New Malden motorhead Tom Onslow-Cole only managed to get behind the wheel of his new NGTC Volkswagen Passat CC 24 hours before the first race of the BTCC season.

The 25-year-old arrived at Brands Hatch on Saturday morning, in time for practice and qualifying for Sunday’s opening races, just as the Team Hard engineers were putting the final touches to the new-build car.

It meant the weekend’s racing became a public testing event for Onslow-Cole and the team. Even so, he raced to 14th and 16th-place finishes, sandwiching an unclassified finish in race two.

He said: “It was a tough weekend – we only managed to get the car finished at 8.30 on Saturday morning.”

The first practice session of the day started at 10am, with qualifying at 3.40 – where Onslow-Cole placed 17th.

“Although I’m pleased with the overall weekend, it is difficult to test the car in public, because the crowd are expecting you to be going all out but you have to be careful.

“There are some niggles to sort out. We’re not running at full power yet because there are some internal engine issues to be sorted out.

“But there is potential there, and it is clear we have a good car.

“We’re at the very early stages, but the signs are good.”

The BTCC moves on to Donington Park on April 21, with 2010 champion Jason Plato in his MG6 car making the early running in the drivers’ standings.