Jake Hill thinks he has saved his career this season after enjoying an impressive first full year in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

The Goudhurst racer, 22, will end his maiden 30-round campaign at the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit on Sunday.

Hill – who had only competed in one-off appearances beforehand – has regularly challenged the frontrunners this term and scored a best-ever result at the previous round at Silverstone.

He said: “I think it has saved my career this year – hopefully things are on the up and will only get better now.

“We needed the full year in the championship to prove ourselves.

“Looking back on it all, it has been a good season. I have learnt how to race against the others and have learnt how to play the game in touring cars.”

Hill, who has handled an aging Toyota Avensis for the Strood-based Team HARD squad, was promoted to a career-high fifth at Silverstone after both MG drivers were excluded post-race.

The former Ginetta racer currently sits 17th in the standings and will finish his campaign at his local West Kingsdown circuit on Sunday, where he works as an instructor.

Hill said: “I loved every second of it at Silverstone and hopefully we will be able to have more of the same at Brands.

“I would like to go out on a high this weekend at Brands..." - Jake Hill

“The main focus is – like it is every weekend – to finish in the top-10, but I feel there could be a chance to get an independent race win.

“It will be unbelievably hard and I will be aware of the boys fighting for the championship, but I am still going to be pushing like mad.”

Championship bosses introduced a raft of technical changes for the 2016 season, allowing teams to fit new suspension kit.

But Hill’s Avensis, which was raced by Stewart Lines in 2015, has remained on old parts throughout the campaign.

He said: “As it is on the old kit, the car does not like changes in direction and it does not like going through chicanes.

“We should be OK at Brands and the Toyota has been a good old girl, but it has probably had its day.

“Doing a full season makes you improve so much as a driver and I have got to say the biggest thank-you to Kingsley, my engineer, and my number one mechanic, Ian.

“They are the backbone of my side of the garage and without them I not be in the position I am now.

“I would like to go out on a high this weekend at Brands.”

MOTORBASE PAIR IN CONTENTION

Motorbase Performance drivers Mat Jackson and Andrew Jordan can still win the overall drivers’ title at Brands this weekend.

The pair – who sit fifth and sixth in the standings respectively for the Wrotham-based squad – can still mathematically beat championship leader Sam Tordoff to the title.

Jackson is just 21 points off the title lead, while former champion Jordan is only 10 behind his team-mate.

The squad’s Ford Focus dominated on the Grand Prix loop last year and a repeat could seal their first title.

Motorbase team boss David Bartrum said: “It is fantastic to have both drivers in with a chance for the overall title.

“We’ve got two great drivers in Andrew and Mat and the proof of that is our position in the standings.

“There’s no pressure on us at this stage heading into the final – whatever we do, we’re still relying on the results of the others.

“It’s great for Motorbase to be in the title fight in our own backyard as well. Brands Hatch is our local circuit, being a stone’s throw away makes it a great weekend, and hopefully we’ll have plenty of local support.”

The final three rounds of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship will be held at Brands Hatch on Sunday. Tickets cost £33 on the gate, with under-13s going free. Visit www.brandshatch.co.uk for details.