Oly Mortimer, the Edinburgh driver, will graduate to the British Touring Car circuit this year after landing the Porsche Challenge series title in 2011, writes Kenneth Stephen.

The 28-year-old multiple Mini champion, who has won titles every year since 2005, will drive in the Touring Car support series, the Porsche Carrera Cup.

Should he add it to his Porsche Cup Challenge title, he could catch the eye of the Touring Car hierarchy. The deal is by far his biggest test to date with the privately run Tynecastle Garage team.

"It is the dream move we've been working so hard to achieve," he said. "My aim is to fight for the class title but I've got my eyes set on outright podiums."

He won the Scottish Mini Cooper Cup three times and the Mini Challenge UK series twice.