FORMULA Renault racer Ross Worswick has switched teams for the remainder of the 2008 season.

The 19-year-old Blackburn driver had been driving for his family-run Worswick Engineering team, recording several top ten finishes.

But when Alpine Motorsport boss Colin Stoneman offered the highly-rated youngster a drive with his team, Ross jumped at the chance.

He said: “Alpine are proven race winners so I had little hesitation in accepting their offer. However, nothing comes for free and me and my Dad had to save hard to afford an opportunity like this.

“We’ve had some decent results with our own car, but it’s a hard job competing against some of the world’s best teams. We both came to realise the car wasn’t quite good enough, and we needed to look elsewhere.”

And the move paid immediate dividends first time out at Silverstone, where Formula Renault are one of the support races for the British Touring Car Championship.

In front of 50,000 spectators he clocked fastest lap – only one-tenth of a second of the official lap record – on his way to personal best of sixth in his first race.

Although he went off during a torrential downpour in race two whilst challenging for a podium, Ross was impressed by his new car.

Ross has now launched a sponsorship scheme for local companies to have the opportunity advertise on his car shown on ITV, ITV4, Motors TV and Setanta Sports.

The project will start by selling spaces on his car for the 2009 season. For more information contact Ross on 07706427949.