Tag: BTCC

Series organisers of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, TOCA, have today (May 15) released the official calendar for the 2024 season.

Firmly established as the UK’s flagship motor sport series, the championship will continue with its tried and tested format of 30 races taking place across ten meetings at eight of the country’s top venues.

Commencing on Donington Park’s National circuit in late April, the BTCC will visit Brands Hatch and Snetterton in May before moving onto Thruxton and Oulton Park in June.

Following the annual summer break, a trip to Croft kick-starts the second half of the season before the series ventures north of the border to Knockhill and then returns to Donington Park – this time to race on the Grand Prix layout.

As has often been the case down the years, Silverstone will stage the penultimate event before champions are crowned on the first weekend of October around the legendary Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit.

Alan Gow, BTCC Chief Executive, said: “Our 2024 schedule has the same flow as this year, which was universally praised. And going back to the Donington GP circuit next year will ensure that the teams can build upon their experience of that circuit layout from this season.

“With the Paris Olympics and Euro 2024, it’s a very busy year for major sporting events during our season. So, it was important that I locked-in our calendar as early as possible, in order to secure our most ideal ITV4 live broadcast dates. 

“As always, releasing our calendar so early also has a positive benefit for the rest of British motorsport, as it helps domestic race organisers and venues with the forward planning and scheduling of their own events.

“Releasing the calendar on 10th May to our teams and support races, and publicly today, sets a new record for having our next season’s BTCC schedule confirmed this early… although, in future I really can’t imagine it can be done any earlier and this record being beaten!”

2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship Calendar

Rounds 1/2/3 – Donington Park (National) – April 27/28

Rounds 4/5/6 – Brands Hatch (Indy) – May 11/12

Rounds 7/8/9 – Snetterton 300 – May 25/26

Rounds 10/11/12 – Thruxton – June 8/9

Rounds 13/14/15 – Oulton Park (Island) – June 22/23

Rounds 16/17/18 – Croft – July 27/28

Rounds 19/20/21 – Knockhill – August 10/11

Rounds 22/23/24 – Donington Park (Grand Prix) – August 24/25

Rounds 25/26/27 – Silverstone (National) – September 21/22

Rounds 28/29/30 – Brands Hatch (Grand Prix) – October 5/6

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship continued its breathtaking start to the 2023 season at Brands Hatch this past weekend (May 6/7) as Ashley Sutton and Colin Turkington claimed victory in front of a capacity crowd.

Hot on the heels of a spectacular Donington Park curtain-raiser just a fortnight ago, the UK’s premier motorsport series took centre stage at the world-famous Kent venue for what turned out to be three blockbuster races on the challenging Indy circuit. 

Wet weather battered the track throughout Saturday, leading to the second qualifying session of the campaign proving to be a truncated and frenetic affair – with no fewer than three red flag interruptions.

NAPA Racing UK’s Dan Cammish ultimately emerged as the driver to beat as he produced one of the best laps of his career to snatch pole position in the final seconds of the Top Ten Showdown; narrowly pipping the trio of Turkington, Jake Hill and Sutton.

Drier conditions greeted the drivers on Sunday and it was Team BMW’s Turkington that struck first as he moved up to second on the all-time BTCC winners list by claiming a near lights-to-flag victory following an early restart.

Just as the leaders were completing their first lap there was drama behind – involving Stephen Jelley, Adam Morgan, Andrew Watson and Dan Rowbottom – which brought about a lengthy red flag stoppage.

On the restart, four-time champion Turkington wasted no time in getting the jump from the outside of the front row and from there he cantered to a 64th career win ahead of three-time title winner Sutton and pole sitter Cammish.

Race two then saw Sutton open his account for the season with a measured drive after keeping reigning champion Tom Ingram at bay for a majority of the contest.

Wasting no time in snatching the lead from Turkington on the opening tour, the Ford Focus driver controlled proceedings out front in the early going whilst Ingram muscled his way up into second from fifth. 

Despite closing the gap on a number of occasions, the Hyundai driver would ultimately never get close enough to mount a real challenge on Sutton, leaving him to shadow the NAPA racer across the line whilst Turkington completed the podium in third. 

