Team VERTU have confirmed that they will race the British Touring Car Championship‘s youngest driver to contest a full season in 2027.
The move sees Noah Young step into the Hyundai i30 N Fastback at Donington Park at the age of 16 years and 11 months, just pipping Tom Chilton – who was 17 when he started his first full campaign in 2002.
And, fittingly, it may be Chilton’s retirement that freed the seat for 16-year-old, with it seemingly a formality that at least Tom Ingram and Nic Hamilton will continue at the EXCELR8-run squad in 2027.
Plus, the deal sees Young’s place confirmed for 2028, with a Team VERTU statement confirming that his rookie campaign will be “viewed as a season in which he can learn the ropes before seeking to move further up the grid in year two.”
Both campaigns will mark just his third and fourth in real-life racing, though the #95-wearing peddler does have additional experience on iRacing – a simulator lauded for its authenticity.
In the real world, Young debuted in 2025’s Ginetta Junior series, taking seven Freshman class victories and an overall podium in the spin-off Winter Series, before scoring a best championship position of P12 after a solid 2026 season.
“Ginetta Juniors has been a brilliant place for me to learn over the last two seasons, with close racing and battles for the podium positions from the first lap of a race to the last,” Young commented.
“I have been able to learn a huge amount about racing in a series that is hard but fair, and now I have an unbelievable opportunity to make the move into the most high-profile series in UK motorsport with one of the very best teams on the grid.
“I’m under no illusions that this is a big step up for me and that there are going to be plenty of challenges ahead, but I’m ready to tackle them head on and I cannot wait. Getting behind the wheel of the car for the first time at Donington was an amazing experience in itself, and it promises to be a busy winter preparing for my first race in the spring.
“I have to say a huge thank you to EXCELR8 and Team VERTU for backing me to make this move, and to my sponsors for getting me onto the grid.”
It does appear that Young will have a comprehensive preparation programme, having stepped into the VERTU Hyundai for the first time at Donington Park just yesterday.
Young is also coached by Ingram, who is by now a pillar of Team VERTU’s BTCC activity.
“Noah is a young driver who asks the right questions and takes everything you say onboard, and I’ve really enjoyed working with him this year.
“Racing in the BTCC is a big step up for him as the action is relentless and there is nowhere to hide, but I have no concerns about him joining the grid despite his young age.
“He’s got the race craft, he has a mature head on young shoulders, and I’m sure he will fit in well with the team. I’m looking forward to having him alongside us in the garage.”
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