Tag: BTCC

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship drew to a close at Brands Hatch this past weekend (October 23/24) with Laser Tools Racing’s Ashley Sutton crowned champion for the third time in his career.

Entering the final event of the season holding a 32-point advantage over his nearest title challenger, the Infiniti Q50 driver produced a flawless performance to net sixth place in races one and two to secure an unassailable lead with a race to spare. Then, with the shackles off he cemented his status as champion by charging to victory in race three. 

Sutton also successfully retained his BTCC Independent Drivers’ Championship crown whilst he also helped Laser Tools Racing clinch both the Teams’ and Independent Teams titles – making it a year to remember for the West Lothian-based squad. 

Elsewhere, Team BMW wrapped up the Manufacturer/Constructors title for a record-breaking sixth consecutive year. Daniel Rowbottom meanwhile was the final champion of 2021 after he claimed the Jack Sears Trophy in commanding fashion. 

In front of what was undoubtedly the biggest crowd of the year, BTC Racing also enjoyed one of their best weekend’s of the season, kicking things off by securing a front-row lockout in the final qualifying session of the season on Saturday.

Senna Proctor powered his Honda Civic Type R to pole position ahead of team-mate Josh Cook whilst Halfords Racing with Cataclean’s Rowbottom and Gordon Shedden made it an all-Honda top four as the top 12 drivers dipped under the existing qualifying lap record.

Race one saw Cook produce a superlative drive as he got the jump on Proctor at the start and then commanded proceedings out front to notch an impressive 1-2, with Shedden not far behind in third.

In the battle for the championship, Sutton held station in sixth place to further extend his advantage in the standings. 

Sutton’s crowning glory came in the second bout as he once again finished sixth to secure an unassailable lead with one race to spare. As Cook secured back-to-back victories ahead of Daniel Lloyd, the reigning champion shadowed title rival Turkington to put the question of who would be champion beyond doubt. 

With the pressure off, the 27-year-old cemented his status as the driver to beat as he blasted from fourth on the grid in the final round of the year to score victory ahead of Rowbottom and Tom Ingram.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship will return in 2022, with the start of the hybrid era kicking off at Donington Park on April 23/24.

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

Four drivers will head into the final three races of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship in contention to be crowned champion at Brands Hatch in less then two weeks following an action-packed weekend (October 9/10) at Donington Park.

Gordon Shedden and Colin Turkington scored victory at the Leicestershire venue on what proved to be an action-packed penultimate event of the year but it was Ashley Sutton that was the big winner as he secured a 32-point lead heading into the season finale.

Qualifying around the 1.97-mile National circuit on Saturday underlined how competitive the UK’s premier motorsport series currently is with no less than 27 drivers covered by less than second and a new lap record being set.

Halfords Racing with Cataclean’s Shedden emerged as the driver to beat in the Top Ten Showdown as he powered his Honda Civic Type R to a sensational time of 1:08.994 to clinch pole position ahead of the Adrian Flux with Power Maxed Racing duo of Daniel Lloyd and Jason Plato.

Launching off the front row for race one, Shedden maintained his lead and despite coming under pressure from Lloyd during the first half of the contest, the Scotsman cruised to a maiden win of the campaign.

Remaining within striking distance throughout the 19-lap bout, Lloyd finished second whilst Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Rory Butcher continued his recent run of fine form by rounding out the podium in third.

Race two saw Ginsters with TradePriceCars.com’s Ingram produce a sensational charge to score victory on the road however it would be taken away from him after a post-race penalty was applied.

Free of success ballast and starting from 11th, the Hyundai driver carved his way to the front in a matter of laps but he was deemed to have gained an unfair advantage when taking the lead from Shedden – who inherited victory.

Ingram’s penalty dropped him back to second with Butcher finishing third once again, having been challenged by Turkington before the BMW ace made a rare mistake and spun out of contention.

Championship leader Sutton had found himself in the thick of the action in the early stages but once his tyres came into their operating window there was no stopping the Infiniti Q50 driver as he progressed up into fourth come the chequered flag.

