NEWPORT'S promising British Touring Car prospect Rory Collingbourne is looking to achieve a podium finish in the Renault UK Clio Cup at Knockhill on Sunday.

The 17-year-old lies eighth in the championship in his maiden season after impressing with a mid-season points haul of 115pts driving for the Bristol-headquartered construction outfit Team Cooksport.

As the team's top performing driver, it is his impressive run of seven top-10 finishes in the opening 10 rounds that have driven the team to second in the constructors championship.

More than 45,000 fans will be at Knockhill in Scotland for rounds 11 and 12 of the championship and Collingbourne, who is competing against a championship driver average age of nearly 30, is aiming for his first podium finish of the season and a result that would cement Team Cooksport's championship standing.

"I've been really pleased with my debut season so far," said Collingbourne, a product of Ford's Fiesta Championship.

"The step-up to one of motorsport's most competitive championships has been a big one and I'm still learning, but my goals have certainly shifted after the first half of the championship and in the remaining 10 rounds I want to achieve podium and top five finishes.

"We've used the mid-season break to invest a lot of time in improving the car and getting more from it.

"We've spent time at Donington Park with our new team engineer and the changes he has made have really helped.

"Some have been quite radical, but they're allowing me to push the car even more – particularly around corners – and that is improving our lap times."

Some would say Collingbourne's choice of race number, 13, would be an unlucky omen in a vehicle that does 0 to 60 in only five seconds, but the superstitious digit has proven anything but for the ambitious star who many are now touting to be a championship contender in 2016 and a British Touring Car champion in the very near future.

"The championship is definitely my longer term aspiration and getting a drive with a construction team like Honda, but there are things I want to learn and achieve in the Renault UK Clio Cup first," he said.

"That means being a challenger for the title next year and I think with the team we have in place and the way the car is now performing we've got a great chance.

"In the immediate term I want to secure some podium finishes this season and then build on that with a push for the title next year."

The race will be live on ITV4 at 12.30pm.