Bobby Thompson (racing driver)

Last updated

Bobby Thompson
Bobby Thompson Aug 2022.jpg
Thompson at Thruxton Circuit in 2022
Nationality Flag of the United Kingdom.svg British
BornRobert David Thompson
(1996-07-28) 28 July 1996 (age 28)
Hornchurch, England
British Touring Car Championship career
Debut season 2018
Current team Zeus Cloud Racing with WSR
Car number19
Former teams AmD Essex, Tony Gilham Racing
Starts130
Wins0
Podiums4
Poles0
Fastest laps1
Best finish14th in 2022
Previous series
2015–2017
2014
2012–2014		VW Racing Cup
British Formula Ford Championship
Ford Fiesta Championship
Championship titles
2022
2017		 Jack Sears Trophy
VW Racing Cup

Robert David Thompson (born 28 July 1996 in Hornchurch, England) is a British racing driver who most recently competed in the 2023 British Touring Car Championship, driving for Autobrite Direct with Millers Oils. [1] He was the 2022 Jack Sears Trophy winner.

Contents

Career

Early career

After competing in karting from 2006 to 2012 at a national level, Thompson made his car racing debut in 2012, competing in the Ford Fiesta Championship. He completed a full season in 2013, finishing 19th overall with one podium to his name. [2]

He competed as a guest driver for Meridian Motorsport in the second and third round of the 2014 British Formula Ford Championship, replacing Ashley Sutton. [3]

VW Racing Cup

In 2015 Thompson moved to the Volkswagen Racing Cup Great Britain, driving for Team HARD. Racing. He finished 10th overall in his debut season, with one win. He switched to Power Maxed Racing to contest the 2016 season, and came 5th overall. Returning to Team HARD. Racing for 2017, he won the championship with 6 wins. [4]

British Touring Car Championship

2018

Following his VW Racing Cup championship win, Thompson signed a contract to drive a Volkswagen CC for Team HARD in the 2018 British Touring Car Championship. [5] He struggled in his debut season, finishing in the points just 3 times, at the sixth round of the season at Snetterton Circuit, and at the seventh at Rockingham Speedway. With 23 points, he finished 28th in the overall standings, and 10th in the Jack Sears Trophy.

2019

In October 2018, it was announced that Thompson had re-signed for Team HARD for the 2019 season, again driving a Volkswagen CC. [6] He had a strong opening round, finishing 6th with fastest lap in the first race, and scoring in the other two. With 10 points finishes throughout the season, he finished 22nd in the standings with 35 points, and 3rd in the Jack Sears Trophy.

2020

For 2020, Thompson switched to GKR TradePriceCars.com, driving an Audi A3 Saloon. He had a strong start to his campaign, finishing in the points 11 times out of the 17 races he finished in the opening 7 rounds. However, in the third race of the weekend during the seventh round at Croft Circuit, Thompson crashed and barrel-rolled his car whilst fighting over eight place with Senna Proctor. [7] He was ruled out of the following round due to a concussion sustained in the crash, and did not appear at the final round either. [8] As a result, Thompson came 5th and missed out on the title in the Jack Sears Trophy, which he was leading at the time of the crash. He came 18th in the overall standings, with 44 points.

2021

Due to financial constraints following his crash the previous season, Thompson was forced to sit out from the 2021 season. [9] He made his racing return in October 2021, competing in the final two rounds of the 2021 Mini Challenge UK with JamSport Racing as a guest driver. [10]

2022

Thompson returned to the championship for the 2022 season, driving a Cupra León for Team HARD. [11] He had a strong season, achieving his first overall podium finish in the championship with a 3rd place in the reverse grid race during the second round at Brands Hatch. He scored 99 points across the season and came 14th in the standings, and after a long battle for the title with George Gamble, Thompson sealed the Jack Sears Trophy trophy title during the final round at Brands Hatch. [12]

2023

Thompson continued with Team HARD in the 2023 British Touring Car Championship, driving a new Cupra León. [1] In the second round of the season at Brands Hatch, he achieved his second podium finish in the championship, converting reverse-grid pole into second place in the reverse grid race. [13]

Prior to the sixth round of the season at Croft Circuit, Team HARD announced that Thompson would step down from the championship for the remainder of the season due to "financial circumstances faced by the team". [14] He was replaced by Michael Crees. [15]

Personal life

Thompson's cousin Aaron Thompson is also a racing driver, who won the 2015 BRSCC Fiesta Junior Championship [16] and the Clio Class of the 2021 Britcar Endurance Championship.

