Ben, who has contested two Clio Cup events in the past, has already tested his Clio Cup race car at the Snetterton, Donington Park and Brands Hatch circuits – the latter will host the opening rounds of this year’s championship on the weekend of Sat 6/Sun 7 April.

The Clio Cup’s 18 rounds in 2019 will take place at nine of the British Touring Car Championship’s high-profile events which are broadcast live on ITV4 and on-line. Trackside crowds average over 38,000 people per event.

Ben, aged 25-year-old from Woodstock near Oxford, is a former top British karter. He commented: “I managed 160 laps in the MRM car at Brands Hatch which is important going into the first rounds there – these will be my first car races for over two years and only my fifth car racing event ever!

“It’s taken some time to pull the right deal together but it means I’ll cherish things even more – to be part of the Clio Cup’s very professional grid and knowing I’ll be going on a UK-wide tour racing in front of the BTCC crowds and on ITV4… I’m buzzing to get going!” Sponsorship for Ben’s campaign will come from R-Tech Welding & Consumables.

And he added: “R-Tech have been very loyal and I’ve got a fantastic team behind me in MRM – they have some very skilled personnel and place a lot of pride on maintenance and reliability with the cars. “I need to manage expectations but if I’m not challenging for podiums at Brands Hatch I’ll be disappointed.” Bristol based MRM is very much a team on the up after winning last November’s Clio Cup ‘world final’ with its young Northern Irish driver Jack Young – already confirmed for its 2019 UK Clio Cup campaign.

MRM Team Principal Mike Ritchie said: “We’re delighted to have Ben joining us for 2019 – he’s been excellent to deal with on the business side and has immediately impressed in his first few tests with us in the Clio Cup car.

“We like to make our drivers feel like family at MRM and Ben is fitting in straight away which always makes the job easier! I believe he can have a really strong season with us.”

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