RICKY COLLARD EXTENDS TEAM VERTU AGREEMENT
Team VERTU can today confirm that Ricky Collard will continue at the wheel of the #11 Hyundai for the next three events on the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship schedule.
Ricky – a former British GT title winner who has scored multiple victories in both sportscars and single-seaters during his career to date – joined forces with the EXCELR8-run team on the eve of the 2026 season to complete a four-strong line-up alongside Tom Ingram, Tom Chilton and Nicolas Hamilton.
Returning to the BTCC grid for the first time 2023 when he finished eighth in the standings with Toyota, Ricky’s deal initially covered the opening half of the season, which drew to a close with the most recent event on the schedule at Thruxton.
Over the course of the first five meetings, Ricky has proven to be something of a revelation on track as he wasted little time in getting back up to speed in a front-wheel drive touring car.
Scoring a podium finish first time out at Donington Park, Ricky went on to bag a pair of top three finishes at Brands Hatch and also scored silverware at both Snetterton and Oulton Park – whilst a best finish of fourth at Thruxton leaves him fifth in the standings.
Eager to extend his time with the team as he seeks to build on the impressive results gained so far, Ricky’s deal has now been extended to cover the next three rounds of the season, the first of which takes place at Knockhill in Scotland this weekend.
The extended agreement has been made possible thanks to the ongoing support of the Collard Group, Surron and E.J Churchill, who will continue to back Ricky as he seeks to challenge for his maiden win in the series over the next nine races.
Ricky Collard, #11 Team VERTU Hyundai i30 Fastback N, said:
“It’s no secret that when the opportunity came along to join Team VERTU on the eve of the season launch, we didn’t have the budget for the full campaign and could only commit to the first five events.
“Despite the fact that it’s been a few years since I was in a front-wheel drive touring car, and given how competitive the BTCC is, the first half of the year has been fantastic for me. I’ve gelled with the team and the car, and to be fifth in the standings with five podium finishes to my name has exceeded my expectations.
“The success we’ve enjoyed so far made me more determined that ever to extend my time with the team, and I’m delighted to confirm that I’m going to be in the seat for the next three meetings.
“Knockhill, Donington Park GP and Croft are circuits where I’ve had good results in the past and I’m going back to them with a stronger package than ever before, which leaves me confident of fighting for more silverware and hopefully pushing for that first BTCC win.
“This wouldn’t have been possible without the support of my partners, and a huge thank you to them – and the team – for ensuring we can continue to be on the grid.”
Justina Williams, Team VERTU Team Owner, said:
“We were always confident that Ricky could deliver strong results on track, and he has proven to be a fantastic addition to the team over the first half of the season.
“To be able to extend his deal to cover the next three rounds is fantastic as we look to strengthen our championship challenge over the remainder of the season, and we are looking forward to working with Ricky to deliver more strong results on track.”
