TOCA – organiser of the BTCC – has confirmed plans to welcome an all-new Junior championship to its popular support package from 2027.

Having ended its association with the previously proposed organisers and following the review of expressions of interest, TOCA has today (17 September) announced that Power Maxed Racing will be designing, developing and building the all-new fully bespoke car. 

Sister company, Power Maxed Motorsport, will undertake all aspects of the new programme, including the role of championship promoter.

The full specifications of the car and details of the championship (including the championship name) will be released over the coming months and has already received outline approval for 2027 by MSUK, subject to the normal final ratification process. The cars will be designed and built to significantly exceed the current stringent safety standards, for racing by junior drivers from the age of 14.

All races will take place on the support bill to the BTCC, ensuring that young drivers, teams and all stakeholders benefit from the huge public trackside audience, as well as the substantial and unrivalled media and television coverage.

Power Maxed Racing has become one of the BTCC’s most popular and much-admired teams over the last decade, securing overall race wins and podiums as well as many Independent victories and titles.

The experienced outfit claimed the Independent Drivers’, Independent Teams’ and Jack Sears Trophy honours in 2024, and is bidding to retain that Drivers’ title in 2025 with Mikey Doble. 

Although its BTCC facility recently experienced a devastating fire, the Junior programme was always going to be based off-site in a totally separate facility, so the fire has no real impact on this project.

Power Maxed Racing is now in the final design process of the car ahead of a thorough test and build programme next year.

Alan Gow, BTCC Chief Executive, said: “We are pleased to announce the introduction of a dedicated Junior championship within the BTCC package, commencing in 2027.

“Having received expressions of interest it was clear that Power Maxed Racing were best placed to independently develop, build and supply the bespoke car for this exciting new championship. 

“We look forward to sharing these plans as the programme progresses. We remain committed to creating the ideal and highest profile stepping stone for emerging talent and supporting the UK’s ongoing legacy of producing top level racing drivers.”

Adam Weaver, Power Maxed Managing Director, said: “This is fantastic news, and we are proud to be producing a bespoke car for a new Junior championship on the TOCA package from 2027.

“Having been closely involved in all levels of British motorsport, we know what is needed for a successful Junior programme and PMR obviously possess the high-level of design and engineering expertise to build an outstanding car. 

“This marks the early phases of this exciting development as shown by this initial render image of the car, and we look forward to sharing further information and updates with interested parties and the public in the coming weeks and months."

Max Buxton is looking to make his mark inside the points-paying positions this weekend (20-21 September) as the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship takes centre stage at Silverstone.

The world-famous Northamptonshire venue is the setting for the penultimate event of the 2025 season, and it’s a circuit that the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA driver is hoping will yield his best showing to date.

Buxton made his debut in the UK’s premier motorsport series at Croft last month and made an instant impression as he finished on the fringes of the top ten. From there, the 20-year-old then enjoyed strong outings in both subsequent events at Knockhill and Donington Park.

Now having had the benefit of taking stock of how far his development has accelerated in recent weeks, Buxton is relishing the prospect of taking on the 1.64-mile National circuit.

The Lancastrian has reason to be confident too, with Silverstone having been a happy hunting ground for the Speedworks Motorsport-prepared Toyota Corolla GR Sport down the years, with the ‘hot hatch’ notching up no fewer than five victories and five further podium finishes.

Max Buxton said: “I’ve had a few weeks to refresh and reflect on what was a busy debut month and now I’m more than ready to get back to the action; and to do so at a place like Silverstone is extra special.

“The little break since Donington Park has allowed me to work with the team to see what we did and didn’t do well over recent rounds and that’s been really productive. We’ve been moving in the right direction and the aim is to continue that momentum at Silverstone.

“Given the nature of the National circuit, I know I’m in for a busy race day as the racing is so close. The Toyota Corolla has a strong record there and with the maximum amount of boost available to me, I’m optimistic we can be in for a strong three races.

“As always, building up that bank of knowledge and experiences remains the ultimate goal however I’d love to get back in the points this weekend. Both me and the team will certainly be giving our all to do just that!”

The weekend’s track action at Silverstone will see two free practice sessions play out on Saturday before qualifying gets underway at 15:30. Sunday sees a trio of races take place at 11:30, 14:40 and 17:10 respectively; with all three contests being broadcast live on ITV4 and ITVX in the UK, the Racer Network in North America and on the BTCC YouTube Channel anywhere else in the world.

