BTCC: TEAM HARD signs Daniel Lloyd

Daniel Lloyd has signed for TEAM HARD Racing for the 2023 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship. The 30-year-old sets his sets on the independents’ Trophy with the Kent-based team.

Lloyd will spend 2023 racing the Cupra Leon, using one of the newest cars on the grid, making its debut in 2021. The car has already scored podium finishes with Jack Goff in 2021 and Bobby Thompson in 2022. He will spend the year giving the team valuable information, from his wealth of touring car experience.

One of his teammates for next season at TEAM HARD, will be Dexter Patterson, who spent the season with the Laser Tools Racing. Patterson had the best finish of 14^th place in 2022, with his rear-wheel drive Infiniti.

In 2022 Lloyd joined the EXCELR8 Motorsport team, using the front-wheel drive Hyundai. It was a tough season with a huge crash at Oulton Park, almost ending his season. However, Lloyd would continue, finishing the season 10th in the championship.

Lloyd first arrived in the series in 2016, racing three rounds with the Eurotech team, and would win the jack Sears trophy in his first weekend. He would later race in the TCR UK series, winning the 2018 championship, before returning to the BTCC.

Daniel Lloyd, Team HARD Racing driver, said: “Having looked at the various options elsewhere on the grid and having spoken to a number of teams, I’m really excited to have agreed a deal to join Tony [Gilham] and Team HARD.

“I was really impressed with what the team achieved with Bobby [Thompson] this year, and the steps forward they have taken in recent seasons. I’m looking forward to the challenge of helping them to continue making forward progress with the Cupra during the year ahead.

“The fact that they have someone with the knowledge and experience of Kevin Berry to head the engineering team is a major plus point for me, as is the fact that I’m going to have a top-class engineer on my car in the shape of Adam Tanner, who I worked with successfully during my time with Eurotech.

“With a strong pit crew around me, I feel the ingredients are in place to build something good in 2023, and I’m confident of another strong season on track.”

Tony Gilham, Team HARD Racing owner, said: “This is a major coup for us. Dan did a fantastic job last season and was a real thorn in our side at the start of the season as he and Bobby seemed to be glued together.

“When I heard that Dan might be available to take over the wheel of one of our Cupras for 2023, it was an easy decision to get him into our camp for this season.

“Behind the scenes, our BTCC project is really starting to move through the gears and this acquisition is another demonstration of how far we have come as a team over the last two to three seasons. There is a great buzz in camp, and we are all delighted to have Dan join the team.”

Image from BTCC.net