Tim Harvey

Timothy James Harvey
Born	(1961-11-20) November 20, 1961 Farnborough, London, England
Occupation(s)	Racing driver, commentator, presenter
Years active	1983–present
Known for	1992 British Touring Car Championship champion; Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain champion (2008, 2010)

Timothy James Harvey (born 20 November 1961) is a distinguished British racing driver, renowned for securing the 1992 British Touring Car Championship title as well as claiming the Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain crown in both 2008 and 2010. Between 1987 and 1995, Harvey achieved sixteen victories in BTCC events and remained an active competitor in the championship until 2002. Additionally, he triumphed in the prestigious invitational Guia Race of Macau touring car race in 1989.

Following his touring car career, Harvey moved into the single-make Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain series, initially participating as a guest driver in 2003—securing a win during these appearances—before committing to full-time competition from 2004 onward. Throughout seven full seasons, he consistently ranked within the top four of the overall championship standings and concluded his tenure with a class victory at the Porsche Carrera World Cup held at the Nürburgring. He holds the series record with 35 overall wins. Concurrently, Harvey contributes to broadcasting efforts for ITV4, providing coverage of the British Touring Car Championship, and currently races in the British GT Championship, piloting a Porsche alongside Jon Minshaw for the Trackspeed team.

Early career

Harvey launched his motorsport journey in 1983 competing in Formula Ford 1600. During 1984 and 1985, he took part in the MG Metro Challenge, which paved the way for his debut in touring cars at the 1984 Tourist Trophy event at Silverstone. There, he shared an MG Metro Turbo with teammates Robin Brundle and Patrick Watts, though their race ended prematurely due to a rear axle malfunction.

A significant crash in a 1986 Formula Ford race at Silverstone impaired Harvey’s ankle mobility, effectively ending his progression in single-seater racing. This injury prompted his transition to touring cars, beginning with a one-off entry in a Production Saloon race at Brands Hatch, driving a Rover Vitesse.

BTCC career

Originating from Farnborough, London, Harvey made his BTCC debut in 1987, securing three Class A victories behind the wheel of a Rover Vitesse. In both 1988 and 1989, he balanced commitments between sports car racing and BTCC competition, finishing third in Class A on each occasion.

In 1991, Harvey achieved eighth place overall and went on to claim the championship title in 1992 while driving a BMW 318 coupe for Vic Lee Motorsport. He won five out of the final seven races that season, ultimately securing the championship after key competitors encountered mechanical failures and collisions during the concluding event.

The following year, Harvey was tasked with developing Renault’s BTCC contender, the Renault 19, but faced challenges maintaining competitive pace; nonetheless, he won the support race at the European Grand Prix that year. In 1994, driving alongside teammate Alain Menu who piloted the new Laguna model, Harvey found himself outpaced.

In 1995, he joined Volvo to assist with development of their Volvo 850 saloon. Despite finishing fifth overall with two victories, he generally trailed behind teammate Rickard Rydell. From 1996 through 1998, Harvey raced for Peugeot during the height of the supertouring era, focusing on developing the Peugeot 406. His strongest campaign was in 1997 when he finished ninth overall, highlighted by two runner-up finishes and notable performances under wet conditions.

After stepping away briefly, Harvey returned for his final BTCC seasons in 2001—finishing eighth overall with JSM’s Alfa Romeo—and in 2002—placing tenth while driving a Peugeot for Vic Lee Motorsport—before retiring to concentrate on media opportunities. The Alfa Romeo 147 he competed with is now owned by Allitalia, an independent Italian automotive specialist based in North Wales.

Porsche Carrera Cup

Harvey participated in the Porsche Carrera Cup for multiple seasons, achieving runner-up positions in both 2004 and 2006. In 2007, driving the newly introduced 997 Porsche GT3 for Redline Racing, he entered the season as the leading contender but ultimately finished second, narrowly missing the championship by four points.

The following year, Harvey secured the Porsche Carrera Cup Drivers Championship at Brands Hatch, setting series records for the most podium finishes and fastest laps. In 2009, he finished third overall, with several victories including a notable double win at Snetterton. His 2010 campaign was dominant, winning nine of the first ten races and clinching the championship with a race to spare; he concluded the season with 11 wins, solidifying his status as the championship’s most successful driver with a total of 35 wins and over 150 podium appearances.

In May 2011, Harvey made a sudden departure from the series due to difficulties adapting to new regulations, which opened a seat at Motorbase Performance for rising talent Kieran Vernon. He clarified that this was not a retirement from racing and intended to maintain his role as a commentator for ITV.

Possibly marking his final Porsche appearance, Harvey triumphed in a Porsche Carrera Cup GB race held under wet conditions at the Nürburgring during the Porsche Carrera World Cup event, finishing 13th overall and ahead of several faster Supercup cars.

