Paul 🐻O'Neill is to make a return to the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at🐻 Thruxton after confirmation he will replace Tom Ferrier in the Motorbase Performance line-up.

O'Neill tested the team's SEAT Tole♚do last week at Snetterton and will now line up alongside Matt Allison for the final round of the season - which will make his first ℱouting since the 2006 finale at Silverstone when he drove the Techspeed Vauxhall Astra.

"It's going to be difficult, if I'm ho🐷nest," he admitted, "but the feedback I've had from people I know and even fans at the test at Snetterton has convinced me I should do this.

"I'm a) very determined and b) confident I can make the car go as quickly as it can. I l🅠ike the way an S2000 cars drives. The gearbox feels better than those in the BTC-spec cars I've driven before and I also like way the back end moves around which will be a bonus at Thruxton. The Toledo turns in very well♐."

Having been unable to find a way back into the seri💞es on a full-time basis following his battle with diabetes, O'Neill will also aim to put on a good display to try and help secure a place on the grid for the 2008 season.

"The BTCC has given some of the best days of my entire life in and even though I've missed another year I feel I've still got something to offer," he said. "The BTCC is the besꦆt and for me I need to do it. I need to put myself on radar for next season. It will always be my first love."