Most people who arrive into a top-flight TCR series have gone through the ranks. Perhaps starting in Karting and then working the way through junior formula such as the Junior Saloon Car Championship, into the Civic Cup and then into one of the seats in TCR UK. Some like to break the mould.

With a very limited background in motosport – Steve Laidlaw arrived into the TCR fold last year self admittingly like a rabbit caught in headlights. Learning the ropes, the international businessman knuckled down and now fresh off the back of his best weekend of racing – is seriously gathering momentum for a TCR UK title tilt in 2025. The British Automobile Racing Club caught up with Steve before he left the circuit to head home to Dubai.

That wasn’t a bad weekend work was it Steve?

“It was the perfect weekend, a weekend of dreams for me,” said an enthusiastic Laidlaw. “We were fast in testing, we broke the TCR lap record at Silverstone in Qualifying, took my first pole, P1 in race one, P1 in race two and P2 and another lap record in the third – that was my best weekend in a car for sure. Don’t think I could ever top that!”

Moving to the third generation Cupra Leon at the end of last year, it took a few rounds for the 43-year-old to fine tune and get the car to his liking – a car that needs taking by the scruff of its neck to get the best out of it. Two wins from three at Silverstone last weekend – just how close was Laidlaw from the clean sweep?

“It’s not an easy game in this series. I took so much out of my tyres keeping up and passing Adam [Shepherd] I just had very little left to do anything about Callum [Newsham] – we were so close, I was taking about half a tenth a lap – but I would have needed 100 laps and the tyres wouldn’t have lasted that long. It was an awesome weekend – unbelievable. My son [Sam Laidlaw] had a good weekend on pace – although the results didn’t go his way, but what we are doing as a young, new team is phenomenal and this weekend has given us a real boost!

For Steve it’s not all about him – he gets to share race weekends and the track with his eldest son Sam who drives a sister Cupra under the Area Motorsport umbrella. There aren’t many sports at this level where you can compete in the same team and compete alongside your son or daughter. Motorsport gives that opportunity – but what is it actually like?

“To look back down the grid order to see my son enjoying the racing… just a little bit slower than I am.” said Laidlaw with the tongue firmly in cheek. “I will be straight – this is the first time this year I have been quicker than him, at Donington I was well and truly in his shadows.”

The relationship was clear to see – the pair supporting and driving each other on every step of the way is one of the key ingredients to the Laidlaw success. Running car numbers #100 for Steve and #101 for Sam – there was a penny drop moment after their recent success.

“He won the 100th race at Donington and I won the 101st at Silverstone, so we might need to swap our racing numbers over next year – how’s them apples then! I am unbelievably proud of my children, of both my sons, I have another son who does his own thing outside of racing and to share this with them and my oldest son Sam too is very special – I’m living the dream. It’s great as a Dad to see your children grow and shine and is just as special if not more so when I see him on the top step.”

In motorsport – nothing stands still for too long. Thoughts are already turning to the next round at Croft in Yorkshire – the home round for the Laidlaw’s. How does the title push now feel? Can the Father and Son duo fight for the crown?

“I am very confident after this weekend we can push on and make a real championship effort now 100%. Our objective is P1 and P2 in the championship and that won’t be easy as there are some good drivers around us. We have the outright pace at multiple tracks and in different conditions and we have illustrated that through a lot of hard work over the winter.”

The result at the weekend is even more remarkable when you take a step back to look at the amount of races under Steve’s belt – Almost half of those around them. Steely determination and creating the right environment is producing the results. Sky’s the limit now for Steve and Sam?

“One year ago we were six seconds a lap off the pace – we did TCR for the first time ever, we had done a bit of clubman before and so had Sam – but we had done very little racing at all and we decided we were going to do it and it was a big shock at first. But we put in a great deal of time and a concerted effort into it. We found a great team who we have really gelled with, in fact we have become more of a family unit rather than a team and every single one of us is working relentlessly with the goal of going from nowhere to fighting at the front in the UK. This is just the start, next year we are looking at doing TCR Europe and year after the world tour. Watch out!”

The TCR UK series heads to Yorkshire next up with the BARC owned Croft Circuit the next host venue for three more action-packed races. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased directly from the Croft website – https://croftcircuit.co.uk/racing/tcr