Vauxhall is using Rockingham motor racing circuit in Northamptonshire to launch its most powerful Astra to date.

Vauxhall is letting journalists test the car’s mettle for themselves, by staging the Motor Sport Association accredited Astra VXR Media Sprint Challenge.

The journalists will complete a three hour, 110 mile route on the roads surrounding Rockingham, before a safety briefing for the sprint event. Each driver will then be allowed a sighting lap, followed by a half-hour slot for two timed runs. As an MSA event, journalists are required to hold a relevant race licence and use approved safety equipment during the sprint.

“We wanted to create a unique launch, but finding a venue with the right motorsport and delegate facilities isn’t easy,” explains Simon Hucknall, Vauxhall's PR Manager. “As a fully fledged race track and conference centre, Rockingham is capable of hosting an MSA endorsed sprint and entertaining our guests.”

The Vauxhall Astra VXR is the most powerful production Astra to date, with a 280PS 2.0-litre turbo-charged engine, a 0-60mph time of 5.9 seconds and a max speed of 155mph.