James Kaye returns to the BTCC with AmD Tuning

Kaye, 49, who has not raced regularly in the BTCC since 2006, will compete primarily for the Jack Sears Trophy, which will be awarded to the best driver in S2000 machinery over the course of the season.

"It's a few years since I last competed in the BTCC, but I'm delighted to have the chance to make a return this season," said Kaye, who made a handful of starts at the end of 2010 in a Honda Integra-R run by his own WRC Developments squad.

"I know that we won't be running at the front of the field against the NGTC cars with the rules as they are for this season.

"But I think we have a good package amongst the Jack Sears Trophy runners and even though I've not been on the grid for a while, I'm confident we'll quickly be up to speed and right in contention for S2000 honours."

Kaye established himself in the BTCC by winning the independents' title in 1992 and '94 and spent two years as a works Honda driver during the series' Super Touring heyday.

He won the short-lived production class in 2002 in a Synchro Motorsport Honda and then stepped up to the full BTCC with the team the following season, taking his lone podium finish at Oulton Park in 2006.

Shaun Hollamby's AmD team announced in January that it was building an NGTC Vauxhall Astra that would appear during the second half of the year.

It now also appears likely to field an ex-Motorbase Performance S2000 Ford Focus ST alongside the Golf in the Jack Sears Trophy provided a driver with a suitable budget can be found.