James Nash to return to BTCC for 2018 in BTC Honda Civic Type R
James Nash will return to the British Touring Car Championship this season at the wheel of a BTC Norlin Racing Honda Civic Type R
Nash scored one win during a three-year spell in the BTCC from 2009-11, and was the independent drivers' champion in 2011 in a Triple Eight Racing Vauxhall Vectra.
He graduated to the World Touring Car Championship the following year as part of Arena Motorsport's short-lived Ford programme, but impressed sufficiently to earn a move to Craft-Bamboo for 2013 and won the independents' title in 2013 in a Chevrolet Cruze, finishing third overall.
More recently, he linked up with Craft-Bamboo again in the TCR International Series and was pipped to the title in 2016 by Stefano Comini, and finished seventh last season in one of the team's SEAT Leon TCRs.
Craft-Bamboo has decided against committing to the new World Touring Car Cup for 2018 and Nash will now move back to the BTCC after six seasons out.
"I'm delighted to be joining BTC Norlin Racing, we've been looking at opportunities over the winter and Norlin made an offer we couldn't refuse," said Nash, who joins Chris Smiley in BTC's two-car line-up.
"The Honda Civic has proved to be one of the cars to beat so I'm confident of being competitive from the get-go."
BTC will switch from Chevrolet Cruze machinery to campaigning a pair of Civics this season.
Team director Bert Taylor added: "We are really excited for our prospects in the 2018 season and now have two young drivers and cars that are capable of challenging for podium places at each round.
"James has the character and determination to win and we are thrilled to welcome him to BTC Norlin Racing."
2018 BTCC line-up so far
WSR BMW: Colin Turkington, Rob Collard, Andrew Jordan
Team Dynamics Honda Civic: Matt Neal
Team BMR Subaru Levorg: Ash Sutton, Jason Plato
Speedworks Motorsport Toyota Avensis: Tom Ingram
Eurotech Racing Honda Civic: Jack Goff, Matt Simpson
Motorbase Performance Ford Focus: Tom Chilton, Mat Jackson
Power Maxed Racing Vauxhall Astra: Josh Cook, Senna Proctor
Ciceley Racing Mercedes A-Class: Adam Morgan, Tom Oliphant
HMS Racing Alfa Romeo Giulietta: Rob Austin
BTC Norlin Honda Civic: Chris Smiley, James Nash
Team Hard Volkswagen CC: Jake Hill, Mike Bushell, Michael Caine, Bobby Thompson
AmD Tuning Audi S3: Ollie Jackson, Sam Smelt
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