New Sporting Director commences BTCC role

Stuart Murray begins his new role as BTCC Sporting Director today (19 January), having taken over from long-serving Championship Co-ordinator Dan Mayo.

“I can’t wait to get started,” said the hugely experienced Murray. “It’s a major change and the next step of my career. I’ve been working away at international level for a number of years, but this is the pinnacle of motorsport in the UK, and the role has far greater scope.

“It’s certainly a step up in prestige in terms of the championship and role. It’s cliché but like so many others I grew up playing the TOCA game and went to watch a BTCC race weekend at Donington Park in 1994. Growing up in Northern Ireland though it was mainly motorcycle road racing, karting or watching F1 on TV with my Dad.”

Murray’s first significant motorsport position was in Dubai with the ASN of the United Arab Emirates, where he oversaw a vast range of sporting, technical and safety responsibilities.

The Northern Irishman then joined the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) in 2018 – most-recently based in Geneva as Deputy Director of Circuit Sport. He also held the position of Category Manager for Touring Cars and GTs, which included the overseeing of the FIA GT and Touring Car Commissions, as well as organising the FIA GT World Cup in Macau.

In his new all-encompassing position, Murray will oversee the sporting and administrative operation of the British Touring Car Championship, issuing regulations, managing team/driver relations, and ensuring smooth event delivery among many other tasks.

“The most similar experience – a role that I enjoyed immensely – was as the ASN in the UAE,” continued Murray. “Events like the Desert Challenge, where the role would range from Event Manager and working in Race Control right through to ordering t-shirts or working with customs. It involved pretty much everything, which I am sure will stand me in good stead in the BTCC.

“The FIA role was often a bit different, as the promoter held the commercial rights while the FIA looked after the sporting, technical and safety.

“This opportunity gives me the chance to get involved from the ground up and I can’t wait for that. Working as part of a compact, highly professional and experienced team is something I’m immensely looking forward to.”

Following an extensive handover process between Mayo and Murray, much of the BTCC plans for 2026 have already finalised, as Murray now works closely alongside both the Communications and Technical Directors, as well as under the stewardship of Chief Executive Alan Gow.

Mayo also stays within the BARC family as the new Circuit Manager at Croft Circuit, with the BTCC set to have its first official pre-season test at the North Yorkshire venue in late March.

“I had the opportunity to work alongside and shadow Dan for the final three events of last year,” concluded Stuart. “He has been doing this job for 25 years and his phone would ring 20 times an hour about anything and everything. They are big shoes to step into, it will be a great challenge, but he has left this role in a fantastic position for me to continue with.

“He hasn’t disappeared of course and his new role at Croft means we’ll often be crossing paths. If I can do nearly as good a job as Dan has done over many years, then I’d be absolutely delighted.”

Chris Smiley looks back on a 2025 British Touring Car Championship season that delivered front-running pace and strong early results, ultimately just coming up short to teammate Daniel Lloyd for the Independent Drivers’ title.

For the first time since his return to the championship, the Northern-Irishman was reunited with the Hyundai i30N package, finding himself firmly in the mix for overall top-ten honours and Independents’ success.

“Yeah, it was a year of two halves,” Smiley reflected. “The second half of the year was still good, but we lost points early in six races where we didn’t score at all.

“With low ride height issues, being excluded at Thruxton, technical problems at Snetterton and Oulton Park. You add up the points we lost in those races and it would’ve put us somewhere in the top five overall. The Independents’ would’ve been pretty straightforward, really.

“We kind of gave it away with all the silly things that went on, and the other guys just mopped up when we made those mistakes.”

The frustration is sharpened by just how strong Smiley and the car had been across the year, with results and raw pace underlining how quickly he, the team and the new package had come together.

“If you look at the first half of the year, before Thruxton, I was sitting high up,” he said. “From there on, the luck just didn’t go our way, but the speed was always there.

“I broke the lap record three or four times in FP2 this year. All the right ingredients were there. It was just a case of things that were out of my control not falling our way.”

The #22 believes the foundations laid during the season can provide encouragement for him in the future, particularly given the lack of preparation of the year prior.

