Tom Onslow-Cole is going to miss the remaining three British Touring Car Championship races of 2013.

“When you look at the project things started really well with the VW Passat. To score podiums in one of the first events of the season was great, but it has been tough to develop the car over race weekends,” said Onslow-Cole.

The 26-year-old has raced a Volkswagen CC for Tony Gilham Racing this year and the reason stated by the team for him not taking part in the remaining rounds is to further develop the car ahead of 2014.

“Ideally we needed to have had a full testing programme but of course the car was brand new on the eve of the season, so it’s important that the car is completely ready for the start of next year. I’m a racer so it’s always tough to make a decision that means we won’t be racing for the rest of the year, but if it gives both the team and I the best possible chance of winning in 2014 then it has to be the right decision,” said Onslow-Cole.

The best result this year for Onslow-Cole came at Thruxton with second place in the second race and he is currently placed eleventh in the overall championship and fifth in the Independents’ Trophy.

“It’s a difficult decision that we’ve had to make, but we just feel that our investment in Tom would be better spent on making sure the car is moving forward ahead of a real championship assault in 2014,” said team owner Tony Gilham.