Tag: BTCC

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship brought the curtain down on its 2024 season in action-packed style at Brands Hatch this past weekend (October 5/6) as Jake Hill was crowned champion for the first time.

On what was one of the most dramatic final days of the season in recent memory, the Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport driver held his nerve in front of a capacity crowd on the world-famous Grand Prix circuit to cement his status as a tin top great.

Arriving at the Kent venue tied on points with Tom Ingram at the top of the standings, Hill charged to an impressive eighth win of the season in race one before adding a brace of podium finishes – the latter of which was enough to seal the coveted title.

Hill’s journey to clinching the biggest prize in UK motorsport has been nothing short of sensational this year with one pole position, eight wins and a further eight podium finishes being tallied over the course of the ten-event campaign.

Whilst unable to overhaul Hill from clinching the coveted crown, Ingram settled for runners-up laurels whilst outgoing Ash Sutton, Colin Turkington and Dan Cammish completed the top five in the standings.

Elsewhere, NAPA Racing UK claimed the Teams’ Championship for a third straight season but they were unable to stop BMW from sealing a record-breaking tenth Manufacturers-Constructors Championship.

Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing were the dominant force on their way to a maiden Independent Teams’ Championship while drivers Árón Taylor-Smith and Mikey Doble clinched the Independent Drivers’ and Jack Sears Trophy titles respectively.

Qualifying on Saturday afternoon set the scene for an action-packed Final’s Day as Turkington secured the Goodyear Wingfoot Award – which is awarded to the top qualifier – by snaring his fourth pole position of the campaign.

Race one would see drama ensue from the get-go as Ingram found himself caught up in an incident that ended the races of Sutton and Josh Cook within a couple of corners. Hill would escape unscathed from the incident and ultimately powered his way to a crucial win.

The tables would turn in race two as Ingram produced a stellar opening few laps to dispatch both Hill and Turkington before he cruised to victory. That result meant that just one point – in Hill’s favour – separated the pair heading into the final race of the year.

In what was an epic showdown, Sutton produced a clinical display in the wet conditions to sign off his tenure as champion with a victory however it was behind him where everyone’s attention was fixed.

Ingram initially got the better of Hill in the opening exchanges although it didn’t take long for the tide to turn and soon it was the BMW driver on the front foot. At mid-distance he found a way past Ingram and from there he didn’t look back as he went on to finish in second place.

With Ingram unable to strike back, Hill held his nerve and swept his way to an emotional first BTCC title.

To view the full classification of results from all BTCC sessions at Brands Hatch, as well as the final championship standings, CLICK HERE.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship will return in 2025, with a brand-new season poised to start at Donington Park on April 26/27.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship has moved ever-closer to a sustainable fuel future after running an extensive trial in a fully competitive environment at the Home of British Motor Racing, Silverstone, last weekend (September 21/22).

Working closely with long-term partners Haltermann Carless on this ground-braking project, the UK’s premier motorsport series is aiming for all cars entered into the championship to run 100% sustainable fuel.

Silverstone marked the latest milestone in the development process as the Duckhams Racing with Un-Limited Motorsport car of Daryl DeLeon ran the latest 100% sustainable fuel for the full duration of the race weekend with support from Haltermann Carless, M-Sport and Aero Tec Laboratories Ltd (ATL).

DeLeon contested every session with absolutely no fuel issues reported, and critically the pace and performance results were recorded to be equal of those cars running the regular controlled championship fuel.

The Hiperflo ECO102 R100 is a fully sustainable fuel, which meets FIA criteria as an advanced sustainable fuel. The fuel is a pure drop-in solution, it requires no hardware modifications to existing engines and crucially delivers no loss in performance compared to the current control fuel used in the championship. 

The fuel itself achieves a greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction of approximately 55% on a well-to-wheel (WtW) basis compared to the fossil fuel baseline. If the full BTCC grid adopted this fully sustainable fuel for the entire season, it would result in a CO2 reduction of approximately 50,000 kg, equivalent to the combined weight of around 37 BTCC cars.

