Following the opening two outings of the 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship campaign at Donington Park and Brands Hatch, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA is preparing to tackle an altogether different type of challenge this weekend (24-25 May), as the team travels east to the longest circuit on the calendar.
Measuring almost three miles, Snetterton’s ‘300’ configuration was inaugurated in 2011, and since joining the BTCC six years ago, the British-built Toyota Corolla GR Sport has been a consistent podium-finisher around the demanding Norfolk venue, which puts competitors truly to the test with its blend of high, medium and low-speed sections.
Recently, the Speedworks Motorsport-run outfit made history at Snetterton, as Toyota cars locked out all three steps of the podium for the very first time in the BTCC 12 months ago. Buoyed by that memorable milestone, the team returns with its sights set solidly on silverware once again.
All four of the squad’s drivers similarly have high hopes for the weekend ahead – and impressive records at the track. Three-time champion Gordon Shedden counts six wins, six further top three finishes and seven fastest laps to his credit there, while reigning Independents’ Trophy winner Árón Taylor-Smith has reached the rostrum at Snetterton in the BTCC on four previous occasions – including the coveted top step. In changeable conditions last season, the Irishman posted fastest lap in race two by more than two seconds...
Ronan Pearson has been TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA’s standout qualifier so far in 2025, and the young Scot tallied a double pole position, full house of podium finishes – amongst them a victory – and trio of fastest laps from four starts at the circuit in the Michelin Clio Cup Series in 2018-19. The 23-year-old has scored points in half of his BTCC appearances at Snetterton.
Rookie James Dorlin, meanwhile, sped to two poles and a runner-up result in Norfolk in the Renault UK Clio Cup as he worked his way up the national racing ladder, before adding a double win to his résumé at the track en route to clinching the inaugural Porsche Sprint Challenge GB crown in 2020. The 26-year-old Barnsley native – a former McLaren Young Driver Programme member – has additionally tasted success at Snetterton in the British GT Championship.
Following Saturday afternoon’s qualifying session at 15:10 – available to watch on ITV Sport’s YouTube channel – every moment of Sunday’s doorhandle-to-doorhandle action will be shown live and in high-definition on ITV4 and ITVX from 10:45. The full race day schedule will also be streamed live around the globe on the BTCC YouTube channel, with the exception of the UK and North America, where there are existing broadcast agreements in-place.
Gordon Shedden, Driver, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA, said: “From what I’ve seen through racing closely against other cars at Donington and Brands Hatch, I would say we’ve made progress with the Toyota’s chassis since the beginning of the season. I think we are in strong shape in that respect – it definitely feels a lot more in the ‘sweet spot’ now, and Snetterton will be a good test as it has such a great range of low, medium and high-speed challenges.
“It’s almost the polar opposite of the short and compact Brands Indy layout where we were last. There are corners like Coram and the Bomb Hole that call for pretty big commitment, and it tends to produce lively racing, particularly with different cars being quick in different parts of the lap depending on their attributes. We’re admittedly still missing a bit of straight-line speed, but as I say, the Corolla’s chassis is strong, so it’ll be interesting to see how we stack up...”
Árón Taylor-Smith, Driver, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA, said: “Snetterton has always been a really good track for me, and obviously the team had an incredible weekend there last year, so hopefully we can produce another strong performance. An enormous amount of work and development has gone in back at base to improve some of the areas where we felt a little bit vulnerable at Brands Hatch; that has yielded some positive progress, and everything seems to be moving in the right direction.
“Everybody in this team is doing a phenomenal job and has such an incredible hunger and drive to succeed, and when you follow the process, I think success is inevitable. That gives me confidence that we can go to Snetterton and fight at the front. I feel I have all the tools at my disposal to do that, and I’m excited to kick-start our season. We didn’t get to show what the Corolla is truly capable of at Donington or Brands, so I’m fired-up to get stuck in!”
Ronan Pearson, Driver, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA, said: “I’m looking forward to Snetterton. It’s a circuit I really like, and I’m excited to exploit the Corolla’s fantastic chassis in the infield section; I think we should be able to really hustle it and make some good gains there. The team has been working extremely hard on developments since Brands Hatch, which is very positive and I want to say a big ‘thank you’ to everyone for putting in such a huge effort.
“I’m aiming to keep up the good qualifying performance that we’ve shown so far this year and then on race day, I’ll be targeting more success in the Jack Sears Trophy and some consistent points scores. Bring it on!”
James Dorlin, Driver, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA, said: “I haven’t competed at Snetterton for a few years, but I’m looking forward to experiencing the track in the Corolla for the first time. It’s also the first time this season we’ll be racing on a properly long layout, which should open up the field a little bit more.
“We’ve still got work to do as we know we are lacking pace compared to some of the other cars, but I think the circuit will suit us better than Donington and Brands Hatch did – the Toyota is very good on the brakes, which is important at Snetterton, and we should be strong through the tight-and-twisty infield section.
“I’m continuing to find my way in the BTCC, and I felt Brands Hatch was another big step forward in terms of getting to grips with the car and what I need from it. I’m beginning to feel more comfortable, and I’m ready to convert everything I’ve learned so far into some solid results. Snetterton is another blank canvas for me in the Corolla, but if we can carry the strong pace we’ve shown in free practice through into qualifying, I think that will transform our weekend.”
