In his first weekend out of Team VERTU’s British Touring Car Championship Hyundai, Ricky Collard has poked at Osamu Kawashima’s driving on Instagram.
Collard’s budget struggles had been at the forefront of BTCC coverage throughout the 2026 season, with it predicted pre-season that he would only make it to the halfway point.
This was eclipsed during the campaign, with an extension to his Team VERTU deal taking him through to the Croft weekend.
During the season, Team VERTU appointed 57-year-old Kawashima as reserve driver, later confirming that he would drive the Silverstone and Brands Hatch GP rounds.
While it was easily thought that the move would be a replacement for Collard, it was officially confirmed in September as Kawashima underwent tests to prepare for his BTCC debut.
Being spotted testing the Hyundai i30N Fastback at Snetterton, it was Kawashima’s first taste of tin-top machinery in 10 years.
The Japanese driver had tasted a Speedworks Toyota Avensis during a one-day test in 2016, having finished runner-up in the Ginetta GT4 amateur class the year before.
Being the first Japanese driver in the BTCC since Kunimitsu Takahashi in 1985, Kawashima has spoken openly about this opportunity being the culmination of a dream.
“I’m hugely excited to have the opportunity to become the first Japanese driver to race in the BTCC in the modern era and would like to express my gratitude to everyone at EXCELR8 for making it possible and for supporting me during testing,” Kawashima said.
“When I previously raced in the UK in Ginettas, I set myself the goal of one day competing in the BTCC. It’s taken longer than I hoped, but everything has fallen into place and my dream is now finally coming true.”
However, an off-the-pace Free Practice at Silverstone has left Collard less-than-impressed with his peer.
The former British GT Drivers’ Champion took to Instagram to share a story posted by another fan that described Team VERTU’s move to replace him as casting aside podiums, points, and exciting races, before posting: “Off to support my family race not watch my car be driven round in last place 3 seconds off the pace.”
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