With just two weekends remaining in the 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, the battles within the championship’s competitions are set to intensify.

The Jack Sears Trophy fight is shaping up as a two-horse race between two stablemates, while the Drivers’ Standings leader has shown his pace and has edged clear in the Goodyear Wingfoot Award thanks to another season of standout qualifying performances.

As the margins tighten and every point proves crucial, the stage is set for another heart-racing conclusion to the year, kicking off at Silverstone (20-21 September).

Jack Sears Trophy: DeLeon Leads The Charge

Daryl DeLeon has established himself as the man to beat in the Jack Sears Trophy, leading WSR stablemate Charles Rainford by 14 points with 369 on the board. The Anglo-Filipino driver's eight wins and seven second places demonstrate the kind of pace and consistency that wins championships in only his second full season of BTCC racing.

Rainford, on 355 points, has kept the pressure on throughout with four victories of his own, while Sam Osborne (324 points) remains within mathematical striking distance thanks to his five wins this term.

Goodyear Wingfoot Award: Ingram's Qualifying Mastery

Ingram has risen to the top in the Goodyear Wingfoot Award this season, building a commanding 14-point lead over Cammish’s 118 points through his qualifying excellence.

The Team VERTU man's pole positions at Croft and Oulton Park, along with front row starts at Snetterton, Thruxton, Knockhill and Donington Park GP, are all a part of an ever-impressive run that has seen Ingram in every Quick Six session so far in 2025, showcasing the pace that has made him such a qualifying specialist.

Also filling the #80 with confidence will be that the 2022 champion and the Hyundai i30 N took pole position and two race wins at the very same circuit one year ago. 

With momentum shifting between contenders and margins razor-thin across multiple championships, the final two weekends promise to deliver championship entertainment worthy of the BTCC's unpredictable, edge-of-the-seat action.

As the 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship heads into its final two weekends, the Independents’ categories remain an important part of the season story. Both the Drivers’ and Teams’ championships have delivered standout performances, and the next two events will decide who takes the honours.

Independent Drivers': Three-Way Title Tussle

The Independent Drivers' Championship represents the closest fight of all, with just three points covering the top three. Mikey Doble leads on 324 points, followed by Daniel Lloyd on 322 and Chris Smiley on 321 – margins so tight that anything out of the ordinary could drastically swing the championship.

Doble's five wins have given him the slenderest of advantages, but Lloyd's six victories and Smiley's nine wins prove all three have the pace to take the crown. Doble, the reigning Jack Sears Trophy Champion, switching cars after Croft due to the team’s unfortunate facility fire, will not hamper the Motor Parts Direct with Power Maxed Racing’s spirit as the #88 will battle against the outright speed of the Hyundai i30 N. Next up is Silverstone, a circuit where Doble has been a standout in his first two BTCC campaigns.

Independent Teams': Restart Racing In Command

Restart Racing holds a more comfortable 92-point advantage over Motor Parts Direct with Power Maxed Racing in the Independent Teams' battle, leading 428 to 336.

While this gap provides some breathing room, both teams know that consistency over the final six races will be crucial. The current leaders are looking to replicate the past six races with six to go, as they have won six from six across Knockhill and Donington Park GP.

With titles on the line, the Independents will once again play a central role in the conclusion of the 2025 campaign. The battles for both the Drivers’ and Teams’ crowns will be settled across the final six races, with everything still all to play for.

All competing in the Independents' and the entire 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship grid head to Silverstone (20-21 September) for the penultimate, action-packed race weekend of the year.

With the 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship heading into its climactic final two weekends, multiple title fights are reaching fever pitch across every category. From the main championship to the supporting trophies, barely a handful of points separate the contenders in what promises to be one of the most entertaining season ends in BTCC history.

Over the next few days, we will look at all of the title battles, beginning with the Teams’ and Manufacturers’/Constructors’ Championships…

Teams' Championship: Two-Point Thriller

Team VERTU holds a slender two-point advantage over NAPA Racing UK in the Teams' Championship, with 642 points to their rivals' 640. This knife-edge battle has been brewing all season, with both squads trading blows weekend after weekend.