Series Organiser – TOCA – will continue to work closely alongside Haltermann Carless over the coming weeks and months with the plan to move fully to a 100% sustainable fuel as the championship’s chosen controlled fuel. The DeLeon car is expected to continue running the fuel at the Brands Hatch season finale next weekend (5/6 October).

“We are delighted with the significant progress we have made with regard to 100% sustainable fuel – working closely alongside Haltermann Carless and our teams – with last weekend’s results representing a significant milestone in the project,” said BTCC Chief Executive Alan Gow.

“The development work doesn’t stop here, however, as we actively strive to even further improve the efficiency and performance of the sustainable fuel going forward.

“This is an important and essential step for the BTCC as we continue to look to maintain the competitiveness and excitement synonymous with our championship, but in a more sustainable way.”

Adrian Stuart, Haltermann Carless Head of Performance Fuels Sales UK, added: “In recent years, the focus in motorsport has shifted toward sustainable fuels, a challenge we have embraced with the same dedication that has fuelled our success with the BTCC over the past 30 years.

“At Silverstone we were able to showcase a fully sustainable fuel during a championship weekend and we would like to thank to Daryl DeLeon and Duckhams Racing for supporting this trial. This is just the beginning, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration with the BTCC and engine partners to bring even more sustainable, high-performance fuels to the racetrack in the future.

“This is a significant development and enforces our commitment to driving low-carbon solutions through our motorsport brands, Carless Racing Fuels and ETS Racing Fuels. More breakthroughs are on the horizon as we continue to innovate and refine our fuel formulations.”

Six drivers will head into the final three races of the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship next month in mathematical contention to be crowned champion following an action-packed weekend (September 21/22) at Silverstone. 

Jake Hill and Tom Ingram head to Brands Hatch in less than two weeks’ time tied on points at the top of the standings while reigning champion Ash Sutton is 33 points in arrears in third place. 

With a total of 67 points set to be on offer around the Grand Prix layout of the Kent venue, the trio of Dan Cammish, Josh Cook and Colin Turkington also remain in contention to lift the biggest prize in UK motorsport. 

Qualifying around the Home of British Motor Racing on Saturday saw no end of drama as three drivers, including pole sitter Aron Taylor-Smith, fell foul of post-session ride height checks and were excluded from the classification. 

Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing’s Taylor-Smith mastered the wet conditions to clinch his first pole position in almost a decade however it was soon cruelly stripped from him as he, team-mate Mikey Doble and Hyundai’s Dan Zelos failed to meet the required parameters in parc ferme.

Taylor-Smith’s demise boosted championship contender Ingram to the top of the times while four-time champion Turkington and Cook also gained vital ground, moving up to second and third on the grid for race one. 

Both Ingram and Hill emerged as the toast of the BTCC field on race day as they mastered the extremely wet conditions to take a share of the spoils, with 2022 title winner Ingram claiming an impressive brace. 

Race one saw Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS’ Ingram hold off a late charge from Hill – who had hustled his way from fifth on the grid – and Cammish in race one to claim a pivotal fourth win of the season in his Hyundai i30 N. 

Hybrid deployment became the narrative of the contest for the top two as Hill used a majority of his allowance to close in on Ingram, while the latter held back some additional power to ensure he could hang on in the latter stages. 

The weekend’s second contest saw Hill and Ingram renew their battle however this time it was the BMW driver that reigned supreme as he found a way past Ingram at mid-distance and then pulled clear to triumph for the seventh time this year. 

Ingram would be unable to hang on to second place with both Turkington and Cook finding a way past. Further down the order, Sutton saw his title aspirations dealt a blow as he was forced to serve a drive through penalty after running as high as third at one stage. 

More rain hit the circuit for race three and after just nine laps the red flag was waved with driving conditions deemed impossible. After a lengthy delay, racing did resume and those in attendance were treated to another captivating contest as Ingram triumphed again.

