"It is always a highlight for me to race in front of my home crowd and I'm looking forward to giving the fans something to cheer about, both in the WTCC races and the F1 car," said Briton Priaulx.

He will drive the BMW Sauber car during two sessions: on Saturday at 14.00 and on Sunday at 15.00.

"This is an amazing time for the BMW Sauber F1 Team and to have the chance to show the fans an F1 car at Brands Hatch is a real treat for me and them," he added.

"The noise will be phenomenal and it promises to be a real spectacle."

Priaulx last tested an F1 car in 2005 when BMW co-operated with the Williams team.

There will be a field of 28 cars at Brands. As well as Robert Dahlgren's Volvo the championship will welcome two further newcomers: Lourenco Beirao da Veiga and Aytac Biter.

Beirao da Veiga, a 29 year-old driver from Lisbon, won his participation at the wheel of a SUNRED SEAT Leon through the SEAT Eurocup. The Portuguese youngster claimed victory in the second race at Estoril and emerged as the best driver in his home event.

Biter, from Turkey, will join his countryman Ibrahim Okyay in the Borusan Otomotiv Motorsport's second BMW 320si car. He tested with the team three weeks ago at Monza.

Success ballast for Brands

70 kg Y. Muller

68 kg R. Rydell

58 kg G. Tarquini

53 kg A. Priaulx

50 kg N. Larini

49 kg T. Monteiro

46 kg R. Huff

34 kg J. Gené

30 kg K. Poulsen, R. Dahlgren, L. Beirão da Veiga, A. Biter

28 kg J. Müller, F. Porteiro

27 kg A. Farfus

23 kg A. Menu

18 kg A. Zanardi

10 kg T. Coronel

3 kg J. Thompson

1 kg O. Tielemans

Watch live coverage of the WTCC races at Brands Hatch from 11:45 and 13:15 on Sunday July 27 on your PC via the Eurosport player - click on the link under the picture to subscribe.

Or watch the action on British Eurosport - available in the UK on Sky channel 410 and Virgin Media channel 521 or British Eurosport 2 - available on Sky 411 and Virgin Media 525