WEEKEND WRAP-UP: SILVERSTONE

3rd February 2022

In today's Weekend Wrap-Up, we're heading back to Silverstone for Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship rounds 22, 23 and 24.

Read on to relive all the action from the 1.64-mile circuit...

BUTCHER BAGS DOUBLE BEFORE HILL ENDS WEEKEND ON A HIGH
Sutton keeps firm grip on title as BTCC brings the heat to Silverstone

Toyota Gazoo Racing UK’s Rory Butcher bagged a brilliant double, before MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square’s Jake Hill ended his weekend on a high by winning the final Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship encounter at Silverstone on 25/26 September.

Butcher enjoyed the most remarkable weekend of his BTCC career so far, as the Scotsman topped both free practice sessions and qualifying on Saturday, before going on to win the first two races on Sunday.

Having initially lost the lead to fellow front-row starter Tom Ingram in the opener, Butcher lunged past the Ginsters EXCELR8 with TradePriceCars.com Hyundai at Brooklands on lap three.

He eventually pulled away to take a comfortable victory, whilst Ingram held on to second, albeit coming under race-long pressure from the Vauxhall Astra of Daniel Lloyd.

Adrian Flux with Power Maxed Racing’s Lloyd performed brilliantly, as he did all weekend, to take his first podium since 2018.

The dream weekend for Speedworks Motorsport continued in race two as Butcher secured a more routine lights-to-flag success, with Ingram again following him home in the final results ahead of Team BMW’s Colin Turkington.

Josh Cook had finished second on the road but was later disqualified for a technical infringement when his car failed a post-race ride height check.

The final bout belonged to Hill as he completed the perfect recovery performance throughout Sunday.

Hill – fresh from his triumph at Croft – arrived in Northamptonshire with a ballast-laden Ford Focus, which seriously dented his hopes during qualifying.

Steady progress in race one was followed by a great drive in race two – finishing ninth from 21st on the grid – setting up a race-winning opportunity in the finale.

With only the Adrian Flux with Power Maxed Racing duo of Lloyd and Jason Plato ahead of him, he easily dispatched the latter off the line.

A game of cat and mouse ensued as Hill’s Ford went side-by-side with Lloyd’s Vauxhall on a number of occasions, before the former made a firm move through Copse shortly after mid-distance.

Lloyd kept Hill honest throughout, whilst championship leader Ash Sutton completed the podium.

Chris Smiley hung on well to fourth in his EXCELR8 Motorsport-run Hyundai, ahead of Team BMW’s Stephen Jelley and Plato, who had dropped down the order following a sluggish start.

Laser Tools Racing’s Sutton scored another trio of top six finishes as he extended his advantage in the Drivers’ standings to 36 over Ingram, with Hill a further two points in arrears.

The same Sutton/Laser Tools Racing combo also topped the Teams’ and Independents’ tables, whilst BMW head the Manufacturers’/Constructors’ order after a weekend at the Towcester circuit.

Halfords Racing with Cataclean’s Daniel Rowbottom lead the Jack Sears Trophy.

It was an historic weekend for the UK’s premier motorsport series as the BTCC’s Hybrid era began with 2013 champion Andrew Jordan piloting the all-new Hybrid Toyota Corolla.

The car contested all official sessions at Silverstone – setting the fastest lap in race two – as part of a demonstration of the hybrid system.

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