Team VERTU's outright speed has been its calling card, continually being the pacesetters all season, while NAPA Racing UK has shown flashes of superior consistency that have kept them right in the hunt, a complete switch of how the teams have competed in recent years.

LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR sits third on 360 points, but its focus will be on securing that final podium spot rather than challenging the leading duo.

Manufacturers'/Constructors’ Championship: Historic One-Point Fight

The Manufacturers'/Constructors’ Championship tells an even more incredible story, with Alliance Racing/Ford leading EXCELR8 Motorsport/Hyundai by just a single point – 698 to 697.

This unprecedented margin represents one of the closest manufacturer battles in BTCC history. Alliance Racing's early-season strength has been gradually eroded by Hyundai's relentless pursuit, with the Droitwich-based squad showing particularly strong form in recent rounds.

BMW sits third on 537 points, while Toyota trails in fourth with recent engine penalties hampering its campaign.

With 24 of 30 races completed and just six races remaining, the 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship is building to a thrilling crescendo as the series prepares for its penultimate event at the Silverstone National Circuit in just over a week (20/21 September).

Drivers' Championship - Ingram Extends His Lead

The battle for the coveted BTCC crown has crystallised into a compelling two-horse race between championship protagonists Tom Ingram and Ashley Sutton, with the latest race weekend at Donington Park GP pivotal in the title fight.

Ingram has emerged as the man in form, extending his championship advantage following a masterful weekend at Donington Park GP. The Team VERTU driver now leads the standings with 377 points, having built a 32-point cushion over his closest rival. The 2022 champion's consistency and racecraft have been the hallmarks of his campaign, with his ability to extract maximum points across a full race day setting him apart from the chasing pack.

Sutton remains very much in the hunt with 345 points, and the NAPA Racing UK star will be determined to close the gap heading into the business end of the season. Despite trailing Ingram, Sutton's championship pedigree and proven ability to perform under pressure make him a formidable opponent, not forgetting that a title triumph would make the #116 the most decorated BTCC driver of all time.

Coming away from the Leicestershire-based circuit, the championship leader is one podium away from his personal single-season record (17), whilst four behind the all-time single-season record of 20, set by his title rival Sutton in 2023.

In terms of points, Ingram sits only 17 off of his title-winning season total of 394, and 23 points behind his personal single-season record of 400 (2023). With 134 points still on offer, the #80 is 69 points behind the all-time single-season record, once again held by title rival Sutton with 446 in 2023.

The gap between first and second may seem significant, but with the TOCA Turbo Boost regulations and the unpredictable nature of the BTCC, nothing is decided yet. Both drivers know that a single incident or mechanical failure could dramatically alter the championship picture.

Behind the leading duo, Dan Cammish occupies third place with 264 points, celebrating his 200th BTCC race in style with victory in round 23 last time out at Donington Park GP. Daniel Rowbottom holds fourth with 248 points, whose career win total has increased by 150% this season, while Jake Hill, last year's champion, sits fifth on 225 points.

Donington Park GP - The Latest Chapter

The most recent round at Donington Park GP (30-31 August) proved to be a significant weekend in the championship narrative. Team VERTU’s Ingram celebrated a successful weekend that saw him and teammate Tom Chilton bag the team’s sixth and seventh wins of the 2025 season.

The weekend produced classic BTCC racing, with Cammish taking a fantastic victory in Round 23 as he marked his 200th BTCC race in memorable fashion. The contest was notable for one of the most bizarre moments of the season when a flash downpour struck late in race two. Many of the race leaders shot through the gravel and grass on the exit of McLeans with only two laps to go, giving us one of the sights of the season.

Team VERTU's double delight at Donington has strengthened its position at the top of the championship standings, with the EXCELR8-run team looking increasingly confident as they hope to win both the Drivers' and Teams' championships.

Looking Ahead to Silverstone

As the championship heads to Silverstone for Rounds 25, 26, and 27, both Ingram and Sutton know that the next weekend could prove decisive. With just six races remaining, every point will be crucial in this absorbing title fight.

Silverstone's high-speed nature and multiple overtaking opportunities promise to deliver the kind of spectacular racing that BTCC fans have come to expect. For the 2022 Champion, maintaining his points advantage will be key, while the four-time champion needs to start chipping away at the deficit if he's to mount a successful title challenge.

