Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport's Gordon Shedden stood atop the podium in Round 9 of the 2026 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at Snetterton, taking his seventh victory at the Norfolk venue in one of his best ever drives.

Despite starting from pole position, Shedden first had to fend off the Cataclean Plato Racing duo of Dan Rowbottom and Adam Morgan before later having to contend with an even more daunting sight – four-time champion Ash Sutton and two-time Tom Ingram in his mirrors.

With the Mercedes duo fading slightly after mid-distance it was Sutton's #116 Ford Focus Titanium and Ingram #3 Hyundai i30N bearing down on the three-time supremo Shedden.

Not many drivers on the grid have defended in such a classy way against Shedden with the pair going side-by-side on a couple of occasions but somehow the Toyota Corolla man stayed ahead.

Sutton secured second ahead of Ingram, but there was further drama post race when the latter was handed a en-second time penalty for exceeding the number of track limit offences for the permitted allowed. Ingram subsequently finished Race 3 in eighth place, promoting WSR's Daryl De Leon onto the podium – his second of the day.

Restart Racing's Chris Smiley drove brilliantly to claim fourth ahead of Charles Rainford (WSR), Morgan (Cataclean Plato Racing) and Tom Chilton (Team VERTU).

Dan Cammish (NAPA Racing UK) and Rowbottom (Cataclean Plato Racing) rounded out the top ten.

There was sheer joy further down the order when Team VERTU's Nic Hamilton was confirmed as the Jack Sears Trophy winner for the Snetterton weekend.

It proved to be one of the loudest and most emotional podiums in memory with a huge cheering Nic onto the rostrum, as Shedden, Sutton and Ingram joined the crowd in front of the podium to cheer on the inspirational character.

Hamilton has already scored overall points this season – at Brands Hatch last time out and during yesterday's Qualifying Race – with his improved pace there for all to see, but this proved to be a huge reward for the tireless work, effort and spirit he has shown over the years.

It truly was one of the greatest BTCC moments in recent history and for him to be joined by three champions with nine titles between them made the occasion even more special.

Gordon Shedden, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport, said:

Ashley Sutton, NAPA Racing UK, said:

Nic Hamilton, Team VERTU, said:

Race 3 – Snetterton – Final Classification:

P/	No/	Name/	Entry/	Laps/	Time/	Gap/	Best/	On/
1	52	Gordon SHEDDEN	Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport	12	23:45.261		1:57.508	4
2	116	Ashley SUTTON	NAPA Racing UK	12	23:45.989	0.728	1:56.898	2
3	2	Daryl DE LEON	WSR	12	23:48.487	3.226	1:57.103	9
4	22	Chris SMILEY	Restart Racing	12	23:50.236	4.975	1:57.013	3
5	99	Charles RAINFORD	WSR	12	23:50.959	5.698	1:56.621	3
6	33	Adam MORGAN	Cataclean Plato Racing	12	23:52.206	6.945	1:57.632	4
7	3	Tom CHILTON	Team VERTU	12	23:52.354	7.093	1:57.561	8
8	80	Tom INGRAM	Team VERTU	12	23:56.184	10.923	1:56.781	4
9	27	Dan CAMMISH	NAPA Racing UK	12	23:57.017	11.756	1:57.620	2
10	32	Daniel ROWBOTTOM	Cataclean Plato Racing	12	23:57.755	12.494	1:58.121	3
11	88	Mikey DOBLE	LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing	12	23:59.642	14.381	1:58.275	4
12	50	Árón TAYLOR-SMITH	Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport	12	24:00.171	14.910	1:58.372	9
13	77	Sam OSBORNE	NAPA Racing UK	12	24:02.886	17.625	1:58.235	10
14	16	Aiden MOFFAT	LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing	12	24:02.921	17.660	1:58.380	3
15	66	Josh COOK	Speedworks Corolla Racing	12	24:04.157	18.896	1:58.353	3
16	28	Nicolas HAMILTON	Team VERTU	12	24:05.098	19.837	1:58.415	8
17	17	Dexter PATTERSON	Steel Seal with Power Maxed Racing	12	24:08.158	22.897	1:58.904	9
18	132	James DORLIN	Restart Racing	12	24:09.389	24.128	1:59.075	8
19	19	Max BUXTON	Speedworks Corolla Racing	12	24:09.988	24.727	1:58.570	7
20	15	Lewis SELBY	NAPA Racing UK	12	24:11.965	26.704	1:59.069	7
21	11	Ricky COLLARD	Team VERTU	12	24:13.969	28.708	1:58.344	4

NAPA Racing UK's Ash Sutton took victory in Round 8 of the 2026 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at Snetterton, asserting himself at the top of the standings with half of all victories so far this season.

