As always at work, play and especially in Motorsport, it has been a year of ups and downs, but all goes together to build what is the story of life. We have had some amazing times and some tough times, but we end the year in a place we could have only dreamed of just a few months ago.

We are honoured to have so many great people involved with us and a family network that knows no boundaries, we are very proud to work with you all.

As we reflect on what has really been an enjoyable, emotional, successful and disappointing year, it all goes together to create what is a very special and unique family team, Team HARD. Racing.

We are very much looking forward to making some more memories with you all in 2019 but until then enjoy some family time and hopefully you all celebrate New Year’s in style. It’s over and out from us.

Tony & Sam Gilham X

Mark had a fantastic debut season with the team, picking up three pole positions and two race victories en route to ninth in the championship. If it wasn’t for a few issues with the car in the first half of the season he would have been in contention for the championship without a doubt.

Mark values consistency and is looking to push on in 2019. ‘Racing for Team HARD in the 2019 VW Racing Cup seemed like the right option for me, 2018 was a year of learning the car, we had a year of up and downs but towards the end of the season I started to show what I could really do! We left Donnington GP in September as a race winner and I’m hoping to keep that up going into the first round of 2019 at my home circuit Oulton Park.’

With a season under his belt Mark is planning on being in full attack mode in 2019 as he looks to challenge and win the series. ‘My 2019 aim is of course to win the Championship, from racing last year in the Championship I’m feeling confident in being a contender for the championship which is always a good thing to start off with.’

I’d like to thank Tony Gilham for the opportunity of driving for the team for another year and I can’t wait to get back out in the car after Christmas!’

Wakefield from Weaverham, Cheshire put in a string of positive finishes in the final third of the season including a stunning victory at Croft in August which saw him pull off the move of the season. This is something that impressed team boss Tony Gilham who has been impressed with Mark’s development over the course of 2018.

‘Mark is a fantastic driver to have in the team, he is a family man which fits perfectly with our team culture. I’ve been very impressed with Mark’s development in 2018 and he was the quickest driver on the grid come the end of the season with two victories in the final three races of the championship.

It’s not only his one race pace that has impressed. His race craft has been impeccable which was highlighted with his double overtake on Jamie Bond and Darren Lewis at Croft. It was one of the best overtakes I’ve seen in a long time. It’s a shame that we had some teething problems with the car in the first half of the season because without the issues, Mark would have been a strong contender for the title in his first season with us in the VW Racing Cup.”

I have full faith that Mark will be at the front of the pack from the first round in 2019, he has a real shot at the title and it’s down to us to provide him with a package which allows him to deliver.’

Team HARD. Racing move into 2019 as back to back champions of the series after Bobby Thompson and Jamie Bond won the championship with the team in 2017 and 2018 respectively.

Mark is the second driver to be confirmed with the team for 2019 after it was announced in November that Howard Fuller would be returning to the series with Team HARD.

You can see how Mark gets on in his pursuit for the 2019 crown by watching the VW Racing Cup LIVE on Facebook throughout the season with round 1 taking place April 22^nd. Make sure you pencil in the date, Mark means business.

Peter Farrow, who heads up the teams GT program applauded the whole team performance over the season.

“It’s been a fantastic year for our GT team and to end the season with 3 podiums, a pole position, a fastest lap and winning the GT4 class we have really shown what amazing team work can do. Having worked with Simon and Tom for several years now we were able to work in cohesion to help give them the best package possible. In doing so they duly delivered.

Huge congratulations to Simon and Tom for their outstanding season, securing a class podium every race weekend is a record to be proud of.

Finally, thank you and well done to my amazing team, from the mechanics to the hospitality crew. Everyone has worked incredibly hard this year and we have had a year to remember, giving us motivation to come back even stronger in 2019!”

Having been in a tight tussle with the Track Focused KTM over the course of the season Simon Rudd believes that partnering again with 2017 team mate Tom Barley was a key to the championship going their way.

“It’s been a great year for us. We were on the podium for every race and won the most competitive class. The team have been faultless all season and I can’t thank them enough.

It’s been amazing to partner up with Tom again. We know each other’s strengths and weaknesses and used that to bring together the best package, it’s been so much fun.

As ever, a huge thanks to Team HARD. Racing, all my sponsors (Elsfab, Jackson Lift Group, VTS, Momentum Consultancy, DJMotorsport and Lester Controls) and my friends and family for sticking with us during 2018, at times it’s been a bumpy ride, but we have pulled through!”

Team-mate Tom Barley echoed the words of team-mate Simon highlighting just how in-sync the pair have been in 2018.

“14 races, 14 podiums. That’s the best way to sum up 2018! What a phenomenal season Simon and I have had. Team HARD. racing have put a flawless car in front of us every weekend, which made winning as easy as possible, we really had no excuses this season!

It’s been my most enjoyable and successful season to date. Here comes 2019! Thank you to IG.com and Engine Carbon Clean, without them this season couldn’t have happened.”

