Dan Zelos can exceed expectations and spring a surprise in 2016, reckons Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship race-winner Adam Morgan – the man who will be mentoring the gifted Norfolk ace over the course of his maiden campaign in the fiercely-disputed, ITV4-televised Renault UK Clio Cup.Following two extremely successful seasons in the Ginetta Junior Championship – yielding a brace of victories, no fewer than 16 podium finishes and back-to-back top four placings in the final classification – Zelos has shifted his burgeoning career up a gear this year by electing to contest the single-make, BTCC-supporting Clio Cup with established tin-top outfit Ciceley Motorsport.The highly-rated Dereham-based hotshot has since been busy lapping up the testing miles at Thruxton, Silverstone and Oulton Park, with further outings planned for Brands Hatch and Rockingham – the latter playing host to the official Renault UK Clio Cup Media Day on 23 March, when his Evergreen Tyres-sponsored Clio will appear in its full livery for the first time. So far, he reveals, so good.“I’m very happy with progress,” Zelos reports. “I’ve settled into the team really well; they’re a great bunch of guys at Ciceley and we’re all beginning to gel – although the atmosphere is obviously ultra-professional, they know how to have fun too, which is important.“I’ve forged a strong relationship with my engineer and my team-mates Ollie [Pidgley] and Max [Coates]. Ollie’s a rookie like me so we’re both learning together, whilst Max has raced in the BTCC before so it will be useful to draw upon his knowledge and by pushing each other, we’ll drive the whole team forwards. We’ve spent a lot of time analysing and comparing data to improve the set-up of the car for the different circuits, and the team seems to be pleased with my feedback.“We’ve had a productive few days’ testing and got some crucial track time under our belts in both dry and wet conditions, which I’m sure will prove beneficial in the long run. The more time I spend in the Clio, the more comfortable and confident I’m feeling – and that’s enabling me to increasingly explore its limits.“That said, I am still getting to grips with driving on slick tyres. They’re cold when you leave the pits which means there’s not much grip available, but to get heat into them you need to put the hammer down quickly without overstepping the mark, and that’s a pretty fine line to tread...”As he prepares to take on the crème de la crème of young British driving talent – with a bumper 23 entries confirmed thus far – the 17-year-old Dereham Sixth Form College A-Level student has been able to call upon the knowledge and expertise of BTCC front-runner Morgan. That, he acknowledges, has provided a genuine boost to his efforts to hit the ground running in the Brands Hatch Indy curtain-raiser on 2/3 April.“Adam has been great,” Zelos enthuses. “He has a lot of experience in front wheel-drive machinery and has been educating me in what to expect and how the Clio is likely to react in different situations. Given that I’ve only raced a rear wheel-drive car before, his assistance and advice have been invaluable.“Budget restrictions might mean we’ve not done quite as much testing as some of our rivals, but we’ve certainly made the most of the time we’ve had. We’re coming on in leaps and bounds and as a team, it doesn’t feel like we’re heading into just our first season in the Clio Cup. Everything’s falling into place nicely, and I’m really looking forward to the start of the campaign. Brands Hatch can’t come soon enough!”Morgan is quick to reiterate those sentiments, praising Zelos for his mature approach in acclimatising to the potent and sophisticated Renault UK Clio Cup race car – based on the road-going Clio Renaultsport 220 Trophy model – and opining that the East Anglian teenager can turn more than a few heads over the coming months.“Dan has made tremendous progress during the few days he has had in the Clio to-date,” he observed. “It is a pleasure to have him in the team, and his attitude and work ethic are exemplary. He is under no illusions about the size of the challenge he is facing, but he is applying himself sensibly and methodically and taking everything on-board, and his commitment is unquestionable.“Not only that, but he has been impressively fast everywhere we have tested, which bodes well for the season ahead. We already had high hopes for Dan when he joined Ciceley, and he has lived up to those expectations and then some – so watch this space!”If you are interested in getting involved in life in the fast lane by sponsoring Dan, please contact: dan@danzelos.com