Starting from tenth on the grid, the four-time champion ripped through the lower end of the top ten in the early running before he gradually hauled himself into a battle with team-mate Dan Cammish and Team VERTU's Ricky Collard.

Meanwhile, reigning champion Tom Ingram had made his way past the fading BMW's of Daryl De Leon and Charles Rainford with the Bavarian duo struggling slightly running on the Goodyear medium tyre as well as having a lack of available boost by virtue of their double podium in the earlier race.

Sutton saw off Cammish, Collard and both BMWs before setting his sights on attacking leader and old adversary Ingram, before drama struck the #80 Hyundai i30N.

Ingram locked up with what was later confirmed as an alternator failure, as he initially dropped down the pack before later retiring with the problem.

Sutton streaked clear for the win with the Team VERTU duo of Collard and the hard-charging Tom Chilton completing the podium.

Cammish held on to fourth from the Cataclean Plato Racing pair of Adam Morgan and Dan Rowbottom. Both Mercedes' drivers had shown solid pace during the bout and swapped positions late on when Rowbottom was slightly delayed with Ingram's retirement.

Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport's Gordon Shedden was seventh - winning the Independents' honours as well as scooping pole position for the reverse grid later today.

WSR's young guns Rainford and De Leon managed to score top ten finishes, as did Restart Racing's Chris Smiley.

Sutton was given a five second penalty post-race for his move by De Leon and Collard, but having won the contest by more than six seconds it did not affect the result.

Ash Sutton, NAPA Racing UK, said:

Ricky Collard, Team VERTU, said:

Tom Chilton, Team VERTU, said:

Race 2 - Snetterton - Final Classification:

P/	No/	Name/	Entry/	Laps/	Time/	Gap/	Best/	On/
1	116	Ashley SUTTON	NAPA Racing UK	12	23:47.495		1:56.481	4
2	11	Ricky COLLARD	Team VERTU	12	23:48.504	1.009	1:56.971	3
3	3	Tom CHILTON	Team VERTU	12	23:49.790	2.295	1:56.998	5
4	27	Dan CAMMISH	NAPA Racing UK	12	23:54.449	6.954	1:56.839	2
5	33	Adam MORGAN	Cataclean Plato Racing	12	23:57.401	9.906	1:57.369	3
6	32	Daniel ROWBOTTOM	Cataclean Plato Racing	12	23:58.437	10.942	1:57.713	2
7	52	Gordon SHEDDEN	Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport	12	23:58.624	11.129	1:57.713	3
8	99	Charles RAINFORD	WSR	12	23:59.991	12.496	1:57.822	3
9	22	Chris SMILEY	Restart Racing	12	24:00.108	12.613	1:58.047	4
10	2	Daryl DE LEON	WSR	12	24:01.542	14.047	1:57.759	3
11	15	Lewis SELBY	NAPA Racing UK	12	24:03.624	16.129	1:57.815	3
12	66	Josh COOK	Speedworks Corolla Racing	12	24:04.491	16.996	1:58.698	3
13	88	Mikey DOBLE	LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing	12	24:05.280	17.785	1:57.960	4
14	50	Árón TAYLOR-SMITH	Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport	12	24:07.327	19.832	1:58.310	4
15	16	Aiden MOFFAT	LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing	12	24:08.197	20.702	1:58.452	5
16	28	Nicolas HAMILTON	Team VERTU	12	24:09.250	21.755	1:58.751	7
17	77	Sam OSBORNE	NAPA Racing UK	12	24:09.800	22.305	1:58.704	6
18	19	Max BUXTON	Speedworks Corolla Racing	12	24:13.485	25.099	1:59.009	4
19	17	Dexter PATTERSON	Steel Seal with Power Maxed Racing	12	24:16.998	29.503	1:58.463	4
20	132	James DORLIN	Restart Racing	12	25:34.693	1m 47s 198ms	1:57.853	8
DNF	80	Tom INGRAM	Team VERTU	9	17:58.263	3 Laps	1:57.626	4

WSR's Charles Rainford took victory in Round 7 of the 2026 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at Snetterton, claiming his second career victory, as the Surrey-based squad saw two cars reach the rostrum.

Team VERTU's Tom Ingram took a lonely second, having got the better of Speedworks Corolla Racing's Josh Cook on the opening lap.

Cook couldn't hang on to second for the duration of the race as the hard charging second WSR BMW of Daryl De Leon fired his #2 machine onto the final step of the podium.

The young gun made his way up to fifth early on before getting stuck behind NAPA Racing UK's Dan Cammish for much of the contest, with the intense heat pushing the engines to the limit while following another car.

De Leon eventually made an impressive move and, in free air, immediately pulled away from the #27 Ford Focus Titanium and onto the back of Cook's #66 Toyota Corolla.

