TouringCarTimes’ Top 30 drivers of 2024: 30-21

As we embark on the first days of a new year, it’s time for the 18th annual TouringCarTimes’ rundown of the Top 30 touring car drivers in the world.

Our team of writers have ranked their top performers from the various championships we cover, and here we present the first part of our rundown of the best performers on track.

TouringCarTimes Driver of the Year – Hall of fame

2007 – Mattias Ekström
2008 – Yvan Muller
2009 – Colin Turkington
2010 – Jason Plato
2011 – Rob Huff
2012 – Gordon Shedden
2013 – Jamie Whincup
2014 – José María López
2015 – José María López/Mark Winterbottom
2016 – Shane van Gisbergen
2017 – Norbert Michelisz
2018 – Scott McLaughlin
2019 – Colin Turkington
2020 – René Rast
2021 – Shane van Gisbergen
2022 – Shane van Gisbergen
2023 – Ash Sutton

First up, positions 30 through to 21 of 2024…

30 – Carl Boardley, TCR UK Champion with Hart GT

As defending champion, Carl Boardley went into 2024 as the man to beat in the TCR UK championship but faced a tough challenge from a raft of returning names. Consistency would be key for the Hart GT driver who only finished outside the top six once all season, which enabled him to see off young guns Brad Hutchison and Callum Newsham in the standings.

29 – Mikael Karlsson, STCC Champion with Brink Motorsport

The STCC entered a new era in 2024 with the switch to electric power so it was perhaps apt that it was a new name that emerged as champion at the end of the season in the shape of Brink Motorsport’s Mikael Karlsson. In a year dominated by the Tesla squad – which won nine of the ten rounds – it was Karlsson’s consistency that ultimately gave him the edge over team-mates Jimmy Eriksson and Tobias Brink. Eight podium finishes, including wins at both Knutstorp and Mantorp Park, gave him a well deserved place in the history books.

28 – Zac Soutar, TCR Australia runner-up with Team Soutar Motorsport

Zac Soutar had shown flashes of pace during three seasons in TCR Australia but wasn’t amongst those expected to challenge for the title in 2024 with his family-run team. Soutar took the fight to the bigger teams from the outset however and was a three-time winner in his Audi as he ended the year as runner-up in the standings.

27 – Kasper H Jensen, TCR Denmark Champion with Mascot Motorsport

The 2024 season was another hugely successful one for Kasper H Jensen, who remains the only driver to have won the TCR Denmark title. Jensen was forced to battle hard throughout the season to see off the challenge of Mike Halder, wrapping up his fifth successive championship with a double win in the Jyllandsringen finale.

26 – Brodie Kostecki, 17th in Supercars with Erebus Motorsport

A 17th place finish for the defending champion doesn’t look good on paper for Brodie Kostecki but that was largely down to missing the first two meetings when it seemed certain he was about to split with Erebus Motorsport. Having returned in Taupo, Kostecki came good in the latter stages of the year; starring at Bathurst with pole position and a dominant win alongside Todd Hazelwood, before an equally impressive weekend on the Gold Coast saw him secure a second victory. Will expect to fight for title number two in 2025 with DJR.

25 – Ruben Volt, Fourth in TCR Europe & Second in TCR Italy with ALM Motorsport

The 2024 season was a busy one for Estonian youngster Ruben Volt as he embarked on dual programmes in TCR Europe and TCR Italy with the ALM Motorsport squad. Improving on his previous bests in both championships, Volt went close to the title in Italy and was also a multiple winner on the European stage.

24 – Josh Buchan, TCR Australia Champion with HMO Customer Racing

Josh Buchan became the first driver to successfully defend the TCR Australia title in 2024 despite being forced into an older-spec car for the start of the season after his HMO Customer Racing squad encountered issues over the winter with its Elantra N TCR. After a solid start to the year, Buchan was in fine form when reunited with his 2023 title winner and only finished off the podium three times in the second half of the season to emerge as champion.

23 – Pedro Cardoso, TCR South America Champion with PMO Racing

Former F4 champion Pedro Cardoso showed flashes of pace on his TCR debut in 2023 with a pair of podium finishes, but the switch to PMO Racing for 2024 saw him become a championship contender at the wheel of a Peugeot 308. A huge battle for the title with Juan Manuel Casella saw Cardoso as the hunter going into the Rosario finale, where he overcame his rival to take the crown.

22 – Nicolas Taylor, TCR Italy Champion with PMA Motorsport

Nicolas Taylor embarked on his first season of car racing in 2024 and few would have tipped the Canadian teenager as a potential champion when the TCR Italy season got underway. Qualifying on the front row for the season opener at Misano opened some eyes and he was a consistent front-runner in a huge field, remaining in the title mix despite not scoring a win until the penultimate meeting of the year. Pole and victory in a chaotic Monza finale saw him edge Ruben Volt on count-back to take the crown.

21 – Ignacio Montenegro, Third in TCR Europe, TCR Spain Champion & Gold Medallist in the FIA Motorsport Games with ALM Motorsport

Heading to Europe as TCR South America champion, Ignacio Montenegro embarked on a busy programme in 2024 that saw him score the first title of the year in the TCR Spain Winter Series. That would kick off a remarkable campaign for the Argentinian racer who beat Mike Halder to the main TCR Spain title and took third in TCR Europe, before taking victory in the FIA Motorsport Games.

Positions 20 to 11 to follow next week.