Goodyear tyre strategy will be important as the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) heads to Oulton Park for rounds 13, 14 and 15 of the championship this weekend. The circuit is one of the most demanding on tyres on the calendar, as drivers face the undulating Cheshire track’s blind corners.
Drivers will be allocated three sets of Goodyear’s soft compound tyres and one set of the hard compound this weekend. Drivers may also choose to use up to two sets of carryover tyres from previous events, but the medium compound, which is expected to be the more popular carryover choice for this event, is only allowed to be used in FP1 and FP2.
Teams have already taken advantage of carryover tyres in previous rounds this season to maximise performance in qualifying and during the three races. However, with the season at its midway point after Oulton Park, some drivers might also be planning to keep some compounds on the side for the later parts of the season, when fewer of the quicker soft compounds are available.
Michael Butler, Goodyear’s BTCC Event Leader, explains: “Oulton Park is a circuit that really challenges drivers and team alike to think about their tyre strategy. The track is demanding, narrow and rich with complex braking zones, therefore making it more challenging to overtake. Getting superb traction out of the hairpin and Knickerbrook will be crucial for drivers to gain vital fractions of a second for the climbs through Hilltop and Clay Hill.
“Teams and drivers will need to think strategically about their tyre choices this weekend; drivers will have to use the hard compound for the entirety of one of the three races, which means we will see a lot of soft compound running across all other sessions - unless drivers choose to save these tyres for future events and can run on medium or hard compounds they have carried over from previous events. The carryover strategy is a season-long game; the developments of which are likely to unfold after the summer break.”
Sutton shines in the wet to take Goodyear Wingfoot Award at Thruxton
The Goodyear Wingfoot Award saw its third different winner of the season at Thruxton as Ashley Sutton of NAPA Racing UK claimed the trophy a fortnight ago at the Hampshire track. The 2023 Goodyear Wingfoot Award winner drew on his championship-winning experience to master the wet conditions during qualifying to claim the top spot.
The Ford Focus driver will be looking to maintain that momentum at Oulton Park, where he faces stiff competition from other drivers looking to secure this weekend’s Goodyear Wingfoot Award.
One such contender is Team VERTU racer Tom Ingram, who, talking to Goodyear, describes the consistency required to top the qualifying timesheets and win the award: "As each year passes, I think what we've seen time and again is the level of consistency needed to stay near the front,” explained the Hyundai i30 star.
“It's about being mindful of building performance throughout the race weekend. Saturdays especially are critical, as we're down to such fine margins now [with the lighter cars]. When we bolt on the soft tyres, you've got to push hard from the very first corner.
“It often seems that whoever wins the Goodyear Wingfoot Award is also right up there in the championship. The two go hand in hand. I hope I can win it this year. I’ve never quite managed [the season award], but everything seems to be getting closer each year.”
The Goodyear Wingfoot Award rewards the fastest qualifying lap at each round. Drivers compete for a Wingfoot trophy at each event, in addition to the season-long title. Points are awarded based on qualifying results throughout the season, with the highest scorer ultimately crowned the 2025 Goodyear Wingfoot Award winner.
Track action at Oulton Park kicks off on Saturday 21 June, ahead of the three races on Sunday 22 June.
