Team HARD. Racing
Team HARD. Racing is a privately held UK motorsport team founded in 2013 by Tony Gilham, competing in BTCC and support series, offering corporate sponsorship, track experiences, driver development scholarships, and an esports arm.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersDetling, Maidstone, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Team HARD. Racing does
Team HARD. Racing is a UK private limited company (Team HARD Racing Limited) founded in 2013 by Tony Gilham and headquartered at Detling Aerodrome, Maidstone, Kent. The company operates one of the larger independent racing teams in British motorsport, fielding vehicles across the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), Ginetta GT4 Supercup, Porsche Carrera Cup GB, MINI Challenge UK, and supporting series, having scaled from a single car in 2013 to 40 cars by 2018. Its primary BTCC entries use the Cupra Leon platform, which transitioned to hybrid technology for the 2022 season (the team's 10th in the championship).
The company derives revenue from four principal streams: corporate sponsorship and partnership packages providing brand exposure and hospitality at BTCC events (with title partners including Autobrite Direct, ROKIT, and HUB Financial Solutions); direct-to-consumer motorsport experiences including BTCC hot laps (£99-£199), HARD. Drive VW Cup track days (£499-£599), and Mega Day events with BTCC legend Tim Harvey; scholarship and driver development programs including the £150,000 GT Cup Porsche 911 GT3 Cup scholarship and the £25,000 X-Kart junior scholarship, plus the 2022-launched HARD. Academy; and ancillary revenue from official teamwear, Autobrite Direct detailing products, and in-house road car services (oil changes, MOT preparation, engine remapping). The company also operates a wholly-owned esports subsidiary, E-Team HARD. Racing, established in 2022.
The team is privately held and founder-owned with no disclosed institutional investment; ownership concentrates in the Gilham family with Tony Gilham as Managing Director and Sam Gilham as Director. Operations are UK-domestic and the customer base splits between B2B corporate sponsors (primary) and B2C aspiring drivers, motorsport enthusiasts, and merchandise buyers. The company is currently engaged in its 10th BTCC season and was awarded 2022 Motorsport Team of the Year by Prestige Awards (Corporate Livewire).
Team HARD. Racing firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Team HARD. Racing
- Legal name
- Team HARD Racing Limited
- Website
- https://team-hard.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Team HARD. Racing is a privately held UK motorsport team founded in 2013 by Tony Gilham, competing in BTCC and support series, offering corporate sponsorship, track experiences, driver development scholarships, and an esports arm.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Team HARD. Racing industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Motorsport Racing Team
- NAICS
- Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)
- SIC
- Services-Racing, Including Track Operation (7948)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Motorsports Teams (F1, NASCAR, IndyCar, Rally, MotoGP, etc.) (MPAKABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Motorsports Teams & Entrants (Factory & Independent) (MPAKAGAB), Motorsports & Racing Experiences (THAJAFAF), Motorsport Driver Training Schools & Racing Academies (MPAKAJAJ)
Keywords
Where Team HARD. Racing is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Detling, Maidstone
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Team HARD. Racing business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Corporate Sponsorship and Partnership: Primary revenue stream from title partners, team partners, and suppliers who pay for brand exposure, hospitality, and networking opportunities at BTCC events. Partners include Autobrite Direct, ROKIT, HUB Financial Solutions, and others.
- Motorsport Experiences: Direct-to-consumer track experiences, hot laps, and driving days sold to individuals. Includes BTCC hot rides at £99-199, VW Cup track days at £499-599, and Mega Day events.
- Scholarship Programs: Revenue from scholarship program registrations for aspiring drivers. Includes X-Kart scholarship (£99 registration plus £50 per session) and GT Cup scholarship for Porsche 911 GT3 Cup drives.
- Merchandise and Teamwear: Sale of team merchandise, detailing products, accessories, and official teamwear through the online store.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | BTCC Hot Laps Experience |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | HARD. Drive VW Cup Track Day |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Hot Rides with Tim Harvey |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | HARD. X-Kart Scholarship Registration |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | GT Cup Scholarship Program |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Jelly Bean Air Freshener |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Team HARD Holdall |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Team HARD Tablet Bag |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Team HARD. Racing product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Team HARD. Racing is a UK motorsport team that fields entries in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) and support series including Ginetta GT4 Supercup, Porsche Carrera Cup GB, and MINI Challenge UK. The team sells consumer track experiences and hot lap rides using championship-winning race cars, runs driver scholarship programmes (GT Cup and X-Kart), operates the HARD. Academy driver development programme, sells branded merchandise and detailing products, and runs the E-Team HARD. Racing esports division.