Working his way into an early lead, Ingram looked fairly comfortable out front however the looming presence of Sutton – who had made his way forward from 12th – set up a thrilling finish; Ingram though was able to hold on.

With that victory and Hill finishing fifth, the pair now head into the final three rounds of the campaign dead-level on points, although Hill holds first place having won more races over the course of the season. 

Alliance Racing/Ford top the Manufacturers’/Constructors’ Championship by just four points from BMW, whilst NAPA Racing UK holds an extremely healthy lead in the Teams’ table.

Taylor-Smith and Power Maxed Racing have moved into an unassailable points lead in the Independents’ championships, while team-mate Mikey Doble has provisionally clinched the Jack Sears Trophy.

To view the full classification of results from all BTCC sessions at Silverstone, CLICK HERE.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship will bring the curtain down on its 2024 campaign at Brands Hatch on October 5/6.

The British Touring Car Championship will be further raising sustainability awareness at its penultimate event of the season at the Home of British Motor Racing, Silverstone, this weekend.

Earlier this year the UK’s premier motorsport championship released its ‘Sustainability Strategy’, which outlined its ongoing ambition for the BTCC to become a global leader in sustainable improvements and carbon neutrality for national level motor racing.

This coming weekend will see the series highlight some of its ambition with a number of ITV features, social media campaigns, written articles and audio interviews being published.

Some of the aspects to receive focus at Silverstone will be the testing of 100% sustainable fuel (see story in coming days), recycling of major components, preparation of a travel planning and mileage log, the launch of a BTCC sustainability award and many more.

The BTCC aims to achieve its sustainability ambitions by developing and executing the policies and practices outlined in its strategy, striving for carbon neutrality even where reductions in emissions are minimal due to the nature of our sport.

Implementation of the strategy, through measured and achievable actions with realistic time frames, will be continually assessed with success criteria and key performance indicators to improve environmental impacts across 6 central pillars: Cars, Circuits, Suppliers and Partners, Teams, Central Functions and Fans.

“Whilst the BTCC’s ‘Sustainability Strategy’ is ongoing and is something that we work on every single day, we believe that raising awareness of these ambitions during a race weekend is a great way to further inform and support our incredible fanbase,” said BTCC Chief Executive, Alan Gow.

“There are many ways in which we can all improve and get involved, looking at our own individual and collective approach to making the world a more sustainable environment.”

The battle for supremacy in the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship saw more twists and turns play out this past weekend (August 24/25) as Colin Turkington, Ash Sutton and Dam Cammish scored a victory apiece at Donington Park – however it is Jake Hill that leads the way in the standings.

Entering the home stretch of the campaign, the UK’s premier motorsport series returned to the Leicestershire venue – albeit this time on the longer Grand Prix circuit – where a bumper trackside crowd was treated to blockbuster entertainment.

Proceeding’s began with LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ’s Josh Cook coming out on top of a breathless qualifying to claim his first pole position in more than two years, and on the home soil of Toyota UK no less.

In what proved to be a captivating fight for pole position, Cook edged out Team BMW’s Turkington to secure the bragging rights while Mikey Doble impressed in his Vauxhall to net third ahead of Sutton and Tom Ingram.

As he has done in each race meeting since the summer break, Turkington reigned supreme in Sunday’s opening encounter as he leapfrogged Cook at the start and then powered clear to clinch a pivotal fifth win of the season.

Despite coming under late pressure from Sutton, Turkington never looked likely to relinquish the lead as he bolstered his own championship aspirations while his BMW stablemate Hill rocketed up the order to complete the podium.

Ingram would endure a less than ideal start to his race day as contact from Doble sent him tumbling down the order on lap one. With the help of a safety car intervention closing the pack up, the Hyundai driver recovered to sixth however things would get worse come race two.

Fighting his way up to second place in no time at all, Ingram looked as though he could wrestle the lead off Sutton; that was until a stone pierced his radiator and forced him to retire as engine temperatures continued to rise.

