Netherton racer Josh Caygill is celebrating after being awarded a coveted place on the starting grid for the all-new Audi Sport TT Cup.

The 25-year-old faces the 2015 season in the series, that replaces the Volkswagen Scirocco R Cup, as part of the support package to the DTM touring car series.

Caygill has been chosen as one of just 18 permanent entrants into the championship, with no fewer than 165 applications from across the globe having been received by category organisers, and he is also the sole UK representative on the grid.

Entering his third year of car racing, having previously been a competitive motorcyclist at British championship level, Caygill is determined to make the most of the opportunity.

“It’s absolutely amazing that I’ve been awarded a place on the TT Cup grid for the first season of the championship,” said Caygill.

“I can’t thank everyone at Audi enough for such an incredible opportunity.

“The car looks unbelievable, if it drives half as good as it looks then it’s going to be absolutely incredible.”

The brand new category competition will get underway on May 2-3 at Hockenheim in Germany, and will then visit four other venues alongside the DTM series before returning to Hockenheim for the finale on October 17-18.

Two TT Cup races will be contested at each track and, aside from the Hockenheim meetings, the championship will also race at German venues the Norisring street circuit, Oschersleben and the Nurburgring, while Austria’s Red Bull Ring also forms part of the 12-round calendar mid-season.

Caygill has experience of the venues from his maiden season in the Scirocco R Cup and said: “Obviously the Audi is a new car to learn, but we’ve got a bit of a head start with the track knowledge from last year in the Scirocco.

“It’s going to be an amazing season, over the next few months I’ll be working really hard on my fitness and just preparing as well as I possibly can to make the most of the opportunity”

Audi Sport TT Cup 2015 calendar: May 2-3 – Hockenheim, Germany; June 27-28 – Norisring, Germany; August 1-2 – Red Bull Ring, Austria; September 12-13 – Oschersleben, Germany; September 26-27 – Nurburgring, Germany;

October 17-18 – Hockenheim, Germany.