Motorbase to run Liam Griffin in the Jack Sears Trophy

Griffin finished 21st in the BTCC last season, driving one of the team's S2000 Ford Focuses in seven of the 10 rounds.

Motorbase is running Mat Jackson and Aron Smith in its new NGTC Focuses this year, but will also field Griffin in the new Jack Sears Trophy for S2000 machines.

Team boss David Bartrum said: "I'm delighted that Liam has decided to come back and have another crack at the BTCC.

"Last season was very frustrating for him through no fault of his own and I think it felt like unfinished business for him.

"Liam's selfless act of stepping down for part of the season helped pave the way for the success of the NGTC project, so we're very happy to have him back."

Bartrum believes the new trophy, which is designed to encourage those with ageing S2000 machinery, is a good move for the BTCC.

"The Jack Sears Trophy offers the perfect opportunity for Liam to compete with his peers and it has the potential to offer up some fantastic racing for the spectators," he added.

"The S2000 Focus has a strong proven track record, and we have a lot of data on the car that Liam will be able to draw from."

Griffin said: "Last year wasn't the best season for me to be honest, but, having had a little time over the winter break and with the announcement of the Jack Sears Trophy I found it hard to see myself racing anywhere else!

"I'm realistic in my hopes for the 2013. I'm never going to be competing on the same level as the likes of Mat Jackson and Matt Neal but I do think that I'm capable of mixing it up in the middle of the pack, and the Jack Sears Trophy offers up something for those of us further down the grid to focus on."

2013 British Touring Car line-up so far:

Team                   Car                     Drivers
Honda (Team Dynamics)  Honda Civic             Gordon Shedden/Matt Neal
MG (Triple 8)          MG6                     Jason Plato/Sam Tordoff
Motorbase Performance  Ford Focus              Mat Jackson/A Smith/Griffin
WSR                    BMW 125 M               Turkington/Collard/Foster
Team HARD              VW Passat               Tom Onslow-Cole/Howard Fuller
                       Vauxhall Insignia       Jack Goff/James Cole
Speedworks Motorsport  Toyota Avensis          Dave Newsham/TBA
Ciceley Racing         Toyota Avensis          Adam Morgan
IP Tech Race           Chevrolet Cruze         Andy Neate
AmD Tuning             VW Golf/Vauxhall Astra  TBA
Rob Austin Racing      Audi A4                 Rob Austin/Will Bratt
Eurotech Racing        Honda Civic             Andrew Jordan/TBA
Dynojet                Toyota Avensis          Frank Wrathall