Mark Smith has announced that he has upgraded to a newer CUPRA Leon Competicion TCR for his entry in the 2025 TCR UK Touring Car Championship.
Mark, who competed in the Gen 1 Cup last year driving a CUPRA TCR run by BSR, is back for the new season and is staying with the Ben Sharpe Racing squad, running under the new team banner of BSR with Richmond Fire.
Having finished the year in third place in the Gen 1 Cup standings, Mark claimed two Gen 1 class wins after showing constant improvement throughout the season.
Having always enjoyed his racing, the chance to work with Ben Sharpe last season also provided an opportunity to help Mark move further up the grid, which resulted in the West Midlands-based driver finishing in 13th place in the end-of-season Driver standings.
The move to the CUPRA Leon Competicion TCR means that Mark can work with newer TCR machinery whilst already having previous experience of working with Ben and his team to continue his own progress as a driver.
“I’m really looking forward to returning to TCR UK after a brilliant year of racing in 2024. I had some great battles on track and felt I improved as a driver throughout the season,” said Mark.
“Teaming up with BSR again, along with continued help from my friend Mitch, will only make the move to the newer Gen 2 Cupra even better. I’d also like to thank Richmond Fire and Stripes and Graphics for their continued support – it means a lot to have them backing me again this year.”
BSR Team Owner Ben Sharpe is delighted to be returning to TCR UK and working with Mark for a second year.
“We’re really excited to have Mark back with us at BSR for the 2025 TCR UK season. Last year, we saw him grow throughout the series and take two class wins in the Gen 1 Cup, which was amazing. Now he’s stepping up with a Gen 2 Cupra, and we can’t wait to support him again and see what he can achieve this year,” explained Ben.
“We’re also looking to run a second car in 2025, so it’s an exciting time for the team as we continue to grow and take on new challenges.”
TCR UK Championship Promoter Stewart Lines is pleased to see both Mark and BSR back on the TCR UK grid for 2025.
“It’s great to see Mark back for 2025, he enjoyed a very positive season last year, taking wins in the Gen 1 Cup and improving as a driver. Moving to a newer version of the CUPRA is a clear sign of his commitment to the championship and to improve further,” said Stewart.
“I’m also pleased to see Ben return. His team took on the job of running a TCR car for the first time last year, as well as being a front-running team in the Milltek Civic Cup. It’s great to see Ben’s team back for this year, expanding their presence in the championship.”
To learn more about the TCR UK Touring Car Championship, visit https://www.tcr-uk.co.uk/ for more information and how to get involved.
To learn more about the 2025 TCR UK Touring Car Championship Calendar events, visit https://www.tcr-uk.co.uk/2025-calendar/ for more information.