NORTHALLERTON racing driver Ethan Hammerton is hoping for more fast-track success after re-joining Team HARD in this season’s JCW Mini Challenge series.

Hammerton, who is 19, has signed up with Team HARD in partnership with JamSport Racing for the Mini Challenge, which has replaced the UK Clio Cup on the roster of support series for the British Touring Car Championship.

The teenager is preparing for his third season with Team HARD, having already experienced two successful campaigns with the respected motorsport outfit.

Hammerton joined Team HARD on a scholarship basis in 2018, beating off stiff competition from more than 100 other drivers to land a fully-funded drive in the VW Cup Championship.

His performances in the VW earned him considerable praise, and he became the third youngest British Touring Car driver of all time when Team HARD entered him into the BTCC at the age of just 17.

Last season represented another step forward, with Hammerton continuing his racing in the BTCC paddock in the UK Renault Clio Cup. He was part of Team HARD alongside fellow North Yorkshire driver Max Coates, who has also signed up for this year’s Mini Challenge.

While Coates has changed teams, joining Elite Motorsport, Hammerton has remained with his previous employers, who have joined up with JamSport to form a new outfit for 2020.

JamSport are heading into their fourth season in the Mini Challenge, having won the championship in 2018 with Ant Whorton-Eales, who has returned to drive alongside Hammerton as his new team-mate.

“I am really looking forward to the Mini Challenge as the cars are the nearest thing I have driven to a Touring Car,” said Hammerton.

“I know this year is going to be tough, as it is going to take time to get used to the differences to the Renault Clio, but I am looking forward to working with Ant Whorton-Eales again, who helped me secure second in the UK Renault Clio Junior Championship.”

Hammerton performed consistently last season, with a string of podium finishes helping Team HARD win the Team Entrants Cup. He achieved a number of graduate wins, and the highlight of his season came at Thruxton when he recorded a Clio Cup overall win in his debut season.

Having finished as vice-champion in the 2017 UK Renault Clio Junior Championship, he has long been earmarked as a potential BTCC star of the future and completed a summer touring car test with Team HARD in 2019.

This year’s Mini Challenge looks set to see the series’ profile soar as it has been elevated to full support status at eight of the ten BTCC events.

The Croft Circuit date, which is sure to be of special significance to Hammerton and Coates, is currently due to take place on the weekend of August 15-16.

As things stand, the season is due to begin at Donington Park on the weekend of March 28-29, although the current coronavirus crisis means racing is unlikely to take place this month.

Yesterday’s BTCC season launch at Silverstone took place without public attendance in the wake of the Government’s latest coronavirus advice, although today’s planned pre-season test session is still due to take place as planned.