Oliphant Ready For Surprise BTCC Return At Thruxton

Two-time British Touring Car Championship race-winner Tom Oliphant will make an exciting return to the series this weekend (27/28 August) at Thruxton with leading outfit Team HARD.

Oliphant will pilot the Cupra Leon usually driven by Will Powell for three thrilling races around the fastest circuit in the UK, competing as team-mates with Bobby Thompson under the Autobrite Direct with JourneyHero banner.

The 32 year old talent contested four seasons in the BTCC before taking a step back from full time racing at the end of 2021 to move to Australia with his fiancée Gen. Keeping a close eye on the UK’s premier motorsport championship from down under, he’s relishing the chance to get back on track.

Oliphant will be jumping back in at the deep end, having never driven the Team HARD Cupra prior to a shakedown today (26th August). It will be his first-time racing a front-wheel drive touring car since 2018, following a successful spell in rear-wheel drive machinery with Team BMW.

Tom Oliphant: “This was certainly unexpected! I’m only back in the UK for a few weeks and I was planning to come down to Thruxton to meet friends and colleagues in the paddock again, so it’s lucky timing that I got the call from Tony [Gilham] asking if I wanted to step in.

“It was a pretty easy decision to say yes and come racing again! I love the British Touring Car Championship and after four great years in the series, it’s been tough watching on from the other side of the world. There’s no pressure on me this weekend, I’m here to get back in the swing of things, have some fun and maybe pick up some points along the way.”

The trip to Thruxton is the eighth of ten rounds of the 2022 British Touring Car Championship. The usual format remains, with two free practice sessions and qualifying on Saturday, before three races on Sunday, all broadcast live on ITV4 and the ITV Hub.