Jack Butel has been confirmed as Excelr8 Motorsport’s final signing for the 2022 British Touring Car Championship, entering into this third touring car season alongside Tom Ingram, Tom Chilton and Daniel Lloyd.
Butel, 25, joined the BTCC for the 2020 season, racing in a Ciceley Motorsport-run Mercedes-Benz A-Class in his inaugural season.
He switched to Excelr8 and Hyundai machinery last year, when he equalled his best result of 14th in a season which was curtailed by a concussion in the penultimate event of the year which forced him to miss the season finale at Brands Hatch.
The Jersey racer competed in single seaters and sportscar racing prior to his tin-top switch, having raced in British F4, British GT and the Lamborghini Super Trofeo series.
Butel remains eligible for the Jack Sears Trophy for drivers who have yet to score an overall podium finish in the BTCC.
“It’s very exciting to be returning to the BTCC for a third season, and to be staying with Excelr8 for another year,” said Butel. “After joining the team last year, I made huge steps forwards so it’s fantastic to now have the opportunity to build on everything I was able to learn in 2021.
“The fact that I know the car and the team – and they know me – is something that can only be beneficial, and I feel confident going into the new season as I aim to fight for the Jack Sears Trophy title.
“Having three amazing team-mates in Tom Ingram, Tom Chilton and Dan Lloyd means I will have a wealth of experience alongside me in the garage and that can only help me in my bid for silverware this season.
“I’m confident we’ll hit the ground running when we get to round one and although the new hybrid systems will be something we all have to learn, I’ve been thrown in at the deep end before in touring cars when I was called up for my debut season at the last minute, so I have experience of having to adapt quickly.”
Team Owner Justina Williams believes consistency will help Butel to extract more performance in 2022, pointing out how close he was in pace to team-mate Ingram, who was in title contention, at times.
“We’re delighted to be able to confirm that Jack will be back with us again this season on the back of an encouraging year in 2021,” added Williams.
“He made huge strides forwards as the year went on and his race pace in particular in the second half of the year was hugely impressive.
“At times he was on a par with Tom [Ingram] pace wise which is no mean feat, so I think Jack can go into the new season feeling confident about what he can achieve this year.
“The Jack Sears Trophy is clearly something that we’ll be working towards, but I also think he can expect to challenge for points finishes on a more regular basis during the year ahead.”