MATTHEW WILSON IS KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY

Matthew Wilson is planning a full season in the VW Cup. Photo: www.jakobebrey.com

The Milltek Sport Volkswagen Racing Cup has attracted further teenage talent for the coming season in the shape of young Matthew Wilson, who is to become the third member of his family to tackle a full season of the championship.

The Wiltshire-based 19-year-old has spent a year stripping and rebuilding the Golf GTI which his elder brother Tom raced with success in 2011 and ’12 and is set to embark on his new challenge starting with Easter’s Oulton Park rounds (Apr 4-6).

Matthew has raced the car once before, making his track debut at Donington Park at the end of the 2013 season, but has had his hands full since working in the family construction business, Molson, and graduating with distinction from his motorsport engineering course.

“We had planned to do the championship last year,” said Matthew, “but we opted instead to take a break and prep the car really thoroughly, taking our time and making sure everything’s right. We’ve a little more work to do to it and I hope to be out testing in it next month and then to get as much time as possible in the car ahead of the season.”

Matthew will be taking tips from Tom, who was the championship’s top rookie in 2011 and who finished fourth overall the following season, and from his father, Jonathan, who raced his Scirocco to an impressive overall 10th in his maiden season of racing in 2012.

Wilson is one of a clutch of teen racers preparing for the coming season: Damani Marcano, Robert Cox and Bobby Thompson – aged 16, 17 and 18 respectively – will drive Team HARD Golfs.

The Milltek Sport Volkswagen Racing Cup is the chief supporting series to the British GT Championship, featuring alongside the UK’s leading sports car championship at all of its events, most of them televised live on Motors TV. This season will see 16 races decide the championship outcome, with longer races planned for the Spa, Snetterton and Donington Park events.