The 44-year-old, who gained the WTCC crown in 2012 throughout a world tin-top profession than encompassed 36 race wins throughout a 19-year span, will kind one half of Speedworks’ official Toyota Gazoo Racing GB line-up alongside reigning Jack Sears Trophy champion Andrew Watson.
The opposite two Speedworks-run Toyota Corolla GR Sports activities might be fielded beneath the LKQ banner for Josh Cook and Aiden Moffat.
Huff’s need for a full-time return to the BTCC for the primary time since his rookie touring automotive season in 2004 with SEAT was made clear when he contested a one-off at Knockhill final August in a Workforce Exhausting Cupra.
That outing got here six years after one other one-off, at Silverstone in 2017, when he scored a podium end with the Energy Maxed Racing Vauxhall crew whereas subbing for Tom Chilton, who was recovering from a gall bladder operation.
“I’m completely thrilled to be again within the BTCC,” Huff advised Autosport. “It’s the place I used to be impressed by motorsport as a younger lad and it was very a lot the place I acquired my breakthrough in the beginning of my profession.
“To have the ability to come again 20 years later is totally sensible. I’ve all the time saved a watch on BTCC clearly, simply because I’m an enormous fan of it and all the time have been.”
Rob Huff, Go-Repair with Autoaid Breakdown Cupra Leon
Photograph by: JEP / Motorsport Images
Huff’s main focus final 12 months was on the TCR World Tour, during which he narrowly misplaced out on the title on the remaining spherical, however following his Knockhill outing he visited the ultimate two BTCC occasions at Silverstone and Manufacturers Hatch to open discussions with groups.
Negotiations quickly started with Speedworks chiefs Christian and Amy Dick, which led to Huff sampling the Corolla in a moist post-season check at Croft.
“I solely needed to come back again to the BTCC in a prime crew and a automotive that I really feel I can obtain nice issues in,” added Huff.
“I spoke to just about everybody on the grid. I simply acquired a really, excellent feeling from Christian and Amy. What they do and the way in which they go about doing it aligns very a lot with my very own positivity and motivation.”
Huff defined that he might have continued within the TCR World Tour in 2024, regardless of Audi – with which he was aligned final season with Comtoyou Racing – closing down its buyer sport division.
“There have been undoubtedly alternatives for me on the earth championship, which I’ve turned down on the idea that I actually need to concentrate on BTCC,” stated Huff, who additionally gained the TCR Scandinavia crown on a one-year break from world tin-top competitors in 2020.
Rob Huff, SEAT Toledo Cupra, celebrates his Race 1 second place
Photograph by: Malcolm Griffiths / Motorsport Images
“I might run each championships – that has been spoken about and there are not any clashes – however I don’t need to.”
Speedworks boss Christian Dick stated: “It goes with out saying that we’re thrilled to carry a driver of Rob’s calibre and success on board for the forthcoming marketing campaign.
“His file within the sport speaks for itself – he has raced towards, and often overwhelmed, the easiest on the earth, and he’s simply as razor-sharp now as he was when he began out greater than 20 years in the past.
“The BTCC is a novel beast that requires a really particular skillset, and we’ve clearly seen fast drivers return earlier than after a while away and battle to re-adapt, however when Rob rejoined the grid at Silverstone in 2017 and Knockhill final summer season, he was instantly again within the groove.
“When he examined the Corolla final 12 months, he immediately felt at residence and his wealth of expertise of driving totally different vehicles might be massively helpful as we proceed to try to extract each final ounce of efficiency out of the Toyota – whereas providing a useful financial institution of data for Andrew [Watson] to attract upon in his second season within the championship.”