Valentine’s Day has brought with it a budding new relationship in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), as reigning Independents’ Trophy winner Árón Taylor-Smith joins manufacturer-backed TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK for the forthcoming campaign.
Taylor-Smith is enjoying something of a renaissance in the country’s premier motorsport series. Having made his BTCC debut back in 2011, last year, the talented Irishman celebrated his finest championship finish and biggest points total to-date, concluding proceedings seventh in the standings amongst the 22 high-calibre protagonists.
He also clinched the Independent Drivers’ crown in the Brands Hatch GP finale, following a silverware-laden season that yielded no fewer than 20 class victories from 30 starts. Indeed, Taylor-Smith’s consistency, as much as his speed, skill and racecraft, turned heads up and down the pit-lane, with the 35-year-old the only driver to tally points in every race.
His reward is a seat in TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK’s British-built Toyota Corolla GR Sport – one of the most successful models in the modern era of the fiercely-disputed BTCC, having notched up an impressive 17 victories, 30 further rostrum results, five pole positions and ten fastest laps since entering the fray in 2019. Almost a third of those wins were achieved last year.
Taylor-Smith will partner the already announced Ronan Pearson at the Speedworks Motorsport-run outfit, as he embarks upon the next stage of his BTCC journey. The Dubliner will make his 300th start in the championship in the curtain-raising contest at Donington Park on 26/27 April – scene of three of his 22 outright podium finishes to-date – and behind the wheel of the team’s potent Japanese ‘hot hatch’, his sights are solidly set on adding to his four career triumphs thus far.
The identities of the remaining two members of TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK’s four-driver BTCC line-up for 2025 will be revealed in the coming weeks.
Christian Dick, Team Principal, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to welcome Árón to TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK. It became evident from our very first conversations that he is a fantastic fit for Speedworks Motorsport, and vice-versa. His enthusiasm is infectious – and that is tremendously inspiring for the whole team.
“Árón has received a lot of praise for his performances and results over the past couple of campaigns – and justifiably so – and we absolutely believe that in the right car, he can be a regular front-runner and a contender for race wins. He is going from strength-to-strength and is well-placed to capitalise upon his current momentum. I genuinely believe we’re yet to see him at his very best, which is hugely exciting for us at the beginning of this partnership.
“It’s vital to never stand still in the BTCC, because the rate of development in the championship can very quickly leave you behind. Accordingly, we’ve been hard at work since last season to further hone and refine the Corolla GR Sport, and we feel we have taken further steps forward across the board.
“We’re thrilled to have a driver of Árón’s unquestionable ability in the team. We believe that his experience will be of inestimable value to Ronan, and that they will extract the very best out of each other. We have every confidence that both drivers will prove to be real assets and will help to drive us on to even greater success in 2025 and beyond.”
Árón Taylor-Smith, Driver, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK, said: “It’s an incredible feeling, to be stood here as a TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK driver. To work with the world’s largest car manufacturer on the biggest stage in British motorsport was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up, and this is without doubt one of the proudest days of my career.
“When I met with Christian [Dick] and Danny [Buxton – Speedworks’ Head of Motorsport], it was clear right from the start that they’ve conducted a really exciting development programme over the winter with the Corolla GR Sport, which was already a proven race-winner and one of the most competitive packages on the BTCC grid!
“I’m hugely grateful to them for the faith they’ve put in me. This is an exceptionally motivated team, with some of the best staff in the business and a real ‘family feel’. Speedworks’ track record over the years speaks for itself, and I’ve been massively impressed with everything I’ve seen and heard so far – all the ingredients are in-place to make this a real success.
“Having spent the past two years trying to beat the manufacturer-backed cars, it’ll be a surreal feeling to be amongst them, but that just spurs me on even more to put on a show. I’ve only ever wanted a chance to fight for the overall BTCC title, and I firmly believe that joining forces with TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK gives me the perfect platform and environment to create that opportunity.
“I have absolute confidence in the car, the team and myself, and I can’t wait for my first laps in the Corolla. There’s no reason at all why we can’t be pushing for podiums and victories this season!”
