General News
24/Nov/2007
BTCC drive for SEAT champion
SEAT has confirmed that the winner of its one-make Cupra series next season will become part of its line-up at a British Touring Car Championship race meeting in 2009.
The prize means that SEAT’s reigning champion will have an opportunity to dazzle for one weekend at the wheel of a third factory-backed BTCC Leon. They will also test the car prior to the event, be fully involved in technical briefings and receive marketing and public relations assistance from SEAT UK.
2008 will mark the fifth consecutive year that the Cupra series has been a part of the BTCC’s exciting support race package. Only the new SEAT Leon Cupra cars will be eligible to race in the series as its Cupra R predecessor is fazed out after five years of racing. SEAT has also confirmed that the champion will win a new road-going Leon FR and that the series' famed huge cash prize fund will be spread more evenly across the field at each race meeting.
Cupra champion in 2006 Mat Jackson made a huge impression in his debut BTCC season this year – winning twice in Andy Priaulx’s World Touring Car title-winning BMW that he bought with his £100,000 prize.
Previously, 2003 and 2004 champions Robert Huff and James Pickford were handed full-time drives with SEAT’s BTCC squad for the 2004 and 2005 season respectively alongside Jason Plato, with Huff managing to win twice.