Other racing

Harvey has amassed numerous victories in sports car racing, gaining valuable business acumen and extensive experience through his global motorsport endeavors. As a factory driver for Spice during the height of the World Sportscar Championship, he competed against major manufacturers like Jaguar and Mercedes Benz in 1989 and 1990. He claimed the BRDC C2 Championship title twice consecutively in 1988 and 1989 and achieved a class win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1987. Additionally, he won the British Sports Car Championship in 1999.

He earned back-to-back victories in the prestigious Oulton Park Gold Cup in 2000 and 2001, joining an elite group of previous champions including Stirling Moss, Jim Clark, and Jackie Stewart. Harvey also enjoyed success in the British GT Championship, capturing wins alongside various co-drivers during the 2004 and 2005 seasons.

On the international stage, Harvey has triumphed in touring car events such as the 1989 Macau Grand Prix street race and the Wellington International in 1994. His racing career spans continents including Japan, Australia, South Africa, and Europe. On 19 June 2011, he secured victory in a Round of the Ginetta GT Supercup at Croft. Furthermore, he occasionally participates in motorcycle enduro competitions.

Other work

Outside of active racing, Tim blends roles as a commentator and presenter for both ITV and Motors TV alongside responsibilities such as mentoring emerging British drivers. He has successfully coached the Oxford University Motor Drivers Club to victories in the British Universities Karting Championship.

In 2008, he was named Director of the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC) SuperStars initiative, providing financial support and guidance to promising young British racers.

In 2021, Harvey took part in an event at Motorsport UK's new headquarters featuring prominent industry personalities including Jason Plato, Matt Neal, and Dave Vitty.

Full European Touring Car Championship results

(key) (Races shown in bold denote pole positions) (Races in italics signify fastest laps)

Year	Team	Vehicle	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	DC	Points
1984	Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Computervision Racing with Esso	MG Metro Turbo	MNZ	VAL	DON	PER	BRN	ZEL	SAL	NUR	SPA	SIL Ret	ZOL	MUG	NC	0
1988	Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall John Maguire Racing	BMW M3	MNZ	DON	EST	JAR	DIJ	VAL	NÜR	SPA	ZOL	SIL Ret	NOG		NC	0

Full British Touring Car Championship results

(key) Races in bold mark pole positions (1 point awarded from 1996 onwards per race). Races in italics indicate fastest laps (1 point given – during 1987–1990, and from 2001 onwards, with class points from 1987–1990). (* denotes driver led feature race for at least one lap – earning 1 point from 1998 onwards)

... [Table continues with similar format through to the year 2002] ...

Year	Team	Vehicle	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	Pen.	Overall DC	Points	Class position
1987	John Maguire Racing	Rover Vitesse	A	SIL Ret	Oulton Park overall:1 class:1	Thruxton Circuit Ret	Thruxton Circuit overall:2 class:2	Silverstone Circuit overall:1 class:1	Silverstone Circuit overall:5 class:4	Brands Hatch overall:1 class:1	Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit Ret	Donington Park Ret	Oulton Park No classification	Donington Park overall:4 class:3	Silverstone Circuit overall:3 class:3															4th overall	45 points	1st in class
(1988)	Terry Drury Racing	rowspan=2 nowrap |(Ford Sierra RS500)	rowspan=2 | "A"	style="background:#EFCFFF;" |Silverstone Circuit Retired	style="background:#DFFFDF;" |Oulton Park overall:4 class:4	style="background:#DFFFDF;" |Thruxton Circuit overall:9 class:5		style="background:#DFFFDF;" |Thruxton Circuit overall:5 class:5	style="background:#DFFFDF;" |Silverstone Circuit overall:6 class:6	style="background:#CFCFFF;" |Silverstone Circuit overall:7 class:7	style="background:#EFCFFF;" |Brands Hatch Retired	style="background:#CFCFFF;" |Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit overall:7 class:7	style="background:#DFDFDF;" |Brands Hatch overall:2 class:2									11th overall	26 points	4th in class
				<style="background:#DFDFDF;">Donington Park overall:2‡ class:2‡ </style>

1. – Race was halted because of severe rain. No points were distributed.

