Aron Taylor-Smith’s preparations for the 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship have ramped up in the past week, with his first three test days in his new TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK challenger.
The reigning Independents champion made the headlines a month ago, announcing his switch to the Speedworks-run works Toyota outfit for the upcoming campaign, with the intention of mounting a full-scale assault on the overall title.
Pre-season testing marked the first union of the BTCC’s most consistent driver – in 2024, Taylor-Smith was the first in over 15 years to score in every race – and one of its most successful contemporary cars, with the Toyota Corolla GR Sport having amassed 17 victories, 30 further podiums, five pole positions and 10 fastest laps since being introduced to the category in 2019.
After a day’s running around Snetterton’s 300 circuit, Taylor-Smith joined the rest of the field at Croft for the first official two-day test of the new season alongside new team mates Gordon Shedden, Ronan Pearson and James Dorlin.
Having successfully acclimatised to his new office, the 35-year-old’s focus now shifts to an exciting event this Friday, in which Taylor-Smith’s network of over 35 individual partners will descend on Speedworks Motorsport HQ, for a behind-the-scenes tour, exclusive networking event and pre-season Q&A.
Donington Park then hosts the official Season Launch on 15 April, before the UK’s premier motorsport series returns to the East Midlands venue a fortnight later (26-27 April) for the season-opening triple-header.
Aron Taylor-Smith (#40) said:
“I’ve only had a few days of running in the Toyota Corolla GR Sport, but it’s safe to say I’ve been hugely impressed. Not only with the car, but the level of professionalism and resources that TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK and Speedworks Motorsport put into the project – it’s a whole new ball game for me, now.
“My gut feeling is that we have a competitive car. Of course, there are always things to refine and tweak in pre-season testing, especially when the car has undergone as comprehensive a development programme as the Toyota has over the winter, but the initial feeling from my side in the car is very positive.
“It’s never about outright performance at this stage but instead making sure we’re doing “world-class basics” and giving ourselves the best platform to build upon. It’s been great to start working with Gordon, Ronan and James as well, I feel as though we’ve got one of the strongest line-ups on the grid and it’s all very positive on that front.
“I’m excited to welcome all of our partners to Speedworks Motorsport’s HQ later this week, too. They really are the reason I’m able to do what I love for a living, so it’s going to be great to assemble everyone in the same space pre-season and let them soak in this new chapter in my career, as well.”
