British Touring Car Championship underdog hero Daryl DeLeon has hit the big time with a move to top team West Surrey Racing for 2025.
DeLeon joined the BTCC with Team Hard in mid-2023 and continued aboard Cupra Leon machinery this season at new team Un-Limited Motorsport, where his spirited performances made him a firm favourite with the crowds.
Now the 19-year-old Anglo-Filipino will join what is currently anticipated to be a four-car team of BMW 330i M Sports at WSR. He is the squad’s second driver named for 2025 after newly crowned champion Jake Hill.
“I’m over the moon with it – I can’t believe it’s all becoming official,” DeLeon told Autosport.
“Walking up and down the paddock, a team like West Surrey and the BMW is a team I’ve always wanted to drive for, so to get something over the line is surreal!”
Although DeLeon has raced front-wheel-drive machinery through his short BTCC career, the move to rear-wheel-drive with the BMW is a return to his roots after winning the 2022 Radical SR1 Cup and taking the 2023 British Endurance Championship title aboard a Porsche.
“My background’s always been rear-wheel drive in Radicals and Porsches – they’re the cars I’m used to jumping in,” he added.
“But with the BTCC, we got the opportunity midway through 2023 and it was something my dad and I felt we couldn’t resist.
“We just grabbed it with both hands – getting on the touring car grid has been amazing for my career and it’s something we definitely don’t regret.
“To have the chance to stay on the BTCC grid in 2024 with Un-Limited and Bob [Sharpless, team boss] has been really beneficial and has led to this drive, so I’m really excited. I really want 2025 to start tomorrow, but unfortunately it’s going to be a long winter.”
Regarding his move to the BTCC establishment, DeLeon said: “You’re in the spotlight when you’re in the BTCC, and I’ve had a lot of interest and I think we’ve turned a lot of heads.
“Part of it is West Surrey and the history of the team. Dick [Bennetts, team principal] has run Ayrton Senna and Mika Hakkinen to championships, and I know that being there will be beneficial for me as a driver."
DeLeon remains eligible for the Jack Sears Trophy, for those who have not scored more than one overall BTCC podium finish, and said: “To get my hands on the Jack Sears championship trophy at the end of the year would be awesome.
“And an outright podium or maybe even a race win is a target, because I know I’ll have the machinery beneath me.”
“We’re very pleased to welcome Daryl to WSR for the 2025 season,” said Bennetts of DeLeon, who expects to get his first proper running in the BMW in March.
“He’s impressed us with what he’s achieved in challenging circumstances across the year and has a lot of the raw potential and determination that we’ve seen in a number of young drivers that have gone on to achieve great things in our cars and beyond.
“Given his background racing rear-wheel-drive cars, he should have little trouble getting used to our race-winning BMW. We look forward to helping him develop and move towards the front of the grid.”
WSR’s four-time BTCC champion Colin Turkington is tipped to remain for another season, with five-time race winner Aiden Moffat also understood to be firmly in the frame.