The departure of the Team Bristol Street Motors driver meant that Sutton, who had grabbed the lead off Turkington on lap one, claimed a crucial win while the Northern Irishman and Hill filled the remaining spots on the rostrum.

The twists and turns of the BTCC title race threw up more drama in the weekend’s final contest as Sutton’s joy was short-lived as he scored zero points after getting caught up in an incident on the opening tour that saw him take an excursion through the gravel.

Out front, Alliance Racing’s Dan Cammish – another title contender – produced a wheel-perfect drive to claim his first win of the season however all eyes were on Ingram as he charged from the back of the grid to clinch runner-up laurels ahead of Aron Taylor-Smith.

Heading into the penultimate event of the season towards the end of September, Hill holds a nine-point advantage at the top of the Drivers’ Championship ahead of Ingram; Sutton, Turkington and Cammish complete the top five.

A strong weekend for NAPA Racing UK saw them continue their march at the summit of the Teams’ Championship, whilst Ford hold a narrow lead over BMW in the battle for the Manufacturers’/Constructors’ title.

Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing are on the verge of securing the Independent Teams’ crown for the first-ever time while Taylor-Smith is closing in on the Independent Drivers’ Championship. His Vauxhall team-mate Doble controls the Jack Sears Trophy leaderboard.

To view the full classification of results from all BTCC sessions at Donington Park, CLICK HERE.

The penultimate event of the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship will see Rounds 25, 26 & 27 play out around the Home of British Motor Racing, Silverstone, on September 21/22.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship enjoyed one of its most thrilling events of the 2024 season so far this past weekend (August 10/11) as Colin Turkington, Jake Hill and Rob Huff blasted their way to victory around Knockhill. 

As the UK’s premier motorsport series begins its approach towards the business end of the campaign, the annual trip north of the border saw further twists and turns play out in the battle at the top of the standings – which continues to be headed by Tom Ingram. 

Four-time champion Turkington was once again the driver to beat during Saturday’s qualifying session as he claimed a third pole position of the year, but only after edging out the impressive Árón Taylor-Smith to top spot by 0.035s.

Like he did at Croft, the Team BMW was perfection personified in race one as he converted his front row start into a commanding lights-to-flag win. However while the Northern Irishman cruised to victory, the battle for second place had everyone captivated. 

Taylor-Smith had held firm during the first half of the contest however both Adam Morgan and Josh Cook began to apply pressure as the race drew towards ints conclusion, with both drivers finding a way past at the chicane.

Once clear of the Vauxhall driver, Cook then launched a sensational move around the outside of Morgan at turn one to snatch second place away. Despite quickly pulling away, Cook was unable to making any inroads into Turkington, who had scarpered up the road. 

After battling back from – by his own standards – a tough qualifying, Turkington’s BMW stablemate Hill came to the fore in race two as he utilised the soft tyre to record his sixth win of the season.

The Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport driver wasted no time in fighting his way to the front and once he got into the lead there was no looking back. NAPA Racing UK’s Dan Rowbottom followed Hill’s charge to net second while Turkington tallied more valuable points in third.

An argument could be made that the BTCC saved its best till last as race three proved to be one to remember as TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK’s Rob Huff withstood race-long pressure from Ingram to claim a second win of the season. 

Ingram was another driver that was recovering from a tough qualifying showing but despite his best efforts, he could do nothing to find a way past Huff who was wheel-perfect in his Toyota Corolla GR Sport. 

Huff would hold firm either side of a brief safety car period to triumph while Ingram claimed a well-earned podium; and he was joined on the rostrum by his Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS team-mate Tom Chilton.

Heading back down south, Ingram now leads Hill by three points in the Drivers’ Championship with Ford and NAPA Racing UK topping the Manufacturer-Constructor and Teams’ categories respectively after seven events. 

Aron Taylor-Smith and Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing continue to close in on clinching the Independent Drivers’ and Independent Teams’ crowns, whilst Mikey Doble is the current pace-setter in the Jack Sears Trophy. 

