The season got underway on the Donington Park National circuit for 2024. Here is how the mixed weather, extraordinary curtain-raiser unfolded...
Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS’ Tom Ingram enjoyed a stellar opening 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship weekend, as the former champion claimed a double triumph at Donington Park (27/28 April).
The race of the day, however, came in the final encounter as LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ's Aiden Moffat held off a quartet of last year’s title contenders to take one of the best victories of his career so far.
Persistent rain delayed race day by more than two hours as the BTCC’s loyal fanbase braved the great British weather at the Leicestershire circuit.
When the action eventually got underway it was little surprise to see the likes of Ingram, Ash Sutton, Jake Hill and Colin Turkington fighting for the podium positions, with 2023’s top four already occupying the same championship positions after the opening event of the new campaign.
BMW hold an early lead in the Constructors’/Manufacturers’ standings, whilst NAPA Racing UK is the top team after Donington Park.
Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing enjoyed a great weekend as the top independent outfit, whilst drivers Aron Taylor-Smith and Mikey Doble lead the Independent Drivers’ and Jack Sears Trophy respectively.
Tom Ingram wins season opener
Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS’ Ingram claimed a lights-to-flag victory, from NAPA Racing UK’s Sutton and Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport’s Hill.
Ingram held the lead from the start as he defended well from the fast-starting BMWs of Hill and Turkington, the latter though was eventually shuffled down to fourth on the opening lap by the recovering Sutton.
The first lap ended under caution following a high speed off for Sam Osborne’s NAPA Racing UK Ford Focus, although he looked to have received a touch from behind as the cars wriggled through the Craner Curves for the first time.
LKQ Euro Car Parts with Synetiq's Josh Cook nipped past the sister car of TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK’s Andrew Watson for sixth at the restart, whilst Team BMW’s Adam Morgan was busy making amazing inroads from the back of the grid.
When the rain eventually settled and the chequered flag waved it was Ingram winning from Sutton, with the latter having nipped by Hill’s #24 BMW late on.
Team BMW’s Colin Turkington was fourth, ahead of a great drive from Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS’ young talent Ronan Pearson.
Ingram at the double
Former champ Ingram then scored his second successive win as his dream weekend continued.
Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport’s Hill surged into the lead on the run down to Redgate for first time, as the BMW got another fast start. Pole-sitter Ingram thought about defending but backed out as the duo edged through the opening turns.
A sluggish start for Team BMW’s Turkington was further compounded by a late braking lock-up, which allowed the Toyota of Cook to nip through into fourth on the first lap.
Ingram would be embroiled in a tussle with NAPA Racing UK's Sutton for second soon after, fending off his old adversary despite both cars going side-by-side.
It was all eyes on the leading trio in the latter stages of the race and another gaggle of three cars fighting for fourth, fifth and sixth.
The moment of truth came on lap 14 as Ingram scythed his Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS Hyundai down the inside of Hill’s #24 BMW and Sutton also eyed his opportunity by moving into second.
A stunned Hill fought back on the next lap, nipping through into second briefly before again being relegated to third at the end of the start/finish straight.
The lead three places remained unchanged until the finish, as did the next three places with LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ's Cook holding off the recovering Turkington and a charging Dan Cammish in his #27 NAPA Racing UK Ford Focus.
Victory for Aiden Moffat in final thriller
Aiden Moffat produced a brilliant performance to take victory in the final BTCC race at Donington, as he held off a trio of champions in the closing stages of a fantastic and frenetic race.
LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ's Moffat won his first BTCC race at the same venue back in 2017 but was made to work extremely hard for this one, as he initially fought with Toyota stablemate Rob Huff and Team BMW's Morgan.
Morgan blasted his BMW into the lead off the line, but then relinquished his advantage to TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK's Huff when running wide following a brief safety car period.
Moffat began reeling in the sister car of Huff and made an eye-catching move by mid-distance, with the latter getting shuffled down the pack.
