Jake Hill hopes to win races in the British Touring Car Championship this year after re-signing with the Strood-based Team HARD squad.

The Goudhurst racer, 22, competed in his first full season last year, scoring a career-high fifth-place finish at Silverstone.

Hill will handle a Volkswagen CC in 2017 after team bosses replaced their aging Toyota Avensis machines over the winter.

“I do not see any reason why we cannot start challenging for podiums and wins,” Hill said.

“Last year I was aiming for consistent top-10 finishes and while that is the target again this year, podiums are what I am going for.

“I also want to win races and Aron Taylor-Smith showed last year that the VW can win and there is no reason why I cannot do the same.”

Hill – who had only competed in one-off outings before his 2016 campaign – regularly challenged the frontrunners last season.

The former Ginetta racer finished 17th in the standings and will join Michael Epps and Will Burns at Team HARD this term.

"I think we will definitely be on the podium this year..." - Jake Hill

“It is a relief that the deal is all done now and we can just focus on getting the cars finished and start testing,” Hill added.

“I am happy to be back with the team again and the mechanics on my car are awesome – the car should be a lot better than what the Avensis was as well.

“I know I will get used to it straight away, it is just going to be about how quickly we as a team can get used to the suspension and extract the best from the new tyre.”

Hill’s Volkswagen, which will be fitted with a new Swindon TOCA engine, was previously owned by the front-running Team BMR operation.

“I don’t think Brands will be the strongest track for us, but from Donington we will be on it,” he added.

“Everybody on the grid knows the VW is a fast car in a straight line which is a big bonus.

“The bodywork is the same as when BMR had it and they were like a rocket in a straight line then.

“The Toyotas we had last year were all built by different teams, but the VWs were put together on the same platform so we can all work this season on the same basis.”

"Getting everything done early takes a massive amount of stress out of it..." - Jake Hill

Hill, who had a seat fitting in his new car last week, expects to conduct a shakedown next month.

“The cars are over the halfway mark in terms of being built and I imagine we might start testing in very early March,” he said.

“My mechanics are great and that feels me with massive confidence in terms of driving the car.

“I think we will definitely be on the podium this year and I will be very disappointed if that does not happen.

“This is also the earliest I have ever got signed up for a season which is nice.

“We are, for sure, in the best place I have ever been in my career – getting everything done early takes a massive amount of stress out of it.”

The first three rounds of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship will be held at Brands Hatch on Sunday, April 2. Tickets cost £34 on the gate, with under-13s going free. Visit www.brandshatch.co.uk for details.