Product overview
Team HARD. Racing is a motorsport racing team offering a diversified portfolio of products and services. The core offering is competitive racing participation across multiple UK championships including the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), Ginetta GT4 Supercup, Porsche Carrera Cup GB, and Mini Challenge UK. Supporting the racing programme are experience services (HARD. Drive track days, BTCC Hot Laps, Hot Rides with Tim Harvey), talent development (HARD. Academy driver programme, Scholarship programmes for GT Cup/Porsche 911 GT3 and X-Kart karting), and an esports division (E-Team HARD. Racing). The company also operates retail operations selling Autobrite Direct car care products and official teamwear merchandise, plus road car servicing including engine remapping. The esports arm competes in sim-racing competitions on iRacing, Project Cars 2, and Forza platforms.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- BTCC Hot Laps Hot lap passenger experience with BTCC drivers in championship-winning Infiniti Q50, Cupra Leon, and Mercedes A-Class cars at Brands Hatch. Includes meet-and-greet, hospitality, refreshments, and track fees; minimum age 14. Priced at £99-199 per experience.
- HARD. Drive VW Cup Track Day Full-day driving experience in championship-winning VW Golf R race cars at Brands Hatch, Donington Park, and other UK circuits. Includes two 15-20 minute sessions, professional instruction, breakfast, lunch, and hot laps. Priced £499-599 per person.
- Hot Rides with Tim Harvey Hot lap passenger ride with BTCC legend Tim Harvey in a classic gen 1 Porsche Carrera Cup car at Brands Hatch Mega Day. Priced at £199 per experience.
- GT Cup Scholarship Programme
Quantifiable outcome
- 40 cars fielded across racing series in 2018 (up from 1 car in 2013)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Team HARD. Racing
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Team HARD. Racing technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Team HARD. Racing partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.
- Autobrite DirectcoreLong-standing title partner since 2017. Supporting the team through sponsorship of Cupra Leon BTCC entries. Has gone above and beyond to support the team following setbacks. Primary detailing product partner for merchandise.
- ROKITcoreTitle partner for the racing team. Major sponsor contributing to BTCC program.
- HUB Financial SolutionscoreTitle partner and official partner for Team HARD. Racing eSports League Season 1. Supporting esports initiatives and broadcast partnerships.
- X-KartmajorPartnership to launch HARD. X-Kart Scholarship program for junior karts aged 12-15. X-Kart provides chassis for scholarship winners. Stage 1 hosted at Team Karting in Rochdale.
- Green Biofuels Ltd (GBF)majorSustainable fuel partner providing GREEND+ HVO fuel to reduce carbon footprint. Title sponsor on Mini Challenge driver Kenan Dole's car. Featured on Cupra Leons driven by Jack Goff and Jack Mitchell.
- YazoosupportingTeam partner providing refreshment beverages for hospitality and events.
- Viezu TuningsupportingTeam supplier for vehicle tuning and performance optimization services.
- Airtec MotorsportsupportingTeam supplier for motorsport air intake systems and components.
- EibachsupportingTeam supplier for suspension springs and performance chassis components.
- Forge MotorsportsupportingTeam supplier for motorsport components including atmospheric valves and related products.
- GoodyearsupportingOfficial tire supplier for racing operations.
- K&N FilterssupportingTeam supplier for high-performance air filters across racing fleet.
- Scorpion ExhaustssupportingTeam supplier for performance exhaust systems.
- Laser Tools RacingmajorCollaboration announced November 2020 to create the ultimate BTCC team. Laser Tools sponsored Infiniti Q50 for Dexter Patterson in 2022.
- SIM DemonsupportingPartnership with racing simulator builders and hardware suppliers for eSports program. Provides sim racing equipment for E-Team HARD.
