Suddenly the start of this year's championship seemed a whole lot closer as the teams and drivers gathered for not only the launch, but also the first opportunity to test alongside most, if not all of the opposition.

Tom spent the morning in PR mode, posing for the official photographs for TOCA and the series sponsors and conducting interviews for the TV companies and journalists. Tom commented;

" I quite enjoy all this side of things, I like the attention as long as it doesn't get in the way of the job - the driving - that's the priority. When I first did the BTCC in 2002, it was all a whole new world; the TV, the press, it could be fairly daunting. Last year there was the pressure of my first time with a works team - Honda Racing - and that was even more demanding. This year it feels fantastic. I'm used to all the press stuff we have to do and I recognise people from over the year. I feel much more comfortable with everything, I'm more relaxed and yes, now I'm starting to enjoy this as well. "

Into the afternoon and the equally important first test session where everyone can see and judge the progress and developments made over the winter. Tom drove the works Honda development chassis to continue testing the modifications made to last year's race winning car. The tests are going well and this was evident right from the start of the test session with Tom third fastest after the first few laps. Times were, as usual, very close at the front and Tom ended the afternoon's test having set the fourth fastest lap of the day, just seven thousandths of a second shy of being third overall. He was pleased with the improvements made through the day;

" It's been a good session for us. I'm happy that everything is moving in the right direction. Almost every change we make to the car makes it quicker and I am confident that we will be strong contenders this year. Ultimately the Vauxhalls were a fraction quicker than us, but my final run on new tyres was cut short by the chequered flag ending the session five minutes early. It's looking quite good anyway."

Tom will continue with more testing next week at Magny Cours in France and then back in the UK on the run up to this season's first races at Thruxton at Easter.

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