Reigning BMW club series champion Rick Kerry has announced plans to enter the first diesel-powered car into Britain’s biggest motor racing series, the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

Ipswich-based Kerry will enter a BMW 1 Series, acquired from BMW Motorsport in Germany, powered by diesel fuel using a turbo-charged engine. Five cars running on environmentally-friendly bio-ethanol fuel raced in last year’s BTCC but this will be first diesel-powered project to appear in the championship since it began in 1958.

The unique car is scheduled to make its first public appearance during BTCC Media Day at the Rockingham circuit in Northamptonshire on Tuesday 13 March before it makes its competition debut in the championship’s opening rounds at Brands Hatch on 1 April. The car will be run by Kerry’s own Team AFM Racing outfit, newly set-up to concentrate on developing the diesel technology.

Kerry, aged 35, said: “We anticipate we’ll have a bit less power than the petrol and bio-ethanol cars but much more torque away from the grid and out of corners – whether that will be a big enough gain to overcome the power deficiency remains to be seen.

“Green fuels are very much a part of motor sport’s agenda and will play a major part in the sport’s future. Diesel engines have progressed so far in road cars and in racing circles this is technology still in its early phases of development as opposed to being at the end of its development.”

BTCC Series Director Alan Gow commented: “Any fan of the BTCC should applaud this project and we all very much look forward to seeing the car make its debut in the BTCC. I’m sure it will enjoy a considerable following amongst our crowds and TV audiences.

“It was only a matter of time before someone took advantage of the championship’s profile to showcase diesel technology, just as several teams did to their great advantage with bio-ethanol in 2006. We wish Rick’s team the very best of luck.”

Kerry believes the 1 Series has the potential to cause a few shock results – in wet conditions last year its nimble handling enabled it to beat an entry list of touring cars in Germany – running to similar FIA Super 2000 technical regulations as used in the BTCC.

He added: “At twistier circuits like Brands Hatch and Knockhill we hope we’ll be pretty strong. At longer European race circuits, with the 1 Series running in endurance specification, lap times were marginally slower than S2000 spec cars. In sprint-spec, and with the BTCC field now running to S2000 regulations, our lap times should be competitive, hopefully putting us in touch with the front runners.

“We’re very much entering unchartered waters here so there are a lot of unkowns and we certainly expect a few tears along the way, but it’s also a very exciting project with which to be involved. We are all very determined to make this work.”

For more information about the BTCC visit the championship's official website http://www.btcc.net/.

Note to sportsdesk: hi-res copyright free BTCC images are available from BTCC.net's Media section. Log-in details are available from the contact below.   Rick Kerry's BMW will become the first diesel-powered car ever to race in the BTCC Kerry hopes his BMW's diesel-turbo motor will cause the odd surprise in this year's BTCC