HOOK British Touring Car Championship driver Rob Collard believes he can once again be among the front runners when the season starts at Brands Hatch this weekend.

Collard finished sixth overall in the championship last season, gaining his first victory since 2012, and he will looking to do more of the same again this year.

The Hook driver will once again be behind the wheel of a BMW 125i for the West Surrey Racing team, where he is joined by Sam Tordoff and Andy Priaulx.

They replace reigning champion Colin Turkington, who has joined Team BMR, while Odiham’s Nick Foster has decided to sit out this year.

Looking ahead to the season, Collard said: “I think we will do well again, but it is going to be a very close championship and it would not surprise me if only a second covers the top 20 cars in qualifying.

“We have a good team and I am looking for a few more race wins this season.”

Collard is hoping to repeat last season’s good start to the season and added: “We finished in the top six three times at Brands last time. It is a circuit I like and think we can do just as well, if not better, this year.”

Collard’s teenage son Ricky will again be racing single seaters in the inaugural MSA Formula Championship, which is one of the support races to the BTCC.

The 18-year-old has swapped teams, moving from Falcon Motorsport to Arden.