The stage is set for what promises to be a thrilling climax to the 2025 BTCC season, with Ingram holding the advantage but Sutton refusing to give up the fight. With the championship still mathematically open and the unpredictable nature of touring car racing, anything could happen in the final six races of what has been a captivating season to date.

WSR’s Daryl DeLeon scored his second Jack Sears Trophy event win of the 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship after a sensational day of racing at Donington Park (30/31 August).

A perfect 60 points from the 60 available helped the BMW 330i M Sport driver to an increased series advantage with just six races remaining in the season.

The Anglo-Filipino was shuffled back from fourth place to 13th on the opening lap of the opening bout and finished 11th, but showed superb form in race two as he climbed the order to fifth.

Saving his mandatory use of the series’ hard-compound Goodyear tyre until the last race of the day, the #2 came home ninth to increase his Jack Sears Trophy advantage to 14 points over WSR stablemate Charles Rainford.

Reigning champion Jake Hill scored his best result of the day with fifth in race three. The Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport driver being able to do this on the hard tyre continued to show the recent improvement in form and speed of the BMW in recent rounds.

The Kent-racer was sixth and ninth in the earlier two exchanges; the #1 was one of the many drivers caught out by the rain shower at McLeans after making several carefully executed passing moves to climb the order.

LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR drivers Rainford and Aiden Moffat qualified on the eighth row after experiencing misfortunes in qualifying and opted to use the hard tyre in the opening race with the aim of moving forward as the day went on.

The duo showed strong pace on the less-favourable rubber to finish 13th and 15th, but both suffered on the stronger medium tyre in race two; Moffat, the unfortunate passenger, was hit into the gravel on the first lap, with Rainford also spinning in the damp in the closing laps.

While the #16 staged a magnificent recovery from 20th to 11th, despite a damaged car, the #99’s incident dropped him to 17th. The duo were 10th and 13th in the finale with Moffat once again having an off-track trip.

Daryl DeLeon, WSR, said: “I’m really pleased. Three out of three wins for the Jack Sears Trophy and a good way to convert a strong qualifying. I was maybe a bit too nice in race one and got shuffled back on the first lap, but once things settled down the pace of the BMW was good. I had a great start in race two and finished fifth, but for race three I was on the hard tyre, so I was happy with a top ten finish. A huge thank you to the WSR team for a strong day.”

Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport, said: “I’m happy but annoyed because the BMW’s been really good and quick enough to be on the podium all day. I’m super-impressed we could carry that momentum over from Knockhill. 11th to sixth in race one was good. In race two I was back to 13th and came back to fifth, only to be done over by the wall of rain that came and finished ninth. Then ninth back to fifth on the hard tyre in race three. I’ve been like a yoyo all day!”

Charles Rainford, LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR, said: “It’s a day of ‘what could have been’ and not for the first time. Race one was pretty good with the hard tyre, but it unravelled in race two with a little bit of contact that resulted in a spin that was down to me. It’s not why I go racing, but the recovery in race three was pretty good. We have a few weeks to reset so let’s get ready to go again at Silverstone.”

Aiden Moffat, LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR, said: “That was a tough day. The car felt great, and we had a lot of pace on the hard tyre in race one. I was 15th in race one, which I was reasonably happy with, and then I got hit a couple of times in races two and three – I’m still pretty stiff after I was put in the gravel in race two! I felt happy with the speed of the BMW today; we just have nothing to show for it unfortunately.”

Dick Bennetts, Team Principal, said: “I’m quite pleased with the speed we’ve had with all four BMWs. We made a big step forwards from Saturday, when qualifying put us further back than we should have been. Daryl’s had a very good day to score every point available in the Jack Sears Trophy and while Jake, Aiden and Charles all had a bit of misfortune, they were all fast a lot of the time, so that’s something we can definitely take forwards into the last couple of events.”

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA delivered its most competitive display of the 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship campaign to date at Donington Park (30/31 August), yielding a champagne celebration, fastest lap and clutch of strong points-scoring finishes.

Saturday was a challenging day for the Speedworks Motorsport-run outfit, with Árón Taylor-Smith and Gordon Shedden both narrowly missing out on advancing to Part 2 of qualifying in the high-calibre, 22-strong field.