Turkington bounced back from his race two spin to claim a commanding 60th career victory in the reverse grid encounter. Drawn onto pole position, the Team BMW driver didn’t put a wheel wrong to pull clear of the opposition and triumph.

Behind, an almighty battle for second place raged with Jake Hill ultimately fending off Aiden Moffat at the line to round out the rostrum.

Leaving Donington Park, Sutton holds a 32-point lead over Turkington with Ingram, Hill and Josh Cook filling out the top five positions.

Sutton also remains in control of the BTCC Independent Drivers’ Championship whilst Laser Tools Racing rule the roost in the Teams’ and Independent Teams’ categories.

Elsewhere, BMW are within touching distance of clinching a record-breaking sixth consecutive Manufacturer/Constructor crown. Daniel Rowbottom is the first driver that can call himself a champion in the BTCC this year after securing an unassailable lead in the Jack Sears Trophy.

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

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship will bring the curtain down on its 2021 season on October 23/24, with three races scheduled to play out around the Grand Prix layout of Brands Hatch.

TOCA – organisers of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – have announced that all cars will be fitted with an onboard visual signalling system from next season.

Similar to what is currently used in Formula 1, the BTCC Race Control will be immediately inform drivers yellow flag zones, red flag stoppages, Safety Car periods, black or black/white flag notifications as well as other important safety messages via their in-car dashboards.

Developed by Timing Solutions Limited (TSL), the new signalling system will support the traditional flag system and LED light boards that are situated around each circuit.

It is expected that all support championships that feature on the BTCC package will also adopt the system in their cars too.

The introduction is a first for British motorsport and follows other pioneering developments in the BTCC, such as hybrid technology and more sustainable fuel – both of which will also be introduced in 2022.

Alan Gow, BTCC Chief Executive, said: “TOCA continues to take the lead when it comes to introducing technology, sustainability and safety innovations within British motorsport, and we are proud to be introducing this onboard visual signalling system from 2022 onwards.

“This is a very significant safety enhancement for our BTCC drivers and indeed our trackside marshals, and one which I’m sure will also be adopted by our valued support championships. 

“It’s vital to stress, however, that this important safety tool will supplement – not replace – the traditional flag system deployed by the marshals, which remains such an intrinsic part of the safety protocols.”

Rory Butcher and Jake Hill scored victory at Silverstone in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship this past weekend (September 25/26) whilst reigning champion Ashley Sutton extended his advantage at the summit of the standings.

On what was a pivotal visit to the Home of British Motor Racing, the Laser Tools Racing driver produced a measured drive in races one and two before charging to the podium in race three to bolster his lead to 36 points.

Saturday around the 1.64-mile National layout arguably belonged to Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Butcher. Topping the times in both practice sessions, the Scotsman then went on to set the pace in Q1 of qualifying before claiming pole position in the Top Ten Showdown.

In what proved to be an ultra-competitive qualifying session where 29 of the 30 cars were covered by less than a second, Butcher charged to top spot ahead of Tom Ingram, Aiden Moffat and Josh Cook.

Butcher and Speedworks Motorsport’s remarkable weekend in the UK’s premier motorsport series continued on Sunday as they bagged a brilliant pair of wins.

Losing the lead to Ingram off the start in race one, the Corolla driver wasted no time in clawing it back as he lunged down the inside of the Hyundai driver at Brooklands on lap three. There was contention surrounding the move as Butcher was adjudged to have completed the pass under yellow flags however officials ruled that the move was legal.

Once out front, Butcher pulled clear to net his second win of the season whilst Ingram resisted the challenge of Adrian Flux with Power Maxed Racing’s Daniel Lloyd – who producing his best performance of the season to clinch third.

Race two saw Butcher take a more routine victory despite a late charge from BTC Racing’s Cook. Pulling clear of the competition, the race one victor held his nerve to withstand late pressure from the Honda driver.