- Luxsim24supportingPartnering with Team HARD to power Ben Creanor in NASCAR Whelen Euro ESeries. Provides simulation expertise for esports racing.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Team HARD. Racing competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Excelr8 Motorsport: UK-based BTCC team that competes in the same Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship with multiple touring cars. Direct competitor for driver signings, sponsorships, and series points; Team HARD. signed Dan Lloyd directly from Excelr8 for the 2023 season.
- One Motorsport (BTC Racing): BTCC team running Hyundai i30 N machinery. Comparable as a multi-car independent BTCC operation competing for Independents' honours and the same sponsor pool.
- West Surrey Racing: Long-established BTCC team running BMW 3 Series entries. One of the largest BTCC squads and a direct competitor for championship points, driver talent, and OEM-aligned sponsorship deals.
- Team Dynamics: BTCC team running Honda Civic Type R machinery for multiple drivers. Comparable as a multi-car BTCC operation with established sponsorships and a fan-driven B2B sponsorship pitch, directly competing for the same corporate partner budgets.
- Power Maxed Racing: Independent BTCC team referenced in Team HARD.'s customer history (Michael Crees moved from Power Maxed to Team HARD.). Comparable on independent, non-manufacturer model, multi-driver line-up, and dealer-brand sponsorship focus.
- PalmerSport: UK-based corporate track-day and motorsport experience operator at Bedford Autodrome. Comparable to Team HARD.'s HARD. Drive and BTCC Hot Laps products on direct-to-consumer experience monetisation, fleet utilisation, and corporate hospitality channels.
- MB Motorsport (Motorbase Performance): Long-standing independent BTCC team running multiple Ford Focus/ST and previously Toyota Corolla entries. Closely comparable on chassis count, sponsor-driven model, and multi-driver line-up; competes against Team HARD. for the Independents' Trophy.
- Laser Tools Racing: BTCC team with a documented partnership/alliance with Team HARD. (announced 2020). Closely comparable on Infiniti Q50/Cupra Leon entries, sponsorship-driven model, and shared UK customer base of automotive trade brands.
- Century Motorsport: UK team competing in Ginetta GT4 Supercup and British GT. Comparable to Team HARD.'s Ginetta and Porsche support-series operations on multi-chassis preparation, scholarship programmes, and lower-tier championship pipelines.
Others
- British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) / TOCA: Series organiser and rights holder for the championship Team HARD. competes in. Not a competitor but a key ecosystem counterparty whose regulations, calendar, and commercial framework directly shape Team HARD.'s revenue model and competitive intensity.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Team HARD. Racing social profiles
Digital presenceTeam HARD. Racing financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Team HARD. Racing leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Team HARD. Racing subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Team HARD. Racing funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Team HARD. Racing M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Team HARD. Racing
What does Team HARD. Racing do?
Team HARD. Racing is a UK motorsport team that fields entries in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) and support series including Ginetta GT4 Supercup, Porsche Carrera Cup GB, and MINI Challenge UK. The team sells consumer track experiences and hot lap rides using championship-winning race cars, runs driver scholarship programmes (GT Cup and X-Kart), operates the HARD. Academy driver development programme, sells branded merchandise and detailing products, and runs the E-Team HARD. Racing esports division.
Is Team HARD. Racing a public or private company?
Team HARD. Racing is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Team HARD. Racing founded?
Team HARD. Racing was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Team HARD. Racing based?
Team HARD. Racing is headquartered in Detling, Maidstone, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Team HARD. Racing make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Corporate Sponsorship and Partnership is the primary driver. The others are motorsport Experiences, scholarship Programs and merchandise and Teamwear.
Who are Team HARD. Racing's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Excelr8 Motorsport, One Motorsport (BTC Racing), West Surrey Racing, Team Dynamics, Power Maxed Racing, PalmerSport, MB Motorsport (Motorbase Performance), Laser Tools Racing and Century Motorsport. British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) / TOCA is listed as an others.
Does Team HARD. Racing have an API?
No public API is recorded for Team HARD. Racing.
What industry is Team HARD. Racing in?
Team HARD. Racing's product category is Motorsport Racing Team. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKABAB, Motorsports Teams (F1, NASCAR, IndyCar, Rally, MotoGP, etc.), with a secondary code of MPAKAGAB, Motorsports Teams & Entrants (Factory & Independent). Its NAICS code is 711211 and its SIC code is 7948.