Rob Collard

Robert Collard (born 1 October 1968) is a British auto racing driver from Hampshire, best known for racing in the British Touring Car Championship, winning two races in a West Surrey Racing MG, and claiming the Independent's Cup title in 2003. In 2008, he returned to running the series full-time, driving for the Motorbase Performance team, where he remained for 2009, before returning to West Surrey Racing. Collard also owns his own demolition firm, R Collard Ltd.

Rob Collard
Collard in 2017.
NationalityBritish
Born (1968-10-01) 1 October 1968
Frimley, England, UK
British Touring Car Championship career
Debut season2000
Current teamSterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing
Car number9
Former teams
Starts487
Wins15
Poles0
Fastest laps18
Best finish5th in 2012, 2016, 2017
Previous series
2007
2002
1999		Porsche Carrera Cup GB
ETCC
British Formula Ford

Career

For many years, he raced hot rods, only switching to circuit racing in his late 20s. He raced Formula Ford for 3 years. However, as most drives in Formula 3 and higher went to younger drivers, he turned his attention to saloon based racing, coming 3rd in the Vauxhall SRi V6 championship.

Collard driving the Team RAC-run MG ZS at the Brands Hatch round of the 2006 British Touring Car Championship.

In 2000, the British Touring Car Championship launched Class B, featuring lower-powered but cheaper cars, to fill its relatively thin grid. Rob took up this opportunity, and finished 4th overall in his class. He only raced a partial season in the renamed Production Class in 2001, concentrating on preparing a Renault Clio for a full assault on the Production Class in 2002 with his own Collard Racing team.

The season was a disaster, however. Engine reliability and lasting performance was low, and a victory and a 2nd in the opening meeting proved to be a false dawn, as the small team struggled to get working machinery to the races,[1] and he was outside the championship top 10.[2] He also contested 6 ETCC races in a Nissan Primera for RJN Motorsport that year.

Collard driving at Croft during the 2008 British Touring Car Championship season.

Undeterred, Rob redoubled his efforts for 2003, moving up to the main Touring Class with a Vauxhall Astra.[3] He beat several better-funded teams and drivers to win the Independent's Cup, and finished 10th overall ahead of several 'works' drivers.[4] For 2004, there were less works teams, with MG pulling out and Honda scaling down to only one car. As a result, more competitive cars had independent status. Collard Racing had no realistic hope of matching Anthony Reid's independent MG or Matt Neal's Honda, and finished 6th in the Indy cup and 12th overall.

In 2005, Rob replaced Reid in West Surrey Racing's MG, concentrating purely on racing rather than team ownership. This was his most competitive season to date, with 2 outright wins and 7th place overall. For 2006, he was joined in the team by Colin Turkington under WSR's new guise "Team RAC". This time, he finished 9th overall with a single podium.

Collard's heavy-handed tactics often come under criticism from fellow drivers and teams, as well as numerous fans of the series. It is believed that Rob's racing licence amassed 9 points in the 2006 season, just three short of a ban from racing. Fellow drivers have often spoken out about his lack of driving standards, one going as far as to describe him as a "rock-ape" at a 2006 meeting.

Collard driving for Vauxhall at Brands Hatch during the 2019 British Touring Car Championship season.

In 2007, Collard had no BTCC drive, instead contesting the early rounds of the Porsche Carrera Cup UK, achieving little success in these big difficult-to-control rear-wheel-drive cars. He contested the final round of the BTCC for GR Asia, and returned full-time in 2008 in a Motorbase BMW. At Croft, he scored their best-ever result in 4th, after he and team-mate Steven Kane ran 3rd and 4th for a while. The team had worked on damper settings before the meeting. For 2009, Collard and Jonathan Adam race Motorbase's BMWs. He won two races early on in 2009 at the opening round at Brands Hatch and at Donington Park. He came close to adding a third at Snetterton, before contact with James Nash saw him spin across the track into the path of Stephen Jelley, resulting in a huge collision. Collard complained of abdominal pain and was taken to hospital, while Nash was excluded from the results. He then suffered another big incident at the next round at Knockhill when he and Matt Neal collided after Matt Neal lost control of car. Blighted by incidents and 'DNFs' through the second half of the season, Rob Collard was unable to match the form of the first half of the season but still ended up 6th in the BTCC drivers championship, his best performance in the BTCC so far.

For 2010, Collard returned to West Surrey Racing, replacing reigning champion Colin Turkington who had failed to raise the necessary budget. He finished the year in 9th.

