Aron Taylor-Smith was crowned the 2024 Independent Drivers’ Champion in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at Silverstone last weekend [21-22 September], scoring another brace of class victories, plus a hat-trick of strong points finishes overall to take the title.
Having amassed four race victories and 22 podiums across 11 years competing in the UK’s premier motorsport series, the Independents’ crown marks not only Taylor-Smith’s greatest achievement to-date, but also writes another chapter in the remarkable story of his career renaissance with Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing.
After putting in consistent, front-running lap times across both practice sessions, and with every possibility of securing the Independent title with an event to spare, qualifying on Saturday afternoon took on extra significance – and produced the dramatics to match, including a broken gear lever and damage to the car.
Discretion ultimately proved to be the better part of valour for Taylor-Smith, and another ninth-placed finish – plus a 19th Independent win to boot – provided a fitting end to a fantastic weekend.
Taylor-Smith’s title-winning triumph was reflected across the garage, with Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing wrapping up the Independent Teams’ title, and Taylor-Smith’s team-mate Mikey Doble earning the Jack Sears Trophy title, all with an event to spare.
Brands Hatch’s iconic Grand Prix circuit will host the BTCC season finale in a fortnight on 5-6 October.
Aron Taylor-Smith (#40) said:
“I’m absolutely over the moon to have won the Independent Drivers’ title. To win a championship at this level is a dream come true, and I’m hugely grateful first and foremost to everybody – the team, my partner network, family and friends – who have given me a platform on which to go out and achieve this.
“It was great to go out across all three races and not only prove the pace we had in the car by moving up through the field, but to also recover lost ground and get those two Independent wins, which ultimately means we stand here as champions."
