thompson to help Gabriele Tarquini, while Alfa Romeo team Nordauto will field a car for Brazilian Felipe Massa to help title leaders Fabrizio Giovanardi and Nicola Larini.

Giovanardi and Larini currently head the ETCC points standings on 493 points and 486 points respectively, but Tarquini has closed to within 29 points of the pair after strong results in the last two meetings. A total of 160 points are up for grabs in the final two double-headers of the season at Estoril and Jarama.

Thompson has partnered Tarquini at Honda in the BTCC in recent years, while JAS ran the Italian in the series last year. The Yorkshireman will be run in a third Honda Accord alongside Tarquini and Fabrice Walfisch, and is confident he can help the team in its title bid.

"I've never driven at Estoril, and I won't get much testing, so practice will be interesting, but it's a good car so that will make life easier," said Thompson. "I'm looking at my options for next year, and it's handy to do these sorts of things to gain some experience and make some contacts in Europe."

Newly-crowned Euro Formula 3000 champion Massa has tested one of Nordauto's Alfa Romeo 156s this year, and will drive a fourth car for the three-car team to help title favourites Giovanardi and Larini. Team boss Monica Sipsz said: "We believe that Felipe will be able to do a good job. He was quick when we tested him, and he is a star of the future, so it's good to build these links with him."