To view the full classification of results from all BTCC sessions at Knockhill, CLICK HERE.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season continues in less than two weeks’ time when the series travels returns to Donington Park – this time on the Grand Prix circuit – on August 24/25.

Colin Turkington, Josh Cook and Tom Chilton were victorious at Croft Circuit this past weekend (July 27/28) as the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship kicked off the second half of its 2024 season in blockbuster fashion. 

Blasting back into life at the British Automobile Racing Club’s North Yorkshire venue following a five-week hiatus, the UK’s premier motorsport series delivered three captivating contests for the bumper crowd that was in attendance. 

Qualifying on Saturday saw Turkington live up to his name of being the ‘King of Croft’ as he paced the opposition on his way to claiming pole position. The Team BMW driver was in formidable form as he upped the ante as the sessions progressed before setting a best time of 1:21.072.

Behind, NAPA Racing UK’s Dan Cammish secured the remaining spot on the front row while Tom Ingram and the hugely impressive Aron Taylor-Smith claimed third and fourth respectively. Rounding out the top six was the lead Toyota of Rob Huff and reigning champion Ash Sutton.

Race one belonged to Turkington as he led from start-to-finish on his way to a 70th career victory in the BTCC. Blasting away from pole position, the four-time champion driver withstood early pressure before soon breaking free and comfortably triumphing.

Ingram would lead the chase for the Northern Irishman after getting the better of Cammish however he could do nothing to overhaul him. Completing the podium – fresh off of signing a new multi-year deal – was the aforementioned Cammish in his Ford Focus ST. 

With the front-runners being forced to run the hard tyre, race two provided unmissable viewing as LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ driver Cook produced a stunning move late on to clinch his second win of the season. 

Running on the faster soft tyre, the Toyota driver battled his way up to second place before then overhauling stablemate Rob Huff with a breathtaking move around the outside of the Jim Clark Esses. 

It was an overtake that had everyone glued to the action but thankfully both drivers emerged unscathed. Cook then powered clear to take victory while Huff and Dan Rowbottom each made a welcome return to the rostrum in second and third. 

Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS’ Chilton concluded the action by taking a hugely popular win in a frantic reverse grid contest. Drawn onto pole position, the Hyundai driver put in a sublime performance with Cammish and Ingram rounding out the podium.

Leaving Croft, Ingram leads the way from Hill in the Drivers’ Championship whilst Ford and NAPA Racing UK top the Manufacturer-Constructor and Teams’ categories respectively with four events now remaining. 

Elsewhere, Aron Taylor-Smith and Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing comfortably remain out front in the Independent Drivers’ and Teams’ standings, with Mikey Doble holding the advantage in the Jack Sears Trophy.

To view the full classification of results from all BTCC sessions at Croft, CLICK HERE.

The 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season continues in less than two weeks’ time when the series travels north of the border to Knockhill for Rounds 19, 20 & 21 on August 10/11.

The British Touring Car Championship has announced that it is welcoming German motor oil and additive manufacturer, LIQUI MOLY, as its ‘Official Oil and Lubricants Partner’ with immediate effect.

Putting pen-to-paper on a long term three-and-a-half-year deal, the relationship between them will officially kick off at Croft at the end of July with the event ‘Presented by LIQUI MOLY’. The brand will then lend its name to the race weekend at Croft for the subsequent events in 2025, 2026 and 2027.

LIQUI MOLY branding will be present at all BTCC race venues, with circuit signage and podium backdrops among the areas in which its logo will be presented. Furthermore, the blue-red-white company branding will be present on the official BTCC website and other media channels.

“The BTCC is not only a firm fixture in motorsport throughout the United Kingdom, but also attracts fans worldwide,” says Debbie Barnes, Managing Director of LIQUI MOLY UK.

“Speed, adrenaline rush, emotions – the BTCC has been thrilling motorsport enthusiasts for decades. Placing LIQUI MOLY in this dynamic environment is the perfect opportunity for us to increase the fascination for our quality brand – and our partners and customers will hugely benefit from this partnership.”