With the season now over, it was a fitting end to a successful season both on and off the track for the team. Motivation is high as the team look forward to a number of 2019 championship campaigns.

Come down to Brands Hatch on Saturday 8^th December to have a ride in our Volkswagen Golf and Ginetta GT4 Supercup car courtesy of our 2018 drivers. However, our current BTCC star Mike Bushell will also be in attendance and behind the wheel of the teams NGTC Toyota Avensis to give you the thrill of a lifetime.

Come down to meet Mike and the team before the main man himself takes you out for a thrill that you will never forget. Mike will be pounding around the Brands Hatch Indy circuit to give you a taste of what it’s like to be a touring car driver.

Help yourself to refreshments which include tea, coffee, soft drinks and a selection of snacks whilst you wait for your turn in one of our fully race prepared machines. We will also be capturing your BTCC experience on video and sending it to you after the event, so you can show all of your friends and family your poker face… if you can hold it.

This is an experience that you cannot get anywhere else and this is the only event of the year that has been held on a weekend!

A Christmas special for all motorsport enthusiasts.

The team are offering a selection of packages for the day which suits all budgets. Click the link below and see you on the 8^th December.

https://shop.team-hard.com/product-category/trackdays/

Ryan Harper-Ellam joins Team Hard in their Britcar campaign at the season finale this weekend at Brands Hatch. The current Radical racer joins the championship for its showpiece event, it’s ‘into the night race’. On both Saturday and Sunday, the Britcar championship will race from dusk and into the night in a 50-minute race on Saturday and a 2 hour race on Sunday offering a unique challenge for spectators, drivers and teams alike.

The GT manager at Team HARD, Peter Farrow, is looking forward to the weekend. “As a team manager I relish unique weekends such as this. We’ve got creative with the cars by adding glow in the dark stickers and extra lights to put on a show for the fans in attendance this weekend. I’m also delighted to have Ryan onboard, especially after seeing his domination on the Brands Hatch Indy circuit last weekend. We honestly believe he can help our title charge despite lack of seat time in the #285 Ginetta G55.”

Ryan is hoping to continue where he left off last weekend at Brands Hatch “I’m really excited for the opportunity to race with Team Hard in the Britcar finale this weekend. It’ll be my first race in a GT car so I’m looking forward to seeing how I get on. Obviously, the aim is to be at the front but mainly it will be a huge learning experience. Having taken two wins, two pole positions and 2 fastest laps at Brands Indy last weekend in the Radical I hope to continue my good form this weekend!”

With the title still all to play for, come down to Brands Hatch this Saturday and Sunday to witness a rare motorsport spectacle in the UK, night racing.

Tony Gilham is pleased to already have another confirmed partnership for 2019. “We’ve been working with Rolec for a number of years now and I’m delighted to have put pen to paper on a deal to continue this partnership. Rolec have shared our journey over the years and both myself and Dean (Managing Director of Rolec) have identified how working together improves both businesses.

With the way 2019 is shaping up I’m looking forward to repaying Rolec for sticking by us last season when they were forced to make a tough decision. The end of 2018 was positive with many appearances in the top 10 and for 2019 we are expecting to be up the front consistently, which will give our partners even more exposure.”

Feeling optimistic, Dean Barrett added to Tony’s positivity. “I’ve built a close working relationship with Tony and the rest of the team over the past two seasons and it’s been fantastic. It was a no brainer to continue the partnership for another year, especially after seeing how they turned their BTCC season around at the end of 2018.

I personally think that Team HARD. provide the best hospitality on the grid and my customers love it. It’s great to give something back to them whilst improving my business opportunities thanks to the extensive business hub that Team HARD provides.”

Rolec is one of the first to sign up with the team for the 2019 season. Signing partners such as this so early into the winter break highlights what a fantastic position the team is in moving into 2019. Watch this space.

2018 Ginetta GT4 Supercup AM champion Michael Crees will take to the wheel of the Team HARD. Racing Toyota Avensis in the Britcar finale at Brands Hatch. Michael will be joined by Britcar regular Sam Randon in what will be one of the strongest pairings on the grid.

Crees is delighted to get more track time in a touring car. “It’s safe to say that after testing the Team HARD CC and Avensis this week I’ve caught the touring car bug! The Britcar championship is a perfect opportunity to get more track time in the car and get used to front wheel drive which is all new to me after two years in a rear wheel drive Ginetta. The weekend also provides a very special opportunity, driving a touring car at night! I’m relishing this opportunity and would like to thank Team HARD for having me onboard.”

Team boss Tony Gilham has been impressed with Michael’s performances this week. “Michael was quick straight out of the box on Tuesday when he drove our CC at Snetterton. With our #24 car still in contention for the overall Britcar endurance championship I’ve been searching for a driver to partner Sam and help take points off our rivals. Michael fits the bill perfectly and his champion status makes him a force to be reckoned with during the final round of the season. We want to end our season at the top.”