Sadly, Cook would be disqualified from second place for failing the post-race ride height which promoted Ingram and Team BMW’s Colin Turkington into second and third.

The final bout of the weekend belonged to MB Motorsport’s Hill as he completed a sensational Sunday recovery. After qualifying outside the top 20, the Ford Focus driver fought his way to the front to triumphed in the reverse grid contest.

Starting third, Hill – who was a winner at Croft last time out – got the jump on Jason Plato and then set after pole sitter Lloyd, finally making a move stick at half distance heading into Copse.

Hill couldn’t relax however as the Vauxhall Astra driver remained a constant threat in his mirrors for the remainder of the race. Completing the podium was championship leader Sutton who charged from eighth to third.

Alongside two other top six finishes, the two-time champion left Silverstone having opened up his lead at the standings summit to 36 points with just six races remaining.

The pairing of Sutton and Laser Tools Racing also rule the roost in the Teams’ and Independents’ tables, whilst BMW heads the Manufacturers’/Constructors’ order. Halfords Racing with Cataclean’s Daniel Rowbottom remains in control of the Jack Sears Trophy.

Elsewhere, the weekend also saw history made as the BTCC Hybrid era began with Andrew Jordan piloting the all-new Hybrid Toyota Corolla, competing in all sessions as part of a development demonstration ahead of next year’s full introduction.

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

Donington Park provides the next stop on the calendar for the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship as it stages the penultimate event of the 2021 season on October 9/10.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship has announced its commitment to using a more sustainable fuel from the 2022 season and beyond.

Opening a tender process for the supply of a more sustainable fuel to the series from 2022-2026, TOCA chose Haltermann Carless, who have been supplying the unbranded TOCA control fuel to the BTCC for some 26 years, as the successful submission.

The BTCC’s new-for-2022 fuel – designated Hiperflo® R20 – has a total of 20% renewable components, comprising 15% second generation ethanol content and 5% of renewable hydrocarbons.

It is calculated by the manufacturer that this will give approximately an 18% reduction in greenhouse gasses when compared to current pump fuel, significantly lowering the fuel’s impact on the environment. In addition, the selected fuel is more sustainable than that which has recently been introduced to petrol stations throughout the UK.

The introduction of the new fuel next season will coincide with beginning of the BTCC’s Hybrid era.

Alan Gow, BTCC Chief Executive, said: “As the premier motorsport series in the UK it is only right that the BTCC continues to navigate a more sustainable pathway and we are pleased to be introducing a cleaner fuel from the 2022 season onwards.

“Congratulations to Haltermann Carless on its successful tender and we look forward to continuing our working relationship over the next five years.”

Mike Jardine, Haltermann Carless Racing Fuels Division, said: “We are delighted to have been chosen by the BTCC to supply our new renewable and sustainable control fuel to the Championship for the next 5 seasons.

“This is an exciting time for our company as we are working hard on the development and implementation of renewable and sustainable fuels in all areas of our business. Supplying our fuels to the pinnacle of British motorsport only adds to the credibility, pedigree and innovative nature of our products.”

Aiden Moffat, Jake Hill and Colin Turkington scored a win apiece as the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship took centre stage at Croft this past weekend (September 18/19).

For the first time in more than two years, thousands of fans descended on the North Yorkshire venue for a full-throttle trio of races from Britain’s premier motorsport series – and they were given plenty of entertainment.

Two red flag stoppages meant qualifying on Saturday proved to be a truncated affair however it ultimately wouldn’t stop Aiden Moffat from scoring a maiden BTCC pole position.

With a flurry of improvements coming late in the session, the Laser Tools Racing driver set a sensational lap to pip MB Motorsport’s Jake Hill to top spot whilst Colin Turkington and local driver Senna Proctor locking out the second row.

Leading from the front, Moffat didn’t put a wheel wrong in the opening encounter to score his first win of the season. Holding the lead off the line, the Infiniti Q50 driver fended off the race-long challenge from Jake Hill to score his first victory since 2018.

