Wokingham racing driver Bobby Trundley has started his season in the best possible way with a podium finish in his first race.
Bobby is a driver for Team BRIT – the world’s only competitive team of all-disabled racing drivers. Bobby was diagnosed with severe autism as a child and is now one of the most successful autistic racing drivers in the world. This year he has returned to the team for the 7th consecutive year and is competing in the Britcar Endurance Championship driving a McLaren 570S GT4.
On Saturday 21st March, Bobby and his teammate Aaron Morgan took part in round 1 of the championship. Aaron is a paraplegic following a motorcross accident and uses the team’s hand control technology to race against able-bodied drivers. Qualifying took place in the morning. They couldn’t have performed better and qualified in pole, putting them in the best possible position for the afternoon’s race.
Bobby started out in the driver seat, fending off a 99 Porsche Cayman, whilst moving up into P3 overall until coming back into the pits under the first of many safety cars.
By the time they came in for fuelling and driver change, they were in a great position. Aaron then posted impressive lap times, holding on to P3 overall and P2 in class. The car that won the class was an invitational entry, meaning Aaron and Bobby secured the maximum P1 points.
Bobby was diagnosed with severe autism as a young child, and soon found that motorsport had a profound impact on the way he manages the challenges of the condition. He discovered karting at the age of 10, having been invited to a karting birthday party and his talent was clear from the outset. He was a 5 x national karting champion before joining Team BRIT in 2019, and has gone on to compete in GT4 racing in iconic tracks across the UK and overseas, including at Spa Francorchamps where he won his race as part of the British GT Championship.
Last year, he teamed up with Asha Silva to form an ‘autistic super team’, winning their class in the Britcar Championship and narrowly missing out on the overall championship win after Asha was hit off the track in the final round.
Bobby said: “What a great way to start the season! It’s fantastic to be back in a GT4, especially the car I personally have had so many highlights in my career.
“I can’t thank the Team BRIT boys and girls enough for their incredibly hard work. They have done amazingly with the car this year!
“I’m also super grateful to my personal sponsor Daytona Motorsport. Without them, my life would be in a very different place to where it is today.
“Oulton Park is next, but before that I’m back at Donington with our new team rookie Tom Cannon in the BMW 2 series in the Snetterton Saloons on the 12th April. This year’s looking spicy!”
Bobby and Aaron race together again in round 2 on the 25th April at Oulton Park.