Collard remained with WSR for 2011 but failed to register a race win. He finished the year 8th in the Drivers Championship. In 2012, he won 3 races with the team thus finishing 5th overall his best final championship position. In 2013, the team re-signed 2009 champion Colin Turkington. WSR also introduced the new BMW 3 series. Collard achieved a solitary podium and finished up in 13th place overall.

In 2014, Collard again remained with WSR, winning 1 race and finishing 6th in the drivers championship. He remained with the team for 2015, where he won the first race of the season and finished in 10th place in the championship

Collard and Mitchell's Lamborghini at Brands Hatch.

For 2020, Collard made his British GT Championship debut for Barwell Motorsport, driving a Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo. On 8th November at the season finale the Silverstone 500, Collard and team mate Sandy Mitchell took victory in the race and were confirmed as British GT Champions

Personal

Rob's family starred in an episode of Channel 4's Wife Swap, shown during October 2006. He has told ITV's BTCC coverage that his hero was the late Colin McRae, and his ambition is to win the World Touring Car Championship. He is the father of racing driver Ricky Collard.[5]

Collard endorsed the Conservative Party in the 2019 United Kingdom general election.[6][7]

Racing record

Complete British Touring Car Championship results

(key) Races in bold indicate pole position (1 point awarded – 2000–2002 all races, 2003–present just in first race, 2000–2003 in class). Races in italics indicate fastest lap (1 point awarded – 2001–present all races, 2000–2003 in class) * signifies that driver led race for at least one lap (1 point given – 2003–present all races).

Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Pen. DC Pts Class
2000 Bintcliffe Sport Nissan Primera B BRH
1		 BRH
2		 DON
1
Ret		 DON
2
Ret		 THR
1
DNS		 THR
2
DNS		 KNO
1		 KNO
2		 OUL
1
12		 OUL
2
11		 SIL
1
13		 SIL
2
Ret		 CRO
1
11		 CRO
2
8		 SNE
1
Ret		 SNE
2
9		 DON
1
14		 DON
2
Ret		 BRH
1
Ret		 BRH
2
12		 OUL
1
Ret		 OUL
2
DNS		 SIL
1
Ret		 SIL
2
Ret		 81 4th
2001 Collard Racing Renault Clio 172 P BRH
1
6		 BRH
2
DNS		 THR
1
Ret		 THR
2
NC		 OUL
1
Ret		 OUL
2
DNS		 SIL
1
12		 SIL
2
Ret		 MON
1
Ret		 MON
2
DNS		 DON
1
11		 DON
2
Ret		 KNO
1
10		 KNO
2
8		 SNE
1
5		 SNE
2
Ret		 CRO
1
DNS		 CRO
2
DNS		 OUL
1
DNS		 OUL
2
DNS		 SIL
1
11		 SIL
2
Ret		 DON
1
DNS		 DON
2
DNS		 BRH
1
15		 BRH
2
Ret		 -5 46 13th
2002 Collard Racing Renault Clio 172 P BRH
1
7		 BRH
2
9		 OUL
1
DNS		 OUL
2
DNS		 THR
1
DNS		 THR
2
DNS		 SIL
1
14		 SIL
2
Ret		 MON
1		 MON
2		 CRO
1
DNS		 CRO
2
DNS		 SNE
1		 SNE
2		 KNO
1		 KNO
2		 BRH
1		 BRH
2		 DON
1		 DON
2		 -5 34 12th
2003 Collard Racing Vauxhall Astra Coupé T MON
1
6		 MON
2
7		 BRH
1
13		 BRH
2
Ret		 THR
1
Ret		 THR
2
DNS		 SIL
1
Ret		 SIL
2
9		 ROC
1
7		 ROC
2
5		 CRO
1
Ret		 CRO
2
8		 SNE
1
8		 SNE
2
6		 BRH
1
Ret		 BRH
2
Ret		 DON
1
9*		 DON
2
16		 OUL
1
8		 OUL
2
7		 10th 42
2004 Collard Racing Vauxhall Astra Coupé THR
1
11		 THR
2
5		 THR
3
8		 BRH
1
10		 BRH
2
15		 BRH
3
15		 SIL
1
Ret		 SIL
2
13		 SIL
3
DNS		 OUL
1
5		 OUL
2
Ret		 OUL
3
4		 MON
1
13		 MON
2
11		 MON
3
Ret		 CRO
1
15		 CRO
2
Ret		 CRO
3
9		 KNO
1
8		 KNO
2
11		 KNO
3
Ret		 BRH
1
15		 BRH
2
Ret		 BRH
3
9		 SNE
1
7		 SNE
2
9		 SNE
3
11		 DON
1
13		 DON
2
8		 DON
3
7		 12th 44
2005 West Surrey Racing MG ZS DON
1
4		 DON
2
2		 DON
3
4		 THR
1
5		 THR
2
11		 THR
3
Ret		 BRH
1
6		 BRH
2
6		 BRH
3
Ret		 OUL
1
8		 OUL
2
4		 OUL
3
4*		 CRO
1
7		 CRO
2
4		 CRO
3
5		 MON
1
5		 MON
2
4		 MON
3
3		 SNE
1
5		 SNE
2
5		 SNE
3
12		 KNO
1
9		 KNO
2
9		 KNO
3
1*		 SIL
1
10		 SIL
2
10		 SIL
3
2*		 BRH
1
Ret		 BRH
2
9		 BRH
3
1*		 7th 173
2006 Team RAC MG ZS BRH
1
7		 BRH
2
6		 BRH
3
DSQ		 MON
1
Ret		 MON
2
10		 MON
3
Ret		 OUL
1
6		 OUL
2
5		 OUL
3
4		 THR
1
5		 THR
2
3		 THR
3
6		 CRO
1
5		 CRO
2
Ret		 CRO
3
10		 DON
1
9		 DON
2
13		 DON
3
Ret		 SNE
1
11		 SNE
2
5		 SNE
3
Ret		 KNO
1
Ret		 KNO
2
Ret		 KNO
3
7		 BRH
1
5		 BRH
2
7		 BRH
3
6		 SIL
1
10		 SIL
2
5		 SIL
3
7		 9th 97
2007 GR Asia SEAT León BRH
1		 BRH
2		 BRH
3		 ROC
1		 ROC
2		 ROC
3		 THR
1		 THR
2		 THR
3		 CRO
1		 CRO
2		 CRO
3		 OUL
1		 OUL
2		 OUL
3		 DON
1		 DON
2		 DON
3		 SNE
1		 SNE
2		 SNE
3		 BRH
1		 BRH
2		 BRH
3		 KNO
1		 KNO
2		 KNO
3		 THR
1
11		 THR
2
Ret		 THR
3
10		 27th 1
2008 Motorbase Performance BMW 320si BRH
1
12		 BRH
2
Ret		 BRH
3
11		 ROC
1
13		 ROC
2
12		 ROC
3
8		 DON
1
Ret		 DON
2
DNS		 DON
3
Ret		 THR
1
14		 THR
2
14		 THR
3
11		 CRO
1
5		 CRO
2
4		 CRO
3
Ret*		 SNE
1
9		 SNE
2
4		 SNE
3
9		 OUL
1
10		 OUL
2
Ret		 OUL
3
8		 KNO
1
7		 KNO
2
6		 KNO
3
2		 SIL
1
16		 SIL
2
9		 SIL
3
7		 BRH
1
3		 BRH
2
4		 BRH
3
6		 12th 84
2009 Airwaves BMW BMW 320si BRH
1
4*		 BRH
2
1*		 BRH
3
8		 THR
1
17		 THR
2
5		 THR
3
5		 DON
1
4		 DON
2
9		 DON
3
1*		 OUL
1
9		 OUL
2
DNS		 OUL
3
4		 CRO
1
4		 CRO
2
4		 CRO
3
7		 SNE
1
Ret		 SNE
2
7		 SNE
3
Ret*		 KNO
1
Ret		 KNO
2
12		 KNO
3
Ret		 SIL
1
6*		 SIL
2
9		 SIL
3
2*		 ROC
1
4		 ROC
2
Ret		 ROC
3
Ret		 BRH
1
6		 BRH
2
4		 BRH
3
Ret		 6th 145
2010 WSR BMW 320si THR
1
Ret		 THR
2
9		 THR
3
Ret*		 ROC
1
10		 ROC
2
2		 ROC
3
6		 BRH
1
4		 BRH
2
12		 BRH
3
4		 OUL
1
3		 OUL
2
15		 OUL
3
8		 CRO