“I’ve been in the championship for at least ten seasons now, so it’s not a lack of experience,” he explained. “With the car being so last-minute last year, we did very little testing, so to come out of the blocks the way we did was impressive.

“We know the overall speed is there. Now it’s just about focusing on the fine details and ironing out the little annoyances.”

The introduction of the new Saturday Qualifying Race is another change Smiley believes could create fresh opportunities, particularly for drivers who can hit the ground running early in the weekend.

“I don’t think it changes everything, but it definitely creates more opportunity,” he said. “Last year, qualifying was brutal; you could be quick enough for pole, make a mistake in Q1, and suddenly you’re starting 17th.

“Now you’ve got to make sure the car is absolutely right for FP1 because you’re effectively qualifying from the very start of the weekend. You don’t have time to build into it anymore.”

“Being consistently in the top ten is where you need to be in this championship now,” he added. “That’s how you put a title challenge together; scoring points in every race, every weekend.”

As for targets, Smiley’s ambitions remain firmly focused on climbing the overall order. “My aim is to finish as high as possible in the main championship,” he said. “I’d love to be in the top five overall, and obviously the Independents’ as well.

“You can’t predict wins or poles at this point, the field’s too close for that, but the goal is to put a clean, consistent season together and make the most of every opportunity.”

With renewed motivation, lessons learned and excitement building as the new season approaches, the BTCC race winner is clear on one thing: the hunger to compete remains as strong as ever.

“You get to the end of the year and think it’s nice to have a break,” he said. “Then Christmas passes and suddenly you’re excited to get back in the car, to see everyone again.

“With all the changes in the championship, new teams, new cars and drivers moving around, there’s opportunity early in the season. The focus now is just being as fit and as ready as possible when it all starts again.”

Debutant team Plato Racing has today (7 January) publicly confirmed – in a feature with Motorsport News – that it will fulfil its 2026 BTCC entry with a pair of Mercedes-AMG A35 Saloons.

Jason Plato – two-time champion and a winner of 97 BTCC races – announced his intended return to the championship last September as boss of new team Plato Racing, which was revealed as part of the BTCC’s live ITV4 programme from Silverstone.

In December, it was confirmed that Plato Racing had secured two TBLs (TOCA BTCC Licence) in order to gain its official entry for the 2026 season.

Meanwhile, the team appointed world renowned engineering outfit RML to design and build its cars, and Plato has this week explained to Motorsport News the choice to enter with a Mercedes.

“I would say we looked at in excess of five different types of car, but the Mercedes AMG A35 -V177 Saloon was the one that stood out, not only does it sound like a rocket, we intend it to be so!” Plato told MN’s Matt James.

TOCA visited Plato Racing’s new facility towards the end of last year where all plans were assessed and approved, with the team choosing to make its public announcement this week.

Plato Racing will run a shakedown towards the end of February and will then take part in the official BTCC pre-season tests at Croft (24/25 March) and Brands Hatch (8 April).

A silver arrow last appeared in the BTCC back in 2020 when Ciceley Motorsport retired its successful Mercedes A-Class Hatchback, which had claimed several outright victories across seven seasons in the championship.

This latest Plato Racing announcement is front page headlines, and you can read the full article in this week’s Motorsport News.

Croft joins Kent circuit in pre-season testing schedule

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TOCA – series organiser of the British Touring Car Championship – has confirmed its 2026 Season Launch will be held at Brands Hatch, whilst Croft will host two days of official pre-season testing.

Popular for its varied layout, the first official testing action will take place at Croft Circuit in North Yorkshire on 24/25 March, prior to Season Launch at Brands Hatch on 8 April.

Official television coverage and photography will commence the early morning activities at the Season Launch, prior to a shift in focus for the final official pre-season test, featuring six hours of on-track action around the 1.27-mile Indy Circuit.

Both venues will be offering FREE ENTRY to spectators, with refreshments available to purchase, whilst fans will be able to get autographs and photos with their favourite driver during a pitlane walkabout at Brands Hatch.

The Season Launch event, to be held during the Easter school holidays, will be a great family day out and a perfect preview for a full BTCC race weekend.

Drivers and teams will participate in official pre-season media events and interviews with ITV Sport, BTCC Media Team, Kwik Fit and other partners on the 7 April, but this day will be closed to the public.

