TouringCarTimes’ Top 30 drivers of 2024: 20-11

It’s time for part two of the 18th annual TouringCarTimes rundown of the Top 30 touring car stars in the world. This is where our staff makes their choice based on the 2024 season.

Our team of writers have ranked their top performers from the various championships we cover each season since 2007, and here we present the second part of our rundown of the best performers on track in 2024.

If you missed it, you can check out part one here.

20 – Nestor Girolami, Sixth in FIA TCR World Tour with BRC Racing

Having become synonymous with Honda machinery, the 2024 season marked a change of scenery for Nestor Girolami as he switched to Hyundai as part of the BRC Racing assault on the TCR World Tour. Teaming up with established pairing Norbert Michelisz and Mikel Azona, Girolami started the season well with victory at Vallelunga and although he slipped out of title contention, he matched his top six championship finish from twelve months earlier.

19 – Josh Cook, Sixth in the BTCC with Speedworks Motorsport

After five seasons with the BTC Racing/One Motorsport team, Josh Cook was forced to move to pastures new for 2024 when the Honda team paused its BTCC programme and became the lead driver in an expanded Speedworks line-up. Wins at Oulton Park and Croft were the highlights in a season where he equalled his previous best of nine podium finishes, whilst there was a new PB in terms of points scored en-route to sixth in the standings.

18 – Aurelien Comte, TCR Europe runner-up with SP Competition

French racer Aurelien Comte returned to the international stage in 2024 with his first full season in TCR Europe since 2019, when he had taken seventh in the standings. Sticking with the same team that had carried him to third in TCR Italy the previous season, Comte moved into a new Cupra Leon VZ and enjoyed a season-long battle with Franco Girolami for the title – finishing every race inside the top eight before ending the campaign in second spot.

17 – Árón Taylor-Smith, Seventh in the BTCC with Power Maxed Racing

Aron Taylor-Smith had a smile back on his face in 2023 after a move to Power Maxed Racing, and the smile only grew in 2024 after a fine season that saw the Irish driver secure the Independents’ title. Taylor-Smith was the only driver to complete every racing lap and showed there was still plenty of life in the Vauxhall Astra despite it being the oldest model on the grid. Podiums at Oulton Park and Donington Park were the highlights, with a lost pole at Silverstone due to a ride height issue being arguably the only disappointment.

16 – Yann Ehrlacher, Fifth in FIA TCR World Tour with Cyan Racing

With two WTCR titles to his name and as runner-up in 2023, Yann Ehrlacher was – as expected – amongst the favourites for the TCR World Tour title in 2024. However, it would prove to be a frustrating campaign for the Frenchman who found himself in the unusual position of playing a supporting role within the Cyan Racing line-up. Although there were wins in Morocco, the USA and Uruguay, a number of tough results across a shortened season – including three no scores – would be too much to overcome.

15 – Matthew Payne, Sixth in Supercars with Grove Racing

Having ended 2023 with victory in Adelaide, Matt Payne headed into the 2024 Supercars season looking to try and build on a solid rookie campaign, so it was a case of mission accomplished for the youngster as he managed to climb up into the top six in the standings – an improvement of eight spots. Although the highlight was a win in Townsville on an alternate strategy, Payne also showed well in Melbourne with two podiums on the F1 support weekend, where he also scored one of his two pole positions across the season. Having comprehensively outperformed team-mate Richie Stanaway, the goal now is to add consistency to his bow in 2025.

14 – Dan Cammish, Fifth in the BTCC with NAPA Racing UK

Although he managed just a single win in the second visit to Donington Park, 2024 was arguably the best season yet for Dan Cammish since his return to the grid with the Alliance Racing-run NAPA squad. Consistency was the name of the game for the former Porsche champion who was a regular figure towards the sharp end and closer than ever to team-mate Ash Sutton. The fact he scored more points than ever before was the icing on the cake.

13 – Colin Turkington, Fourth in the BTCC with West Surrey Racing

It was unusual to head into a BTCC finale with Colin Turkington only classed as a ‘mathematical contender’ for the title after a somewhat up and down season for the BMW veteran. There was no doubting the pace of the WSR man, who scored four pole positions and took five race wins en-route to becoming the highest scoring driver in BTCC history, but a tough run of form ahead of the summer break ultimately ended his chances of a record-breaking fifth title.

12 – Esteban Guerrieri, Fourth in FIA TCR World Tour with GOAT Racing

Returning to the top level of TCR competition in 2024 after a year in the World Endurance Championship, Esteban Guerrieri was charged with leading the new GOAT Racing team in its debut season in the series as the sole Honda representative. His experience would be key to the programme and consistency across the season kept him in championship contention until a clumsy race one shunt in Macau ended his title hopes. Despite that, scoring a podium finish at each of the seven rounds was cause for celebration.

11 – Franco Girolami, TCR Europe Champion with Monlau Motorsport

For the third successive year, Franco Girolami ended the season with a title to his name after a successful return to the TCR Europe grid for the Argentinian racer. Championship winner in 2022 before moving into TCR Italy to score another title win in 2023, Girolami joined up with series newcomers Monlau Motorsport and the new Cupra Leon VZ – kicking off his campaign with victory in race one at Vallelunga. That would be one of four wins during the season, with Girolami seeing off the challenge of Aurelien Comete and Ignacio Montenegro to add another trophy to his cabinet.

The final part of the ranking will follow later this week.