Team Aon head into this weekends opening round of the season at Brands Hatch as reigning Independent Teams’ Champions but with a very different team to last year.

One of the main changes is the upgrade to the new Ford Focus ‘Global’ Touring Car and with it the change to the NGTC-turbo engine as opposed to the highly controversial LPG engine of last season.

Tom Chilton will remain at the team for another year after winning the Independent Drivers’ Title last time out. “I’m happy with the progress we’ve made over the winter; there’s been a lot of hard work and I think we’ll be able to show the results of that from the first event of the season this weekend,” said Tom.

He went on to say, “Brands Hatch is my local circuit and one of my favourites so I’m expecting for us to be able to deliver some really good lap times around here.”

Tom Chilton will be partnered this year by Andy Neate who replaced the vacant seat left by Tom Onslow-Cole’s departure. Neate who made his return into the series’ last year behind the wheel of the WSR BMW will feel much more at home with the front-wheel drive wheeltrain of the Ford Focus.

“This is a very different car to the one I drove last year, but as a front wheel drive car it’s much more suited to my driving style,” commented Andy.

“I’m quite confident, having tested the car on a couple of occasions I think we’ve got a fantastic package and it’s my aim to be able to challenge for the podium.”

Photo Credit: Jakob Ebrey

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.