‡ Denotes endurance co-driver

Full World Touring Car Championship results

(key) (Events shown in bold denote pole positions) (Events in italics represent fastest laps)

Year	Team	Vehicle	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	DC	Points
1987	Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Team Istel	Rover Vitesse	MNZ	JAR	DIJ	NÜR	SPA	BNO	SIL Ret	BAT	CLD	WEL	FJI	NC	0

Full Japanese Touring Car Championship results

(key) (Events in bold indicate pole position) (Events in italics signify fastest lap)

Year	Team	Vehicle	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	DC	Points
1994	Motorola Pagers Racing	BMW 318i	AUT 1	AUT 2	SUG 1	SUG 2	TOK 1	TOK 2	SUZ 1	SUZ 2	MIN 1	MIN 2	AID 1	AID 2	TSU 1	TSU 2	SEN 1	SEN 2	FUJ 1 17	FUJ 2 16	NC	0

Full Asia-Pacific Touring Car Championship results

(key) (Bold denotes pole position) (Italics mark fastest lap)

Year	Team	Vehicle	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	DC	Points
1994	Template:Country data JPNTemplate:Namespace detect showall Motorola Pagers Racing	BMW 318i	FUJ 1 17	FUJ 2 16	MAC 1 4	MAC 2 5	SEN 1 C	SEN 2 C	WEL 1 2	WEL 2 1	CLD 1 C	CLD 2 C	style="background:#FFFFFF;" | CHE 1 C	style="background:#FFFFFF;" | CHE 2 C	Runner-up	?

Full Bathurst 1000 Results

Year	Team	Co-driver	Vehicle	Laps Completed	Pos.
1997*	Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Esso Ultron Team Peugeot	Template:Country data NZLTemplate:Namespace detect showall Paul Radisich	Peugeot 406	70	DNF
1998*	Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Volvo S40 Racing	Template:Country data SWETemplate:Namespace detect showall Jan Nilsson	Volvo S40	82	DNF

• Part of the Super Touring competition

24 Hours of Le Mans Results

Year	Team	Co-Drivers	Car Model	Category	Total Laps	Pos.	Class Pos.
1988	Template:Country data UKTemplate:Namespace detect showall Charles Ivey Racing Template:Country data UKTemplate:Namespace detect showall Team Istel	Template:Country data UKTemplate:Namespace detect showall Chris Hodgetts Template:Country data UKTemplate:Namespace detect showall John Sheldon	Tiga GC287	C2	301	20th	3rd
1989	Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Spice Engineering	Template:Country data DENTemplate:Namespace detect showall Thorkild Thyrring Template:Country data RSATemplate:Namespace detect showall Wayne Taylor	Spice SE89C-Ford	C1	150	DNF	DNF
1990	Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Spice Engineering	Template:Country data ESPTemplate:Namespace detect showall Fermín Velez Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Chris Hodgetts	Spice SE90C-Ford	Gr.C1	308	18th	18th
1991	Template:Country data NLDTemplate:Namespace detect showall Euro Racing	Template:Country data NLDTemplate:Namespace detect showall Charles Zwolsman Template:Country data NLDTemplate:Namespace detect showall Cor Euser	Spice SE90C-Ford Cosworth	C1	72	DNF

Comprehensive British GT Championship Results

(key) (Entries in bold represent pole positions within the class) (Entries in italics denote fastest laps in class)

Year	Team Name	Vehicle Model	Class Category	Race 1	Race 2	Race 3	Race 4	Race 5	Race 6	Race 7	Race 8	Race 9	Race 10	Race 11	Race 12	Final Position	Points Earned

2007 Team RPM Dodge Viper#Phase SR II Viper Competition Coupe GT3 OUL OUL DON DON SNE BRH BRH SIL style=color:red;background:#CFCFFF; Thruxton THR18 style=color:green;background:#DFFFDF; Thruxton THR5 CRO CRO ROC ROC 24th 4 2008 Trackspeed Porsche 997 GT3-S GT3 OUL OUL KNO KNO ROC9 ROC7 SNE SNE THR THR BRH BRH SIL DON 47th 2 2012 Trackspeed Porsche 997 GT3-R GT3 OUL10 OUL3 NÜR8 NÜR12 ROC6 BRH9 SNE7 SNE2 SIL11 DON Ret 11th 59

2000	Bob Watson Motorsport	Porsche 911 GT2	GT	THR 1	CRO 1	OUL 1	DON 8†	SIL Ret	BRH WD	DON Ret	CRO 2							9th	56
	HKM Parr Motorsport	Chrysler Viper GTS-R									SIL 5	SNE 2	SPA DNS	SIL 5
2001	Hayles Racing	Chrysler Viper GTS-R	GT	SIL 2	SNE 1	DON 2	OUL 1	CRO 3	ROC 2	CAS DSQ	RET	DON 3	KNO 1	THR 2	BRH 1	SIL 3			2nd	?
2005	Motorbase Performance	Porsche 996 GT3 Cup	GT3	DON	MAG	CRO	CRO	KNO	KNO	THR 9	THR 10	CAS	CAS	SIL	MON	MON				?	14
	Team RPM	GT3 INV													SIL 25	SIL 7	-†	0†

† Competitor was ineligible to score points as an invited driver.