Sutton then rounded out what was his best-ever weekend in the BTCC with a second win as he inherited victory after carving his way up the order from 11th on the grid.

Starting on the sixth row virtue of the reverse grid draw, Sutton made pass after pass in the early going before then latching onto the back of race leader Ricky Collard, who was holding firm in his Toyota Gazoo Racing UK Corolla.

Producing a spirited defence, Collard would unfortunately be hit with a ten-second time penalty for multiple track limit infringements with the end in sight; giving Sutton the win while Bobby Thompson and Ingram filled the remaining spots on the podium.

Leaving Brands Hatch, Cammish holds a five-point lead over Ingram at the summit of the BTCC Drivers’ Championship whilst Motorbase Performance/Ford top the Manufacturers-Constructors Championship.

In the Teams’ Championship, NAPA Racing UK head the standings after two events whilst Bobby Thompson and Autobrite Direct with Millers Oils have established themselves as the early front runners in 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 – is now led by NAPA Racing UK’s Sam Osborne.

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

Snetterton’s 300 circuit provides the next stop on the calendar for the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship; with Rounds 7, 8 & 9 taking place on May 20/21.

Dan Cammish and Tom Chilton made a winning start to the 2023 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season this past weekend (April 22/23) as they shared the spoils at what was a wet and wild Donington Park opener.

Lifting the curtain on the new campaign after months of excitement and anticipation, the UK’s premier motorsport series blasted back into life in spectacular style with three high-octane contests around the 1.98-mile National layout. 

Boasting enhancements to hybrid deployment and the re-introduction of the Goodyear ‘Option’ tyre this year, the unpredictable nature of the BTCC was there for all to see – and it started on Saturday as the 27-car field battled it out be a part of the Top Ten Showdown in qualifying.

Following a frenetic 30-minute session, the top ten fastest drivers progressed into the Top Ten Showdown to battle for pole position and it was Dan Rowbottom that roared to the summit of the times; 0.041 of a second ahead of his Ford stablemate Ashley Sutton. 

Behind, Jake Hill and Colin Turkington made it an all-BMW second row whilst Cammish and reigning champion Tom Ingram completed the top six.

Damp conditions greeted drivers on race day and the first of Sunday’s three contests would see NAPA Racing UK’s Cammish produce a superlative performance to kick-start the new campaign with a visit to the top step of the podium.

Following contact at the start between Sutton, Hill and Rowbottom – which ultimately forced Sutton to retire – Hill controlled proceedings out front for much of the race however Cammish remained a looming figure in his mirrors throughout. 

Closing on the Laser Tools Racing BMW in the latter stages, the three-time Porsche Carrera Cup GB title winner made his move at the bottom of the Craner Curves with two laps to go and once in the lead, he pulled clear to take victory ahead of Hill, Ingram and impressive debutant Andrew Watson.

Race two proved to be a truly wet and wild affair as heavy rain on the formation lap saw a number of drivers dive into the pit lane for wet tyres, whilst many of the front-runners remained on slicks. 

After an early safety car period, the rain only intensified and as more switched tyres, those that made the early gamble came to the fore – with Chilton leading the way. 

Along with Adam Morgan, the Hyundai ace scythed his way through the field to claim what was his first win the series in four years. Morgan would finish second on his WSR debut whilst Sam Osborne claimed a first-ever podium finish after rookie Ronan Pearson was disqualified post-race.

One of the undoubted stars of the show however was Team HARD driver Nicolas Hamilton who produced the perfect drive after switching to wets early on to clinch a career-best finish of sixth place.

The weekend’s third and final contest would see Cammish cap off a memorable day with a commanding lights-to-flag victory. Starting back on pole position virtue of the reverse grid draw, the Yorkshireman pulled clear of the chasing pack to triumph comfortably.

Behind, the battle for second place had everyone on the edge of their seats as Ingram, Sutton, Hill and Turkington all jostled for position; with the quartet going on to finish in that order.

Leaving Donington Park, Cammish holds an early seven-point lead at summit of the BTCC Drivers’ Championship with Ingram and Hill hot on his heels in second and third.

