After his strong finish to 2024, Kevin Talbot will return to the grid aboard his Integra DC5 which has been light-weighted for the season ahead.

Talbot became one of the highest scoring drivers in Class A towards the end of last season with a breakthrough third place finish at Donington Park followed by two second-place results at Brands Hatch.

Another third place in Snetterton’s season finale followed to put Talbot a strong sixth in the final Class A standings.

The results were hugely impressive given that his Integra is, as he puts it, “a basic race car conversion – it was my road car before!”

“I actually chose to make the car green with a flash of blue in homage to the first F1 car that Eddie Jordan ran – the Jordan 191 in 1991,” he added.

“My race number is 137 – maybe I need to get some 137 UP! stickers done like the original 7UP! livery on the 191.”

Watford-domiciled Irishman Talbot, a railway shunter by day, hopes he can carry over his run of form towards the end of 2024 into the start of the new season which begins at Cadwell Park on Bank Holiday Monday 5 May.

“Cadwell’s a mega circuit – it’s like the Nurburgring which I enjoy – so it’s a great place to kick off the new season.

“I was quick there last year even though the results didn’t reflect the pace.

“The car was actually more than 70kgs overweight last season so we’re getting rid of a lot of that with new lightweight doors and removing a few more ‘road car things’.

“The plan is to do the whole season and fingers crossed we can be in the mix towards the front again, but the most important thing for me is to have fun.”