Two-times British Touring Car Champion, James Thompson, has been announced as the newest edition to N.Technology’s FIA World Touring Car Championship team for 2007. The 31-year-old driver, who raced for the Italian outfit as a guest several times during the 2003 and 2004 season, and then in a full time capacity during 2005, will lead N.Technology’s 2007 World Touring Car championship campaign at the wheel of the Alfa Romeo 156. A second driver has yet to be announced, but is expected to be confirmed shortly.

“This is a great move for me,” said Thompson, who comes from Harrogate, UK. “I’ve always worked well with N.Technology and the Alfa Romeo is a beautiful car. Last year the team was extremely competitive, finishing third in the Drivers’ Championship with Farfus Jr. From my knowledge of N.Technology, I know they won’t be satisfied with anything less than title glory; they’ve never quit a championship without winning at least once. That is definitely the right attitude and I’m looking forward to delivering the goods.”

N.Technology’s Team Principal, Mauro Sipsz, is delighted about the prospect of having Thompson back in the team. “The calibre of James’ team mates, like Giovanardi and Tarquini, always seems to be very high but he matches them race for race. As soon as he became available, we snatched him up. It’s great to have him back in the N.Technology Family.”
 

The FIA World Touring Car Championship is entering its third year after evolving from the European Touring Car Championship in 2005. Before that, N.Technology won seven European titles and has also had great success in Rally and Sports Car Championships.

Alfa Romeo were forced to commit themselves to three seasons of the FIA World Touring Car Championship (2005-07), a stipulation which was required of all the main protagonists by the FIA when the governing body decided to elevated the incumbent European Touring Car Championship to full "world championship" status. BMW and SEAT also had to offer the same undertaking. Alfa Romeo's priorities changed however and no successor to the Alfa 156 racer was developed. From 2008 Alfa Romeo plan to race the brand new Alfa 8C Competizione sportscar in the FIA's international GT class at blue-riband endurance races including the Le Mans 24 Hours and Nürburgring 24 Hours; as well as in the US-based Grand American sportscar championship to accompany the brand's North American re-launch.