2011 Auto sports

Autosport International is always a great way to kick off the new racing season. Last week’s show was no exception and helped me to get back in the swing of things.
I’ve been part of the show since I was a young karter, not just as a driver but also supporting my Dad, Martin Hines, who has always exhibited with either ZipKart or Grand Prix Racewear.
  The first big event after the winter break, there’s always a lot of gossip and rumours circulating. With the change in sportscar regulations this year, there are a lot of teams still talking to drivers and getting their plans in place.
You’ve got to be seen to be at the show. I was at the NEC for all four days, working from the Grand Prix Racewear stand, conducting various interviews on show stages and talking about my plans for 2011.
This season is still a bit up in the air but I’ve got quite a lot of interest across a few categories. Obviously it’s important to make sure we are looking in the right direction and at the right deal. We’re mainly looking at the big categories of FIA GT1, the American Le Mans Series, the Le Mans Series and also BTCC.
To have so many options on the table is quite rare. It’s a nice situation to have so many parties interested in me being in the car but we’ll have to see how things work out. It won’t be long before we need to make that crucial decision.
The few weeks following the show are always the prime time for deals to be signed. It’s all down to negotiation now. I have a couple of tests lined up and we’ll see how I get on and decide from there.