New Sporting Director commences BTCC role
Stuart Murray begins his new role as BTCC Sporting Director today (19 January), having taken over from long-serving Championship Co-ordinator Dan Mayo.
“I can’t wait to get started,” said the hugely experienced Murray. “It’s a major change and the next step of my career. I’ve been working away at international level for a number of years, but this is the pinnacle of motorsport in the UK, and the role has far greater scope.
“It’s certainly a step up in prestige in terms of the championship and role. It’s cliché but like so many others I grew up playing the TOCA game and went to watch a BTCC race weekend at Donington Park in 1994. Growing up in Northern Ireland though it was mainly motorcycle road racing, karting or watching F1 on TV with my Dad.”
Murray’s first significant motorsport position was in Dubai with the ASN of the United Arab Emirates, where he oversaw a vast range of sporting, technical and safety responsibilities.
The Northern Irishman then joined the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) in 2018 – most-recently based in Geneva as Deputy Director of Circuit Sport. He also held the position of Category Manager for Touring Cars and GTs, which included the overseeing of the FIA GT and Touring Car Commissions, as well as organising the FIA GT World Cup in Macau.
In his new all-encompassing position, Murray will oversee the sporting and administrative operation of the British Touring Car Championship, issuing regulations, managing team/driver relations, and ensuring smooth event delivery among many other tasks.
“The most similar experience – a role that I enjoyed immensely – was as the ASN in the UAE,” continued Murray. “Events like the Desert Challenge, where the role would range from Event Manager and working in Race Control right through to ordering t-shirts or working with customs. It involved pretty much everything, which I am sure will stand me in good stead in the BTCC.
“The FIA role was often a bit different, as the promoter held the commercial rights while the FIA looked after the sporting, technical and safety.
“This opportunity gives me the chance to get involved from the ground up and I can’t wait for that. Working as part of a compact, highly professional and experienced team is something I’m immensely looking forward to.”
Following an extensive handover process between Mayo and Murray, much of the BTCC plans for 2026 have already finalised, as Murray now works closely alongside both the Communications and Technical Directors, as well as under the stewardship of Chief Executive Alan Gow.
Mayo also stays within the BARC family as the new Circuit Manager at Croft Circuit, with the BTCC set to have its first official pre-season test at the North Yorkshire venue in late March.
“I had the opportunity to work alongside and shadow Dan for the final three events of last year,” concluded Stuart. “He has been doing this job for 25 years and his phone would ring 20 times an hour about anything and everything. They are big shoes to step into, it will be a great challenge, but he has left this role in a fantastic position for me to continue with.
“He hasn’t disappeared of course and his new role at Croft means we’ll often be crossing paths. If I can do nearly as good a job as Dan has done over many years, then I’d be absolutely delighted.”