EXCELR8 Motorsport/Hyundai top the BTCC Manufacturer-Constructors Championship whilst BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCLER8 have secured a slender advantage in the BTCC Teams’ Championship. In the Independents’ category, Bobby Thompson and CarStore Power Maxed Racing lead the way after three rounds.

The Jack Sears Trophy – which is once again open to drivers that haven’t scored an outright podium in the series – saw Watson edge out Dexter Patterson to claim weekend honours.

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

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season continues at Brands Hatch on May 14/15; with Rounds 4, 5 & 6 playing out around the Indy layout of the famous Kent venue.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship is primed and ready to embark on what promises to be another memorable year after officially launching its 2023 season this evening (April 11), announcing a 27-car entry list.

Ahead of tomorrow’s (April 12) official test day at Brands Hatch, the UK’s premier motorsport the former champions, proven contenders and young challengers that are all set to battle it out for the coveted crown.

Consistency is key for many of the BTCC’s leading lights, with last year’s top six contenders all remaining with their respective outfits for the new season.

Headlining the entry is reigning champion Tom Ingram, who once again spearheads the Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 team.. Back behind the wheel of the Hyundai i30 Fastback N, Ingram will run coveted number one this year – with Tom Chilton, Nick Halstead and Ronan Pearson joining him.

It’s familiar surroundings for Ashley Sutton as he bids to regain the title he lost last year. Sticking with NAPA Racing UK and the Ford Focus, Sutton partners up with Dan Cammish, Dan Rowbottom and Sam Osborne.

West Surrey Racing have expanded their operation to run four BMW 330e M Sports for the forthcoming season with Adam Morgan joining Jake Hill, Colin Turkington and Stephen Jelley.

Expansion is the key word at Toyota Gazoo Racing UK too as they add George Gamble alongside Rory Butcher and Ricky Collard in a third Corolla GR Sport for the year. 

The newly named One Motorsport with Starline Racing once again houses perennial contender and defending Independent Drivers’ champion Josh Cook in a Honda Civic Type R. Aiden Moffat and Will Powell complete the line-up.

One of the busiest teams over the off-season has been Team HARD, who – sticking with the Cupra Leon – have swelled to six entries across three teams. 

Bobby Thompson and Dan Lloyd will lead the line under the Autobrite Direct with Millers Oils banner whilst Dexter Patterson and Jade Edwards (Re.Beverages and Bartercard with Team HARD), Jack Butel and Nicolas Hamilton (Go-Fix with Autoaid Breakdown) will all look to play their part too.. 

Rounding out the Class of 2023 is CarStore Power Maxed Racing; another team that have added an additional car for the new season. Multiple race winner Aron Taylor-Smith will lead the Vauxhall Astra team with rookies Andrew Watson and Mikey Doble completing the trio.

CLICK HERE for the full 2023 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship entry list.

Alan Gow, BTCC Chief Executive, said: “It has been as busy as ever during the off-season, but now we can’t wait to get the 2023 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship started.

“The championship again boasts a hugely competitive driver line-up with an ever-growing number of genuine title contenders all looking to win the title, so it will be interesting to see who will come out on top.

“The Hybrid introduction last year proved very successful and popular among fans, but we immediately identified ways in which to tweak how the Hybrid is deployed in order further enhance the competitiveness for 2023. 

“This, plus the reintroduction of the Goodyear option tyre and the ‘Top Ten Showdown’ qualifying format now being adopted at five of the ten events, means it is set to be an extremely exciting season ahead.

“Kwik Fit, Goodyear, ITV, Cosworth, M-Sport and our other incredibly loyal partners play a massive role in this championship, and we remain always grateful for their support and enthusiasm. It’s almost time for the talking to stop and the action to get underway, so we hope you all enjoy the 2023 BTCC season.”

The 2023 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship commences at Donington Park on April 22/23.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship has confirmed that its 2023 Season Launch will take place at Brands Hatch on Wednesday 12th April.

In what has become a standout event in recent years, thousands of spectators are expected to flock to the Kent venue to get their first look at the ‘Class of 2023’.