“We are delighted to welcome LIQUI MOLY into the BTCC family,” said Alan Gow, BTCC Chief Executive. “We have always cherished our loyal and long-term relationships with our very specific and carefully chosen partners, and we look forward to LIQUI MOLY joining that illustrious group.

“LIQUI MOLY is a much admired and trusted motor oil and additive manufacturer throughout the world, not just in motorsport, and we are looking forward to what will be a hugely successful partnership.”

The British Touring Car Championship has announced that it has opened applications from interested teams that are looking to join the UK’s premier motorsport series from the 2025 season onwards.

Having reached its ‘quality over quantity’ targets for the 2024 campaign, BTCC Chief Executive Alan Gow will consider applications from ‘fresh, high-quality’ outfits as part of the championship’s forward development plans.

“For the last six years I’ve said many times that, ideally, I’d like to cap our numbers to around 24 cars for several different reasons – not least of which is to support our teams by utilising the sound commercial principle of maintaining ‘supply’ just below ‘demand’ in order to underpin their entries and investment,” said Gow.

“Whilst reviewing these plans I also appreciate that some interested new teams (i.e. non-current TBL holders) have, until now, been unable to join the championship due to the tightly controlled restrictions of the TBL allocation system.

“With that in mind, I’ve opened the door for expressions of interest from up to two, two-car teams who are looking to join the championship from 2025. With high and consistent levels of quality and competitiveness throughout the current grid, the final number could then be capped at 24 cars/TBLs.”

“Stable technical regulations are, of course, one of the most cost-effective ways of controlling costs and equalising competition. So, whilst new technical regulations are due to be introduced from 2027, these will be an evolution of the current hugely successful and stable NGTC regs.

“Therefore, cars purchased or built by current or new teams will also be valid to use during that next phase of the regulations, with only relatively minor updates that are specifically aimed at reducing costs, whilst continuing to provide the proven equality of performance that exists.”

Confidential expressions of interest should be directed to; alan.gow@btcc-toca.com.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship reached the halfway mark of the 2024 season in blockbuster fashion this past weekend (June 22/23) as Tom Ingram, Josh Cook and Jake Hill blasted their way to victory at Oulton Park.

Basked in glorious sunshine, qualifying kicked proceedings off on Saturday afternoon and the session belonged to Team BRISTOL MOTORS’ Ingram as he obliterated the existing BTCC lap record to secure a second successive pole position in the series; taking his tally to three for the season.

In what proved to be a relentless battle in the Cheshire sun, Ingram went almost half a second quicker than last year’s pole time to claim bragging rights, while NAPA Racing UK’s Ash Sutton delivered another stunning performance to join him on the front row.

Behind the top two were the stablemates of Ingram and Sutton as the trio of Dan Cammish, Tom Chilton and Dan Rowbottom filled third, fourth and fifth on the grid for the first of Sunday’s three races.

There was no denying Ingram in the opening bout on Sunday as he withstood an early challenge from Sutton to clinch not only a third win of the season but also the 30th of his career.

Fans were treated to a thrilling start to the race as two of the series’ leading lights went wheel-to-wheel, with contact being made between them at both the Island hairpin and Hislops chicane. Despite Sutton’s best efforts Ingram maintained the lead throughout and that was to be that for the reminder of the contest as Ingram led home Sutton and Cammish.

LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ driver Cook then opened his account for the season in race two as he powered his way to glory after producing one of the finest opening laps in recent memory.

Starting in eighth and on the Goodyear soft tyre, the Toyota Corolla racer avoided a melee at turn one before then blitzing the top four to take the lead by the end of the first tour. Once out front Cook steadily pulled clear of the chasing pack to take the chequered flag by more than eight seconds over Ingram and Hill who were second and third.

The Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport BMW of Hill then capped off a scorching day of racing by claiming victory in the reverse grid finale on the last lap.

