An insurance company director from Maidstone will compete in the rejuvenated British Rally Championship this season after revealing his 2016 plans at Brands Hatch today.

James Slaughter, 42, has signed a deal with the MSL Motorsport squad to pilot a four-wheel-drive Ford Fiesta R5.

The Loose-based driver, who will compete in the MGJ Engineering Ltd Brands Hatch Winter Stages on Sunday, unveiled his 2016 machine at the West Kingsdown circuit this afternoon.

Slaughter said: "I want to join in the fun this year.

"I don't go there with championship-winning intentions, a lot of the guys I will be competing against have got experience in four-wheel-drive.

"I have got to go and enjoy it - it's pricey and I want to get a lot of fun out of it.

"I love learning and I am going to learn how to drive these cars."

Slaughter has joined forces with professional rally driver Marty McCormack to form the Tiger Risk Rally team.

McCormack, 30, has been rallying on the national and international stage since 2006 and will pilot a S2000 Skoda Fabia this year.

Slaughter, who works in London but also has an office in Boston, America, will start his British championship campaign in March.

The championship was cut for 2015, but is returning this year with a rejuvenated set up.

Slaughter, who has handled historic Ford Escorts at the Brands event in the past, added: "Marty is there to expand his credentials as a potential full-time works driver - I am there to support him and have some fun with the teams' championship.

"We are looking forward to having some fun in that and I am looking at posting some reasonable times in the events that I know well.

"I have got to go and enjoy it - it's pricey and I want to get a lot of fun out of it..." - James Slaughter

"Throughout last year I said, with the talk of the championship coming back and the opportunity to run this high-spec car, I had to have a go.

"And when I went to drive the car and I couldn't stop grinning.

"I have got to switch from a rear-wheel-drive 250bhp Escort to a four-wheel-drive Fiesta with 300bhp with oodles of torque."

McCormack, from Northern Ireland, will co-drive at tomorrow's Brands event as Slaughter continues his 2016 testing programme.

McCormack said: "I will be running an older spec car this year and there will be some areas where we will lack power, but I think that as a package, it will be very strong.

"And that's what I want - I want to go to the first event and be competitive straight away."