Please monitor the official BTCC, Croft and Brands Hatch social media channels for additional information as each event approaches.

BTCC 2025 Pre-Season Test Dates:

• 24/25 March – Croft 

• 8 April – Brands Hatch (Indy)

Everyone from the British Touring Car Championship would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

We have experienced another remarkable season, made possible by the dedication of our competitors, staff, partners, marshals, volunteers, and, notably, our loyal and enthusiastic fans.

We also extend our thanks to the TOCA Team for playing their integral part in helping to deliver the greatest show in British motorsport.

Naturally, congratulations go to Tom Ingram for clinching his second BTCC Drivers’ title, whilst up and down the pitlane, many other teams and drivers celebrated their achievements by securing silverware and sipping champagne.

The hard work is already underway, and we're excited to unveil the cars and stars ahead of the 2026 season, which we believe is set to be another classic.

In the meantime, we wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Dexter Patterson hopes to return to the BTCC grid in 2026, looking to build on a season of highs and lows after rejoining the championship this past season. After a year away, the Scottish driver found moments of promise in the Cupra but also struggled for consistency, a challenge he is determined to overcome as he targets both Independents’ success and strong overall results in the future.

“I had a little bit of time away to go and try different things. Probably had a bit of a different mindset coming back this year,” Patterson explained. “It was definitely an improvement from the team side compared to when I was last there.”

The season itself, he admits, was a mixed bag. “I think it was probably a season of two halves. We probably had five good races and five where we struggled. Some weekends we were fighting for Independents’ wins and then sometimes we were just sort of lost, trying to find what was wrong with the car.

“That probably cost us quite a lot, especially at the end of the season. But don’t get me wrong, there’s still a lot of good points that came from it.”

Among the standout weekends, Croft provided a glimpse of what the team could achieve when everything clicked. “I think speed-wise, standout was probably Croft. We should’ve maybe got a double Independents’ win there, just missed out in the last corner. Knockhill was also not too bad, but Croft was probably the most consistent weekend of them all,” he said.

Despite inconsistency, Patterson remained mathematically in contention for both the Jack Sears Trophy and Independents’ Championship late into the campaign. “After halfway, we were a little bit far away, but we were always still in it. You’re always trying to catch up and see what you can do to stay in it.”

Off the track, the BTCC off-season has given Patterson a chance to stay sharp, particularly with his 2025 team, Un-Limited Motorsport, as a driver coach, as the team have recently completed an array of arrive and drive days.

“Even though I wasn’t driving a lot of the time, it was good to be in the car, still doing a couple of laps just keeping my eye on it. Apart from that, a little bit of swim, gym, and just working every day at home. Nothing particularly exciting, but I’m trying to get a bit of running in the new year before the season starts.”

Looking ahead to 2026, Patterson is focused on returning to the grid and building on the progress of last year. “We’ll try and get a package together for next year. We’re probably halfway there, and hopefully get something done in January. But I think we’ve got a plan in. We’ll see if it happens, but we’ll wait and see. We’re hoping to be back on the grid anyway.”

For the Scotsman, the goal is simple: improve on last year and find a more consistent platform.

“I’d say either fighting for the Independents’ Championship, or even just an outright podium as well would be good. Just a nice, clean, consistent season, fighting in the top ten every weekend would be great.”

With lessons learned from 2025 and a focus on building a strong foundation, Patterson is determined to return in 2026 ready to challenge at the sharp end of the BTCC grid.

Mikey Doble feels he has taken ‘a steep trajectory to the top’ as he looks back on his first three seasons in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, a period that has seen him progress from a points-scoring rookie to a proven race winner and regular qualifying threat.

“From where I started three years ago… coming into the championship with relatively low experience of racing at this level, we were sort of picking up the scraps of the points and just nicking the odd Independents win, it was very much a learning year,” Doble explained.

“In 2024, we took it to the next level, where we were more regularly in the top ten, having better qualifying performances, obviously had the double podium at Oulton Park and dominated both Independents’ Championships. Then certainly for the first half of this year, it was definitely a breakthrough year for me… establishing myself as one of the top-tier drivers in the championship.”

