Hill, DeLeon and Rainford share the spoils in Kent
Jake Hill, Daryl DeLeon and Charles Rainford shared the victories as the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship wowed the crowds at Brands Hatch today (11 May).
It was a record-breaking weekend as milestones tumbled at almost every turn, headlined by a trio of wins for WSR and BMW.
The Bavarian marque endured a challenging curtain raiser at Donington Park last month where the podium places were dominated by NAPA Racing UK and Team VERTU, but the Surrey-based squad returned in some style at its home track.
Reigning champ Hill won the opener as he held off stablemate Rainford, before DeLeon surged to a maiden triumph in the next bout. Not to be outdone, rookie Rainford claimed the finale at the end of a pulsating and frenetic day of racing.
At the end of a scorching weekend in Kent it is NAPA Racing UK’s Ash Sutton still heading the overall Drivers’ standings after he scored his 100th BTCC podium, whilst a double rostrum for Team VERTU’s Tom Ingram kept him in second. Hill has moved to within 12 points of the summit after collecting his own haul of silverware.
EXCELR8 Motorsport/Hyundai and its Team VERTU outfit head the Manufacturers’/Constructors’ and Teams’ standings at this early stage of the season, whilst Chris Smiley and his Restart Racing squad top the Independents’ tables. Unsurprisingly, DeLeon’s overall victory helped fire him to the top of the Jack Sears Trophy.
The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship returns at Snetterton in Norfolk on 24/25 May.
Hill heads Rainford in BMW one-two
Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport’s Hill converted pole position into victory in the opening race at Brands Hatch.
Stablemate Rainford kept the reigning champion honest in his LKQ-backed BMW, but Hill held firm to win the 133rd BTCC race for WSR, making the squad the most successful team in BTCC history.
There was an early switch for third as Ingram blasted by his Team VERTU team-mate Adam Morgan to secure the final place on the podium.
NAPA Racing UK's Dan Cammish kept Motor Parts Direct with Power Maxed Racing’s Mikey Doble at bay for fifth, whilst DeLeon equalled his best ever BTCC result up to that point to claim seventh.
Sam Osborne continued his good form with eighth in his NAPA Racing UK Ford Focus, whilst Restart Racing's Daniel Lloyd and four-time champion Sutton rounded out the top ten.
DeLeon delight as BMW man delivers maiden victory
WSR's DeLeon scored his first ever BTCC win amid an action-packed second encounter around the 1.21-mile Brands Hatch Indy circuit.
Pole-sitter Hill fended off Rainford in the early running, but it was NAPA Racing UK's Cammish that was on the charge as he moved into second, while third placed Ingram began to drop down the order.
The Un-Limited Motorsport duo of Dexter Patterson and Max Hall then got into eachother at Paddock Hill Bend, which fired both Cupra Leons off and into the gravel. A minor altercation between the two ensued after they exited their cars while recovery teams moved to retrieve their stricken machines.
If that wasn't bizarre enough then the following incident left fans aghast as Cammish's Ford Focus ground to halt just as the cars were about to restart. Running in second, Cammish was arguably the favourite to win the race and perfectly poised to attack Hill's #1 BMW, but his car stopped in the middle of the track and was eventually collected by Aiden Moffat's LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR BMW.
DeLeon immediately nipped by Hill to take P1 at the restart, as the latter then held up the chasing pack just enough for his WSR team-mate to scamper away.
Team VERTU's Morgan eventually made it through to second but it was too late to challenge for victory, with the #33 having to settle for second ahead of the charging Sutton.
Rainford reigns supreme
LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR's Rainford joined the BTCC winners ranks to provide BMW with a cleansweep of victories at Brands Hatch.
WSR earlier became the most successful team in BTCC history – now with 135 wins, including two new race winners and victories in all three races.
NAPA Racing UK's Dan Rowbottom initially held the Race Three lead while Rainford was busy disposing of fellow BMW runner Hill on the run through Surtees. The young rookie then wasted no time in turning second into first as he fired his BMW 330i M Sport down the inside of Rowbottom's #32 Ford Focus through Paddock Hill Bend on lap two.