Hill – who is undoubtedly in the form of his life at the moment – hunted down long-time race leader Mikey Doble before making a decisive move on final tour to net him a fifth win of the season.

Despite relinquishing the lead in the final moments, Doble recorded a first-ever finish in the BTCC and he did so by leading home team-mate Aron Taylor-Smith for a maiden Power Maxed Racing double podium.

Heading into the series’ annual summer break, Hill holds a slender advantage over Ingram at the top of the Drivers’ Championship whilst Ford and NAPA Racing UK currently lead the way in the Manufacturer-Constructors Championship and Teams’ Championship respectively.

Taylor-Smith and Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing head the standings in both the Independent Drivers’ and Independent Teams’ categories, with Doble proving to be the driver to beat in the Jack Sears Trophy after five events.

To view the full classification of results from all BTCC sessions at Oulton Park, CLICK HERE.

The BTCC season recommences on the weekend of July 27/28; where Croft Circuit plays host to Rounds 16, 17 and 18.

Tickets for the BTCC’s annual trip to North Yorkshire can be purchased online at https://croftcircuit.co.uk/racing/btcc.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship delivered a blockbuster spectacle at Thruxton this past weekend (June 8/9) which culminated in Jake Hill and Ashley Sutton enjoying a share of the spoils. 

Making its only visit of the season to the home of the British Automobile Racing Club, the UK’s premier motorsport series was greeted in Hampshire by cool conditions and packed spectator bankings – all of whom witnessed a blockbuster day of tin top thrills. 

Qualifying on Saturday afternoon saw Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS driver Tom Ingram walk away with the bragging rights as he produced a superlative lap to clinch a second pole position of the season in his Hyundai i30 N. 

On a weekend that coincided with centenary celebrations for the manufacturer-backed outfit, Ingram struck late to snatch top spot while Dan Cammish, Hill, Dan Rowbottom and Sutton trailed behind by a few tenths of a second.

Hill became the first treble winner of the season in the first of Sunday’s three races as his lightening start propelled him onto what proved to be a comfortable lights-to-flag victory ahead of Cammish and Sutton. 

Race two then saw the Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport driver make it back-to-back triumphs as he inherited the victory following a post-race penalty for on-the-road winner Ingram.

Ingram had initially powered his Hyundai to the chequered flag however he was to be demoted back to third after gaining an unfair advantage in an incident involving Cammish at the final chicane.

Sutton was the first to hound Hill for the lead but damage to his Ford would see him drop back, which in-turn left the door open for Ingram to seize the moment and claim what he thought would be a third win of the year. 

Unfortunately, his part in an incident which saw him straight-line the chicane led to him being pushed back behind Hill and Cammish in the final result.

Reigning champion Sutton would come to the fore in the day’s final contest as he opened his win account for the year in style, bouncing back from a sluggish start to comfortably claim victory. 

Starting fourth, the four-time champion bogged down off the line, which dropped him back a few places, but once he was up and running there was no stopping him. Rising through the order with relative ease, the front-wheel-drive ace soon dispatched Josh Cook and Cammish before overhauling Adam Morgan for the  win. 

Following the conclusion of Rounds 10, 11 & 12, Sutton tops the BTCC Drivers’ Championship – five points ahead of Hill – whilst Ford head the Manufacturers-Constructors Championship.

In the Teams’ Championship, NAPA Racing UK lead the standings after three events whilst Aron Taylor-Smith and Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing sit out front in both the Independent Drivers’ and Independent Teams’ Championship’s respectively. 

The Jack Sears Trophy – which is open to drivers who hadn’t scored an outright podium in the series prior to the start of the season – continues to be led by Mikey Doble.

To view the full classification of results from all sessions at Thruxton, CLICK HERE.

The 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship reaches the halfway mark of the 2024 season in less than two weeks’ time at Oulton Park on June 22/23.

Jake Hill and Rob Huff shared the Snetterton spoils in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship this past weekend (May 25/26) as ever-changing weather conditions played their part in delivering an action-packed third meeting of the season.