The Anglo-Filipino wasted little time in relinquishing Cook of third place as the Cambridge resident grabbed silverware at his home event.

Cook and Cammish claimed fourth and fifth respectively, whilst Dan Rowbottom rounded out the top six in his Cataclean Plato Racing Mercedes.

It was a Team VERTU double in seventh and eighth with Tom Chilton heading teammate Ricky Collard – the latter having improved from 12th on the grid.

James Dorlin (Restart Racing) and Ash Sutton (NAPA Racing UK) completed with the top positions, with the championship leader coming from the back of the grid on the Goodyear medium tyre compound.

Charles Rainford, WSR, said:

Tom Ingram, Team VERTU, said:

Daryl De Leon, WSR, said:

P/	No/	Name/	Entry/	Laps/	Time/	Gap/	Best/	On/
1	99	Charles RAINFORD	WSR	12	23:28.657		1:56.170	5
2	80	Tom INGRAM	Team VERTU	12	23:32.574	3.917	1:56.128	3
3	2	Daryl DE LEON	WSR	12	23:37.036	8.379	1:56.414	3
4	66	Josh COOK	Speedworks Corolla Racing	12	23:38.529	9.872	1:56.241	3
5	27	Dan CAMMISH	NAPA Racing UK	12	23:38.883	10.226	1:56.510	4
6	32	Daniel ROWBOTTOM	Cataclean Plato Racing	12	23:40.250	11.593	1:56.713	3
7	3	Tom CHILTON	Team VERTU	12	23:41.338	12.681	1:56.894	3
8	11	Ricky COLLARD	Team VERTU	12	23:43.496	14.839	1:56.859	3
9	132	James DORLIN	Restart Racing	12	23:44.931	16.274	1:56.937	3
10	77	Sam OSBORNE	NAPA Racing UK	12	23:48.154	19.497	1:57.315	3
11	116	Ashley SUTTON	NAPA Racing UK	12	23:49.451	20.794	1:57.519	4
12	33	Adam MORGAN	Cataclean Plato Racing	12	23:56.188	27.531	1:58.170	7
13	15	Lewis SELBY	NAPA Racing UK	12	23:57.413	28.756	1:58.033	12
14	52	Gordon SHEDDEN	Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport	12	24:04.907	36.250	1:58.683	5
15	88	Mikey DOBLE	LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing	12	24:05.421	36.764	1:58.560	4
16	22	Chris SMILEY	Restart Racing	12	24:05.620	36.963	1:58.579	3
17	17	Dexter PATTERSON	Steel Seal with Power Maxed Racing	12	24:06.429	37.772	1:58.771	5
18	28	Nicolas HAMILTON	Team VERTU	12	24:06.462	37.805	1:58.438	4
19	16	Aiden MOFFAT	LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing	12	24:10.781	42.124	1:58.803	3
20	50	Árón TAYLOR-SMITH	Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport	12	24:10.998	42.341	1:58.814	5
21	19	Max BUXTON	Speedworks Corolla Racing	12	24:12.297	43.640	1:59.008	3

More to follow...

All six different marques win in opening nine races of 2026

WSR’s Charles Rainford claimed victory in the Qualifying Race earlier today (23 May) as the BMW driver reigned supreme amidst scorching conditions at Snetterton.

Despite a frenetic start this particular 'Race to Pole' arguably proved to be the most routine so far as Rainford wrestled his way past pole sitter Tom Chilton on the opening tour.

Chilton’s #3 Team VERTU Hyundai tried to hold off the charging front-row starting BMW as the pair ran side-by-side for much of the early exchanges.

Rainford was briefly nudged wide onto the grass but the talented young gun held on and eventually completed the pass on the run through Williams.

The experienced Chilton was about to receive more blows as he was first handed a five-second penalty for starting out of position and was then shuffled further down the order on-track as a number of title protagonists nipped by.

Speedworks Corolla Racing's Josh Cook enjoyed a very strong second place as his team made some notable setup changes to his car following a difficult practice session earlier in the morning, whilst reigning champion Tom Ingram followed.

Ingram’s Team VERTU Hyundai was behind title rival Ash Sutton for much of the race before the standings leader exited stage left with a mechanical problem – incredibly making this two out of three Qualifying Races that Sutton's #116 Ford Focus has failed to finish.

NAPA Racing UK's Dan Cammish was fourth with Cataclean Plato Racing's Dan Rowbottom in fifth – his best finish since his 'Race to Pole' triumph in the season opener at Donington Park.

Daryl De Leon was sixth in the second WSR BMW while Adam Morgan provided another solid result for Cataclean Plato Racing in seventh.

The recovering Chilton, James Dorlin (Restart Racing) and Sam Osborne (NAPA Racing UK) completed the top ten positions.

