BTCC boasts ten different race winners at midway stage of season
Rounds 13, 14 and 15 of the 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship took place at Oulton Park earlier today (22 June) as the cars and stars of the country's most popular motorsport series reached its midway point of the season.
A typically huge crowd descended on the picturesque Cheshire venue and the BTCC's loyal fanbase also experienced a typically British summer weekend in terms of weather, as scorching conditions were combined with on and off showers, which spiced up the action even further on-track.
The two main title protagonists – Tom Ingram and Ash Sutton – won a race apiece as their titanic tussle continues to take shape, but it was Gordon Shedden that wowed the crowd with a brilliant triumph in the finale.
Not only was it Shedden's first BTCC victory since 2022, but he also became the tenth different race winner from just the 15 races so far this season – again underlining the incredible competitiveness and unparalleled drama of the BTCC.
If the sporting spectacle wasn't enough then the emotional theatre off-track almost proved too much as broadcasting legend Steve Rider brought the curtain down on an incredible career spanning nearly 50 years.
Best known for his work with ITV and BBC, Steve became an iconic figure across the likes of football, Formula 1, golf and many many more sports.
And of course, Steve has been the face of the British Touring Car Championship coverage across some four decades and leaves his role as one of the most popular and important figures in the championship’s illustrious history.
Steve’s phenomenal career was celebrated throughout this emotional weekend as everyone involved in the BTCC honoured Steve for his unwavering support, service, professionalism and brilliance.
Once the jam packed action had concluded it was Sutton still leading the overall Drivers' standings by ten points from Ingram, whilst Alliance Racing/Ford and its NAPA Racing UK outfit hold sway in the Manufacturers'/Constructors' and Teams' tables.
Chris Smiley and his Restart Racing Hyundai squad top the Independents' titles, whilst WSR BMW's Daryl DeLeon leads the Jack Sears Trophy.
The BTCC will resume after its traditional mid-season break at Croft Circuit on 2/3 August.
Ingram briefly tops standings after race one win
Team VERTU's Ingram commanded proceedings in Round 13 of the 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship as the Hyundai star led from start to finish in the opening race at Oulton Park.
An early safety car spell following contact between Stephen Jelley (One Motorsport - Honda) and Sam Osborne (NAPA Racing UK - Ford) coming out of Island Bend could not deter Ingram's drive, as he eventually romped home more than five seconds clear of the chasing pack.
NAPA Racing UK's Dan Cammish finished second after he got by Smiley's front row starting Hyundai on the opening lap, whilst Ford Focus teammate Sutton looked to have scored the final place on the podium with his own stellar move around the outside of Smiley at Cascades.
The positions were swapped in the closing laps, however, as Sutton chose to settle for fourth and take advantage of being able to run the Goodyear soft tyre in the second race. He did, however, briefly relinquish the standings lead to Ingram by one point.
Sutton back on top
NAPA Racing UK's Sutton then swept to his fourth Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship victory of the season as the #116 surged through from fourth on the grid to win the second contest.
Being the first of the Goodyear soft tyre runners played perfectly into the four-time champion's hands, as he made light work of Restart Racing's Smiley while teammate Cammish let him by.
Team VERTU's Ingram was a much harder task with the #80 defending valiantly before Sutton took his opportunity at Island Hairpin. The Hyundai duo of Adam Morgan and Tom Chilton relegated stablemate Ingram down to fourth, but the latter then hung on brilliantly to claim fourth on the Goodyear hard tyre.
Reigning champion Jake Hill did everything he could to get by old rival Ingram, but the Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport BMW man had to settle for a solid fifth.
Shedden shows his class with stunning win
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA's Shedden claimed victory in the final race, closing out a brilliant first half to the BTCC season overall as he became the tenth different race winner in the process.
Shedden led from lights to flag but that doesn't tell the true story of an incredible initial attack, followed by a fantastic defensive drive, as the tin top legend grabbed his first BTCC win since 2022.
The Scotsman fought off the Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport BMW of Hill for much of the race, closely followed by the NAPA Racing UK Ford pair of Dan Rowbottom and Sutton, but the pressure on Shedden eased slightly in the closing moments.
With Hill making a last ditch effort to make a move on the penultimate lap, his #1 BMW 330i M Sport squirmed and slid wide on the wet surface at Cascades and he eventually returned to the track down in seventh.