Head down to Brands Hatch on 17^th/18^th November to see Michael and the rest of the crew in action in what is set to be a fascinating weekend. Furthermore, this is one of the few events held in the United Kingdom that finishes at night. What better way to close the Motorsport season.

Prior to Sunday’s trio of 22-lap races around the fast, wide open blasts of the 1.64-mile Silverstone National circuit there was a considerable mood of optimism within Thompson’s #19 Team HARD with Trade Price Cars VW CC team, which sported a sleek new black livery for rounds 25, 26 and 27 of the 30-race 2018 Championship.

Not only was the 22 year-old Hornchurch based driver, known throughout the paddock as ‘Bobster’ returning to the site of his first career car racing podium, his slippery shaped VW CC was well suited to the track layout as was the case last month at the Rockingham Motor Speedway where the 2017 VW Cup Series Champion scored a BTCC career best 7^th place finish.

However set up issues throughout Saturday’s two practice sessions and the crucial 30-minute timed qualifying period and contact from other drivers in two of Sunday’s three races left Thompson feeling frustrated despite finding considerable extra pace on race day.

“I can’t pretend to be anything other than really disappointed with the weekend as a whole,” commented the current BRDC Rising Star, who battled from 27^th on the grid to 19^th in race one despite stalling at the start and then suffering contact from another driver after fighting his way into 17^th position, just two places shy of the points.

“We couldn’t quite get the sweet spot on the car during practice on Saturday and although we found some extra pace in qualifying, so did everyone else and while six tenths off pole position may not seem like much in the BTCC it is massive and around here with such a quick lap and only six corners it is more significant than anywhere else.

“I made a bit of a mess of my start in race one but we had changed so much on the car overnight that I could take advantage of the really good slipstream that you get here and pass a lot of cars,” continued Thompson who took advantage of a couple of other drivers retiring but had overtaken eight drivers on the road within the first 12 laps of an extended 25 lap race before being unceremoniously dumped out of contention at Luffield, dropping him back to 20^th and out of the reach of the group battling for the final few points paying positions.

“I know what happened and I don’t want to point any fingers as I have a lot of respect of the person who basically just smashed me out of the way but I had passed him cleanly two corners earlier and was holding the inside line into Luffield when I just got sent flying. The hit broke our rear bumper, Ackerman plate and hurt the rear balance and the car was never the same after that.”

Luckily Thompson was able to continue and even regained one of his lost positions to take the chequered flag 19^th and with his teammate Mike Bushell suffering a grid penalty for the second race, Thompson was promoted to a ninth row grid slot for a second race that should have brought home a decent haul of points nut instead brought nothing but more unnecessary damage to the #19 GKR Ltd backed machine.

“I felt that we were capable of getting some decent points in race two especially as we were on the soft tyre, which was the faster of the two options we had. I was going to be on the hard tyre for the third race so I knew that if I had a good run here I could maybe even get into the mix for the reverse grid for the final race which would help massively considering my tyre choice.”

Thompson made a much better getaway when the lights turned green but never got the chance to settle into a rhythm and continue his progress towards the points as a mirror image crash to that which he suffered in race one caused enough damage to the rear of the car to force him into early retirement.

“I lost two places on the first lap just because I didn’t want to get caught up in any of the bumping and barging that was going on and then as we arrived at Luffield I was hugging the inside line and out of the corner of my eye I caught a flash of red on the grass inside me and the next thing I know I’ve got two wheels in the air and a broken rear right tow link. I made it back to the pits but there was too much damage to continue and that was basically my weekend over as far as scoring points was concerned.”

For the second time in two races the #19 were faced with a flat out dash to get Thompson’s car ready for the third and final race of the day, for which he would start 31^st on the less desirable harder tyre. Despite carrying a few battle scars Thompson made the grid for what was little more than a damage limitation exercise.

“Despite all the damage I had suffered the car still handled pretty well and I was able to pass cars while everyone was still bunched together,” concluded Thompson, who finished 21^st and set the fifth fastest lap of the 13 drivers on the hard tyre in race three. “But there was still some really aggressive driving going on and there were a couple of situations where I had to stand my ground, which probably didn’t make me too popular with one or two people but it is frustrating when you catch people who would rather weave around and cost you both a second per lap rather than race and work together to catch the pack in front.

“I feel like I have raced everyone cleanly and with respect all year but even though I am a rookie in the BTCC I won’t be pushed around. I have got a great group of sponsors who all put their money into my racing and without them I would be working as a plumber with my dad. They have stayed loyal to me and when other people’s mistakes stop me from showing my potential and giving them the success that they deserve it can be massively frustrating so I had to get my elbows out and race others how they race me.”

Thompson returns to his home track at Brands Hatch for the final weekend of the 2018 season in two weeks’ time where he will look to improve on his current position of 28^th in the overall points standings, 17^th in the Independents Championship and 10^th in the Jack Sears Trophy.