2011 Ginetta Junior Championship front runner and younger brother of ex BTCC driver Eoin Murray, Niall Murray is set to return to the championship with a new team mate and a new team! Former single seater ace turned leading driver coach Wayne Douglas has setup a new race team aptly named Douglas Motorsport. Joining Niall in the team will be championship rookie Andrew Watson. Having competed at the front of the Ginetta Junior Ireland Championship for the past two seasons, Watson is sure to be hot on the heels of Murray throughout the season and will be keen to emulate Murray’s maiden performance record from 2011.
Commenting on his new team, Team Principal Wayne Douglas outlined how he was delighted to be entering the championship with such a strong pairing. “This is a fantastic start for us to have such good drivers from the beginning. I’ve followed Niall very closely last year and was very impressed with his performance. We have been working with Andrew through our driver development programme over the past two seasons, and are confident that these two drivers will run very close in the championship right from the off.”
Andrew Watson who is currently in the middle of a pre-season testing programme, outlined his excitement ahead of the championship. “I’ve been really looking forward to entering this championship for quite some time now. The experience I have gained from the Irish Championship over the past two seasons is immense and I am confident I can run at the front of the championship from early in the season. Having Niall as my team mate will be a fantastic bonus for me. Following Niall’s progress last year, I am confident that his experience will stand very well to me as I enter the championship as a rookie.”
Murray, who finished off the 2011 Championship in fine style with a race victory at Silverstone is very keen to pick up where he left off. “Without question, I’m back to challenge for the championship! The early part of last season was a little difficult for us as we were with a new team and every circuit was new to me. We did not have the opportunity to test very often, and I found myself having to learn most circuits at the Friday pre-event test which was far from ideal! However I really showed what I was capable of in the second half of the championship with 6 podium finishes in a row. My family’s race team Murray Motorsport was heavily involved throughout last year and we have brought everything we learnt to Douglas Motorsport for this season. Coming back with a year’s experience under my belt and a fantastic new team, I am confident that I can be one of the favourites for 2012.