Rainford's victory highlighted the ultra competitiveness of Britain's fiercest championship with ALL six marques having now won at least once from the opening nine races of the 2026 campaign.

Rounds 7, 8 and 9 of the 2026 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship take place at Snetterton tomorrow with the action getting underway in the UK on ITV4 from 10:45, with the races also being beamed around the world on Racer TV (North America) and the BTCC YouTube Channel (Rest of the World).

Charles Rainford, WSR, said: “We were in control and I wasn't going to do anything silly. I was waiting for the tyres to go off on the front-wheel drive cars and that happened about halfway through so I’m very happy with that – let's try and repeat that tomorrow. I sat down with my engineer Dan [Millard] after practice and was like ‘right, how do we turn this around?’ and we've come together with a rocket ship, so I think it's going to be car cover on tonight, don't touch it, and away we go tomorrow.”

Qualifying Race – Snetterton – Final Classification:

P/	No/	Name/	Entry/	Laps/	Time/	Gap/	Best/	On/
1	99	Charles RAINFORD	WSR	8	15:42.814		1:56.212	3
2	66	Josh COOK	Speedworks Corolla Racing	8	15:44.805	1.991	1:56.692	3
3	80	Tom INGRAM	Team VERTU	8	15:46.656	3.842	1:56.936	2
4	27	Dan CAMMISH	NAPA Racing UK	8	15:47.119	4.305	1:56.942	2
5	32	Daniel ROWBOTTOM	Cataclean Plato Racing	8	15:48.932	6.118	1:56.933	2
6	2	Daryl DE LEON	WSR	8	15:49.066	6.252	1:56.981	6
7	33	Adam MORGAN	Cataclean Plato Racing	8	15:52.036	9.222	1:57.283	3
8	3	Tom CHILTON	Team VERTU	8	15:52.351	9.537	1:56.645	2
9	132	James DORLIN	Restart Racing	8	15:52.501	9.687	1:57.396	6
10	77	Sam OSBORNE	NAPA Racing UK	8	15:54.270	11.456	1:57.340	3
11	17	Dexter PATTERSON	Steel Seal with Power Maxed Racing	8	15:56.490	13.676	1:57.520	3
12	11	Ricky COLLARD	Team VERTU	8	15:56.625	13.811	1:57.341	3
13	52	Gordon SHEDDEN	Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport	8	15:57.403	14.589	1:57.576	3
14	22	Chris SMILEY	Restart Racing	8	15:57.719	14.905	1:57.469	7
15	88	Mikey DOBLE	LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing	8	16:00.004	17.190	1:57.675	7
16	28	Nicolas HAMILTON	Team VERTU	8	16:00.588	17.774	1:57.610	4
17	15	Lewis SELBY	NAPA Racing UK	8	16:02.383	19.569	1:57.601	4
18	19	Max BUXTON	Speedworks Corolla Racing	8	16:18.751	35.937	1:58.766	7
19	50	Árón TAYLOR-SMITH	Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport	7	16:14.478	1 Lap	1:58.382	2
DNF	16	Aiden MOFFAT	LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing	7	13:55.602	1 Lap	1:57.426	4
DNF	116	Ashley SUTTON	NAPA Racing UK	4	15:07.218	4 Laps	1:57.301	2

More to follow...

NAPA Racing UK's Dan Cammish led the way during Free Practice at Snetterton as the multiple race winner looks to get his title challenge back on track in Norfolk this weekend.

After a similarly tricky start to his 2025 campaign, Cammish went on to score pole position and a race one win around the 2.97-mile Snetterton 300 layout, and the Yorkshireman will be hoping for a similar return this time around.

Championship leader Ash Sutton held second for much of the session before he was relegated down the order to sixth late on by the Team VERTU pairing of Tom Ingram and Tom Chilton, as well as the PMR-run Audi of Dexter Patterson and Cataclean Plato Racing's Dan Rowbottom.

Restart Racing's Chris Smiley and James Dorlin were also inside the top ten with the Scottish duo of Gordon Shedden (Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport) and Aiden Moffat (LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing) wedged between them on the timesheets.

The session was extended to one hour by the organisers ahead of the weekend with teams being given an extra 20 minutes to familiarise themselves with a change over in brake pad material. There was one brief stoppage during the session when debris needed to be removed from the track.

After Free Practice, the finishing order is split into two groups, odd-finishing-numbers (Group 1) and even-finishing-numbers (Group 2), for 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 8-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!

