Tom is confident of a strong performance in next season’s British Touring Car Championship as confirmation is announced of his and Fabrizio Giovanardi’s continuation with the multi-title winning factory team.

Ian Harrison, team boss at Vauxhall’s works team Triple Eight, commented that keeping his star drivers in the team would be crucial in its attempt to regain the BTCC titles it lost out on this season.

“Choosing the drivers is a joint decision between all the parties involved. One of the things we felt we missed this year was continuity. Changing the whole team cost us at the start of the season; you can see from the points spread. I think Fabrizio scored 42 per cent of his points total in the last three race meetings. We didn’t want to go through that again.”

Tom also feels that his second year with the team will bring a return to his sparkling form during 2005 that brought about his joining Vauxhall for this season.

He commented, “2006 was a year of big change, with everybody trying to get to know each other. You can try and rush these things, but it never really happens until the second year. Now, I feel I’ve got a really good bond with the team.”

For 2007, Vauxhall will have to design and develop a new car to meet the BTCC’s new FIA Super 2000 regulations, but the last time the championship underwent such sweeping changes, the UK manufacturer went and dominated the standings for the next four years.

And Tom firmly believes that his and Vauxhall’s proven abilities to win will make them a formidable force next year.

He added: “I’d like to say it’s a dead cert that I’ll get my first win for the team – we’re all capable of it and we’ve all done it before lots of times.”

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