NEW DRIVER TO JOIN N.TECHNOLOGY AND JAS WTCC PROGRAMME  

N.Technology will run a second car at two FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) events this season: Monza in Italy and the Japanese rounds in Okayama.  

Japanese driver Yukinori Taniguchi will join James Thompson to drive the second Honda Accord Euro R Super 2000, developed in collaboration with JAS Motorsport.  

Taniguchi, whose racing experience includes wins in the Super Taikyu Endurance Series and the Japan Classic Car Challenge, finished second in the Japan Le Mans Challenge last year. Running in the LMGT-2 Class with a Porsche 997 GT3 RSR, Taniguchi claimed top three class finishes in all four rounds, including one win.  

Hiroshima-born Taniguchi will be testing with N.Technology ahead of his WTCC debut at the Adria International Raceway circuit in Italy on 24-25 September, before heading to Monza the following week.  

"We have been looking into running a second car for some time," said N.Technology Team Manager Andrea Muller. "It had to be right however, and we believe Yuke will be a worthwhile addition to the team. His experience at Okayama, where he finished first last year in the Japan Le Mans Challenge, will be extremely valuable to us."

Alessandro Mariani, JAS Managing Director, added: "The Honda Accord has raced in the WTCC since the Championship started and finally, for 2008, there is a Japanese race. The only thing left missing was a Japanese driver and so we all are very pleased that Yuke will be part of this project in Monza and in Okayama. This is a great opportunity for us."