Official championship photography and ITV filming duties will be carried out during an exclusive invite-only event on April 11 before six hours of testing will see teams and drivers share the track the following day ahead of the season-opener at Donington Park on April 22/23.

With each of the two three-hour sessions being split by a traditional lunch break, spectators will be able to get autographs and photos with their favourite drivers during a pitlane walkabout – identical to those famously run during BTCC race weekends.

Gates for the 2023 BTCC Season Launch will open at 10:00 and fans will be able to attend free of charge.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship has confirmed that the introduction of hybrid power and more sustainable fuel received almost universal praise by those that took part in the recent 2023 BTCC Fans’ Survey.

Opening in January and closing in early February, the survey attracted record numbers as the BTCC’s loyal fanbase gave their opinions on all facets of what is widely regarded as the UK’s premier motorsport series.

Whilst the final results of all categories are set to be published in due course, the BTCC’s introduction of hybrid power and a more sustainable fuel received a huge vote from supporters with nearly 80% either strongly agreeing or agreeing that the championship has taken a very positive step in introducing both elements. 

Another statistic that stood out during the early summary was an increase in women following the BTCC, with an increase in just one year of almost 5% of females taking part from the previous survey in 2021.

Overall, supporters had their say on the likes of the race weekend experience, television broadcasts, media platforms, sponsorship, road cars, environment and sustainability, leisure and lifestyle and many more.

The final results of the 2023 BTCC Fans’ Survey will be published in the coming weeks.

Alan Gow, BTCC Chief Executive, said: “With the final results summary on some of the topics still being collated, we are proud to have received such an overwhelmingly positive response to our introduction of hybrid power and a more sustainable fuel.

“According to the fans, the BTCC is thriving in areas such as sustainability, equality and entertainment, and we will continue to strive for even greater successes in the future.

“We look forward to the final results being published over the coming weeks, but once again we would like to thank everyone for their great support by taking part in the survey in such vast numbers.”

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship has announced a maximum 29-car entry for the 2023 season.

Following the December 1st 2022 entry approval deadline for all TOCA BTCC Licences (TBLs), the grid of the UK’s premier motorsport series will remain at 29 for a second successive campaign. 

Notable allocations for next year include Speedworks Motorsport increasing to three cars and West Surrey Racing expanding to four cars; a result of each team having purchased one TBL from the departing Ciceley Motorsport squad. 

Team HARD has also expanded its entry to four cars for the forthcoming campaign after securing one additional TBL from Carl Boardley Motorsport.

Teams will announce full details regarding their respective entries (drivers, team names and sponsors) over the coming weeks and months, prior to the release of the finalised entry list for the forthcoming season in April.

2023 TOCA BTCC Licence Allocation

EXCELR8 Motorsport – 4

Team Dynamics – 2 

Aiden Moffat Racing – 2

Motorbase Performance – 4

Team HARD – 4

Speedworks Motorsport – 3

West Surrey Racing – 4 

Power Maxed Racing – 2 

BTC Racing – 3 

Carl Boardley Motorsport – 1 

The 2023 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship blasts into life at Donington Park on April 22/23.

British Touring Car Championship organisers TOCA have announced a number of changes to next year’s sporting regulations. 

Following the annual end-of-season meeting between TOCA and all participating BTCC teams, the headline amendments include the return of the ‘Top Ten Showdown’ qualifying format, the reintroduction of the ‘Option’ tyre and changes to Hybrid deployment.

The ‘Top Ten Showdown’ – which was introduced in 2020 and expanded in 2021 – will be adopted at five of the ten events.

All drivers will take part in the normal 30-minute qualifying session to record their lap times before taking a short five-minute break. The fastest ten competitors will then progress into a ten-minute pole position session to determine the top ten positions on the grid. 

Qualifying sessions at Donington Park (April 22/23), Brands Hatch Indy (May 6/7), Oulton Park (June 17/18), Knockhill (August 12/13) and Silverstone (September 23/24) will all feature the format.

