Ollie Jackson Joins AmD
AmD Tuning.com has confirmed Ollie Jackson will drive the team’s turbo-powered Volkswagen Golf in 2012.
The West Thurrock-based team has agreed a deal with Jackson that will see him embark on a first full season in the British Touring Car Championship.
Jackson, from Surrey, joins AmD after making his BTCC debut in the final two rounds of the 2011 season with the Triple Eight team, taking a best finish of eleventh.
Prior to his BTCC bow, the 27-year-old enjoyed success in Caterham racing before taking the Pro-Am1 title in the Porsche Carrera Cup in 2010. Jackson then raced in the British GT Championship in early 2011, taking a GT4 class win at Spa before joining Triple Eight for the final two rounds of the BTCC season.
“After the two rounds last season in the Vectra, I knew the BTCC was where I wanted to be full-time in 2012 and I’m delighted that I’ve been able to agree a deal with AmD Tuning.com,” Jackson said. “I’m really pleased to have a deal confirmed nice and early, which will give me time to carry out some decent testing before the opening rounds.
“Since I moved into car racing, I’ve never had a full testing programme before the season started, so its good that I’ll be able to spend some meaningful time behind the wheel of the Golf, especially as I don’t have much experience of front-wheel drive.
“My initial aim is to see where I stand when we get to Brands Hatch and then make improvements and move forwards. However, the Golf is a proven car that showed good pace in 2011 and my target is to bring home top ten finishes as the year goes on. The team has welcomed me onboard and I can’t wait to get started.”
Announcing their plans at the Autosport International show in Birmingham on Thursday, Team Principal Shaun Hollamby confirmed that the 2012 Golf would remain the same basic package that competed in 2011, but hopes a series of tweaks that have been carried out over the winter will propel the team into the top ten on a regular basis.
“We spoke to a number of drivers about 2012 and are delighted we have been able to agree a deal with Ollie, and agree a deal this early in the year,” AmD Tuning.com team principal Shaun Hollamby said. “He will get the chance to test the Volkswagen for the first time in mid-February and that will be the first part of a full test programme ahead of the new season. That is an important part of our plans for 2012 as it will be the first time we have been able to carry out a full testing programme before the season starts.
“Ollie impressed me last year with his performances in the Triple Eight car when you consider that he hadn’t raced a front-wheel drive machine before, and I’m confident that he can help us take further steps forward and help us fight inside the top ten on a regular basis.
“We have made some tweaks to the Golf over the winter and are confident that the regulations in place for the new season will work in our favour as it should be easier for the series to equalise performance between the different turbo engines on the grid. We know we were down on power a little last year but I’m confident that the regulations will help with that this season, and with Ollie onboard, I’m looking forward to a successful 2012.”
We spoke to Ollie just after the official announcement.
Mike Trusler