1
2		 CRO
2
8		 CRO
3
17		 SNE
1
10		 SNE
2
7		 SNE
3
2		 SIL
1
6		 SIL
2
2		 SIL
3
12		 KNO
1
Ret		 KNO
2
Ret		 KNO
3
6		 DON
1
16		 DON
2
7		 DON
3
2		 BRH
1
5		 BRH
2
3		 BRH
3
6		 8th 144
2011 WSR BMW 320si BRH
1
17		 BRH
2
9		 BRH
3
7		 DON
1
6		 DON
2
5		 DON
3
Ret		 THR
1
12		 THR
2
14		 THR
3
13		 OUL
1
5		 OUL
2
3		 OUL
3
14		 CRO
1
3		 CRO
2
2		 CRO
3
3		 SNE
1
23		 SNE
2
10		 SNE
3
12		 KNO
1
5		 KNO
2
5		 KNO
3
2		 ROC
1
Ret		 ROC
2
10		 ROC
3
3		 BRH
1
8		 BRH
2
22		 BRH
3
Ret		 SIL
1
8		 SIL
2
23		 SIL
3
23		 8th 108
2012 eBay Motors BMW 320si BRH
1
1*		 BRH
2
6*		 BRH
3
6*		 DON
1
10*		 DON
2
8		 DON
3
4		 THR
1
4		 THR
2
7		 THR
3
7		 OUL
1
3*		 OUL
2
14*		 OUL
3
6		 CRO
1
2		 CRO
2
5		 CRO
3
5		 SNE
1
Ret		 SNE
2
NC		 SNE
3
9		 KNO
1
1*		 KNO
2
1*		 KNO
3
9		 ROC
1
5		 ROC
2
11		 ROC
3
13		 SIL
1
4		 SIL
2
2*		 SIL
3
3		 BRH
1
6		 BRH
2
Ret		 BRH
3
19		 5th 303
2013 eBay Motors BMW 125i M Sport BRH
1
Ret		 BRH
2
Ret		 BRH
3
Ret		 DON
1
15		 DON
2
12		 DON
3
12		 THR
1
13		 THR
2
13		 THR
3
15		 OUL
1
10		 OUL
2
NC		 OUL
3
11		 CRO
1
9		 CRO
2
6		 CRO
3
14		 SNE
1
10		 SNE
2
Ret		 SNE
3
9		 KNO
1
6		 KNO
2
4		 KNO
3
3		 ROC
1
7		 ROC
2
Ret		 ROC
3
Ret		 SIL
1
5		 SIL
2
Ret		 SIL
3
12		 BRH
1
7		 BRH
2
14		 BRH
3
8		 13th 140
2014 eBay Motors BMW 125i M Sport BRH
1
6		 BRH
2
6		 BRH
3
4*		 DON
1
4		 DON
2
Ret		 DON
3
7		 THR
1
5		 THR
2
3		 THR
3
10		 OUL
1
2		 OUL
2
3		 OUL
3
11		 CRO
1
4		 CRO
2
3		 CRO
3
2		 SNE
1
9		 SNE
2
18		 SNE
3
6		 KNO
1
12		 KNO
2
5		 KNO
3
1*		 ROC
1
11		 ROC
2
9		 ROC
3
6		 SIL
1
7		 SIL
2
Ret		 SIL
3
DNS		 BRH
1
6		 BRH
2
3*		 BRH
3
Ret		 -3 6th 275
2015 Team JCT600 with GardX BMW 125i M Sport BRH
1
1*		 BRH
2
16		 BRH
3
Ret		 DON
1
8		 DON
2
6		 DON
3
4*		 THR
1
13		 THR
2
2*		 THR
3
14		 OUL
1
13		 OUL
2
Ret		 OUL
3
14		 CRO
1
3		 CRO
2
6		 CRO
3
1*		 SNE
1
Ret		 SNE
2
NC		 SNE
3
10		 KNO
1
1*		 KNO
2
2		 KNO
3
Ret		 ROC
1
18		 ROC
2
28		 ROC
3
DNS		 SIL
1
7		 SIL
2
9		 SIL
3
2*		 BRH
1
10		 BRH
2
10		 BRH
3
7		 10th 226
2016 Team JCT600 with GardX BMW 125i M Sport BRH
1
6		 BRH
2
16		 BRH
3
6		 DON
1
6		 DON
2
1*		 DON
3
4		 THR
1
6		 THR
2
2		 THR
3
6		 OUL
1
23		 OUL
2
25		 OUL
3
6		 CRO
1
7		 CRO
2
1*		 CRO
3
4		 SNE
1
16		 SNE
2
4		 SNE
3
2*		 KNO
1
17		 KNO
2
5		 KNO
3
Ret		 ROC
1
14		 ROC
2
3		 ROC
3
6		 SIL
1
7		 SIL
2
7		 SIL
3
3*		 BRH
1
12		 BRH
2
10		 BRH
3
9		 5th 278
2017 Team BMW BMW 125i M Sport BRH
1
7		 BRH
2
2		 BRH
3
6		 DON
1
6		 DON
2
2		 DON
3
12		 THR
1
10		 THR
2
1*		 THR
3
7		 OUL
1
5		 OUL
2
2		 OUL
3
6		 CRO
1
4		 CRO
2
3		 CRO
3
8		 SNE
1
9		 SNE
2
3		 SNE
3
2		 KNO
1
4		 KNO
2
4		 KNO
3
11		 ROC
1
17		 ROC
2
8		 ROC
3
Ret		 SIL
1
Ret		 SIL
2
DNS		 SIL
3
DNS		 BRH
1
WD		 BRH
2
WD		 BRH
3
WD		 5th 256
2018 Team BMW BMW 125i M Sport BRH
1
15		 BRH
2
26		 BRH
3
Ret		 DON
1
11		 DON
2
13		 DON
3
4		 THR
1
11		 THR
2
16		 THR
3
10		 OUL
1
9		 OUL
2
6		 OUL
3
1*		 CRO
1
6		 CRO
2
28		 CRO
3
11		 SNE
1
Ret		 SNE
2
Ret		 SNE
3
DNS		 ROC
1		 ROC
2		 ROC
3		 KNO
1		 KNO
2		 KNO
3		 SIL
1		 SIL
2		 SIL
3		 BRH
1		 BRH
2		 BRH
3		 19th 86
2019 Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing Vauxhall Astra BRH
1
21		 BRH
2
22		 BRH
3
Ret		 DON
1
10		 DON
2
7		 DON
3
2		 THR
1
8		 THR
2
9		 THR
3
14		 CRO
1
Ret		 CRO
2
19		 CRO
3
26		 OUL
1
15		 OUL
2
22		 OUL
3
23		 SNE
1
7		 SNE
2
14		 SNE
3
4		 THR
1
6		 THR
2
6		 THR
3
2*		 KNO
1
NC		 KNO
2
17		 KNO
3
16		 SIL
1
12		 SIL
2
NC		 SIL
3
21		 BRH
1
15		 BRH
2
17		 BRH
3
18		 16th 118