The reintroduction of the Goodyear ‘Option’ tyre will take place at all events with the exception of Thruxton, where only the hard tyre will be used due to the high-speed and more abrasive nature of the track.

A majority of events will see two of the three compounds – hard, medium or soft – where the ‘Option’ tyre must be used at least once during race one, race two or race three – ensuring a variety of strategies. At Snetterton and Croft, all three tyre choices must be used across the three races.

Teams will not have to specify before qualifying or the race in which they will use their ‘Option’ tyre, with all choices being declared upon cars leaving the pit lane.

Following the successful introduction of Hybrid power into the BTCC in 2022, several enhancements have been made to ensure deployment carries a greater impact from 2023 onwards.

From next year, the top seven cars in the championship and/or top seven cars on the grid will have a reduced Hybrid time during qualifying and the races on a sliding scale, whilst the minimum speed at which the system can be deployed for those top seven has been increased.

Cars from eighth place onwards will be able to deploy Hybrid power from a reduced minimum speed, ensuring these drivers can utilise the additional power quicker than the leading order. Those cars will only have deployment for 50% of the racing laps.

Hybrid will be available to be deployed on the first lap after the safety car too, with the minimum time between deployments has been increased to five seconds, preventing drivers from staying on the power at the conclusion of one lap and heading into another.

Alan Gow, BTCC Chief Executive, said: “The changes we have made for 2023 have been done solely to keep to the core values of the championship – and that’s to make the BTCC as competitive, unpredictable, exciting and entertaining as possible.

“All year I’ve been asked by teams and drivers to bring the option tyre back for 2023, as they really enjoy the challenge it provides. So, we thank Goodyear for accommodating this and producing the three different specifications of tyres needed.

“As well, after the data-gathering and learnings from the first season using Hybrid, we identified ways in which to tweak how the Hybrid is deployed in order to better suit the competitive nature of the BTCC. Drivers throughout the field will now have to be more strategic as to when, where and how they use Hybrid.”

Tom Ingram admitted that clinching a maiden Kwik British Touring Car Championship title at Brands Hatch last weekend (October 8/9) as a ‘lifelong dream come true’.

Having previously missed out on the coveted crown on a number of occasions, the Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com driver produced a flawless performance at the Kent to come out on top of a thrilling four-way battle for outright honours.

Ingram went into the final weekend of the season sitting third in the points but pole position in Saturday’s qualifying session put him in the pound seat for race day in front of a packed trackside crowd. 

Converting pole into a brace of lights-to-flag victories in the opening two races, the 29-year-old went into last race with an 11-point advantage where a fine drive to fifth place was enough see him crowned champion.

Commenting on his title success, Ingram said: “I can’t believe it – this is a lifelong dream come true. I’ve been thinking about this moment for literally my entire life. The BTCC is what I always wanted to do. It’s what I always wanted to win. I’ve had a few years of coming into the finale with a chance and it not quite working out, so I honestly can’t put into words what this means and what an incredible feeling it is.

“I felt so relaxed going into the weekend, really chilled and actually more excited than anything else. I also knew I would need to attack – this was not the time to be ‘pointsy’ – and in all my years of driving around in circles, I’ve maybe only once before had a car as good as the Hyundai was at Brands Hatch.

“I said at the start of the weekend that after coming so close on so many occasions, I really didn’t want to be the bridesmaid anymore and it’s insane to think we’ve finally done it. I’ve got an absolutely fantastic team around me at Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com – they’ve worked tirelessly all year to make this happen, and this title is as much theirs as it is mine.

“I honestly cannot thank every single person who has helped me along this journey enough. I fell in love with the BTCC when I was just five-years-old, and when you’ve devoted your whole life to something, as my family and I have done… I simply don’t have the words. This isn’t going to sink in for quite some time.”

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship returns in 2023, with Donington Park providing the backdrop for the season-opener on April 22/23.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship brought the curtain down on its 2022 season at Brands Hatch this past weekend (October 8/9) with Bristol Street Motors with TradePriceCars.com’s Tom Ingram being crowned champion for the first time ever. 

On what proved to be one of the most thrilling finales in the series’ illustrious history, the Hyundai i30N driver produced a flawless performance in front of a bumper crowd to overturn a seven-point deficit and write his name into the history books.

