Daniel Lloyd can today confirm the exciting news that he will make a return to the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship for the 2025 season after completing a deal to join Restart Racing.
Huddersfield racer Daniel revealed prior to Christmas that he was in talks to join the team as it prepares for its second season in Britain’s premier racing series, with the 32-year-old making his touring car comeback following a year away.
Extensive talks with commercial partners old and new in recent weeks have enabled Daniel to sign on the dotted line with Restart in a move that will see him back behind the wheel of a Hyundai i30 Fastback N, as raced by the Yorkshireman during the 2022 campaign.
That would be the most successful season of Daniel’s BTCC career to date as he scored three race wins and finished tenth in the championship standings, a result all the more remarkable given a huge accident at Oulton Park almost ended his campaign at the half-way stage.
Whilst Daniel’s return to the grid after a season competing in the Porsche Carrera Cup will be with a new team, he is already familiar with a number of people who he will be working alongside during 2025 including race engineer Tom Hunt, who looked after his Cupra Leon in 2023 and was previously an engineer with multiple champions Team Dynamics.
Daniel has also previously worked with Restart Racing team principal Ben Taylor and managing director Pete Jones, who had made no secret of his desire to get Daniel involved in the programme.
He will also join forces with Northern Irish racer Chris Smiley for the second time, with the pair having been team-mates at BTC Norlin Racing back in 2018.
Daniel Lloyd said: “It’s no secret that I’ve had a tough few years since the accident at Oulton Park back in 2022, so to be in a position where I can now confirm I’ll be back on the BTCC grid in 2025 is fantastic.
“Getting to this stage has taken a lot of hard work, probably more than ever before, but when this opportunity presented itself, I knew it was one I had to take as it was where I wanted to be.
“I know what the Hyundai is capable of having driven it in the past and whilst Restart Racing is only going into its second year in the BTCC, the team has put a lot of investment into not only the cars, but also the personnel required to run them.
“Having Tom as my engineer is great because we know how each other work and he brings wealth of experience, and I can’t wait to see what we can achieve together. The goal is certainly to be right up there fighting for podium finishes and race wins, and I see no reason why we can’t look to challenge for the Independents’ title over the season as a whole.
“Of course it wouldn’t be possible without the support of my partners, old and new, and I’m looking forward to working with them during the year ahead.”
Pete Jones, Restart Racing Managing Director, said: “From the moment we secured the Hyundai i30s for 2025, we knew we needed a strong driver pairing to unlock their full potential.
“Dan was at the top of our list as he’s a proven winner, has experience with this car, and his determination to fight his way back onto the grid says everything about the competitor he is.
“With Dan and Chris leading the charge, we’re confident that we have a line-up capable of pushing for podiums and delivering strong results. More than that, Dan is another cornerstone in the long-term vision of Restart Racing. We’re not just building a team for this season – we’re laying the foundation for sustained success in the BTCC, and Dan is a key part of that journey.”
Daniel Lloyd will again be supported this season by First Locate, Develop, Technology Desking, Heatworks, Future Flooring, Calder IT, The Swiss Link, Third Millennium, Marc Webb Building, Mongoose, Aqua Nero and members of the Daniel Lloyd Members Club, alongside new partners Autobrite Direct, Fast Signs Huddersfield and Posynergi.
