Tom Chilton will remain with EXCELR8 Motorsport in the 2026 British Touring Car Championship, as he enters into his longest successive stint with the same team.
Chilton, who will be 41 when the 2026 season gets underway, made his BTCC début back in 2002 and will be heading into his 20th season in the championship.
Since then, Chilton has scored 18 victories in the BTCC, with his most recent coming at Donington Park in August, after he won twice at the Leicestershire venue in 2025.
The 2025 season, when Chilton finished seventh overall, was his strongest since 2018, the year he was third in the standings, which remains his best season to-date.
Although Chilton previously completed a total of six seasons in the BTCC with Arena Motorsport, they came in two stints, whereas his tenure with EXCELR8 will now extend to five consecutive seasons, having joined the team in 2022.
“I’m absolutely delighted to have extended my stay with EXCELR8 and Team VERTU as there is nowhere else in the paddock I would rather be,” said Chilton.
“Considering how long it is since I first joined the BTCC grid, I can honestly say that I’ve never had as much fun as I did this year and that is a reflection of how strong the team is.
“From top to bottom, every single person was focused on pushing for the very best results, which was reflected in the fact that we came away from 2025 with two of the three titles to our name.
“Having signed up for another season, my goal is clear and that is to challenge for the overall title as winning the BTCC title is everyone on the grid goes racing.
“Considering how strong our package was this season, I’m hugely excited to see what 2026 holds when we have further refinements to make to the car and it’s going to seem like a long winter waiting to get down to business for round one!”
Justina Williams, Team Owner, said Chilton was an important part of the team, particularly given the experience he has from his 532 starts in the BTCC.
“It’s fantastic that Tom will once again be part of our driver line-up for the 2026 season as he has become a hugely important part of the team in recent years,” added Williams.
“The knowledge and experience he brings cannot be underestimated, and his results on track were a key part in us securing championship honours again this year.
“We look forward to plenty more success together next year and have no doubt that Tom will be a contender at the front of the field from the start.”