Daniel Lloyd admits he will be taking a step into the unknown when his 2023 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship programme kicks off this weekend at Donington Park.
The season opener will be the first time that Huddersfield racer Daniel has hit the track in competition at the wheel of his new Team HARD Cupra Leon, one of two brand-new cars built up by the team over the winter.
As with a number of his on-track rivals, difficult conditions across the winter months have resulted in limited pre-season running for Daniel, who will be looking to try and maintain the fine form he showed in 2022.
There, Daniel secured three race wins and a top-ten championship finish for the first time in Britain’s premier racing series, and now embarks on a third successive season looking to once again impress in a bumper 27-car entry.
Whilst keeping expectations in check, Daniel makes the trip to the East Midlands this weekend looking to put early points on the board, with three trouble-free races also vital to maximise his time behind the wheel of the new car as the team works to fully dial it into his driving style.
“Pre-season has been difficult for a lot of teams and like many of our rivals, we would have liked more time on track in dry conditions before round one,” Daniel said. “Because of that, I think this weekend will be a real step into the unknown for a lot of drivers, and it is difficult to predict what will happen.
“For me personally, I think it’s important not to get too carried away when it comes to results as this is a brand new car and a new team for me. So far, I can’t fault the team for the effort it has put in to get ready for the new season, and the hard work starts now to get the Cupra how I like my car to be.
“Of course, I want to be as high up the order as I can be and I’ll be pushing hard to put some early points on the board, but the main focus has to be to get as much running as we can across the weekend and then we can collect plenty of information to help us as the season goes on.
“It will be good to have the support of a number of my partners at the circuit this weekend – including 247 Blinds, DEVELOP, Future Flooring and Greenview Projects – and hopefully I can put on a good show for them.”
