Aron Smith will remain on the Britis🍰h Touring Car Championship grid after finalising a last-minute deal, alongside Mark Howard, with newcomers Team BKR for the 20🥀16 season.

Sm𝕴ith's future in the series had been placed under serious doubt following an unceremonious end to last season but the Irishman has since clinched a two-year contract extension with Team BMR - BKR's partner in operations.

The 26-year old will contest the new ca🌞mpaign in familiar machinery with BKR🍌 - running in the BTCC for the first time - fielding a pair of Volkswagen CC's.

Smith's new team m🌄ate for 2016 is also no stranger to the TOCA package having raced in the Renault Clio Cup for the past two season's.

Team BKR had planned on embarking on the BTCC's development B-TEC cham💛pionship but that endeavour failed to materialise after the series was postponed at the last minute.

This afternoon 𓃲will ꩲmark BKR's first official running in the championship, with testing getting underway at 1pm.