The latter was knocked out in the closing stages by 0.038 seconds, while Irishman Taylor-Smith looked to have progressed into Part 2, only to be stripped of his fastest time due to a track limits transgression. That left Shedden 12^th on the grid for the opening bout of the weekend with Taylor-Smith directly behind in 14^th, team returnee Josh Cook 18^th and BTCC rookie Max Buxton 20^th.

Opting to bolt on the harder of the two mandatory tyre compounds for the curtain-raising contest the next day, Shedden grittily hung onto the pack ahead and pulled off a committed pass on Charles Rainford down through the Craner Curves on the last lap to maintain his starting position of 12^th, beaten only by medium tyre-runners.

In race two, the Scot manoeuvred decisively early on to move up to sixth. Then, with two-and-a-half laps to go, the heavens suddenly opened and the #52 exploited his many years of experience and renowned car control to keep the Corolla on track and rise to third – his second podium finish of 2025. He capped his weekend with another strong run to seventh – on the back of a close four-way fight over fourth – in race three.

Team-mate Taylor-Smith gained ground on the medium tyres in the opener, climbing into the top ten, agonisingly close to the group ahead by the chequered flag. He was similarly in the mix in race two, before navigating his way through the gravel trap at the Old Hairpin, which dropped him to 16^th. The BTCC’s reigning Independents’ Trophy winner battled back to wind up seventh in race three, posting the fastest lap along the way.

That spirited recovery secured Taylor-Smith a prime starting spot for the partially reversed grid finale. Despite running the hard compound tyre, the 35-year-old remained up at the sharp end throughout courtesy of a defensive masterclass that earned him a season-high finish of fourth. The result made him leave Donington with his biggest points haul of 2025.

On his return to Speedworks, Cook spent much of the weekend settling back into the team and car, which had changed considerably since he had last driven it. After finishing 18^th in race one, the 34-year-old Bath-born ace scythed his way through to sixth in race two. The #66 would end his day in 11th come the end of the day’s racing.

Buxton continued to gain invaluable mileage and experience behind the wheel of the British-built Toyota Corolla GR Sport. Having finished 21^st in race one, the 20-year-old Lancashire native improved to 19^th in race two, despite having to make a pit stop due to a hit from behind.

After rejoining, his quickest lap was impressively less than three tenths-of-a-second adrift of the best effort set by rostrum-finishing stablemate Shedden. Buxton completed his weekend’s work with 18^thin the finale.

Gordon Shedden said: “Overall, it was a very positive weekend, and a real incentive for everybody in the team to keep on pushing because we can see there is light at the end of this tunnel.

“I was dead-chuffed to finish 12^th and best-placed driver on the hard tyres in race one. It was really difficult to decide what strategy to choose at the start of the day due to the uncertain weather forecast, but by running the hards early on, it set us in good stead for races two and three on the medium compound.

“The second one was a bit wild! That will probably go down as one of the most random endings to a race in touring car history – it was just unbelievable. The track was bone dry until we got to the braking zone for McLeans, where we were met with a sudden wall of water! I’ve never seen anything like it before – for most of the race, it didn’t look like we were going to get any rain at all.

“Everything was going on at that moment – I was trying to find the wipers, the heated screen, adjust the brake balance – and cars were shooting off all over the place! It was total carnage, but thankfully we survived and I was absolutely delighted to finish on the podium. At Toyota’s home circuit, that was a brilliant result.

“We had the lowest amount of turbo boost we’ve had all season in race three and just got stuck behind drivers who had more than us to deploy, but we scored some more good points and got through without any dramas again. Now, we need to keep building upon this progress over the final two weekends.”

Árón Taylor-Smith said: “Donington Park GP has been one of my strongest tracks in recent times, and it was no surprise to me that we had our most successful weekend of the season. The culture and work ethic at Speedworks are second-to-none, and the effort that everybody in this team has put in is absolutely phenomenal – amongst the best I’ve ever seen in the BTCC paddock. It felt like we had taken a big leap forward with the car since Knockhill, and it’s so nice now to be in a position where we can genuinely challenge.

“The car felt mega in race one, with tenth place setting us up well to get even further into the mix later on. In race two, Ash Sutton pulled a rough move on me at the Old Hairpin, but he apologised afterwards and at the end of the day, these things happen in touring cars. Coming back through the pack and setting fastest lap was a real indicator that we’ve turned a corner with the Corolla.