Yorkshire’s own Senna Proctor gave the local fans plenty to cheer about too as he rounded out the podium in third. The BTC Racing driver got the jump on Colin Turkington during the opening lap and held position for the remainder of the 18-lap bout.

Race two saw Hill come to the fore as he cruised to a commanding win. Muscling his way past the pole sitter Moffat heading into the Complex on early on, the MB Motorsport drove got his head down and pulled clear as action ensued behind.

With Hill making his escape out front, an almighty battle for second place played out with Moffat – now ladened with 75kgs – fending off the chasing pack of Josh Cook, Colin Turkington, Senna Proctor, Gordon Shedden, Ashley Sutton and Tom Ingram.

As positions changed hands, Moffat continued to hang on to second with the Honda of Cook managing to clinch the third ahead of fellow title contenders Ingram and Sutton.

The reverse grid race would see West Surrey Racing celebrate their 700th race in the series in style as ‘King of Croft’ Turkington charged to his 13th victory at the venue.

Drawn onto pole position after finishing seventh in the previous race, the Northern Irishman produced a measured drive as he pulled clear of the chasing pack to record his third win of the campaign.

Behind, fans were captivated by the battle for second place between Shedden and Sutton. Despite showing his nose on a number of occasions, the championship leader couldn’t find a way past the Scotsman and ultimately settled for third.

Leaving Croft, Sutton’s advantage at the summit of the standings now sits at 29 points ahead of Hill, who has moved into second.

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

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship heads to the Home of British Motor Racing, Silverstone, this coming weekend (September 25/26) for the eighth event of the 2021 campaign.

Croft Circuit provides the next stop on the calendar for the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship this weekend (September 18/19) and its set to see the battle for supremacy in the fight for the title only intensify.

Entering the business end of the 2021 season, the North Yorkshire venue will play host to Rounds 19, 20 & 21 and every point and position is set to be pivotal for those aiming to maintain their title challenges.

After being forced to stage the BTCC behind closed doors last year, this weekend is set to be a significant one for Croft as it gets set to welcome an expected bumper crowd trackside to watch Britain’s premier motorsport series in action for the first time in more than two years.

Reigning champion Ashley Sutton enters the seventh event of the year as the driver to beat having extended his lead in the championship to 30 points last time out at Thruxton. Chalking up his fourth win of the season, the Laser Tools Racing driver has been in superlative form and he shows no sign of letting up.

Since debuting in 2016, Croft has proven to be a happy hunting ground for the double champion and despite carrying 75kgs of success ballast, the Infiniti Q50 driver will be optimistic of extending his lead on the chasing pack once more.

Behind Sutton, just 11 points split four drivers. Tom Ingram leads the chase for Sutton in his Ginsters EXCELR8 with TradePriceCars.com Hyundai ahead of BTC Racing’s Josh Cook, MB Motorsport’s Jake Hill and Team BMW’s Colin Turkington.

Adam Morgan, Rory Butcher and Daniel Rowbottom have all stood on the top step of the podium this year and each one of them will be keen to do so once more as they bid

One driver that is still chasing a win this year is triple champion Gordon Shedden. The Halfords Racing with Cataclean driver has endured a rollercoaster campaign however the Scotsman can never be counted out.

Local fans will have two homegrown heroes to cheer on too in the shape of Senna Proctor and Daniel Lloyd. Despite missing the season-opener, BTC Racing’s Proctor has proven to be one of the form drivers this year with a pole, win and three further podiums his reward.

Adrian Flux with Power Maxed Racing’s Lloyd meanwhile has endured his fair share of highs and lows this year but three races on home turf – at the venue where he scored his maiden BTCC win back in 2018 – could be just what he needs.

Beyond the top ten in the standings, a number of drivers will be keen to make their mark around the 2.1-mile circuit, including double champion Jason Plato who continues his quest to reach a century of BTCC victories.