Dan Cammish said:

Free Practice – Snetterton – Final Classification:

P/	No/	Name/	Entry/	Laps/	Time/	Gap/	On/
1	27	Dan CAMMISH	NAPA Racing UK	20	1:55.066		19
2	80	Tom INGRAM	Team VERTU	18	1:55.391	0.325	17
3	3	Tom CHILTON	Team VERTU	20	1:55.434	0.368	20
4	17	Dexter PATTERSON	Steel Seal with Power Maxed Racing	21	1:55.494	0.428	18
5	32	Daniel ROWBOTTOM	Cataclean Plato Racing	20	1:55.609	0.543	18
6	116	Ashley SUTTON	NAPA Racing UK	22	1:55.646	0.580	7
7	22	Chris SMILEY	Restart Racing	19	1:55.678	0.612	16
8	52	Gordon SHEDDEN	Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport	16	1:55.742	0.676	15
9	16	Aiden MOFFAT	LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing	20	1:55.799	0.733	19
10	132	James DORLIN	Restart Racing	20	1:56.064	0.998	20
11	33	Adam MORGAN	Cataclean Plato Racing	20	1:56.095	1.029	19
12	99	Charles RAINFORD	WSR	22	1:56.227	1.161	20
13	77	Sam OSBORNE	NAPA Racing UK	22	1:56.281	1.215	19
14	88	Mikey DOBLE	LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing	19	1:56.312	1.246	18
15	15	Lewis SELBY	NAPA Racing UK	22	1:56.553	1.487	14
16	2	Daryl DE LEON	WSR	19	1:56.569	1.503	18
17	11	Ricky COLLARD	Team VERTU	22	1:56.571	1.505	21
18	28	Nicolas HAMILTON	Team VERTU	21	1:56.751	1.685	18
19	66	Josh COOK	Speedworks Corolla Racing	16	1:56.905	1.839	4
20	50	Árón TAYLOR-SMITH	Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport	12	1:57.154	2.088	7
21	19	Max BUXTON	Speedworks Corolla Racing	18	1:58.744	3.678	7

Team VERTU will look to add to its collection of silverware in the 2026 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship when the series heads for Snetterton this weekend for the third meeting of the year.
 
The EXCELR8-run team makes the trip to Norfolk on the back of a strong showing at Brands Hatch last time out, where Tom Ingram bagged his first victory of the campaign and team-mate Ricky Collard also visited the podium.
 
It means Team VERTU has scored six podium finishes already as it now returns to the venue where the Hyundai i30 Fastback N became a BTCC winner for the first time back in 2021 - with Ingram’s win last time out being the 33^rd time that the team has taken victory.
 
Ingram heads into the weekend having now moved up into second place in the championship standings, with long-time rival Ash Sutton the only driver ahead of him in the points.
 
Heading to the longest circuit on the BTCC calendar, Ingram will hope to add to his own impressive Snetterton record of twelve career podium finishes to close the gap at the top as he seeks to defend his title.
 
Tom Chilton suffered another challenging weekend at Brands Hatch after incidents not of his making on both Saturday and Sunday hampered his chances of challenging for a first podium finish of the campaign.
 
A strong drive through the field in the opening race showed his potential however, with the most experienced racer in the field now hoping for a trouble-free weekend to start his climb up the championship standings.
 
Series returnee Collard maintained his impressive start to the season at Brands Hatch, scoring podium finishes in the opening two races of the weekend to briefly move up to second in the standings.
 
An unfortunate retirement in race three means he has slipped to fourth in the points race, but will hope to add to his record of three podium finishes already this year to strengthen his own championship challenge.
 
Nicolas Hamilton meanwhile goes into event three buoyed by a first points finish of the season last time out, where he secured the second best result of his BTCC career to date and came close to picking up the bonus point for fastest lap.
 
The aim of the game for Hamilton is to keep developing as he looks to move a step closer to his seasonal goal of pushing for silverware in the Jack Sears Trophy - the competition open to those drivers in the field who have yet to score more than one podium finish in the championship.
 
Action this weekend gets underway with free practice at 10:30 on Saturday before qualifying and the qualifying race follow on from 14:00 – with the latter two sessions airing live on YouTube.
 
Sunday’s three races on ITV4 are scheduled for 11:30, 14:30 and 17:20.
 
Tom Chilton, #3 Team Vertu Hyundai i30 Fastback N, said:
“Luck really hasn’t been on my side so far this season and I don’t think the results so far are in any way a true reflection of our pace. We’ve got caught up in other people’s incidents on more than one occasion, and have been in the wrong place at the wrong time – but hopefully my bad luck is now firmly behind me!
 
“The saving grace of a difficult start is that I’ll be taking a decent amount of turbo boost into Snetterton, which can only help around such a long lap. The first goal is to stay out of trouble and avoid any drama, but having scored a podium at Snetterton last year, I’d love a repeat this time around.”
 
