Special Tuning Racing are the latest team to announce their plans for the 2012 season.

The team who finished the 2011 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship in the top ten with both Tom Boardman and Dave Newsham at the wheel, has already started development towards the 2012 FIA World Touring Car Championship just weeks after Team Aon also announced their intentions to join the WTCC in a plan to expand the team to four cars over the two championships.

John Boardman commented, “We are very excited by the prospect of working closely with SEAT Sport as a customer ‘works’ team. This will take our involvement with running SEAT touring cars to the next level. We have over eight years experience racing the Leon in the WTCC, BTCC and SEAT single make series. This support from SEAT should make us even more competitive in next season’s championship. We look forward to making our experience produce front running pace in the WTCC.”

The team will use a new SEAT Sport developed 1.6 T engine and gearbox in a new specification SEAT Leon along with support from the Spanish manufacturer.

Special Tuning will run a two car team as they venture onto the world stage for the second time in their career as well as entering the two cars in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship. STR are yet to announce their driver line up for their four cars after regular 2011 driver, Tom Boardman hinted that he would like to drive in the WTCC at the end of the 2011 season.

Photo Credit: Marc Waller

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.