The 20Ten Racing team has announced 17-year old Sam Watkins as the first of its driver signings for the 2016 Renault U.K. Clio Cup season, after he joined the U.K. Clio Cup grid with the Derby-based squad for the final two events of 2015 - at Silverstone and Brands Hatch - and quickly started showing flashes of speed.

20Ten has enjoyed a number of race wins and other podium results in the U.K. Clio Cup these past two years and Team Principal Simon Hunt clearly believes Watkins is an exciting prospect. He commented, "Silverstone and Brands Hatch were all about Sam getting a taste for what the U.K. Clio Cup is about and he adapted well. As his experience of both the car and the touring car-type racing in the U.K. Clio Cup builds I can see him emerging as a real front-runner as the 2016 season progresses. Certainly I'm very happy to have been able to hang on to him as we look to build on our positive results."

Renaultsport's U.K. Motorsport Championship Manager Will Fewkes added, "It's great to see Sam returning for a full season in the U.K. Clio Cup after showing some very promising form in his first two events. 20Ten also have a sound reputation for bringing on new talent and this is a driver-team combination that could just spring a surprise or two in 2016. It will be interesting to see how they progress together during the course of a full season."