Tom Barley is back in the VW Cup for 2014 and once again he will be in familiar surroundings as he races for Team HARD.

It is a combination that has worked well for both driver and team and they will be hoping that it continues again this campaign.

Speaking with Kent Sports News ahead of the season and excited Tom said: “I cannot wait to get back out in the VW Cup in race conditions! It’s been a long winter, they say ‘everything else is just waiting and I think I agree!

“The new car is absolutely fantastic. It has a lot more grip and down force from last year. The championship has moved forwards again and that’s shown by the new names that have come out to play. It’s going to be extremely competitive.”

Tom and the team have been testing the VW’s ahead of the new season at a number of circuits which has aided development ahead of the season.

He added: “We’re doing three pre-season tests which is vital in a new car. It’s allowed us to tinker with the setup and see what works and what doesn’t. Come race one, we will be ready!

“You’d be a brave man to bet on this year’s championship, all I’ll say is that if a Team HARD car doesn’t win, I’ll be surprised! Our driver line up this year is very strong.”

Finally we asked Tom whether he has set himself any targets for the coming season and what it is like being back with Team HARD after the winter break.

He said: “I have to be aiming for the podium at every meeting this year. The cars are good enough for it, I need to push myself to the limit to get there.

“The mood and spirit in the team is the best I’ve ever known. We’ve had some good changes from last year and we’re all on the same page. Last year we learnt a lot as a team, this year we’ll be building on that. Even if we’re not winning, you can expect to find us having a great time. There’s no team like Team HARD.”