Elsewhere, the likes of Tom Chilton, Aiden Moffat, Jack Goff, Tom Oliphant, Stephen Jelley, Jade Edwards and Aron Taylor-Smith will all be worth keeping an eye on.

To find out more information on this weekend’s meeting at Croft, including links to the timetable and live timing, CLICK HERE.

Tickets to the BTCC’s only north-eastern event of the year can be purchased on the gate over the course of the weekend priced at £15.00 for Saturday entry, £35.00 for Sunday and £43.00 for both days. Children 12 and under accompanied by an adult are admitted to the circuit free of charge, whilst teens will need to purchase a ‘teen ticket’.

Josh Cook, Ashley Sutton and Adam Morgan scored a win apiece this past weekend (August 28/29) as the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship put on a show around the fastest circuit in the UK, Thruxton.

Kicking off the second half of the season, the BTCC’s second visit of the year to the Hampshire venue was a triumphant one as fans flocked to the venue to watch the action unfold for the first time in two years.

Those in attendance weren’t to be left disappointed either as Britain’s premier motorsport series served up a feast of entertainment.

Qualifying on Saturday saw Halfords Racing with Cataclean’s Daniel Rowbottom take centre stage as he stormed to the top of the times late in the session to clinch his second pole position of the season ahead of Jake Hill.

Unfortunately, Rowbottom wouldn’t be able to covert his front row start into a win in the opening encounter as Thruxton maestro Cook came to the fore to triumph.

Having chalked up six wins in the past four seasons, the BTC Racing ace wasted no time in adding to his record as he charged to a commanding victory. Starting third, the Honda Civic Type R driver hit the front on the opening lap and never looked back, pulling clear to win and reignite his championship challenge.

Behind, Jake Hill and Tom Oliphant enjoyed relatively trouble-free drives to the chequered flag to claim second and third respectively.

Race two saw reigning champion Sutton score his fourth win of the year. After shedding weight following the opening encounter, the Laser Tools Racing driver was a man on a mission as he carved his way to the front from fifth.

Sizing up the now ballast-ladened Cook for a number of laps, the double title winner made his move heading into Allard and once out front he was able to push on and extend strengthen his stranglehold at the standings summit.

Cook held firm in second whilst Oliphant made it two third place finishes from two races as he rounded out the podium.

The third and final race of the weekend proved to be action-packed, with the safety car making a total of three appearances along the way.

Various incidents involving the likes of Jade Edwards, Gordon Shedden, Sam Smelt, Ollie Jackson and Carl Boardley halted proceedings however Morgan held his nerve out front to take a lights-to-flag win.

Drawn onto pole position via the reverse grid draw, the Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport driver soaked up race-long pressure from Colin Turkington to win whilst Senna Proctor clinched the remaining spot on the podium.

Leaving Thruxton, Sutton has extended his lead at the top of the BTCC Drivers’ Championship to 30 points over Tom Ingram.

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

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship heads to North Yorkshire next for Rounds 19, 20 & 21 at Croft Circuit on September 18/19.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship speeds back to Thruxton this weekend (August 28/29) for the latest chapter of what has already been a memorable season.

The super-fast Hampshire venue lifted the curtain on the 2021 campaign, albeit behind closed doors, back in May and since then the usual twists and turns the BTCC has become known for have had fans on the edge of their seats.

With lockdown restrictions having eased, this weekend will mark the first time in two years that spectators will be in attendance to watch the UK’s premier motor sport series do battle around the fastest circuit in the country, and a bumper crowd is expected to fill the grass bankings and grandstands.

Kicking off the second half of the season, reigning champion Ashley Sutton heads into the weekend as the man to beat – sitting atop the standings holding a 14-point advantage.

The Laser Tools Racing driver has been in superlative form this year and he already has three wins to his name, one of which came at Thruxton. Looking to extend his lead, the double champion will need to be at his best as a long list of contenders are hot on his heels.

Ginsters EXCELR8 with TradePriceCars.com Tom Ingram leads the chase ahead of multiple champions Colin Turkington and Gordon Shedden – both of whom have began to hit their stride in recent rounds.

