The 29-year-old, who has just become a father for the first time, switched to the Sunbury squad for 2022 and has finished as its top-placed driver in the championship in both his seasons there, accumulating a total of nine race wins plus a pair of third-place finishes in the points.
As before, Hill’s BMW 330e M Sport will run under a separate guise to WSR’s official Team BMW machines, under the Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport banner.
Laser Tools is celebrating its 10th season in the BTCC in 2024, while MB Motorsport is the company of Hill’s manager Mark Blundell, the ex-Formula 1 racer and Le Mans 24 Hours winner who he partnered in the tin-top series in 2019.
Hill will continue at the wheel of the ex-Oliphant BMW he has raced since 2022, but told Autosport that “we do have the new facelift bodywork coming to keep the car current and updated”.
He added that he will continue with engineer Craig Porley, who has worked with Hill since his days at the AmD squad via a one-year stint at Motorbase Performance in 2021.
“I wouldn’t do it without my partner in crime,” said Hill of Porley. “I love that bloke to bits and we have a very good working relationship and friendship.
“This is the first time ever in my racing career that I’ve had a deal done so early and had the exact same crew, right down to ‘Grumps’ my tyre man, so that’s a nice feeling.”
Hill had been linked with a potential move into GT3 competition with the takeover of established squad RJN by Simon Watts, whose historic cars he has raced in recent seasons.
“I don’t want to leave the BTCC until we’ve set out what we accomplished to do, which is to win it, otherwise what would this all have been for?” he said.
“Nevertheless, if there was a chance to some GT stuff with Simon, that would be fantastic.
“But I’m struggling to see where I can find some free weekends, what with the BTCC, historics and my little boy.”
WSR supremo Dick Bennetts said: “We’re very pleased to extend our partnership with Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport for another year and to have Jake Hill once again behind the wheel of one of our BMW 330e M Sports.
“Over the past two seasons, he has proven himself to be one of the most skilled and committed drivers in the field and been a regular race winner and podium finisher, while our relationship with Mark Blundell and MB Motorsport has gone from strength to strength.
“We have very high hopes for what can be achieved together in 2024.”
WSR’s four-car line-up is expected to once again feature the team’s four-time champion Colin Turkington plus Adam Morgan, who joined the squad for 2023.
Stephen Jelley’s recent three-year spell at the team appears to have come to an end, leaving a seat open for next season.
“We’ve got four guys in the running, and that’s about all I can say at the moment,” Bennetts told Autosport.