Team BMW's Turkington was the first to haul his car towards Moffat’s and he was eventually joined by NAPA Racing UK's Sutton, after he had muscled his way by Hill’s BMW.
Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS' Ingram – double race winner earlier in the day – also edged past Hill, and last year's quartet of title challengers were now all over the back of Moffat for the final few laps.
Moffat would not be denied, however, as he defended brilliantly in what may arguably be the finest display of his BTCC career so far.
Turkington and Sutton completed the podium ahead of Ingram and Hill, with the fading Huff closing out the top six.
Tom Ingram (Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS) said: “What an absolutely perfect weekend for Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS, we couldn't have asked for anything more from qualifying, to race one, to race two, it's been fantastic. It's so hard to know when to keep your powder dry as to when to use your hybrid. We were discussing before the various race scenarios and options and permutations for when you would or wouldn't. Sometimes it's got to be a spur of the moment, and that felt like the opportune moment to use my only shot.
“I know where Ash (Sutton) is going to place his car as we've been racing each other for a number of years now. He can see what I'm about to do probably two laps before as I can probably predict what Ash is going to do. The Hybrid is obviously making a big difference with the battle with Jake (Hill) and the battle with Ash and I am sure with the battles further down the field as well.”
Aiden Moffat (LKQ Euro Car Parts with Synetic) said: “The car has felt great all weekend. We started at the back of the grid for the first race but that wasn’t the pace of our car. The aim was the podium and I had to be aggressive early on. I was trying to be clever with hybrid – I knew we were weaker in the second half of the lap so I was trying to deploy there when I could.
“Everyone at Speedworks has done such a great job, it has been a really hard few weeks, lots of long hours ahead of the season. After two top tens finishes earlier today, it would have been great just to fight for a podium, never mind standing on the top step.
“It has been a few hard seasons for me, and it's important this year for me to show my pace and win again, so to do that at the first weekend means so much.”
2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 1 – Donington Park
1. Tom Ingram, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS 21 Laps
2. Ash Sutton, NAPA Racing UK +2.485s
3. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport +4.239s
4. Colin Turkington, Team BMW +8.148s
5. Ronan Pearson, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS +9.153s
6. Josh Cook, LKQ Euro Parts with SYNETIQ +11.511s
7. Árón Taylor-Smith, Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing +13.249s
8. Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK +14.382s
9. Aiden Moffat, LKQ Euro Parts with SYNETIQ +19.036s
10. Andrew Watson, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK +19.488s
2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 2 – Donington Park
1. Tom Ingram, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS 18 Laps
2. Ash Sutton, NAPA Racing UK +0.917s
3. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport +1.845s
4. Josh Cook, LKQ Euro Parts with SYNETIQ +5.725s
5. Colin Turkington, Team BMW +6.775s
6. Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK +8.378s
7. Adam Morgan, Team BMW +9.004s
8. Aiden Moffat, LKQ Euro Parts with SYNETIQ +11.653s
9. Rob Huff, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK +12.697s
10. Dan Rowbottom, NAPA Racing UK +13.294s
2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 3 – Donington Park
1. Aiden Moffat, LKQ Euro Parts with SYNETIQ 20 Laps
2. Colin Turkington, Team BMW +0.520s
3. Ash Sutton, NAPA Racing UK +1.625s
4. Tom Ingram, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS +1.981s
5. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport +2.284s
6. Rob Huff, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK +4.041s
7. Adam Morgan, Team BMW +6.158s
8. Dan Rowbottom, NAPA Racing UK +6.304s
9. Josh Cook, LKQ Euro Parts with SYNETIQ +9.322s
10. Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK +9.819s
Penalties:
Race One
Dan Rowbottom was officially reprimanded and received two penalty points during Round 1 of the Championship, for an incident with Mikey Doble and Rob Huff.
Adam Morgan received a 10-second time penalty during Round 1 of the Championship, for jumping the start.
Race Three
Dan Rowbottom was verbally warned during Round 3 of the Championship, for an incident with Andrew Watson.