Sutton had only recently disposed of Ford Focus teammate Rowbottom, and he was further rewarded with second after Hill's moment.
Rowbottom rounded out a topsy-turvy weekend with a well deserved podium, whilst Team VERTU's Ingram fought his way up to fourth, having been down in 12th at one stage.
Tom Ingram, Team VERTU – Hyundai, said: "The car is unbelievable at the moment – such a joy to drive. You always want a bit of a buffer, and I knew once we had that and had settled into a rhythm in race one, we were in the pound seats because then you can just control the gap as you see fit. Spencer told me over the radio that Dan [Cammish] had fastest lap, so I used some boost to take it back, and there didn’t seem to be much drop-off in tyre performance over the course of the race either. This car is unreal!"
Ash Sutton, NAPA Racing UK – Ford, said: "It has been phenomenal if you look at the results and points. Race one we played the joker card strategically and that worked for the win in race two. Luckily the heavens opened for the final race, which meant we stayed away from the hard tyre. The racing was certainly frantic but we were happy to end up on the podium again and bag those points. Croft is a place I love, it's always been good to me, so I'll be looking forward to going there after the break."
Gordon Shedden, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA, said: "It’s an incredible feeling – you never tire of that feeling. I had to use all my years of experience to get the job done, and to come out of the last corner on the final lap and see all the team from TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA hanging over the pit wall when I came past the chequered flag was just amazing. We’ve had our trials and tribulations since the start of the season and they’ve been living the pain and dramas that we all have, so I was delighted for them and it was nice to give everybody a little boost going into the summer break."
2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 1 – Oulton Park
1. Tom Ingram, Team VERTU 16 Laps
2. Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK +5.490s
3. Chris Smiley, Restart Racing +6.355s
4. Ash Sutton, NAPA Racing UK +6.721s
5. Tom Chilton, Team VERTU +7.016s
6. Adam Morgan, Team VERTU +7.775s
7. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport +7.789s
8. Senna Proctor, Team VERTU +9.749s
9. Josh Cook, One Motorsport +13.083s
10. James Dorlin, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA +14.060s
2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 2 – Oulton Park
1. Ash Sutton, NAPA Racing UK 18 Laps
2. Adam Morgan, Team VERTU +1.715s
3. Tom Chilton, Team VERTU +3.612s
4. Tom Ingram, Team VERTU +8.830s
5. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport +9.263s
6. Daniel Rowbottom, NAPA Racing UK +10.812s
7. Josh Cook, One Motorsport +13.814s
8. Senna Proctor, Team VERTU +15.284s
9. Gordon Shedden, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA +15.447s
10. Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK +15.874s
2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 3 – Oulton Park
1. Gordon Shedden, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA 18 Laps
2. Ash Sutton, NAPA Racing +0.741s
3. Daniel Rowbottom, NAPA Racing UK +1.472s
4. Tom Ingram, Team VERTU +1.592s
5. Senna Proctor, Team VERTU +5.386s
6. Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK +5.804s
7. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport +6.391s
8. James Dorlin, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA +9.685s
9. Charles Rainford, LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR +10.696s
10. Sam Osborne, NAPA Racing UK +11.525s
Penalties:
Race One
Daryl DeLeon received an official reprimand and two penalty points on his license in Round 13 of the championship, for causing a collision with Árón Taylor-Smith and Aiden Moffat.
Daryl DeLeon received a ten second time penalty in Round 13 of the championship, for causing a collision with Mikey Doble.
Árón Taylor-Smith received an official reprimand and two penalty points on his license in Round 13 of the championship, for causing a collision with Daryl DeLeon.
Race Two
Charles Rainford was disqualified from Round 14 of the championship, for over boosting.
Finn Leslie received a verbal warning in Round 14 of the championship, for gaining a position as a result of contact with Nic Hamilton.
Race Three
Dexter Patterson was disqualified from Round 15 of the championship, for failing the ride height check at the end of the race.
Tom Chilton received an official reprimand and two penalty points on his license in Round 15 of the championship, for causing a collision with Mikey Doble.
Aiden Moffat received an official reprimand and two penalty points on his license in Round 15 of the championship, for causing a collision with Max Hall.
Max Hall received a three place grid penalty for his next race and three penalty points on his license in Round 15 of the championship, for causing contact and subsequently gaining a position on Aiden Moffat.
