Mikey Doble feels he has taken ‘a steep trajectory to the top’ as he looks back on his first three seasons in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, a period that has seen him progress from a points-scoring rookie to a proven race winner and regular qualifying threat.
“From where I started three years ago… coming into the championship with relatively low experience of racing at this level, we were sort of picking up the scraps of the points and just nicking the odd Independents win, it was very much a learning year,” Doble explained.
“In 2024, we took it to the next level, where we were more regularly in the top ten, having better qualifying performances, obviously had the double podium at Oulton Park and dominated both Independents’ Championships. Then certainly for the first half of this year, it was definitely a breakthrough year for me… establishing myself as one of the top-tier drivers in the championship.”
That step forward was underlined by the #88’s maiden BTCC victory at Snetterton, a popular win for the Motor Parts Direct with Power Maxed Racing (PMR) driver and the first Independents’ success in the championship for more than a thousand days. With Ash Sutton in close company throughout the final laps, Doble held his nerve to take a landmark triumph for both team and driver.
“We played a blinder on the strategy all day. I had to put a flawless race together in race three starting from pole. To get my first win with, arguably, the best driver on the track chasing you down and breathing down your neck… there probably isn’t a better way to get that win because it was well earned.
“It was an exciting race, and it asked the biggest questions of myself as a driver as to whether I was going to be able to hang on to it and withstand the pressure.”
Saturdays were another major talking point for the 2024 Jack Sears Trophy Champion. Doble regularly charged into the Quick Six and remained inside the top five of the Goodyear Wingfoot Award standings deep into the campaign, feeling that this accolade was a truer reflection of his and the team’s progress.
“For me, that was one of the biggest achievements of the year because qualifying… the format was tough, it was quick fire, it was brutal, it doesn’t lend you many second chances.
“The qualifying performances definitely impressed a few people perhaps around the paddock, and it’s kind of the true measure of where we got to on pace.”
Doble, as with the rest of the PMR team, faced one of the biggest challenges of all their careers when the team had to switch from the Astra to the Cupra after the team’s facility fire. Debuting the car at Knockhill after only a handful of installation laps, it produced what he describes as his hardest-ever weekend behind the wheel.
“Truth be told, when I first did those few laps around Knockhill in that car, I thought, how am I even going to be able to compete in this over the weekend? It was so different to the car that I was used to, doing the change mid-season makes it ten times more difficult because your muscle memory and everything is still so raw.
“Jumping in at Knockhill of all circuits, probably the toughest track we go to, just amplified the difficulty. The only goal for that weekend was to just finish, complete all the sessions, have no crashes, make sure the car’s reliable, get through the weekend and score some Independents’ points.”
Away from the circuit, Doble’s off-season is a reminder of the realities facing many racing drivers. Alongside his full-time role in the family business, the winter months are dominated by securing sponsorship to return to the grid.
“You’re following up on any potential sponsorship leads, sorting things out like websites and social media, so when you’re approaching new potential sponsors, you look like you’re worth it.
Looking ahead, Doble is clear about what he wants to achieve moving forward. Already a Jack Sears Trophy winner with a maiden overall victory and multiple standout qualifying performances to his name, a target remains…
“If I do come back with PMR, then I’ve got to try and win that Independents’; I didn’t quite manage to win that this year.
“Other than going for the outright title, that’s the only thing that’s left to complete my touring car portfolio. I’ve only ever had two career podiums, so it’d be great to go and have a season where I get five or six podiums and maybe a couple of wins.”
As for when fans can expect an announcement, Doble offered no fixed timeframe. “All I’ll say is hopefully it isn’t as late as it was this year.” He did, however, hint that supporters may spot another member of the Doble family around the TOCA paddock next season.
“Hopefully my youngest brother might be joining us on the TOCA package next year as well. Obviously not in the touring cars, but you might see another Doble or two on touring car weekends.”
With his breakthrough season still fresh in the memory and ambitions for more success ahead, Doble now waits to see where 2026 will take him, determined to return as a regular contender at the sharp end of the BTCC grid.
