Motorbase Performance, who will be named Airwaves BMW for a second successive season, go into the first round of the season at Thruxton with high hopes of scoring well. Airwaves BMW will see two new drivers this season with Mat Jackson joining from RML and Steven Kane making his return after a one year absence.

David Bartrum, team boss of Airwaves UK, lives and breathes motorsport and has taken on a mammoth task of running two cars in the BTCC as well as six cars in the Porsche Supercup. “It’s been a tough winter so getting back out there is something the whole team cannot wait for. Thruxton is notoriously difficult for BMWs but I’m hopeful we can bring home good solid points in every round. To challenge and win the championship, it’s important we get on the scorecard early. Both Steven and Mat performed well in testing and I have faith in the pair of them. We’ll have to see how the weather plays out but a spot of rain could be a positive – we’ll just have to wait and see.”

Steven Kane will be looking to prove to Bartrum that bringing him back to the team was the right decision. “Joining the Airwaves BMW team has happened so quickly which makes this first race all the more exciting. The test day at Brands last week was my chance to get to grips with the car and the new tyres. After 18 months racing in single-seaters, I wasn’t sure how it would go but straight away I felt how far the team and car have come. That was reflected in my lap times, fastest in the morning session and third fastest overall. Thruxton is a fast circuit and I’ve won a lot of races there over the years. I’m confident I can bring some points home for the Airwaves BMW team because winning the championship is the main goal. “

Mat Jackson will be returning to a BMW after he left to drive for RML last year and their Chevrolet Lacetti’s so the switch to the RWD drivetrain shouldn’t be too difficult for the 28-year-old. “It’s great to be back in a BMW again and I can’t wait for Thruxton. I’ve done well there and won quite a few races over the years so I’d love to build on that. It’s great to be working with the Airwave BMW team and I know I can kick up a gear and score some early points. This weekend’s races could be a huge step toward claiming the championship”

James Mappin is the editor-in-chief covering the British Touring Car Championship. You can contact him at james@btcccrazy.co.uk, on twitter @BTCCCrazy or on his personal twitter account @jamesmappin.