“I felt very confident going into race three, and it was fantastic to end on a high with our season-best result, especially given we achieved it on the hard tyre. Now the key is to keep this momentum going!”

Josh Cook said: “It was a difficult weekend, but I was pleased to be back on the grid. The Corolla I drove last year was kind of moulded around me in terms of seating position, so there were some modifications required to get me comfortable in this one. It’s a very different car due to the regulation change over the winter and the removal of the hybrid system – it’s much lighter now. That has changed the weight distribution, which in-turn moves the centre of gravity.

“We consequently had to make some adjustments to get it somewhere near where I needed it to be, and we also all had to get used to working with each other again as a team, which is natural given the last-minute nature of how everything came together ahead of the weekend.

“Saturday didn’t go to plan due to a boost issue in qualifying that then frustratingly reoccurred on race day, despite the team’s best efforts to rectify it. We also struggled with the handling in race one; we couldn’t quite put our finger on what was wrong, but we found something for race two, which resulted in a good step in the right direction and a much more positive result. Big thanks to my car crew for working flat-out all weekend.”

Max Buxton said: “We definitely took a step forward compared to the previous two events. The gap to my team-mates in terms of pace was much reduced, which was great to see and shows we’re moving in the right direction. We got plenty of laps under our belt on Saturday, and I went into Sunday excited to find out what we could achieve.

“The energy around the track was awesome all weekend, and the races were certainly pretty busy and eventful in such challenging and changeable conditions! That made it very intense but lots of fun at the same time, and we continued to make progress throughout. I came away from Donington having learnt a huge amount again, and now I turn my attentions to trying to end the season strongly at Silverstone and Brands Hatch GP.”

Restart Racing came away from Donington Park GP (30/31 August) with a trio of Independents’ victories, as Chris Smiley and Dan Lloyd battled through a weekend of highs, lows, and suddenly changing weather conditions.

Smiley thrived in the wet Quick Six shootout, guiding his Hyundai i30N to fourth on the grid – his second-best qualifying result of the season – while Lloyd ended up tenth after a wrong call on tyre strategy in Part 2 of qualifying. Both drivers were then promoted one place following Mikey Doble’s exclusion, giving Smiley third and Lloyd ninth for the opening race.

Race one began strongly for Smiley, the Carrickfergus-native made a fast start from the second row, briefly in the fight for the lead before slotting into third. After laps of door-to-door action with the NAPA Racing UK Fords, the #22 slipped to ninth, still securing the Independents’ victory to bolster his title challenge. Lloyd, running the hard tyre as mandated for one of the three bouts, finished 14th after battling in the midfield throughout.

The second race of the day proved to have one of the most unexpected laps seen anywhere this season. Smiley initially made a superb start to climb into the top five, while Lloyd rose to sixth before the sudden rain struck. Heavy rain at McLeans, with no prior warning, sent a large portion of the field off the road, which would cause a safety car period that would run until the chequered flag. 

Smiley crossed the line fourth overall and appeared to have another Independents’ success, only for a post-race exclusion for a ride height infringement to hand the win to Lloyd – his first of the season.

The partially-reversed-grid race, the final of the weekend, saw Lloyd line up tenth and Smiley starting from the rear of the grid, in 22nd, after his exclusion from the previous bout. Lloyd battled hard to finish eighth overall and secure back-to-back Independents’ wins, moving forward in all three races throughout the day, while Smiley succumbed to an unfortunate puncture that dropped him to 21st at the flag.

The team left Donington with a clean sweep of Independents’ honours, vital championship points and both drivers in contention heading into the final two rounds of the season, fighting for honours.

Chris Smiley said: “That’s Donington Park GP done and dusted. Qualifying was really strong, starting race one from P3. Unfortunately, we just didn’t have the pace in that first race to move forward, but we still came away with the Independent win.

“Race two started well, I kept my nose clean while the chaos unfolded and crossed the line fourth overall with another Independent win. Sadly, the car was just under the ride height limit, so we were excluded, which put us to the back for race three.

“With the boost of fourth place and starting on the hard tyre, I was fighting through and up to about 15th with a few laps to go, but then picked up a puncture. We got it changed and still managed to classify to grab some points for the Independents, but it wasn’t the day we were hoping for. Still, we’ll regroup and I’m looking forward to Silverstone.”