Hot on the heels of blockbuster events at Donington Park and Brands Hatch, the country’s premier motorsport series served up three hard-fought contests around the 300 layout – which further shook up the championship order in the process. 

Qualifying on Saturday afternoon proved to be an edge-of-the-seat affair as Hill powered his Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport BMW to a well-deserved pole position in the final moments of the session.

Having shown his hand in greasy conditions earlier in the day, Hill produced a superlative last-gasp lap to claim top spot ahead of reigning champion Ash Sutton, who was as equally impressive given he had just one second of hybrid deployment available to him.

Behind the top two, Adam Morgan netted third ahead of Dan Cammish and the returning Bobby Thompson, who was making his debut with West Surrey Racing after putting together a deal that will see him drive for the team for the remainder of the season.

Sunday’s opening contest proved to be a masterclass from Hill as he claimed a comfortable lights-to-flag victory. Opting to run the soft tyre on his rear-wheel-drive machine, Hill blasted away from pole position and was ultimately never challenged on his way to a first win of the year.

As Hill scampered clear, stablemate Thompson continued his dream debut with the team by progressing up to second while Sutton completed the podium in third, which in-turn saw him equal the record of scoring seven consecutive top three finishes. 

If Hill’s victory in race one was impressive, the way he went about triumphing in race two will be remembered for some time as he obliterated the field in a frenetic wet-dry-wet race.

A huge storm had hit the circuit prior to lights out which led to a lengthy delay as circuit officials shifted large areas of standing water. With the sun beaming down, many drivers opted to switch to slick tyres however Hill remained on wets, which proved to be an inspired decision.

Hill’s chances of victory had looked almost impossible though as he was hit with a ten-second penalty for jumping the start. He immediately began to build a lead out front though and when the rain returned, he only got stronger and triumphed by more than 15 seconds ahead of Dan Cammish and Josh Cook.

The final word of the weekend went the way of home hero Huff who led home a first-ever Toyota 1-2-3 to claim his first win in the BTCC in 20 years. 

Hill originally had looked like he would score a historic hat-trick of wins as his gamble to run on wet tyres powered him into an early lead however as the track continued to dry, the slick-shod cars closed in.

Huff, Cook and Aiden Moffat led the charge for the BMW driver and all found a way past just after mid-distance. Once they were out front, there was no stopping them as Huff recorded a famous third career win in the series.

Leaving Snetterton, Sutton holds a ten-point lead over Colin Turkington at the top of the BTCC Drivers’ Championship whilst Ford head the Manufacturers-Constructors Championship.

In the Teams’ Championship, NAPA Racing UK lead the standings after three events whilst Aron Taylor-Smith and Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing sit out front in both the Independent Drivers’ and Independent Teams’ Championship’s respectively. 

The Jack Sears Trophy – which is open to drivers who hadn’t scored an outright podium in the series prior to the start of the season – continues to be led by Mikey Doble.

On the TOCA support championship, Dan Zelos continued his march towards what could be a third Vertu MINI CHALLENGE JCW title as he claimed three wins from four races – one of which came in his 100th start in the series.

Zelos looked unbeatable around the longest circuit on the calendar however his team-mate Max Hall managed to overhaul on him the finale to clinch a third win of the season.

Alex Ninovic was one of the leading lights in the ROKiT F4 British Championship certified by FIA as he claimed two wins, with Yuanpu Cui also clinching a breakthrough win.

The Porsche Sprint Challenge Great Britain began its campaign with Seb Hopkins and Max Coates sharing the spoils, with Luke Hilton and Chris Lulham doing the same in the Hagerty Radical Cup UK.

To view the full classification of results from all sessions at Snetterton, CLICK HERE.

The fastest track in the UK, Thruxton Circuit, provides the next stop on the calendar with Rounds 10, 11 & 12 taking place on June 8/9. Advance tickets for the event are currently available to purchase from the Thruxton website.