Next on the leaderboard are two drivers that will be eager to replicate their performances from May. Jake Hill piloted his Ford Focus to the podium in all three races whilst BTC Racing’s Josh Cook bagged a brace of race wins. If they can get close to that again it will be game on for their own title aspirations.

Beyond the top six, fellow Honda drivers Senna Proctor and Daniel Rowbottom, as well as Stephen Jelley, Aiden Moffat, Adam Morgan, Rory Butcher, Jason Plato and Jack Goff will all be worth keeping an eye on across Sunday’s trio of races.

Qualifying for the sixth event of the BTCC season will be streamed live on itv.com/btcc from 14:35 on Saturday before Sunday’s race day coverage kicks off at 11:10 on ITV4.

Tickets for Thruxton’s second dose of touring car thrills ’n’ spills will be available to purchase on the gate across the weekend. Head to https://thruxtonracing.co.uk/racing/btcc-august for the full list of admission prices.

To find out more information on this weekend’s event, including links to live timing and the event timetable, CLICK HERE.

Colin Turkington, Ashley Sutton and Tom Ingram scored a win apiece at Knockhill as the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship took centre stage in front of a bumper crowd at the Scottish venue this past weekend (August 14/15).

On what proved to be a critical fifth event of the season, three of the most experienced drivers on the grid came to the fore to triumph, with Sutton extending his lead in the battle for the biggest prize in UK motorsport.

As predicted, qualifying proved to be an ultra-competitive affair around the undulating 1.27-mile circuit with less than a second covering 26 of the 29-car grid. Having endured a barren couple of events, Team BMW’s Turkington delivered when he needed it the most.

Hustling his BMW 330i M Sport to the top of the times, the Northern Irishman netted his second pole position of the season by little over a tenth of a second ahead of BTC Racing’s Senna Proctor and countryman Chris Smiley.

Turkington cruised to a commanding lights-to-flag victory in the opening contest around the Fife track, taking a historic 100th BTCC win for West Surrey Racing in the process.

Blasting away from the front row, the four-time champion duly pulled clear of the chasing pack before a safety car halted his charge. When the action resumed, nobody could stop the rear-wheel-drive ace from stretching his legs on his way to the chequered flag.

Behind, Proctor and team-mate Josh Cook rounded out the podium, the latter having got the better of Smiley after a hard-fought battle in the closing stages.

Reigning champion Sutton secured a famous victory to extend his championship lead in race two after passing Turkington on the last lap. Ladened with 75kgs of success ballast, Turkington led 26 of the 27 laps before making a small mistake during the final tour.

Piling on the pressure throughout the bout, Sutton’s constant presence in Turkington’s mirrors paid off when the BMW ace took too much kerb through the chicane which forced him wide and allowed the Infiniti to drive past and clinch his third win of the 2021 campaign.

MB Motorsport’s Jake Hill completed the podium after passing the BTC Racing duo of Cook and Proctor during what was a fraught race.

Steadily chipping away throughout Sunday, Ginsters with TradePriceCars.com’s Ingram came to the fore in race three as he scored a crucial victory to remain within striking distance of Sutton in the fight for the championship.

Charging from fourth to the front following a string of sensational overtakes, the Hyundai pilot was never challenged once in first and powered his way to a commanding win.

Behind, Proctor capped off a memorable day with his second podium whilst Stephen Jelley ensured there was more silverware for BMW in third place.

Leaving Knockhill, Sutton has extended his lead at the top of the BTCC Drivers’ Championship to 14 points ahead of Ingram. He has also stretched his advantage in the BTCC Independent Drivers’ table too.

Laser Tools Racing continue to have a stranglehold on both the BTCC Teams’ and BTCC Independent Teams’ categories whilst BMW have cemented their status at the helm of the Manufacturer/Constructors’ leaderboard. Daniel Rowbottom remans out front 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 now heads back to the fastest circuit in the UK, Thruxton, for Rounds 16, 17 & 18 of the 2021 season on August 28/29.