Ricky Collard, #12 Team Vertu Hyundai i30 Fastback N, said:
“It’s been a fantastic start to the season for me, and the only real disappointment is that we missed out on a hat-trick of podium finishes at Brands Hatch because it really looked like it was on!
 
“Going into the third round of the year sitting fourth in the points wasn’t something I was expecting when I only got into the car for the first time during the season launch, and my focus now is on trying to at least maintain that position this weekend.
 
“I’m absolutely loving driving this car and with the support of the team behind me, I’m confident of fighting for some more trophies in the three races.”
 
Nicolas Hamilton, #28 Team Vertu Hyundai i30 Fastback N, said:
“Scoring my first points of the season at Brands Hatch was a real positive this early in the season, and I was pleased with the pace I displayed in really tricky conditions.
 
“I feel I was able to take a step forward compared to the opening round, and the goal as I head to Snetterton is to keep developing and moving forwards as I look to challenge for more points finishes.
 
“Snetterton is a totally different kind of circuit but like Brands Hatch, is one where I have been able to drive the Hyundai before during the off-season. I hope to hit the ground running in practice, and three solid results this weekend would be fantastic.”
 
Tom Ingram, #80 Team Vertu Hyundai i30 Fastback N, said:
“We’ve had a challenging start to the season, certainly more challenging than we expected, but we still head into the weekend sitting second in the standings on the back of the win at Brands Hatch.
 
“There is no doubting the fact that we have a very quick car, but we’ve had some bad luck in the opening rounds that leaves us playing catch-up a little bit in the points. However, there is still a lot of racing to come and we all know how quickly things can change, so it’s important we just focus on ourselves and make sure we maximise every session.
 
“Moving up into second place does mean we are going to be hampered by the boost rules on Saturday but we know how strong the Hyundai is around Snetterton and I’m hopeful of a solid weekend with plenty of points.”   
 
Justina Williams, Team VERTU Team Owner, said:
“Snetterton has traditionally been a happy hunting ground for us as a team, and hopefully that will be true again this weekend. Although we’ve had some mixed results so far, all four drivers have shown that they have the pace and the aim this weekend is to maximise that and deliver some strong results across the board.”

Power Maxed Racing has confirmed Cosworth as Official Electronics Partner for the PM1 Junior Championship.

Cosworth will supply the control electronics package across the new junior racing platform, introducing a level of data capability typically associated with higher tiers of motorsport into a controlled, cost-focused environment.

Every car will run the same Cosworth electronics system, ensuring consistency across the grid while giving drivers accurate and detailed performance data from every session.

Data captured through the Cosworth electronics package can be fed directly into the simulator, allowing drivers to recreate genuine race weekend conditions with a high degree of accuracy. This includes braking traces, throttle application, steering inputs, gear usage, and engine performance.

• Drivers can use the data to practise and refine their performance in a realistic simulator environment.

• Engineers can validate setup changes and compare driver performance using the same datasets.

• Teams can model alternative scenarios, turning every on-track lap into useful development time away from the circuit.

The intention is to create a more structured development pathway, where learning continues after leaving the track. It also reduces reliance on additional track time, giving drivers more opportunity to improve in a controlled and cost-efficient way.

The Cosworth partnership ensures equal performance across the grid, consistent and reliable data for every driver, and early exposure to the systems and processes used in higher levels of professional motorsport.

“Our expanded partnership with Power Maxed Racing marks a significant step forward, for both of our organisations as well as the wider development of drivers, teams, and engineers across professional motorsport. By extending our relationship beyond BTCC, we are creating a structured pathway built on world-class electronics solutions that will shape the future of the sport” said Paul Newby, Managing Director Cosworth Electronics.

Introducing this level of electronics and data capability into a junior championship reflects the direction modern motorsport is moving in, where data analysis plays an increasingly important role alongside on-track performance.

Despite working with a leading motorsport supplier, the championship remains focused on accessibility, with car pricing competitively positioned at £74,995 + VAT.

However, an initial allocation of ten cars will be available at £69,995 + VAT, supported by a £5,000 sponsorship contribution from car care brand Power Maxed, in return for brand presence on the allocated cars.The running costs for an entire season will be approximately £85,000 per annum, to include 30 races across ten race weekends and ten test days, alongside the BTCC at all rounds.

Register Your Interest

Teams and drivers who want to be first to receive updates, technical specifications, test dates, and launch event invitations can now register their interest at PowerMaxedRacing.com by completing the online form. Early registrants will receive priority access to:

● PM1 technical specifications

● Test schedule release

● Driver and team package details

● Launch event invitations

● Championship sponsorship opportunities

● Allocation of the available PM1 cars

● Early-bird car purchase discount (Power Maxed sponsor contribution)

Speedworks Corolla Racing heads to Snetterton this coming weekend determined to continue its upward trajectory in the 2026 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, as the Cheshire-based outfit looks to translate encouraging pace and development into strong championship results.

