Restart Racing to run EXCELR8-built Hyundai i30s next season

Restart Racing will run two Hyundai i30 Fastback N cars in the 2025 British Touring Car Championship after announcing a multi-year collaboration with EXCELR8 Motorsport.

Confirmation of a deal being struck between the two teams means that no fewer than six Hyundai cars will line up on the grid of the UK’s premier motorsport series next season.

While Restart Racing are poised to announce their driver line-up in due course, it has been confirmed that the team will use the successful Hyundai engine that has been developed alongside Swindon Powertrain.

Back in August, EXCLER8 announced that it was open to discussions about working with a new or existing team, with the possibility of providing cars. Following lengthy discussions, Restart have become part of the teams new customer programme.

After two successful years of TCR competition, Restart Racing made their debut in the BTCC this past season, running a pair of CUPRA Leon machines for Chris Smiley and Scott Sumpton.

Smiley scored the team’s best result of the season at Silverstone, finishing sixth, and ended the campaign third in the Independents’ Trophy with two class victories – and 18 further podiums – from 30 races.

“When we went public with the announcement that we were open to providing cars to a customer, we expected there to be interest given the success we have enjoyed with the Hyundai, and are delighted to have agreed a deal that will see us join forces with Restart Racing as a customer team for 2025 and beyond,” said Justina Williams, EXCELR8 Team Owner.

“Although this will be the first time we have provided BTCC machinery to another team, we are no strangers to building cars for customers in the MINI CHALLENGE and this is another step in the continued growth of EXCELR8 as we look to strengthen our position as one of the premier teams in British motorsport.

“The fact that Restart Racing has chosen the Hyundai as their weapon of choice is an indication of how far we have come in a relatively short period of time, and we look forward to working with them to make a success of this new collaboration over the coming seasons.”

Pete Jones, Restart Racing Managing Director, added: “I have been involved with the BTCC for a number of seasons, including a highly successful period alongside EXCELR8 supporting Tom Ingram’s 2022 title win, so when I heard that they were open to supplying cars to another team, it obviously caught my attention.

“The Cupra served us well this year as we embarked on our first season in the BTCC, but we are an ambitious team that has a desire to establish ourselves on the grid and to progress up the order – in much the same was as EXCELR8 themselves have done.

“The Hyundai is clearly an extremely strong package, and one that we know will allow us to move closer towards the targets we have set ourselves as a team. We are delighted to enter into this new relationship with EXCELR8, and can’t wait to take delivery of the cars and kickstart our preparations for 2025.”