Team VERTU have announced that Ricky Collard will pilot the Hyundai at Brands Hatch, replacing British Touring Car Championship debutant Osamu Kawashima after one round.
One of the sagas of the 2026 campaign has thrown one final twist heading into the final hours, as Ricky Collard will return to the Hyundai i30N Fastback at the season-closing tour of Brands Hatch’s GP loop.
With even his deal at the start of the season being a late move, Collard would find an extension to the original five-race run to race through to its expiry ahead of the Silverstone National round.
Waiting in the wings was Kawashima, with the 57-year-old set to realise his ‘dream‘ of competing in the BTCC.
However, Silverstone proved difficult for the BTCC’s first Japanese driver since 1985.
An expectedly off-pace Saturday was ended by a spin into the gravel in the Race to Pole as Kawashima tried to adapt to the machinery, while engine issues curtailed a Sunday that could have powered him to his one-point target.
“While tests prior to Silverstone were successful in demonstrating the necessary performance, it was evident following the race meeting at Silverstone that Kawashima would benefit from additional time in the car to fully realise his potential,” a Team VERTU statement read.
“As a result, and given the unique challenges of the Brands Hatch GP layout, the decision has been taken to instead focus on providing Kawashima with additional track time away from the pressures of a race weekend.”
Such pressures may have even been exaggerated by Collard himself, with an Instagram story posted after Silverstone’s Free Practice barbing at Kawashima and his team.
However, Collard’s return does allow him to continue his most successful season to date, despite dropping to P10 in the Drivers’ Championship as a result of missing a round.
“Silverstone was a situation where emotions were running high and things were said in the heat of the moment, but the focus now is on looking ahead to the finale and ending the season on a high,” Collard said.
“I’m grateful to have the chance to get back behind the wheel of the Hyundai this weekend, especially around such an iconic circuit as Brands Hatch GP, and hopefully we can have another strong weekend and build on the results we have gained already this season.
“Seven podiums has been a fantastic return and the only thing missing to complete the set is to make it onto the top step. If we could do that, it would be an amazing way to end the year, not least as I am working with the team to try and make a return to the seat possible for 2027.”
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