NAPA Racing UK’s Dan Cammish has laid down an early marker by setting the pace in the opening free practice session at Brands Hatch, as the cars and stars of the BTCC prepare for the all-important season finale.
A clear day so far combined with high winds made for a tricky start to proceedings around the classic 2.43-mile Grand Prix circuit, with lap times steadily improving throughout the 35 minutes of running.
Charles Rainford (LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR) and title contender Ash Sutton (NAPA Racing UK) traded blows in the closing minutes, but it was the soft tyre shod Ford of Cammish that fired in the ultimate benchmark in the final minute.
Cammish – who faced heartbreak at Brands Hatch in the 2019 season finale whilst challenging for the title – is looking to secure third in the overall standings this weekend as he aims to hold of reigning champion Jake Hill and team-mate Dan Rowbottom.
There was still enough time for WSR's Daryl DeLeon to slip into second with the Filipino impressively doing so with the medium Goodyear tyre compound aboard his BMW 330i M Sport.
Rainford and Sutton eventually had to settle for third and fourth respectively, whilst Rowbottom made it three Ford Focuses in the top five.
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA's Gordon Shedden broke the Ford/BMW stranglehold by closing out the top six, with local man Hill following him home in seventh.
There was a Team VERTU treble to conclude the top ten positions as Adam Morgan, Tom Chilton and Senna Proctor showed some of the Hyundais undoubted potential.
Championship leader Tom Ingram failed to show his hand, ending the session 13th, as he continues to hone his Hyundai ahead of qualifying.
Free Practice 2 commences at 1205, whilst the all-important qualifying session commences at 1515.
The qualifying session and support series races will be streamed LIVE via the ITV YouTube from 1pm today, with the four-hour broadcast taking in Porsche Sprint Challenge Great Britain, Wera Tools F4 British Championship and The VERTU MINI CHALLENGE races, plus BTCC and Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain qualifying.
Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK, said:
2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Brands Hatch GP – Free Practice 1 – Classification:
| P/ | No/ | Name/ | Entry/ | Laps/ | Time/ | Gap/ | On/ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27 | Dan CAMMISH | NAPA Racing UK | 14 | 1:30.510 | 14 | |
| 2 | 2 | Daryl DELEON | WSR | 16 | 1:30.733 | 0.223 | 16 |
| 3 | 99 | Charles RAINFORD | LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR | 17 | 1:30.756 | 0.246 | 17 |
| 4 | 116 | Ashley SUTTON | NAPA Racing UK | 16 | 1:30.866 | 0.356 | 14 |
| 5 | 32 | Daniel ROWBOTTOM | NAPA Racing UK | 18 | 1:31.022 | 0.512 | 18 |
| 6 | 52 | Gordon SHEDDEN | TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA | 16 | 1:31.048 | 0.538 | 16 |
| 7 | 1 | Jake HILL | Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport | 16 | 1:31.217 | 0.707 | 15 |
| 8 | 33 | Adam MORGAN | Team VERTU | 14 | 1:31.318 | 0.808 | 13 |
| 9 | 3 | Tom CHILTON | Team VERTU | 12 | 1:31.321 | 0.811 | 12 |
| 10 | 18 | Senna PROCTOR | Team VERTU | 13 | 1:31.329 | 0.819 | 12 |
| 11 | 22 | Chris SMILEY | Restart Racing | 17 | 1:31.547 | 1.037 | 16 |
| 12 | 40 | Árón TAYLOR-SMITH | TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA | 19 | 1:31.626 | 1.116 | 17 |
| 13 | 80 | Tom INGRAM | Team VERTU | 13 | 1:31.632 | 1.122 | 13 |
| 14 | 123 | Daniel LLOYD | Restart Racing | 14 | 1:31.829 | 1.319 | 14 |
| 15 | 17 | Dexter PATTERSON | ROKiT Racing with Un-Limited Motorsport | 15 | 1:31.956 | 1.446 | 12 |
| 16 | 88 | Mikey DOBLE | Motor Parts Direct with Power Maxed Racing | 15 | 1:32.119 | 1.609 | 15 |
| 17 | 66 | Josh COOK | TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA | 11 | 1:32.589 | 2.079 | 11 |
| 18 | 16 | Aiden MOFFAT | LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR | 9 | 1:33.187 | 2.677 | 9 |
| 19 | 77 | Sam OSBORNE | NAPA Racing UK | 16 | 1:34.739 | 4.229 | 15 |
| 20 | 28 | Nicolas HAMILTON | Powder Monkey Brewing Co with Esidock | 16 | 1:35.089 | 4.579 | 15 |
| 21 | 19 | Max BUXTON | TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA | 17 | 1:36.240 | 5.730 | 14 |
| 22 | 50 | Nick HALSTEAD | Motor Parts Direct with Power Maxed Racing | 2 | 0 |
