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| Category | Touring cars |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Inaugural season | 2018 |
| Drivers | 34 (2022) |
| Teams | 21 (2022) |
| Constructors | Audi,Cupra,Honda,Hyundai,Subaru,Vauxhall,VW |
| Tyre suppliers | Goodyear |
| Drivers' champion |  Chris Smiley |
| Official website | https://www.tcr-uk.co.uk/ |
 Current season | |
TheTCR UK Touring Car Championship, known as theTouring Car Trophy from 2019 to 2021, is atouring car racing series based in theUnited Kingdom. It features production-basedtouring cars built toTCR specifications, and formerly alsoNGTC andSuper 2000 specifications from 2019 to 2021. The championship is aimed as a feeder category to theBTCC and operated byStewart Lines' Maximum Group.
The TCR UK Touring Car Championship was first established in2018 and was organised by theBRSCC.[1] TCR UK was introduced as a feeder series for the more popular and expensiveBritish Touring Car Championship although there was no direct link between the two series'. Interest in the new championship initially appeared high, with organisers discussing the possibility of qualifying races in order to accommodate the projected large grids.[2][3] However, in reality grid numbers were low throughout the year with only 5 drivers competing at every event and the grid peaking at 13 cars in the season opener atSilverstone.[4]Dan Lloyd took the inaugural championship in dominant fashion, winning 7 of the first 8 races and taking 4 pole positions.
The championship continued to struggle in2019 and a few weeks before the first scheduled round atSnetterton, and with only 3 entries announced, the decision was made to combine the championship withStewart Lines Touring Car Trophy. Lines would also takeover the running and organisation of the championship. The Touring Car Trophy was established in 2019 for olderSuper 2000 andNGTC machinery which was no longer eligible for theBritish Touring Car Championship. TCR UK would now be a class within the Touring Car Trophy with drivers in TCR cars able to fight for two championships.[5] Henry Neal, son of 3 time BTCC championMatt Neal, won the inaugural Touring Car Trophy driving a NGTC specificationHonda Civic Type R while James Turkington, younger brother of another BTCC champion,Colin Turkington, fought off Lewis Kent to win the TCR UK class.[6]
For2020 the Volkswagen Racing Cup also joined the grid. Henry Neal and Lewis Kent dominated the season with Neal defending his title and Kent clinching his first TCR UK class title.[7]
In2021 the championship began to recover with entries reaching double figures for the first time since 2018. By seasons end the grid was entirely made up ofTCR cars with Lewis Kent taking his second title ahead of 2020 Civic Cup champion Bruce Winfield.[8]
The Touring Car Trophy was dissolved for2022 with TCR UK once again becoming a standalone championship.[9] The series experienced its biggest season yet with 20 cars appearing at every round and the grid peaking at 25 cars for 3 events. The championship was won byChris Smiley ahead of Isaac Smith.[10]
| TCR UK Touring Car Championship | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Champion (Car) | Team Champions (Car) | ||||
| 2018 | Daniel Lloyd |  Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR |  WestCoast Racing | Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR | ||
| Touring Car Trophy | ||||||
| Year | Champion (Car) | Team Champions (Car) | TCR UK (Car) | |||
| 2019 | Henry Neal |  Honda Civic Type R | Ciceley Motorsport |  CUPRA León TCR | James Turkington | CUPRA León TCR |
| 2020 | Henry Neal | Honda Civic Type R | Maximum Motorsport | CUPRA León TCR | Lewis Kent |  Hyundai i30 N TCR |
| 2021 | Lewis Kent | Hyundai i30 N TCR | Essex & Kent Motorsport | Hyundai i30 N TCR | Lewis Kent | Hyundai i30 N TCR |
| TCR UK Touring Car Championship | ||||||
| Year | Champion (Car) | Tom Walker Memorial Trophy (Car) | Goodyear Diamond Trophy (Car) | |||
| 2022 | Chris Smiley | Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8) | Chris Smiley | Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8) | Andy Wilmot | Hyundai i30 N TCR |
| 2023 | Carl Boardley | CUPRA León TCR | Carl Boardley | CUPRA León TCR | Carl Boardley | CUPRA León TCR |
| 2024 | Carl Boardley | CUPRA León TCR | Rick Kerry | CUPRA León TCR | Darron Lewis | Hyundai i30 N TCR |