Tickets are available to purchase online from https://thruxtonracing.co.uk/racing/btcc-august at discounted prices.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship heads north of the border to Scotland this weekend (August 14/15) as Knockhill hosts Rounds 13, 14 & 15 of what has been already proven to be a blockbuster 2021 season.

A longstanding favourite on the BTCC calendar for competitors and spectators alike, the rollercoaster nature of the compact 1.26-mile circuit is renowned for serving up high-octane entertainment and this weekend should be no different.

With Scotland’s COVID-19 restrictions differing from England, it had been touch and go as to how many fans would be permitted to attend the Fife venue; however confirmation that gates will be open to an unrestricted crowd recently has been warmly welcomed.

Coming off the back of an action-packed weekend at Oulton Park, nine different drivers have now stood on the top step of the podium but it is reigning champion Ashley Sutton that remains at the summit of the standings.

Despite enduring a testing weekend last time out, the Laser Tools Racing ace holds a five-point advantage over Ginsters  EXCELR8 with  TradePriceCars.com race-winner Tom Ingram – both having been the early pace-setters in the series.

The points-gap between the top two and the rest of the field has been significantly slashed though with Halfords Racing with Cataclean’s Daniel Rowbottom leading the chase after he scored a maiden victory in Cheshire.

Jake Hill and Adam Morgan have been tallying regular points all-season-long so far and they round out the top five ahead of the fifth event of the year.

Having all enjoyed strong performances at Oulton Park, the championship’s trio of Scots will be looking to make home advantage count in front of what is expected to be a capacity trackside crowd.

Former champion Gordon Shedden will compete on home turf for the first time since 2017 and after chalking up a pair of podium finishes at Oulton, he’ll be hungrier than ever to capture his first win of the season.

Elsewhere, Shedden’s brother-in-law Rory Butcher was a winner at Oulton in his Speedworks Toyota Corolla whilst Aiden Moffat has become a regular fixture inside the top ten in recent rounds – and both will be eyeing further success.

Josh Cook and Colin Turkington also feature inside the top ten whilst the likes of Stephen Jelley, Tom Oliphant, Jason Plato, Jack Goff, Senna Proctor and Daniel Lloyd are amongst a number of other names that will be worth keeping an eye on over the course of the weekend.

All three BTCC races at Knockhill will be broadcast live on ITV4 from 11:15 on Sunday with Saturday’s qualifying session being streamed via itv.com/btcc from 14:40.

To find out more information on this weekend’s BTCC highland fling, including links to live timing and the event timetable, CLICK HERE.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship has announced that its new-for-2022 hybrid system will likely makes its race debut at Silverstone on September 25/26.

Driven by 2013 champion Andrew Jordan – who will compete in the series for the first time since the 2019 finale – the Toyota Corolla will take part in both free practice sessions, qualifying and all three races.

As such, the outing will mark the maiden event for the new 2022 customer TOCA engine – developed by M-Sport – which has been run in the hybrid car throughout its testing programme this year.

Jordan is no stranger to the car having conducted a majority of the testing behind the wheel. Although scheduled to compete in all six sessions, the car will take each start from the pit-lane at Silverstone so as not to interfere with the ongoing championship.

Alan Gow, BTCC Chief Executive, said: “It’s not set in stone – it depends on how we’re getting along in the development cycle, but the plan is to run at Silverstone in free practice, qualifying and the three races.

“It will be invisible as far as points go; it will qualify, but wherever it qualifies it won’t start there. It’s more of a demonstration than a race – it won’t get involved in any dicing with anyone else.

“Competing at our Silverstone event is part of its full development cycle; although the hybrid components and engine have done far in excess of a seasons worth of running, we want it to also go through a normal race weekend procedure.

“So whilst it won’t get involved in any real dicing with other cars, it’s important that our fans and partners have the opportunity of seeing the hybrid car in action ahead of 2022.”