1. Robert John Collard was born on 1 October 1968 and is a British auto racing driver from Hampshire, best known for racing in the British Touring Car Championship, winning two races in a West Surrey Racing MG, and claiming the Independent's Cup title in 2003.
Rob Collard only raced a partial season in the renamed Production Class in 2001, concentrating on preparing a Renault Clio for a full assault on the Production Class in 2002 with his own Collard Racing team.
Rob Collard contested 6 ETCC races in a Nissan Primera for RJN Motorsport that year.
Undeterred, Rob Collard redoubled his efforts for 2003, moving up to the main Touring Class with a Vauxhall Astra.
Rob Collard beat several better-funded teams and drivers to win the Independent's Cup, and finished 10th overall ahead of several 'works' drivers.
Rob Collard Racing had no realistic hope of matching Anthony Reid's independent MG or Matt Neal's Honda, and finished 6th in the Indy cup and 12th overall.
In 2005, Rob Collard replaced Reid in West Surrey Racing's MG, concentrating purely on racing rather than team ownership.
In 2007, Rob Collard had no BTCC drive, instead contesting the early rounds of the Porsche Carrera Cup UK, achieving little success in these big difficult-to-control rear-wheel-drive cars.
Rob Collard contested the final round of the BTCC for GR Asia, and returned full-time in 2008 in a Motorbase BMW.
Rob Collard won two races early on in 2009 at the opening round at Brands Hatch and at Donington Park.
Rob Collard came close to adding a third at Snetterton, before contact with James Nash saw him spin across the track into the path of Stephen Jelley, resulting in a huge collision.
Rob Collard complained of abdominal pain and was taken to hospital, while Nash was excluded from the results.
Blighted by incidents and 'DNFs' through the second half of the season, Rob Collard was unable to match the form of the first half of the season but still ended up 6th in the BTCC drivers championship, his best performance in the BTCC so far.
For 2010, Rob Collard returned to West Surrey Racing, replacing reigning champion Colin Turkington who had failed to raise the necessary budget.
Rob Collard remained with WSR for 2011 but failed to register a race win.
Rob Collard finished the year 8th in the Drivers Championship.
Rob Collard achieved a solitary podium and finished up in 13th place overall.
In 2014, Rob Collard again remained with WSR, winning 1 race and finishing 6th in the drivers championship.
Rob Collard remained with the team for 2015, where he won the first race of the season and finished in 10th place in the championship.
For 2020, Rob Collard made his British GT Championship debut for Barwell Motorsport, driving a Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo.
Rob Collard's family starred in an episode of Channel 4's Wife Swap, shown during October 2006.
Rob Collard has told ITV's BTCC coverage that his hero was the late Colin McRae, and his ambition is to win the World Touring Car Championship.
Rob Collard is the father of racing driver Ricky Collard.
Rob Collard endorsed the Conservative Party in the 2019 United Kingdom general election.