That step forward was underlined by the #88’s maiden BTCC victory at Snetterton, a popular win for the Motor Parts Direct with Power Maxed Racing (PMR) driver and the first Independents’ success in the championship for more than a thousand days. With Ash Sutton in close company throughout the final laps, Doble held his nerve to take a landmark triumph for both team and driver.

“We played a blinder on the strategy all day. I had to put a flawless race together in race three starting from pole. To get my first win with, arguably, the best driver on the track chasing you down and breathing down your neck… there probably isn’t a better way to get that win because it was well earned.

“It was an exciting race, and it asked the biggest questions of myself as a driver as to whether I was going to be able to hang on to it and withstand the pressure.”

Saturdays were another major talking point for the 2024 Jack Sears Trophy Champion. Doble regularly charged into the Quick Six and remained inside the top five of the Goodyear Wingfoot Award standings deep into the campaign, feeling that this accolade was a truer reflection of his and the team’s progress.

“For me, that was one of the biggest achievements of the year because qualifying… the format was tough, it was quick fire, it was brutal, it doesn’t lend you many second chances.

“The qualifying performances definitely impressed a few people perhaps around the paddock, and it’s kind of the true measure of where we got to on pace.”

Doble, as with the rest of the PMR team, faced one of the biggest challenges of all their careers when the team had to switch from the Astra to the Cupra after the team’s facility fire. Debuting the car at Knockhill after only a handful of installation laps, it produced what he describes as his hardest-ever weekend behind the wheel.

“Truth be told, when I first did those few laps around Knockhill in that car, I thought, how am I even going to be able to compete in this over the weekend? It was so different to the car that I was used to, doing the change mid-season makes it ten times more difficult because your muscle memory and everything is still so raw.

“Jumping in at Knockhill of all circuits, probably the toughest track we go to, just amplified the difficulty. The only goal for that weekend was to just finish, complete all the sessions, have no crashes, make sure the car’s reliable, get through the weekend and score some Independents’ points.”

Away from the circuit, Doble’s off-season is a reminder of the realities facing many racing drivers. Alongside his full-time role in the family business, the winter months are dominated by securing sponsorship to return to the grid.

“You’re following up on any potential sponsorship leads, sorting things out like websites and social media, so when you’re approaching new potential sponsors, you look like you’re worth it.

Looking ahead, Doble is clear about what he wants to achieve moving forward. Already a Jack Sears Trophy winner with a maiden overall victory and multiple standout qualifying performances to his name, a target remains…

“If I do come back with PMR, then I’ve got to try and win that Independents’; I didn’t quite manage to win that this year.

“Other than going for the outright title, that’s the only thing that’s left to complete my touring car portfolio. I’ve only ever had two career podiums, so it’d be great to go and have a season where I get five or six podiums and maybe a couple of wins.”

As for when fans can expect an announcement, Doble offered no fixed timeframe. “All I’ll say is hopefully it isn’t as late as it was this year.” He did, however, hint that supporters may spot another member of the Doble family around the TOCA paddock next season.

“Hopefully my youngest brother might be joining us on the TOCA package next year as well. Obviously not in the touring cars, but you might see another Doble or two on touring car weekends.”

With his breakthrough season still fresh in the memory and ambitions for more success ahead, Doble now waits to see where 2026 will take him, determined to return as a regular contender at the sharp end of the BTCC grid.

Fans can relive all the storylines and standout moments from a sensational 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship campaign as ITV will broadcast the official Season Review show on Friday (12 December) at 19:00 on ITV4.

The two-hour programme brings together the very best of this year’s action, from lights-to-flag battles and title-defining moments to paddock insights and behind-the-scenes access across all ten race weekends.

Presented by ITV Sport, the show offers the perfect chance to revisit the journeys of every front-running contender, including stunning race wins, breakthrough performances and the key talking points that shaped another unforgettable BTCC season.

If you are unable to watch live, the show will be broadcast again on Wednesday, 24 December at 03:00 on ITV4. As ever, you can catch up on ITVX at any time after the show has initially aired, along with the full race day coverage of every event. Alternatively, you can find every race in full on both the ITV Sport and BTCC YouTube Channels.