Complete European Touring Car Championship results

(key)

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Pos Pts
2002 RJN Motorsport Nissan Primera MAG
1		 MAG
2		 SIL
1		 SIL
2		 BRN
1		 BRN
2		 JAR
1		 JAR
2		 AND
1		 AND
2		 OSC
1		 OSC
2		 SPA
1		 SPA
2		 PER
1
Ret		 PER
2
DNS		 DON
1
14		 DON
2
12		 EST
1
10		 EST
2
12		 27th 0

Complete British GT Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position in class) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap in class)

Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 DC Points
2020 Barwell Motorsport Lamborghini Huracán GT3 GT3 OUL
1
4		 OUL
2
2		 DON
1
5		 DON
2
6		 BRH
1
1		 DON
1
6		 SNE
1
2		 SNE
2
5		 SIL
1
1		 1st 168

References
  1. "Collard Racing retires from 2002 BTCC"
  2. BTCC-Racing.com | Results | 2002 Production Class Championship
  3. "Collard acquires Astra for 2003 BTCC"
  4. Touring-Cars.Net » Results » 2003 » 2003 Drivers Championship Archived 24 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  5. "Ricky Collard". BRDC British Formula 3 Championship. Retrieved 16 June 2016. He also has a son - Jordan Collard - a fionce- Vicky - and an unborn son.
  6. Rob Collard [@CollardRob] (12 December 2019). "Just been and registered my vote, i would of loved to of done it earlier but had to do a proper days work unlike most labour voters #GeneralElection2019 #ConservativeParty" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  7. Rob Collard [@CollardRob] (12 December 2019). "Just for the record, i have the upmost respect for everyone working in the NHS, schools, Police and other government employment who put in countless hours either on low pay or no pay. However the conservatives are the best option in Government" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Jonathan Adam
Graham Davidson		 British GT Championship
Champion
2020
With: Sandy Mitchell		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by
Bradley Ellis
Oliver Wilkinson		 British GT Championship
Silver Champion
2020
With: Sandy Mitchell		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
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