Racing record

Karting career summary

SeasonSeriesPosition
2006Bayford Kart Club Summer Sprint Championship - Honda Cadet4th
2007Bayford Kart Club Summer Sprint Championship - Honda Cadet9th
Super 1 National Honda Cadet Championship 7th
2008BRDC Stars of Tomorrow Minimax Championship19th
2009Formula Kart Stars - Minimax15th
Super 1 Series ABkC Minimax Championship27th
MSA Kartmasters Grand Prix - Rotax Minimax17th
2010 Super 1 National Rotax Minimax Championship 10th
Kartmasters British Grand Prix - Rotax Minimax6th
2011Trent Valley Kart Club - Junior Rotax23rd
Formula Kart Stars - Junior Max11th
2012Kartmasters British Grand Prix - Rotax Junior18th
Formula Kart Stars - Junior Max3rd

Racing career summary

SeasonSeriesTeamRacesWinsPolesF/LapsPodiumsPointsPosition
2012Ford Fiesta Championship - Class CN/A200000NC†
2013Ford Fiesta Championship - Class C1500013619th
2014Ford Fiesta Championship - Class C200002333rd
British Formula Ford Championship Meridian Motorsport60000N/ANC†
2015Volkswagen Racing Cup Great Britain Team HARD. Racing 15112235610th
2016Volkswagen Racing Cup Great Britain Power Maxed Racing 1400074305th
2017Volkswagen Racing Cup Great Britain Team HARD. Racing 14639105201st
2018 British Touring Car Championship Team HARD. with Trade Price Cars 2900002328th
2019 British Touring Car Championship GKR Scaffolding with Autobrite Direct 3000103522nd
2020 British Touring Car Championship GKR TradePriceCars.com 2100004418th
2021 Mini Challenge UK - JCW JamSport Racing60001N/ANC†
2022 24 Hours of Dubai - TCX CWS Engineering 10010N/A10th
24H TCE Series - TCX
British Touring Car Championship Autobrite Direct with JourneyHero 3000019914th
2023 British Touring Car Championship Autobrite Direct with Millers Oils 1400017417th
Go-Fix with Autoaid Breakdown 60001
2024 British Touring Car Championship Zeus Cloud Racing with WSR 300013420th

† As Thompson was a guest driver, he was ineligible for championship points.

Complete British Touring Car Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position – 1 point awarded just in first race; races in italics indicate fastest lap – 1 point awarded all races; * signifies that driver led race for at least one lap – 1 point given all races)