After being in contention for six successive seasons, the 29-year-old finally secured the most coveted prize in UK motorsport with pole position, two victories and a fifth place around the world-famous Grand Prix layout of the Kent circuit. 

Outgoing champion Ashley Sutton settled for runners-up laurels whilst Jake Hill, Colin Turkington and Rory Butcher rounded out the top five in the standings. 

NAPA Racing UK clinched the Teams’ Championship whilst BMW wrapped up the Manufacturer-Constructor Championship for a record-extending seventh consecutive year. 

Josh Cook claimed the Independent Drivers’ Championship for the first time whilst also helping Rich Energy BTC Racing do the same in the Independent Teams’ Championship. Bobby Thompson was the final champion to be crowned after he edged out George Gamble to lift the Jack Sears Trophy. 

Ingram’s pursuit of the title began during Saturday’s final qualifying session of the season where he obliterated the lap record to take pole position ahead of Butcher and Sutton. 

Lining up on the front row for the first of Sunday’s three bouts, the front-wheel-drive ace made a perfect getaway and despite having to deal with two safety car restarts, he didn’t put a wheel wrong to clinch a pivotal win which vaulted him to the standings summit.

Behind, Butcher held firm in second whilst Hill came out on top of an almighty battle for third which saw Sutton – who was suffering from a turbo failure – and Turkington firmly in the thick of the action. 

Race two saw Ingram extend his lead in the points and with it, take a giant leap towards what would be maiden crown, as he made it two out of two. Despite having to contend with immense pressure from Hill, the front-wheel-drive ace was perfection personified in his way to his fifth win of the season.

That result set up a three-way showdown heading into the final race of the season, with Ingram leading Hill by 11 points and Sutton a further three in arrears. 

Starting from tenth virtue of the reverse grid draw – which was made by Jason Plato on what was his final BTCC appearance – Ingram achieved what had been a lifelong dream as he claimed the crown with a superlative drive in the finale.

At the front, Daniel Lloyd ended a rollercoaster season with victory ahead of Cook and Butcher however it was the battle for fourth that had everyone’s attention. Sutton, Hill and Ingram ran nose-to-tail in the closing stages and following a last lap pass on Hill at Paddock Hill Bend, Ingram shadowed Sutton across the line to wrap up an emotional title victory.

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 2023, with the start of brand-new season poised to start at Donington Park on April 22/23.

The 2022 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship is set to go down to the wire at Brands Hatch this weekend (October 8/9) with no less than four drivers in contention to lift the most coveted prize in UK motorsport. 

In what has been another blockbuster season for the BTCC, a gripping showdown is set to play out around the legendary Grand Prix layout of the Kent venue in three highly-anticipated encounters.

Seven points separate the top three – the closest margin since 2011 – and at the top of the pile is reigning champion Ashley Sutton. Aiming to clinch what would be a record-equalling fourth crown, the NAPA Racing UK driver is relishing the prospect of writing another piece of history in his already illustrious career.

“I’m absolutely buzzing and can’t wait to get to Brands Hatch this weekend!” Sutton stated. “If you’d have told me early on in the season that we’d be heading into Finals Day leading then I’d have bit your hand off. 

“Seven points between three of us is nothing; you really couldn’t script it. Anything can and usually does happen at the final round but I’m feeling very comfortable with the situation I’m in as I know the demands that come with the finale, both in and out of the car. 

“I love the Grand Prix circuit and I’m confident the car will be really strong. I’m just ready to go now!”

Sitting second in the standings is ROKiT MB Motorsport’s Jake Hill. Having been one of the standout performers this year, the West Surrey Racing driver enters the weekend riding a wave of momentum and full of confidence he can capture what would be a maiden title.

Looking ahead to the weekend, the BMW driver said: “I’m immensely proud to be in the position I’m in and have the team I have around me. I’ve chipped away during the second half of the season and now we’re within a few points of the top now.

“I’ve got to be open-minded and be prepared for all eventualities, it is the BTCC after all. Qualifying – like it has been all year – is going to be so important. Hopefully we can be up near the front on Saturday and then go from there on Sunday.”

