Resurgence continues for Aron Taylor-Smith with equal season-best showing at Silverstone

Aron Taylor-Smith’s resurgent form continued in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at Silverstone last weekend [20-21 September], with the Irishman scoring a equal season-best result of fourth.

Famed as the ‘Home of British Motorsport’, Silverstone’s 1.64-mile National circuit has been a happy hunting ground for Taylor-Smith, accounting for six of his 22 career podium finishes in the UK’s premier motorsport series.

That, coupled with the ever-improving performance of his TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK-run Corolla GR Sport, meant the 35-year-old arrived in buoyant mood, which was validated with a top-ten result in qualifying.

Taylor-Smith opted to run the slower, less-favoured medium Goodyear tyre for the opening race and, despite being muscled out at the start, fought back in stellar fashion to register a fourth consecutive points finish in P11.

Aided by a switch to the grippier soft compound for race two, Taylor-Smith then went on a charge up the order, showcasing the experience, nous and racecraft amassed in over 300 starts in the BTCC.

A promising first half of the race promoted Taylor-Smith into the top ten and, after a mid-race safety car, he made full use of his extra tyre performance to scythe his way through the order. First, a bold dive to the inside at Becketts – then on the outside at Brooklands – promoted him another three places into eighth.

Proctor’s Hyundai and Taylor-Smith’s team-mate Gordon Shedden yielded on the next tour, before the Dubliner reeled in race one winner Lloyd for fifth. He made the move stick and, with six laps to go, set off in pursuit of the leaders – and almost a second a lap faster.

Another late move on the brakes at Becketts put Taylor-Smith into fourth past Rowbottom’s Ford, and he immediately pulled up to the back of reigning champion Hill’s BMW for the final spot on the rostrum.

But time ultimately went against Taylor-Smith on this occasion, but he kept Hill honest to the chequered flag, the difference a mere 0.0175 seconds. Fourth still represented an equal season-best result – matching a fourth from Donington GP three weeks ago – and another sure sign of the team’s ongoing development work paying off.

Race three meant a switch back to the slower medium tyres, and Taylor-Smith rounded out the weekend in the points for a sixth race in succession, scoring P11.
Brands Hatch’s iconic Grand Prix circuit hosts the 2025 BTCC season finale on 4-5 October.

Aron Taylor-Smith said:

“This has been another really encouraging event for myself and the team at TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK, and I’m so pleased to come away having equalled our best result of the season; if we manage to better that, we’ll have a podium! So it’s a nice place to be.

“I had to get my elbows out a bit in the first and third races whilst running the medium tyres, but my Toyota Corolla GR Sport absolutely came alive on the softs, and it was such a good feeling to be back in the thick of things and enjoying a proper ‘touring car race’ again – it was good craic!

“The transformation over the past few weekends has been really impressive, and it’s given us some great momentum. I’m looking forward to Brands, and the chance to end the season on a high and lay down some strong foundations for the future.”

Keep an eye on both the SuperCell365 and Taylor-Smith’s social media channels to be kept up to date on all things BTCC related.