Back in 2013, Aiden Moffat made history as he became the youngest driver ever to compete in the BTCC at just 16 years of age. Now, with more than 300 race starts to his name the Scotsman is arguably embarking on his biggest opportunity in the UK’s toughest championship after joining multiple champions West Surrey Racing.
Moffat clocked his maiden laps in the beautiful BMW 330e M Sport at Brands Hatch earlier today (21 March) as he contested the first unofficial BTCC test ahead of the new season.
As the talented racer emerged from his LKQ-backed #16 machine following the opening run you could see a beaming smile across his face.
“When you first get into the championship, you kind of dream about getting the chance to drive for such a prestigious team, so it’s a great feeling to be with WSR,” he said.
“Just to be around WSR as a team, to see how professional they are and the attention to detail, it really is night and day. It gives you great confidence as a driver, especially after a few challenging years for me, so we’re looking to make the most of it.”
The 28-year-old was carrying out a number of systems checks in the early running before he and the squad look to crank things up later in the day.
“So, today is my first proper day out in the BMW, it feels great, but with the weight off these cars are just a completely different animal,” he continued.
“It’s a glorified shakedown initially of course, and then gradually as we get more settled, we will start to tick things off the list – some things that will work and others that won’t.”
Moffat has taken five victories during his BTCC career so far and he’ll be looking draw upon his experience as the championship moves away from hybrid power and into the sustainable fuel era in 2025.
“I’m not sure I regard myself as one of the most experienced overall, but I’ve driven quite a few cars in the BTCC,” noted Aiden.
“The championship keeps evolving though, whether it’s different tyre compounds or the hybrid system etc, so each car and season has its differences.
“The car feels much lighter without the hybrid so I’m trying to almost forget the last few years and look back to the glory days with the Infiniti, where we enjoyed some great times.
“It’s certainly not about finding the optimum lap time today but we will push when we can. We have a fairly comprehensive testing programme to get through, here at Brands Hatch, then Snetterton, Croft and Donington Park.
“It’s all about just being ready for that first competitive Saturday of the season!”
The opening rounds of the 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship take place at Donington Park on 26/27 April.