Dan Lloyd said: “So that’s Donington Park done, what a mental day, a really tough weekend. We came away with two Independent wins, one of them not the way I’d want to take it with my teammate getting excluded, but we’ll take the points. 

“The last race was a proper battle, got knocked about a couple of times, but managed to bring it home in P8 with another Independent win, which is mega for the championship. 

“Honestly, just happy to be in one piece after the chaos in the wet second race. Two rounds left now and it’s all to play for. Big thanks to the team for all their hard work.”

Restart Racing and their rivals in the 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship return to action at Silverstone (20/21 September) for the penultimate event of the campaign.

Tom Ingram produced one of his finest Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship performances to date at Donington Park last weekend (30/31 August), as a 38^th triumph of his career in the UK’s premier motorsport series pushed him further ahead of his rivals at the summit of the standings.

The Team VERTU star worked together with stablemate Tom Chilton to speed comfortably clear of the pursuing pack in the opening bout after the duo locked out the front row in qualifying. The #80 briefly assumed the lead to snare an extra championship point before settling back into second place, which is where he would finish.

That obliged Ingram to run the hard-compound tyres in race two, as per the regulations. He worked hard to fend off Ash Sutton early on, before drama further back brought out the safety car.

When the action resumed, the Bucks-born ace immediately relieved Chilton of first place – narrowly avoiding being collected by a sideways Sutton, who himself had been tagged at the rear.

Although he had to cede to Dan Cammish and Adam Morgan on the medium rubber, he remained firmly in contention in third and looked to be heading for a second consecutive trip to the rostrum as the heavens then opened.

The flash downpour sent many of the front-runners skating off at McLeans, and by the time Ingram rejoined the circuit, he was down in fifth. With the intervention of the safety car neutralising the order, that was where he stayed until a post-race disqualification for Chris Smiley elevated him to fourth.

The result earned the 32-year-old fifth on the partially-reversed grid for the day’s finale, and in front of the live ITV4 television cameras and capacity trackside crowd, he executed an assertive opening tour to climb to third, before punishing a lock-up by Josh Cook going into Redgate Corner next time around to slice down the inside into second.

He then swiftly set his sights on arch-rival Sutton who was on the harder rubber. After finding his initial attempts to get past repeatedly rebuffed, Ingram exploited a strong run out of the Esses Chicane on lap four to draw alongside.

In an intense duel between the two title protagonists, Sutton fought back, and the pair ran wheel-to-wheel until the Team VERTU driver made the move stick through Hollywood.

A victory that meant the Coventry-based racer’s 16^th podium finish of the campaign exceeded his 2024 tally with six races still to run. Leaving the #80 as the weekend’s highest scorer, he will travel to Silverstone for the penultimate event of the season holding a 32-point advantage at the top of the title table.

Tom Ingram, Driver, Team VERTU, said: “What an absolutely cracking weekend! We were confident going to Donington that we had a good car there – we were quick around the ‘National’ layout earlier in the year – and it was nice to see that translate to the ‘GP’ loop as well.

“I think we played a blinder in qualifying. The weather never really decided what it wanted to do, which made things quite stressful, and we had to take a minimal risk approach with regards to tyre choice, because as much as it could have gone right, it could also have gone very wrong.

“We knew the start of race one would be important, as the plan was to try to establish a gap over the rest of the field early on. That worked perfectly – we did what we could to score as many points as possible without Tom [Chilton] giving up a win. A one-two finish was a very good start to the day.

“It was obvious that there was a threat of rain in race two, but the abruptness with which it came down was crazy – I’ve honestly never seen anything like that before! There was no time to react, and I just had to do my best to try to gather it all up again.

“It was a shame not to finish third, because on the hard tyre, that would have been an amazing result, but considering how it could have played out, we still scored some very solid points.

“I knew I had slightly more tyre performance than Ash [Sutton] in the finale, but he never makes anybody’s life easy. We always race hard, lean on each other and indulge in a little bit of paint-swapping, but we also have a lot of mutual respect and both know how far we can push it.

“To win that one after such a mega battle was a great way to end the weekend. It’s a heck of a car we’ve got here – at every circuit we turn up to, in every type of weather and no matter what gets thrown at it, it’s simply fantastic – and going next to Silverstone, which is somewhere we have done well in the past, I think we’re in a really strong place...”