The Autosport International Show has been a great platform for drivers in the British Touring Car Championship to promote themselves, especially on the trade days. Jade Edwards and Bobby Thompson were on the main stage on Thursday with both looking for a seat in the upcoming season.
Jade Edwards in this off season is one of the drivers still on the look for a seat heading into 2024:
“Like I said, I’d love to do another year, last year for me was really tricky we had to switch teams halfway through, we didn’t have the results I wanted, we didn’t have some of the luck, all that sort of stuff,” said Edwards.
“It was just a really really tough year, and I’d hate for that to be my sign off year in this championship.
“As it stands, I don’t have a drive for this year coming, that’s not to say I’m not trying I never want to give in.”
“I never want to roll over and admit defeat so as it stands no team jacket on but I’m hoping at some point something will come up, and I’ll be able to prove what I can do in that championship.”
Edwards went on to speak about how she would feel if there wasn’t a female driver in the BTCC in 2024:
“I’ll be gutted if there is no female on the grid in 2024, because I do think the championship benefits from having that aspect, but unfortunately the rules for myself are the same as everyone else.”
If Edwards can find a seat, this will be Edward’s fifth season in the BTCC as she made her debut for Power Maxed Racing during the 2020 BTCC season at Silverstone.
After impressing on debut, the very next season she went on to have her first full season drive with BTC Racing (One Motorsport), where she achieved a best finish of 15th.
The third-generation BTCC driver made the jump to Team Hard for 2023 but had a very unreliable Cupra Leon, with her switching back to One Motorsport after round 15 in her poorest season in the championship.
Therefore, it would be great to see Edwards in the championship next year to redeem herself.
Bobby Thompson has been a Team Hard loyalist throughout his time in the BTCC, with the man from Hornchurch spending four of his five BTCC seasons with the Kent-based team.
Thompson experienced arguably his best season in the championship last year with two podium finishes over the season in his Cupra Loen.
But, with the departure of Team Hard this season, he’s another driver looking for a seat during this winter period:
“I want to have another crack at it, I’d love to race for a manufacture team and give it a proper go,” said Thompson.
“Unfortunately, we thought we was near enough done with a particular team, and things have changed.
“ Yeah, It’s probably been the more positive winters I’ve had, but we’ll see there is still time, I’m not panicking just yet.
“I’m sure something will come a long, and things are looking fairly positive, to be honest I think I’ll know more by Sunday.”
“I don’t want to panic and make a decision, somewhere that’s not going to give me results, I’d ideally like a team that see the same in me.”