Mini ace Zelos moves to Porsches after missing out on BTCC drive

Three-time Mini Challenge champion Dan Zelos will move into the Porsche Sprint Challenge GB this year after being unable to secure a drive in the British Touring Car Championship.

The 26-year-old finally made his BTCC debut last year when he contested the last three events in an Excelr8 Motorsport-run Hyundai i30 N in place of Ronan Pearson.

He instantly looked at home in the series, scoring points on his debut and achieving a best result of eighth across the nine races.

Zelos had worked hard to make a full-time BTCC switch this year, but revealed earlier in the week that he had been unable to attract the funding to secure a deal.

Instead, Zelos will face a new challenge as he switches to the rear-wheel-drive Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport after signing up with Graves Motorsport - a team he had previously competed against in Minis.

"I've got some great loyal partners on board - some that have been with me since I've been in tin-top racing, some coming on board in the last few years and some new ones that were planning to be with me this year in British Touring Cars," Zelos told Autosport. 

"I owe it to them to bring them an exciting season and get out on track racing something - I couldn't sit on the sidelines all year! 

Dan Zelos, Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 Hyundai i30 N Fastback

Photo by: JEP

"I felt like the Mini Challenge chapter had closed - we'd done everything we could've ever possibly imagined in that championship.

"We got to British Touring Cars, which is what we always wanted to do and the ultimate plan was to make that full-time this year. 

"We haven't been able to do that but this is a new challenge for us. It's broadened my horizons with what my career might possibly hold in the future - there are rear-wheel-drive touring cars on the grid..."

Zelos sampled the Porsche for the first time this week with tests at Donington Park and Silverstone but is keeping his expectations in check.

"My driving style is going to have to change massively in these cars - it's very different to the front-wheel-drive Minis," he said. 

"There's a lot more power, the engine's behind me rather than in front of me and the weight distribution is completely different and the tyres are going to need much different warming up as well. 

"So I'm not expecting to light up the times straight away but we're here to learn - it's the first day at school again."

Nevertheless, Zelos is optimistic of replicating his rapid adaption to the BTCC Hyundai he demonstrated last year: "I jumped into British Touring Cars for the last three weekends and had to be a sponge and try to take everything in - this is just the same thing all over again. 

"We'll listen as much as we can, try to take on board as much as we can and see where it takes us."