Bobby Thompson set for 2022 BTCC return with Team HARD. Racing

Last Friday (11 March), Team HARD. Racing revealed the third of their four drivers who will pilot their CUPRA Leon’s for the second season of its programme with Bobby Thompson set to return to the championship with a familiar team for the 2022 British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season.

Thompson is set for his fourth campaign in the championship, with the popular 25-year-old returning after his memorable crash at Croft as part of the GKR TradePriceCars.com team which resulted in him taking a year off in 2021.

But is raring to go on his return in a team who gave him his first chance back in 2018 under the ageing Volkswagen CC.

“It’s really good to be back in the BTCC with the team I started my journey with,” said Thompson. “I’ve come a long way since I was last with Team HARD, and I can already see the team is clearly putting in a massive effort to get these cars ready to be fighting at the front for the upcoming season.

“I have a great history with the team, having won the 2017 VW Cup Championship which got me on the map. So it’s great to be back, and hopefully we can continue great success and challenge for the Jack Sears Trophy this year.

“It’s always tough to miss out on a season, as I did after my crash at Croft in 2020 which put me out for the remainder of the campaign. I wanted to get back last year, but unfortunately it wasn’t meant to be. I took that time, however, to reflect upon my racing career and it only made me more motivated than ever to get back to the front of the field in the most competitive series in the UK.

“I’d like to thank my partners who are helping me to get back onto the grid, and to Tony [Gilham] also. I can’t wait to get going at the test day in a few weeks. Bring it on!”

He will partner Jack Goff as part of the Autobrite Direct side of the garage with Áron Taylor-Smith (Yazoo with Team HARD. Racing) and an unconfirmed fourth driver also part of the team, with Rick Parfitt Jnr previously announced to join Aiden Moffat and Dexter Patterson in the Infiniti Q50 albeit he will race under Upton Steel with Team HARD Racing in the Tony Gilham ran stable.