Ronan Pearson (BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8) made his BTCC debut this season and the rookie is set to be on the 2024 grid next year too. Let's take a look back at his path to the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship...
Pearson was involved in Scottish club karting before he moved up to the Junior Saloon Car Championship for the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
In 2018, Pearson stepped up to compete in the Clio Cup with Westbourne Motorsport. He finished on the podium five times throughout the season, also recording two pole positions and four fastest laps. It was 2019 that was the standout season for him in this series as he won the championship.
He then transitioned to the BTCC support series – MINI Challenge UK – in 2020 with Lux Motorsport. Switching to LDR Performance Tuning for the 2021 season, he finished eighth in the standings, with one podium and one fastest lap.
For 2022, Pearson signed with EXCELR8 Motorsport and also became a development driver for their BTCC team. This was his best season yet in the series by claiming three wins (two of which at his home circuit of Knockhill), eight podiums overall, one pole position and five fastest laps, bringing him to fourth place in the overall standings.
The promotion to the British Touring Car Championship came in time for the 2023 season where Pearson secured a seat in BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8’s Hyundai i30N. This would be alongside team-mates Tom Ingram, Tom Chilton and Nick Halstead.
The rookie showed a solid performance for his debut season in the UK’s premier motorsport series with a particullay strong run at his home circuit of Knockhill, where he took fourth in the finale. He finished 18th in the Drivers’ Championship, collecting 69 points overall, and he was also a solid contender in the Jack Sears Trophy.
After Knockhill Pearson said: “To join Tom [Ingram] on the podium as the Jack Sears Trophy winner was a real bucket list moment and to see so many fans there cheering me on is a feeling that I can’t really put into words.
“This was the weekend where all of the hard work that has gone in alongside the team really paid off, and I’ve shown what I can do in the most difficult conditions we’ve had all year.”
His performance was enough to secure him a seat for the BTCC 2024 season with BRISTOL SREET MOTORS with EXCELR8, so we are looking forward to welcoming him back to the track next year.