Hill further relegated the fading Rowbottom and he then set about attacking his younger team-mate. The gap fluctuated back and forth – often through the use of the TOCA Turbo Boost – but the battle was finally decided due to a heart-in-mouth moment later in the contest.
ROKiT Racing with Un-Limited Motorsport’s Hall ran through the gravel on the approach to Clarke Curve at the rear of the field and returned to the track right in front of the oncoming Hill. The reigning champion escaped but the delay left him in the clutches of the charging Ingram – the Team VERTU star having surged from 11th on the grid into the podium positions.
The pair touched at Druids on the penultimate lap, but Hill again held on to grab second as Ingram rounded out the rostrum.
Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport, said: “What a weekend we’ve had. A win, a second, an eighth and a pole position on Saturday too. It’s been a mega, mega weekend. A huge thank you to everyone at WSR, Laser Tools and MB Motorsport; they’ve given me a Laser Beemer that was very, very fast. On to Snetterton…”
Daryl DeLeon, WSR, said: “I am a BTCC race winner and to do it on my 50th start in Race Two as well was brilliant. I started seventh on the soft tyre and made it to the front. I’m happy with the progress we’ve made with the BMW so a huge thank you to the team for all their hard work. I’m over the moon with the weekend and I’m leading the Jack Sears Trophy heading into Snetterton, so it’s all been brilliant.”
Charles Rainford, LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR, said: “Sunday done. If I’d thought yesterday was good, we were only just getting started. To get my first podium in Race One, a ‘hard’ second race on the hard tyre and then my first win to end the day! I’m unbelievably happy. We’ve done it on pace today and I’m so grateful to the team, my sponsors and my family. Let’s go get another at Snetterton!”
2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 1 – Brands Hatch Indy
1. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport 24 Laps
2. Charles Rainford, LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR +0.662s
3. Tom Ingram, Team VERTU +2.514s
4. Adam Morgan, Team VERTU +2.943s
5. Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK +8.114s
6. Mikey Doble, Motor Parts Direct with Power Maxed Racing +9.387s
7. Daryl DeLeon, West Surrey Racing +11.177s
8. Sam Osborne, NAPA Racing UK +12.582s
9. Daniel Lloyd, Restart Racing +15.534s
10. Ash Sutton, NAPA Racing UK +16.269s
2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 2 – Brands Hatch Indy
1. Daryl DeLeon, West Surrey Racing 27 Laps
2. Adam Morgan, Team VERTU +3.641s
3. Ash Sutton, NAPA Racing UK +5.466s
4. Chris Smiley, Restart Racing +5.910s
5. Aiden Moffat, LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR +6.798s
6. Josh Cook, One Motorsport +8.350s
7. Charles Rainford, LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR +9.501s
8. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport +10.590s
9. Daniel Rowbottom, NAPA Racing UK +10.829s
10. Ronan Pearson, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA +11.136s
2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 3 – Brands Hatch Indy
1. Charles Rainford, LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR 24 Laps
2. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport +1.983s
3. Tom Ingram, Team VERTU +2.374s
4. Ash Sutton, NAPA Racing UK +7.518s
5. Chris Smiley, Restart Racing +9.194s
6. Josh Cook, One Motorsport +9.793s
7. Tom Chilton, Team VERTU +9.978s
8. Aiden Moffat, LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR +10.360s
9. Dan Rowbottom, NAPA Racing UK +12.877s
10. Gordon Shedden, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA +13.556s
Penalties:
Race Two
Max Hall received an official reprimand, given a three-place grid penalty and two penalty points on his license in Round 5 of the championship, for causing a collision with Dexter Patterson. This penalty also counted as an official strike.
Aiden Moffat received a verbal warning for overtaking or not slowing down under light / flag signals in Round 5 of the championship.
Race Three
Charles Rainford received a formal reprimand in Round 6 of the championship, for obtaining an unfair advantage (whether inadvertently or not).