Set your reminders, settle in, and relive all the action from the UK’s premier motorsport championship.

The 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship saw Tom Ingram reign victorious to claim a second BTCC Drivers’ Championship. The Team VERTU star did it in style, scoring the most points by a driver in a season ever, among breaking numerous other records along the way.

Despite this, it would be the NAPA Racing UK Ford Focus of Ash Sutton that started the season in great fashion. The #116 began the opening race day of the year alongside teammate and polesitter Dan Cammish and would go on to take the first two victories of the year, securing a podium in all three races.

With Tom Chilton leading Ingram in a Team VERTU one-two in the event’s final round, the duo would walk away from our first visit to Donington Park splitting the two front row starters in the championship.

1 - Sutton - 58	2 - Ingram - 51	3 - Chilton - 42
4 - Cammish - 37	5 - Rowbottom - 36	6 - Hill - 32
7 - Moffat - 23	8 - Smiley - 22	9 - Doble - 20

2024 Champion Jake Hill would come the fore upon returning to the site of his championship triumph not seven months earlier. The Kent local took pole position in a commanding display, going on to win the opening bout and round out his weekend with a second-place finish, pulling the Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport driver up to third in the standings.

The Brands Hatch weekend would also see WSR take all three victories with debut wins for both Daryl DeLeon and LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR’s Charles Rainford. Both Ingram and Sutton could not better a third-place finish across the second venue.

1 - Sutton - 92	2 - Ingram - 87	3 - Hill - 80
4 - Chilton - 55	5 - Morgan - 52	6 - Rowbottom - 51
7 - Cammish - 50	8 - Smiley - 50	9 - Rainford - 48

Two weeks on from a team’s trio of triumphs, Snetterton almost saw the same with once again polesitter Cammish taking the first race of the day before teammate Daniel Rowbottom would take the middle bout.

Race three would see an incredibly popular victory with 2024 Jack Sears Trophy winner, Mikey Doble, take the top step for the very first time, holding back Sutton after numerous laps of nailbiting action. Ingram would walk away with a non-score in race two after crashing into the inside barrier of Riches.

1 - Sutton - 132	2 - Ingram - 117	3 - Hill - 92
4 - Rowbottom - 85	5 - Cammish - 83	6 - Morgan - 80
7 - Chilton - 79	8 - Smiley - 70	9 - Rainford - 68

Believe it or not, it was Round 10 of the 30-round championship before Ingram would take his first victory of the season, doing so after amazing side-by-side battling with title rival Sutton, who would come home in third in the same race.

The four-time champion would go on to win the second race at the UK’s fastest circuit, winning his third race of 2025 before another had their second. That statistic would only last one race, as teammate Rowbottom would become the second multiple-race winner of the season in Round 12.

1 - Sutton - 181	2 - Ingram - 172	3 - Rowbottom - 132
4 - Cammish - 128	5 - Hill - 114	6 - Morgan - 92
7 - Cook - 90	8 - Chilton - 88	9 - Smiley - 83

Ingram went into the qualifying session at the Chester venue already buoyant after finishing within the top two come the end of practice, only behind Restart Racing’s Chris Smiley. The Hyundai i30 N driving duo would make up the front row in reverse order after the #80 set one of the most impressive BTCC pole laps ever seen.

The 2022 Champion would win the race day opener, before a couple of fourth-place finishes to round out his first half of the campaign. Despite the pace of the Hyundai across the weekend, Sutton would extend his championship lead by a point after a victory in race two and standing on the second step of the rostrum behind Gordon Shedden, making it 10 race winners in the first 15 races.

1 - Sutton - 233	2 - Ingram - 223	3 - Cammish - 161
4 - Rowbottom - 159	5 - Hill - 143	6 - Morgan - 120
7 - Chilton - 114	8 - Cook - 106	9 - Smiley - 100

The mid-season break is exactly what Team VERTU needed as Ingram would turn the 10-point deficit into an eight-point advantage in Yorkshire. Once again taking pole position and winning the opening race, the points swing would be significant after Sutton had his first non-score of the season.

Despite this, the #116 would actually outscore Ingram in both remaining races and even stand on the top step in the final bout. Unfortunately, the opening race loss put a dent in the record-breaking title charge.