YearTeamCar123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930DCPoints
2018 Team HARD. with
Trade Price Cars 		Volkswagen CC BRH
1
19		 BRH
2
Ret		 BRH
3
26		 DON
1
20		 DON
2
24		 DON
3
20		 THR
1
26		 THR
2
20		 THR
3
22		 OUL
1
26		 OUL
2
26		 OUL
3
DNS		 CRO
1
24		 CRO
2
27		 CRO
3
21		 SNE
1
18		 SNE
2
14		 SNE
3
10		 ROC
1
24		 ROC
2
Ret		 ROC
3
7		 KNO
1
Ret		 KNO
2
NC		 KNO
3
20		 SIL
1
19		 SIL
2
Ret		 SIL
3
21		 BRH
1
Ret		 BRH
2
Ret		 BRH
3
19		28th23
2019 GKR Scaffolding
with Autobrite Direct 		Volkswagen CC BRH
1
6		 BRH
2
13		 BRH
3
15		 DON
1
18		 DON
2
Ret		 DON
3
Ret		 THR
1
30		 THR
2
22		 THR
3
20		 CRO
1
Ret		 CRO
2
23		 CRO
3
14		 OUL
1
19		 OUL
2
21		 OUL
3
Ret		 SNE
1
13		 SNE
2
13		 SNE
3
Ret		 THR
1
14		 THR
2
22		 THR
3
19		 KNO
1
18		 KNO
2
21		 KNO
3
20		 SIL
1
Ret		 SIL
2
13		 SIL
3
10		 BRH
1
21		 BRH
2
16		 BRH
3
15		22nd35
2020 GKR TradePriceCars.com Audi S3 Saloon DON
1
11		 DON
2
17		 DON
3
15		 BRH
1
14		 BRH
2
Ret		 BRH
3
12		 OUL
1
14		 OUL
2
10		 OUL
3
18		 KNO
1
18		 KNO
2
DSQ		 KNO
3
19		 THR
1
17		 THR
2
Ret		 THR
3
15		 SIL
1
18		 SIL
2
13		 SIL
3
12		 CRO
1
8		 CRO
2
8		 CRO
3
Ret		 SNE
1 		SNE
2 		SNE
3 		BRH
1 		BRH
2 		BRH
3 		18th44
2022 Autobrite Direct
with JourneyHero 		Cupra León DON
1
12		 DON
2
7		 DON
3
10		 BRH
1
16		 BRH
2
11		 BRH
3
3		 THR
1
17		 THR
2
16		 THR
3
12		 OUL
1
15		 OUL
2
14		 OUL
3
Ret		 CRO
1
12		 CRO
2
14		 CRO
3
12		 KNO
1
12		 KNO
2
Ret		 KNO
3
20		 SNE
1
14		 SNE
2
17		 SNE
3
14		 THR
1
15		 THR
2
12		 THR
3
23		 SIL
1
11		 SIL
2
9		 SIL
3
14		 BRH
1
7		 BRH
2
9		 BRH
3
Ret		14th99
2023 Autobrite Direct
with Millers Oils 		Cupra León DON
1
16		 DON
2
10		 DON
3
6		 BRH
1
6		 BRH
2
11		 BRH
3
2		 SNE
1
16		 SNE
2
20		 SNE
3
12		 THR
1
10		 THR
2
Ret		 THR
3
DNS		 OUL
1
7		 OUL
2
Ret		 OUL
3
Ret		 CRO
1 		CRO
2 		CRO
3 		KNO
1 		KNO
2 		KNO
3 		DON
1 		DON
2 		DON
3 		17th74*
Go-Fix with
Autoaid Breakdown 		SIL
1
5		 SIL
2
Ret		 SIL
3
22		 BRH
1
3		 BRH
2
5		 BRH
3
Ret
2024 Zeus Cloud Racing
with WSR 		BMW 330e M Sport DON
1 		DON
2 		DON
3 		BRH
1 		BRH
2 		BRH
3 		SNE
1
2		 SNE
2
7		 SNE
3
8		 THR
1 		THR
2 		THR
3 		OUL
1 		OUL
2 		OUL
3 		CRO
1 		CRO
2 		CRO
3 		KNO
1 		KNO
2 		KNO
3 		DON
1 		DON
2 		DON
3 		SIL
1 		SIL
2 		SIL
3 		BRH
1 		BRH
2 		BRH
3 		20th34

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References

  1. 1 2 "Team HARD retains Bobby Thompson for 2023 BTCC". TouringCars.net. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  2. ↑ "Bobby Thompson | Racing career profile | Driver Database". Driver Database. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  3. ↑ Allen, Peter (19 April 2014). "Kruger edges out Brabham and Scott to top Donington qualifying". Formula Scout. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  4. ↑ Jackson, Connor (24 September 2017). "Thompson Clinches Championship in Final Race Decider". The Checkered Flag. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  5. ↑ James, Matt (3 November 2017). "BTCC 2018: Volkswagen Cup champion Thompson gets Team Hard drive". Autosport. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  6. ↑ "Bobby Thompson re-signs with Team HARD". TouringCarTimes. 31 October 2018. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  7. ↑ Simmons, Marcus (12 October 2020). "Thompson requires medical clearance after huge Croft shunt". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  8. ↑ Simmons, Marcus (12 October 2020). "BTCC racer Thompson out of Snetterton round with concussion". Autosport. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  9. ↑ Simmons, Marcus (13 October 2022). "Jack Sears champion Thompson aims for overall BTCC success". Autosport. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  10. ↑ "BOBBY THOMPSON JOINS MINI CHALLENGE GRID AT DONINGTON PARK". Mini Challenge. 5 October 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  11. ↑ "Bobby Thompson makes BTCC return with Team HARD". TouringCars.Net. 11 March 2022. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  12. ↑ "Bobby Thompson left with mixed emotions despite Jack Sears success". TouringCarTimes. 13 October 2022. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  13. ↑ "BTCC Brands Hatch: Sutton takes thrilling Race 3 win after Collard penalty". Motorsport.com. 7 May 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  14. ↑ "Thompson to Step Down from Seat for Remainder of 2023". Team HARD. 19 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  15. ↑ "Michael Crees rejoins Team HARD as Bobby Thompson steps down". TouringCarTimes. 19 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  16. ↑ "Hatch end is perfect as Aaron has a Fiesta". Romford Recorder. 30 October 2015. Retrieved 11 May 2023.

Bobby Thompson career summary at DriverDB.com

Sporting positions
Preceded by Jack Sears Trophy
Winner
2022 		Succeeded by
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