Following promising performances during the opening rounds of the campaign, the team arrives at the fast and flowing Norfolk circuit optimistic about the potential of the Toyota Corolla GR Sport around one of the championship’s most demanding layouts.

Renowned for its long straights, heavy braking zones and technical final sector, Snetterton presents a unique challenge for both drivers and engineers. Achieving the right balance between straight-line speed, stability and tyre management will be critical across the weekend’s three races.

Encouragingly, Speedworks Corolla Racing has continued to demonstrate increasingly competitive race pace throughout the early stages of the season, with Josh Cook regularly fighting amongst the frontrunners and showing the outright speed required to challenge towards the sharp end of the grid.

Cook heads to Snetterton aiming to convert that pace into silverware, with the experienced campaigner eager to maximise the potential of the Corolla package around a circuit that traditionally rewards commitment and confidence.

Meanwhile, rookie Max Buxton continues to make steady progress during his debut BTCC campaign. Having gained further valuable experience during the previous rounds, the focus remains firmly on building consistency, refining race craft and continuing his development against one of the most competitive touring car grids in the world.

With confidence growing inside the camp and valuable lessons continuing to be learned each weekend, Speedworks Corolla Racing arrives at Snetterton fully focused on delivering another step forward in performance and results.

Christian Dick, Team Principal, Speedworks Corolla Racing, said: “Every weekend so far this season we’ve seen encouraging signs in terms of pace, teamwork and overall development, and that gives us a lot of confidence heading into Snetterton. The championship is incredibly competitive, so extracting every detail from the package is crucial, but we feel we’re continuing to move in the right direction.”

“Snetterton is always a demanding circuit because it asks a lot of the car in different areas of the lap. We’ve worked hard between rounds to continue refining the Corolla, and we’re excited to see what we can achieve this weekend.”

Josh Cook, Driver, Speedworks Corolla Racing, said: “We’ve shown strong pace at points already this season, so the focus now is on putting together a complete weekend and turning that into the results we know are possible.”

“Snetterton is a circuit I enjoy and one where confidence in the car can make a big difference. Qualifying will be important as always, but other elements are going to play a huge role too.”

“The team has been working extremely hard behind the scenes, and I’m feeling positive about the direction we’re heading. Hopefully we can reward that effort with some strong results this weekend.”

Max Buxton, Driver, Speedworks Corolla Racing, said: “Every round so far has been another big learning experience for me, and I feel like I’m continuing to grow in confidence and understanding with each weekend.”

“Brands Hatch qualifying was a good step forward, so I’ll be keen to keep that trend going. However, Snetterton is another new challenge in a BTCC car, particularly with how technical the circuit is and how competitive the racing always becomes there. The goal is to keep building session by session, continue improving and join towards the midfield battles.”

“I’m really enjoying working with the team and learning from everyone around me. Hopefully we can continue making solid progress throughout the weekend.”

Fresh from a front-row start at Brands Hatch, WSR continue their challenge for the 2026 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship as the series moves to its most easterly venue, Snetterton, this weekend.
 
The 18-time series champions head to East Anglia following a podium finish for Charles Rainford at the Donington Park opener and a star performance in qualifying from Daryl De Leon at Brands Hatch; their BMW 330i M Sports looking ideally suited to the demands of the 2.97-mile circuit.
 
De Leon, currently third in the Independent Drivers’ standings, won the Jack Sears Trophy class in the first of three races at Snetterton last year, and the circuit was also the scene of his first BTCC top-10 finish in 2024.
 
Snetterton is the local circuit for the Anglo-Filipino, who lives near Cambridge, and who can expect a big cheer from his local fanbase at the track.
 
The #2 arrives in strong form, having taken third place in qualifying and second in the Qualifying Race at Brands Hatch, to secure a front-row start for Sunday’s opener, and then added a season’s-best fourth in a dramatic finale.
 
For team-mate Rainford, Snetterton was the scene of an overall Jack Sears Trophy ‘round win’ in what was only his third-ever BTCC weekend a year ago. The Horsham racer also bagged a pair of outright top-10 finishes.
 
WSR’s Snetterton record is a strong one with four pole positions and eight wins - including one-two results in 2022 and ‘24 - in the past seven years.

Daryl DeLeon, WSR, said: “I’m looking forward to racing in front of my home crowd and I hope the local support will be as good as in previous years. What’s great about Snetterton is that from the exit of turn two through to braking zone for turn six, you’re in this big bowl with spectators packing the banking on race day, so you feel a bit of the atmosphere in the car. Brands Hatch went really well from a speed point of view, and had Sunday been fully dry, I think two podiums were easily achievable – we were just undone by the weather. I think we’ll be just as competitive this weekend.”
 