Two points adrift of Hill is the Bristol Street Motors with TradePriceCars.com entry of Tom Ingram. Making history by becoming the first race-winner of the hybrid era, the Hyundai i30N racer has been a force to be reckoned with throughout the year and heading into the weekend, he’s feeling relaxed. 

“I feel really well placed and excited going into the weekend,” Ingram said. “I’ll be going there off the back of a win and with a decent amount of hybrid too. I’ve been in the position of going into the finale in contention before so it’s nice and familiar.

“There’s seven points with three races to go – I don’t know a year like it. This is going to the last lap of the last race. I don’t think you can rule any of us out from lifting that title come Sunday night.”

Colin Turkington is the fourth and final driver to enter the weekend with a mathematical chance of being crowned BTCC champion for what would be a record-breaking fifth time. 

After enduring a frustrating three races at Silverstone last month, the Team BMW trails Sutton by 27 points and the contender with the most to do – however he can’t be discounted at all. 

“I’ve got to just get my head down and make the most of what I’ve got,” Turkington stated.  “At this stage that’s a chance at winning, but that’s all I need to keep me focused on delivering my best.

“The strategy for me as 4th in the standings is really simple – drive as hard and as fast as I can – let’s aim towards the 67 points and see where it gets me.  I’ve got nothing to lose!”

With a total of 67 points on offer across the weekend at Brands Hatch, the battle for supremacy is likely to throw up plenty of thrills and spills; and go all the way to the 30th and final round of the campaign. 

It won’t just be the BTCC Drivers’ Championship that will be settled either as champions will be crowned in the BTCC Teams’, Manufacturer/Constructors’, Independent Drivers’, Independent Teams’ Championship’s, as well as the Jack Sears Trophy.

To find out more information on this weekend’s season finale, CLICK HERE.

British Touring Car Championship Chief Executive Alan Gow has reiterated plans for a significant new junior series to join the TOCA package from the 2024 season onwards.

Following confirmation that Ginetta will switch across to the British GT support bill on a full-time basis next year, a vacancy on the bill of the country’s most high-profile motorsport package has been left.

Despite only planning to fill one slot for the 2023 season in order to alleviate some stress on the timetable, Gow has confirmed that he aims to bring a top-level junior championship to the TOCA stable for 2024.

“We want to introduce a top-level junior series to the TOCA package from 2024 onwards,” said Gow. “I should note that we are not talking about an already existing series. We are looking for something fresh, new and exciting to bring to the most popular and high-profile motorsport package in the UK.

“Not only will this be fantastic news for the tens of thousands of fans trackside and the millions more watching on our live ITV network coverage, but I strongly believe this is an important step and a vital injection for the racing pyramid in this country and beyond.

“Young drivers – and indeed their teams, sponsors and all stakeholders – who are looking to reach the pinnacle of their respective fields really do need to flourish and develop within a high-profile environment and only the BTCC support race package provides the kind of season-long exposure that developing drivers should have.

“The process has already begun and whether this championship comes entirely from a third-party manufacturer or organisation, or indeed whether TOCA plays a role in the introduction of a new series, is yet to be determined. Although the end result is quite simple; I want to have the best junior series that this country can produce, in order to help develop and generate our finest and most complete drivers for the future.

“We will obviously carefully assess any applications for a new junior series from 2024 and award the slot to the most appropriate and impressive – it’s a fantastic opportunity for the development of junior drivers in the UK and one we’re all excited about.”

“The emails keep arriving ,” Gow concluded. “With regard to the full support series for 2023, we will only be filling one slot so as to take some strain off our race weekend timetables.

“We will take this opportunity to have different guest series’ joining the bill during the course of the 2023 season. So, it will likely be two, three or even four different championships filling the vacant slots at various times during the year, which will provide more variety for the fan base as well as giving those championships unprecedented levels of exposure.”

The chosen series’ will join Porsche Carrera Cup GB, British Formula 4 and the MINI Challenge on the BTCC support bill and any further announcement will be made by TOCA in due course.