Updated: BTCC 2021 drivers and teams

As would be expected after a year in which so many commercial deals were forced to take long hard looks at themselves, there’s been some big moves already ahead of the 2021 season. The biggest came with the shock split of Tom Ingram and Speedworks (or Toyota Gazoo Racing UK as we’re supposed to call them). Enjoying a seven year relationship stretching back to Ingram’s freshman year, the 27-year-old has been on the cusp of success over the last couple of years, hustling the aging Avensis to the runner’s up spot in 2018 before two years developing the Corolla into a bona-fide race winner. Where Ingram could end up is anyone’s guess, and whoever does secure his services will be very pleased with the talent behind the wheel.

The Ingram/Speedworks split came just days after the merger of Laser Tools Racing and Team HARD, meaning the Tony Gilham-led squad now has no fewer than seven cars under its banner, having run five in 2020. Out are the very long-in-the-tooth Volkswagen CCs, and in come four brand new, and incredibly slick-looking Cupra Leons for Jack Goff, Glynn Geddie and the returning Aron Taylor-Smith, with a fourth driver still to be announced. The Laser Tools Racing section of the stable retains its 2020 squad of drivers’ Champion Ash Sutton and Aiden Moffat, but also welcomes Carl Boardley, who switches his BMW 1 Series for an Infiniti Q50.

It was confirmed late in the 2020 season that we would be watching the Mercedes A-Class for the last time, as Ciceley Motorsport announced it would be switching models for 2021. Swapping one German car for another, the team will now put out two West Surrey Racing-prepared BMW 330is in a bid to make some more regular trips to the podium.

With all of that in mind, here’s a round-up of the BTCC 2021 drivers and teams. Don’t forget to read our list of the top 10 BTCC drivers of 2020.

Updated: Excelr8 Motorsport retain Chris Smiley

Updated 12:00 Friday 15^th January. Following a solid 2020, and after Chris Smiley took the Hyundai i30 Fastback N to the podium in only its third race in the BTCC, Excelr8 have retained the services of the Ulsterman for 2021. Going into his fifth full season in the BTCC, Smiley will be looking to continue his current run of form of at least one podium a year, stretching back to 2018 with the BTC team. Following the Excelr8 and Trade Price Cars merger, that leaves two Hyundais still looking for drivers in 2021 alongside Smiley and the previously announced Jack Butel.

Update: Jade Edwards takes final BTC Racing seat

Updated 11:30 Thursday 14^th January. The final seat at the BTC Racing camp will be filled by Jade Edwards, following a popular appearance at Silverstone in 2020 for Power Maxed Racing. Despite a day of on-track scuffles with Andy Neate, Edwards impressed many with how she handled herself in her BTCC debut, and her signing with the Honda squad will leave many happy fans around the country.

Update: Tom Chilton moves from BTC Racing to Ciceley Motorsport

Updated 12:30 Wednesday 13^th January. Ciceley Motorsport has today announced that former World Touring Car race winner Tom Chilton will jump across from BTC Racing to the Morgan family team for 2021. Switching his Honda Civic Type R for the BMW 3 Series, 2021 will mark the first time that the Surrey-based driver will compete in a rear-wheel-drive touring car in his near-20-year career. The move leaves one seat still open at BTC, who previously announced both Cook and Crees would return to the squad this year.

Halfords Yuasa Racing – Dan Cammish

Dan Cammish will be back on the grid for his fourth season with the Team Dynamics squad after two years of being a whisker away from taking the crown. With a brace of third-place finishes behind him, Cammish will be hoping for that little bit of luck to get him two steps up in 2021. Meanwhile, the second seat seems to be one of the most talked about every year, with a growing theory among BTCC fans being that three-time BTCC champion Matt Neal is keeping the seat warm until his son, Henry, who currently competes in TCR UK, is ready to take over. And it wouldn’t be silly season without someone mentioning Gordon Shedden...