Charles Rainford, WSR, said: “Brands Hatch was tough from the get-go, which we knew would be the case because we were so heavily restricted on boost, due to being second in the points. We’re in a very different situation now with the maximum use of the TOCA Turbo Boost, which should mean we have the best conditions possible to be on the pace as soon as we head out for practice. I’ll be aiming for pole and victory at a track where the BMW has done that time and time again.”
 
Dick Bennetts, Team Principal, said: “We expected Brands Hatch to be one of our strongest weekends of the year, but instead the weather on Sunday played against the strengths of our cars and we didn’t score as well as we’d hoped. That makes it doubly important that we maximise our potential this weekend. The BMW has been a strong package here for the past five or six years, mainly due to its excellent handling through the long, medium-speed corners so we’ll be looking to get both drivers onto the podium.”

Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport continues to gather momentum as the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship returns to action at Snetterton this weekend (23/24 May).

Mark Blundell’s outfit makes the journey to the 2.97-mile Norfolk circuit in buoyant form after scoring its first victory of the 2026 season last time out at Brands Hatch, courtesy of fan favourite Árón Taylor-Smith.

The Irishman delivered a masterclass in the second round of the weekend, extracting grip from the slick Goodyear tyres despite rainfall to storm through the field from 13th on the grid to the top step of the podium and secure his first win in the BTCC in a decade. 

The race pace of the team’s Corolla GR Sport challengers was reinforced by three-time champion Gordon Shedden on the other side of the garage, as “Flash” recovered from contact that ended his chances earlier in the day to drive through the field in Race 3.

Starting on the back row, the 53-time race winner put every ounce of his experience and racecraft to good effect, rising through the field to take the chequered flag on the cusp of the top six, fuelling optimism for this weekend’s triple header of action-packed contests. 

Results at Brands Hatch have put Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport in the top three of both the Overall and Independent Teams' Championships, with Taylor-Smith and Shedden making a similarly positive impression in the Drivers’ stakes.

Further inroads in each championship are the objective for this weekend, as the team continues to develop and make progress with the performance of its striking blue and chrome, Laser Tools-backed Corolla challengers.

An ever-present on the BTCC schedule for over 50 years, Snetterton offers something of an all-round challenge for the teams and drivers, with high-speed straights and slower, more technical infield sections.

It’s a circuit that holds plenty of fond memories across the team, for between Shedden, Taylor-Smith and Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport, Snetterton has yielded a total of 9 BTCC race wins and a further 12 podium finishes over the years. 

Following an extended, one-hour practice session (Sat, 10:30), the all-important Qualifying Groups (Sat, 14:00) and Qualifying Race (Sat, 15:05) will set the grid for Sunday’s action, in front of an expected capacity trackside crowd, plus millions more at home on ITV4. Sunday’s races are scheduled for 11:30, 14:30 and 17:20, respectively.

Árón Taylor-Smith (#50) said: “Our tails are most definitely up heading to Snetterton, after such a positive result at Brands Hatch. If I’m honest, it still hasn’t entirely sunk in yet, but to have a win so early in the season has been a massive boost for the whole team.

“Snetterton’s been a happy hunting ground for me in the past, with a win and a few podiums. I know it suits my driving style, so the crucial element is to get the car in a window to allow me to go out and maximise everything.

“It’s a circuit where you can make quite a bit of difference as a driver, so it’s a good thing we’re arriving in good form, with confidence up, and we can have a real crack at it.”

Gordon Shedden (#52) said: “I’m excited to get going at Snetterton, off the back of a real rollercoaster at Brands; I think we had enough bad luck to last a season, so I’m looking forward to a new weekend, fresh slate and the opportunity to go out and show what the Corolla can do, as we did in Race 3.

“Snetterton’s a very different challenge - the long straights can be a bit punishing, but the technical sections really play to the car’s strengths, so we should be in the mix and able to bring back another decent haul of points.

“The team definitely has a bit of momentum at the moment, so we’ll be looking to keep that going, and see where we end up.”

Mark Blundell, Sporting Director at Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport, said: “It’s been great to see the lift in team morale since Brands Hatch. Everyone’s had a just reward for their hard work and efforts so far, but we know we have a way to go in developing the Corolla to its full potential, so we can’t afford to ease up.

“Snetterton is an altogether different challenge to Brands; we perhaps don’t quite have the straightline speed of some of the other cars, but we have an excellent chassis, and this is a circuit where the driver can make a real difference, so we’re well-placed with the second most-experienced pairing on the grid in our garage.

“The important thing is to demonstrate we are still making steps in the right direction, and that should put us in the mix to score another good haul of points this weekend.”