1 - Ingram - 273	2 - Sutton - 265	3 - Rowbottom - 195
4 - Cammish - 184	5 - Chilton - 150	6 - Morgan - 150
7 - Hill - 143	8 - Rainford - 106	9 - Cook - 106

BMW would once again dominate a single weekend as the marque would lock out the first three positions in qualifying. Rainford would take his maiden pole position, but it would be the #1 of Hill that stood victorious in the first race.

Ingram would be the only non-BMW triumph all weekend to extend his points gap, before Hill would once again place himself on the top step, taking two victories after missing the last event at Croft due to illness.

1 - Ingram - 323	2 - Sutton - 306	3 - Cammish - 228
4 - Rowbottom - 214	5 - Hill - 197	6 - Morgan - 170
7 - Chilton - 169	8 - Rainford - 134	9 - Proctor - 116

A Team VERTU car driven by Chilton would be the one setting the timesheets alight on the championship’s return to Donington Park as the 500+ race starter would turn the wet pole position into a dry race one win.

Cammish would take the top spot come race two, after a number of cars, including the race leader, would go off-track after a freak shower took the drivers by storm. Ingram would again win in race three to further extend his lead.

1 - Ingram - 377	2 - Sutton - 345	3 - Cammish - 264
4 - Rowbottom - 248	5 - Hill - 225	6 - Chilton - 204
7 - Morgan - 196	8 - Rainford - 143	9 - DeLeon - 132

DeLeon would take his maiden pole position, becoming the first Filipino driver to do so in the BTCC and make it three pole positions each between Ford, Hyundai and BMW in 2025.

Even with the fast-charging pole time, Daniel Lloyd would take his first victory in Restart Racing colours and the team’s first win since entering in the BTCC. The championship leader would win in race two, with Sutton taking two podiums across the weekend, leaving Ingram with a 33-point gap with 67 remaining at Brands Hatch.

1 - Ingram - 419	2 - Sutton - 386	3 - Cammish - 275
4 - Hill - 271	5 - Rowbottom - 257	6 - Chilton - 212
7 - Morgan - 211	8 - Rainford - 160	9 - Moffat - 147

Before racing got underway at the Kent venue, DeLeon would take a second pole position of his career and his second in as many events, giving BMW and WSR the most pole positions in 2025.

Race day did not start at the sharp end for either of the title protagonists, but with Ingram outscoring Sutton in the opening race, the #80 led into race two with a 37-point gap with 44 on offer. The Team VERTU driver put on a champion’s drive in the next race to take the fastest lap, victory and the championship all in one swoop in dominating fashion. The 10 points in the final race of the year cemented what was a record-breaking season for the now two-time champion.

1 - Ingram - 462	2 - Sutton - 428	3 - Cammish - 307
4 - Hill - 295	5 - Rowbottom - 277	6 - Morgan - 241
7 - Chilton - 230	8 - Rainford - 179	9 - Shedden - 177

The list of 26 TBL (TOCA BTCC Licence) holders for the 2026 BTCC season has been released today (4 December) with series organiser – TOCA – confirming their entries for next year’s campaign.

All teams will be planning their own announcements regarding drivers and partners over the coming weeks and months, prior to the publication of the official entry list in April.

The 2026 British Touring Car Championship comprises 30 rounds across ten events – with the introduction of an all-new Qualifying Race on Saturdays – and will again receive the unprecedented and unrivalled live television and streaming coverage via the ITV network.

Alan Gow, BTCC Chief Executive, said: “The continued strength of the entry is testament to the ongoing success of the BTCC. Much of our tried and tested format will remain of course, but with some new cars, teams and drivers, as well as the introduction of the Qualifying Race on Saturdays, there’s a lot to be excited about for the season ahead.”

The following is a complete list, in alphabetical order, of the 26 TBLs secured by teams for the 2026 BTCC season:

Entry Name	Number
Alliance Racing	4
Excelr8 Motorsport	4
One Motorsport	2
Plato Racing	2
Power Maxed Racing	3
Restart Racing	2
Speedworks Motorsport	4
Un-Limited Motorsport	2
WSR	3
Total	26