Team BMW – drivers unknown

West Surrey Racing returns to three cars for 2021, after Andrew Jordan dropped out on the eve of the 2020 campaign, but no-one has yet been confirmed in the driver’s seats, with team boss Dick Bennets hinting that there are seven drivers in the frame for the trio of available seats. It would be a brave man to bet against one of those seats going to Colin Turkington, and Tom Oliphant proved he had what it takes to be behind the wheel of a top car in 2020. Meanwhile, the rumour-mill seems to suggest that Stephen Jelley could be in line for a return to the squad after a 12-year hiatus.

Toyota Gazoo Racing UK – drivers unknown

When the announcement was made that Tom Ingram would leave the Speedworks-run Toyota squad, it took the shine away somewhat from the confirmation that the team were looking to double its efforts in 2021 to a two-car programme. With only those in the know expecting a single seat to be vacant, let alone two, it’s anyone’s guess as to who will be behind the wheel of the Corollas this year.

Laser Tools Racing – Ash Sutton, Aiden Moffat, Carl Boardley

Reigning champion Ash Sutton returns to try and defend his crown after a fantastic debut year with the Moffat family team, who unsurprisingly keeps Aiden Moffat for his eighth full season in the BTCC. Joining the stable in 2021 is four-time World Hot Rod champion Carl Boardley, who continues his climb up the grid and will be hoping the evidently quick Infiniti Q50 will provide the best opportunity of Jack Sears Trophy honours.

Team HARD – Jack Goff, Aron Taylor-Smith, Glynn Geddie

Fan favourite Jack Goff returns for the third season in this stint with Team HARD, hoping the switch from Volkswagen to Cupra is promising after a somewhat disappointing 2020 campaign saw only 11 points bagged in 27 races. Glynn Geddie also steps up to a full-time drive with the squad after substituting for two meetings in 2020, for what should be his first full season in the championship.

Power Maxed Racing – Jason Plato

Jason Plato is scheduled to return to the grid after a COVID-enforced sabbatical in 2020 and will be itching to get back to the sharp end after some promising results at the end of 2019. Mat Jackson was scheduled to be in the second seat in 2020, and reportedly has first refusal on said seat for 2021, but PMR effectively spent a season auditioning second drivers throughout 2020 with six different newcomers behind the wheel of the Astra, so there’s plenty of options for the Vauxhall squad.

MB Motorsport – Jake Hill

MB Motorsport retains the services of Jake Hill, who was one of the breakout stars of 2020 with one of the more impressive Saturday records on the grid, and both he and the team will be hoping to back up a strong year with some trips to the top step of the podium in 2021. There is plenty more still to be said of MB Motorsport’s 2021 season with not only a second driver to be confirmed but also a car, following the retirement of the old-shape Honda Civic.

Motorbase Performance – drivers unknown

In another of the big off-season switcheroos, long-time owner of Motorbase David Bartrum is stepping aside, with AmD Tuning head Shaun Hollamby and Pete Osborne taking the lead going forward. It would seem logical that Sam Osborne, son of Pete, would take one of the seats, with the full driver line-up still to be confirmed.

Excelr8 Trade Price Cars – Jack Butel, Chris Smiley

Another case of two teams merging for 2021, Excelr8 Motorsport and Trade Price Cars have joined forces for the upcoming season, bringing an additional two Hyundai i30 Fastback Ns to the grid – which is no bad thing as they were two of the best-looking cars in 2020. Jack Butel, who made his BTCC debut with Ciceley Motorsport in 2020 jumps from Mercedes to Hyundai. Chris Smiley has been retained by the team. 

Ciceley Motorsport – Adam Morgan, Tom Chilton

Switching from its trusty Mercedes A-Class, Ciceley Motorsport will run a pair of WSR-prepared BMW 3 Series in 2021, potentially just what the doctor ordered to shift the team up a couple of spaces on the grid. Adam Morgan returns with his family team, while Jack Butel’s move to Excelr8 left one seat remaining in the Ciceley squad, which has now been scooped up by Tom Chilton.

BTC Racing – Josh Cook, Michael Crees

One of the dark horses of 2020, BTC Racing’s place in the final standings didn’t truly reflect the season the team had, and Josh Cook returns to the squad hoping for some better luck than that which cost him a shot at the title last year. Fan-favourite and Jack Sears Trophy champion Michael Crees also returns to the fold for 2021, leaving one seat remaining in the Honda squad.

Images courtesy of Motorsport Images.