W Series racer Jess Hawkins to make BTCC debut
W Series competitor Jess Hawkins will become the fifth driver to campaign the Power Maxed Racing Vauxhall Astra this season when she contests the British Touring Car Championship round at Snetterton.


The 25-year-old will be making her BTCC debut at the 24-25 October event after testing the Vauxhall at the Norfolk circuit last month.
Hawkins will be following in the footsteps of Mike Bushell, who drove the Astra in the August rounds at Oulton Park and Knockhill, plus Rob Austin, Jade Edwards and Jac Constable, who took the wheel at Thruxton, Silverstone and Croft respectively.
As well as racing, she has become well-known as a stunt driver and also appears in the Guinness Book of Records for a record lawnmower 0-100mph record of 6.29 seconds. Her appearance in the BTCC accelerates a tin-top career that includes being a title contender in the 2017 Mini Challenge.
Power Maxed boss Adam Weaver said: “I’m really excited about seeing what Jess can do in the Astra. She impressed us at her initial test session a few weeks ago and, judging by her results in front-wheel drive machinery, should be a strong contender once she hits the Norfolk Tarmac in a couple of weeks.
“Not only does she show phenomenal car control, as evidenced by her on-screen stunt credentials, but she’s a great person to work with, and shows tremendous commercial acumen.”
Read Also:
Hawkins said: “[The] BTCC is where I’ve always wanted to be – it’s my dream. I’ve managed to knock on the door a few times, but I genuinely can’t believe it’s actually happening, especially with such a great team behind me in PMR.
“I hope it’s the first of many appearances on the grid for me!”
Former Ginetta GT4 Supercup and Radical racer Constable did a respectable job on his BTCC debut at Croft and outqualified three of the series regulars.
But he was taken ill on Saturday night and, despite attempts to recover on Sunday morning, was unable to take the start of any of the races.
Meanwhile, Bushell transferred across to the Team Hard Volkswagen CC raced earlier this season by Ollie Brown and Tom Onslow-Cole.
He crashed in both free practice sessions and also hit the barriers in qualifying, but finished all three races in the overall points and claimed the day’s highest score in the Jack Sears Trophy, for drivers who have never finished on an outright BTCC podium before the current season.

Croft BTCC: Ingram holds off charging Cammish for R3 win
Thompson requires medical clearance after huge Croft shunt

Ranking the top 10 BTCC drivers of 2021
A refresh in equipment and some returning faces helped contribute to a supremely competitive 2021 British Touring Car Championship campaign. Ash Sutton was crowned a three-time champion, successfully defending his 2020 title, but faced stiff competition in the final year before the switch to hybrid. Motorsport.com picks out the best performers.
Why the BTCC's ballast increase couldn't stop champion Sutton
Ballast will be gone from the BTCC next year as hybrid power enters the scene, but for its final season the maximum was increased from 60kg to 75kg. Despite having to carry that nearly all season, Ash Sutton was always the favourite to pocket a third title - the 27-year-old getting his reward for a season of speed tempered by savvy to nail his opportunities
The much-loved tin-top superstar bowing out at 59
OPINION: It's not often that a driver achieves widespread affection for their personality, as well as their on-track performances. One such individual is Gabriele Tarquini, who will soon bring the curtain down on a remarkable career that has yielded touring car titles on the European and global stage - and, famously, in Britain too
The making of the BTCC's newest superstar
Ash Sutton is on the verge of being crowned a three-time British Touring Car Champion; he seems to have it all. But life hasn't always been straightforward for this superstar of touring cars, as Marcus Simmons has been finding out
Five key plotlines to follow in the 2021 BTCC
It’s been a busy silly season in the BTCC since the chequered flag fell to end the 2020 campaign last November. While last year’s top two have stayed put, there’s been a lot of fat to chew elsewhere, which should result in another fascinating year of tin-top action.
Why a BTCC legend remains defiant at '97 not out'
After a year of enforced absence from the British Touring Car Championship grid, Jason Plato is back and hungrier than ever. Despite stellar opposition and some familiar challenges, the two-time champion still has his eyes focused on the biggest prizes.
The Top 10 BTCC drivers of 2020
The 2020 British Touring Car Championship will go down as a classic in which new winners graced the top step of the podium and an unloved chassis was resurrected into a champion. But who were the year's top performers?
The Villeneuve-esque 'engineer's dream' who lit up BTCC 2020
The Infiniti Q50 was completely redesigned, redeveloped and revamped by BMR and Laser Tools Racing for 2020. And the flamboyant brilliance of the driver behind the wheel was enough to snatch the title at the last gasp…