22nd January 2008

Northern Ireland’s Andrew Herron enjoyed his first taste of SEAT Leon Cupra power today at Brands Hatch Indy Circuit in Kent; the 19-year-old making his track debut in the JHR Developments run car he will campaign in this year’s SEAT Cupra Championship.

Getting behind the wheel of his brand new 300bhp SEAT for the first time since confirming his 2008 race deal at the Autosport International Show earlier this month, the Dromore based racer couldn’t wipe the smile off his face as he completed more than 90 laps of trouble-free running under sunny skies.

Adapting to the car well, Andrew’s first impression of the turbocharged SEAT was incredibly positive and he is now looking forward to his next run out in the car which will take place tomorrow, Wednesday, 23rd January, at Oulton Park in Cheshire during an exclusive test day for the JHR Developments squad.

“Today has been fantastic, I thoroughly enjoyed my first run in the SEAT”, said Andrew at the conclusion of the test, “The car is much, much quicker than the Renault Clio I raced last year and it does take a while to get used to the turbo. You really have to feed in the power otherwise you end up killing the tyres.

“The downshift of the gears takes a little while to get used to as well, it’s a different technique than what I’ve been used to in Clio Cup, but as soon as you get adjusted it’s not a problem at all. We were pretty quick by the end of the day, even though we stayed on the same set of tyres, so I’m feeling confident for the year ahead.”

The Brian Herron Contracts-backed ace added: “Obviously, it’s a new car and we have plenty of time before the season starts. There’s no rush, we just want to build up nice and slowly and then be really well prepared before the first races of the year in March.”

Approaching only his second ever season of competition in saloon cars, Andrew is on the crest of a wave after an incredible debut year in the ELF Renault Clio Cup which saw him finish ninth overall in the driver standings. Then, in the four-race winter series, he went on to become Vice-Champion and took his maiden victory during round three.

Rather than contest another year in Clios, where he would undoubtedly have been a leading title contender, Andrew has taken the decision to step up to the more powerful and prestigious SEAT Cupra Championship as he bids to rapidly establish a professional career in saloon and sportscar racing.

Following tomorrow’s exclusive test at Oulton Park, Andrew will round-off his first week of SEAT testing at Rockingham Motor Speedway in Northamptonshire on Thursday, 24th January. Don’t forget, the opening two rounds of the SEAT Cupra Championship take place at Brands Hatch Indy Circuit over the weekend 29th/30th March.