Team VERTU's Tom Ingram has topped the opening Free Practice of the 2026 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship as the #80 Hyundai clocked a 1:07.842s around the Donington Park National circuit.
Speedworks Corolla Racing's Josh Cook was second as his Toyota-run squad look to mount a consistent championship challenge in 2026, whilst third and fourth went to the debutant Cataclean Plato Racing team.
Daniel Rowbottom was third in his #32 Mercedes A35 Saloon, whilst team-mate Adam Morgan led the times at one stage before having to settle for fourth.
Tom Chilton backed-up his Team VERTU stablemate Ingram by setting the fifth fastest time, ahead of the first of the new NAPA Racing UK Ford Titaniums.
The two Blue Ovals of Dan Cammish and Ash Sutton had the new LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing Audi of Aiden Moffat wedged between them on the timesheets, whilst Charles Rainford (WSR) and Mikey Doble (LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing) rounded out the top ten.
The action not only marked the start of the 2026 BTCC campaign but it also kicked off what will be an historic day for the championship.
After this one 40-minute Free Practice, the finishing order will be split into two groups, odd-finishing-numbers (Group 1) and even-finishing-numbers (Group 2). Each group will get a 15-minute qualifying session to set their fastest times. The group with the fastest qualifying time will occupy the odd-numbered grid positions for the Qualifying Race, ordered by their respective qualifying times. The other group will occupy the even-numbered grid positions, also ordered by qualifying times.
15 minutes after the qualifying session for Group 2 has concluded, the standard grid procedure for a race start begins, and the pit lane opens. The finishing order of the shorter 13-lap ‘Race to Pole’ will determine the grid for the first of Sunday’s traditional trio of races.
Half-points are awarded for the Qualifying Race. There are no bonus points for leading a lap, the fastest lap, or for pole position for the Qualifying Race, whereas the bonus points for leading a lap and the fastest lap are still available on Sunday. Making 76 the highest score across a race weekend, more than the 67 of recent years.
Qualifying and the Qualifying Race can be found LIVE on the ITV Sport YouTube Channel worldwide for the very first time from 13:50 later today. You won't want to miss it!
Free Practice – Donington Park
| P/ | No/ | Name/ | Entry/ | Laps/ | Time/ | Gap/ | On/ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 80 | Tom INGRAM | Team VERTU | 16 | 1:07.842 | 14 | |
| 2 | 66 | Josh COOK | Speedworks Corolla Racing | 21 | 1:08.048 | 0.206 | 18 |
| 3 | 32 | Daniel ROWBOTTOM | Cataclean Plato Racing | 16 | 1:08.076 | 0.234 | 15 |
| 4 | 33 | Adam MORGAN | Cataclean Plato Racing | 19 | 1:08.154 | 0.312 | 9 |
| 5 | 3 | Tom CHILTON | Team VERTU | 21 | 1:08.241 | 0.399 | 12 |
| 6 | 27 | Dan CAMMISH | NAPA Racing UK | 19 | 1:08.288 | 0.446 | 10 |
| 7 | 16 | Aiden MOFFAT | LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing | 21 | 1:08.319 | 0.477 | 21 |
| 8 | 116 | Ashley SUTTON | NAPA Racing UK | 21 | 1:08.413 | 0.571 | 11 |
| 9 | 99 | Charles RAINFORD | WSR | 16 | 1:08.427 | 0.585 | 10 |
| 10 | 88 | Mikey DOBLE | LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing | 16 | 1:08.451 | 0.609 | 14 |
| 11 | 52 | Gordon SHEDDEN | Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport | 22 | 1:08.598 | 0.756 | 13 |
| 12 | 2 | Daryl DELEON | WSR | 21 | 1:08.657 | 0.815 | 11 |
| 13 | 77 | Sam OSBORNE | NAPA Racing UK | 23 | 1:08.699 | 0.857 | 15 |
| 14 | 17 | Dexter PATTERSON | Steel Seal with Power Maxed Racing | 17 | 1:08.712 | 0.870 | 13 |
| 15 | 15 | Lewis SELBY | NAPA Racing UK | 25 | 1:08.723 | 0.881 | 24 |
| 16 | 50 | Árón TAYLOR-SMITH | Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport | 20 | 1:08.734 | 0.892 | 8 |
| 17 | 22 | Chris SMILEY | Restart Racing | 22 | 1:08.821 | 0.979 | 14 |
| 18 | 132 | James DORLIN | Restart Racing | 21 | 1:08.852 | 1.010 | 18 |
| 19 | 11 | Ricky COLLARD | Team VERTU | 25 | 1:09.187 | 1.345 | 13 |
| 20 | 28 | Nicolas HAMILTON | Team VERTU | 25 | 1:09.204 | 1.362 | 16 |
| 21 | 19 | Max BUXTON | Speedworks Corolla Racing | 18 | 1:10.472 | 2.630 | 13 |
