Toyota Gazoo Racing UK's Rory Butcher has set the pace in both Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship free practice sessions at Silverstone, boding well for the Scotsman ahead of qualifying this afternoon.

A word of caution for the manufacturer-backed driver, however, is that he also led the way at Croft during practice last weekend, before a mechanical failure in qualifying ended his challenge.

As ever, Butcher and Speedworks approach each weekend with renewed optimism and professionalism and their performances so far make them the standout favourite for pole position.

Tom Oliphant (Team BMW), Senna Proctor (BTC Racing) and Ash Sutton (Laser Tools Racing) were next in the order during FP2, whilst Daniel Lloyd showed improved pace in the Adrian Flux with Power Maxed Racing Vauxhall.

Tom Ingram – looking to bounce back from a challenging weekend last time out – was sixth in the Ginsters-backed Hyundai, whilst Halfords Racing with Cataclean's Daniel Rowbottom was seventh.

The Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport duo of Tom Chilton and Adam Morgan followed on the timesheets, whilst Jack Butel impressed to take tenth in his EXCELR8 Motorsport-run Jack Butel.

"The time we did just then was on the same tyres we used in FP1, we’ll see, give it a go and touch wood everything will be alright!" said Morgan.

"I think we’ve all surprised ourselves really. If you’d have said in our first year in rear-wheel drive that we’d have two wins and two podiums we wouldn’t have believed it. But I’m loving rear-wheel drive. It’s back to where I started, back to my roots and it’s all coming back to me. It just feels so nice to drive. The pace is there or there abouts. We’re still getting used to it, but I’m really enjoying it!

"I loved the Mercedes, it’s an old friend but it was knocking on a bit, so it was time to swap. It was nice to bring the BMW in. It’s a great car and the pace is coming, we’re learning every time we go out. Silverstone is quite unique in that it’s such a high-grip track, so we’re trying to adapt setup for such a high grip and the nature of the circuit, but we’ll give it a go in quali and see what happens!"

2021 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Free Practice 2 – Silverstone

1            Rory BUTCHER (GBR) Toyota Gazoo Racing UK +57.247s
2             Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Team BMW +0.270s
3             Senna PROCTOR(GBR) BTC Racing +0.345s
4             Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.410s
5             Daniel LLOYD (GBR) Adrian Flux with Power Maxed Racing +0.432s
6             Tom INGRAM (GBR) Ginsters EXCELR8 with TradePriceCars.com +0.450s
7            Daniel ROWBOTTOM (GBR) Halfords Racing with Cataclean +0.459s
8             Tom CHILTON (GBR) Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport +0.456s
9             Adam MORGAN (GBR) Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport +0.501s
10          Jack BUTEL (GBR) EXCELR8 with TradePriceCars.com +0.508s
11          Sam SMELT (GBR) Toyota Gazoo Racing UK +0.513s
12          Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.527s
13          Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Racing with Cataclean +0.554s
14          Chris SMILEY (GBR) Ginsters EXCELR8 with TradePriceCars.com +0.555s
15          Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team BMW +0.590s
16          Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.664s
17          Jack GOFF (GBR) Team HARD. with Autobrite Direct +0.685s
18          Josh COOK (GBR) BTC Racing +0.694s
19          Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux with Power Maxed Racing +0.748s
20          Andy NEATE (GBR) Racing with Wera & Photon Group +0.765s
21          Árón TAYLOR-SMITH (IRL) Team HARD. with HUB Financial Solutions +0.810s
22          Ollie JACKSON (GBR) MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square +0.846s
23          Rick PARFRITT (GBR) EXCELR8 with TradePriceCars.com +0.848s
24          Sam OSBORNE (GBR) Racing with Wera & Photon Group +0.864s
25          Andrew JORDAN (GBR) TOCA/Cosworth/M-Sport +0.867s
26          Nicolas HAMILTON (GBR) ROKiT Racing with iQuoto Online Trading +0.941s
27          Jade EDWARDS (GBR) PHSC with BTC Racing +0.951s
28          Jack MITCHELL (GBR) Team HARD. with Autobrite Direct +1.018s
29          Jake HILL (GBR) MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square +1.075s
20          Carl BOARDLEY (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +1.131s

The BTCC Hybrid Toyota Corolla contested a competitive session for the first time this morning during Free Practice 1 of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at Silverstone.

Piloted by 2013 champion Andrew Jordan, the car went through a series of systems checks during the 40 minutes of running, only completing representative laps in the closing minutes – ending up some seven tenths off the ultimate pace.

"It’s good, I’ve done a fair bit of the testing with Cosworth, Speedworks and M-Sport with the new engine as well," said Jordan. "So, lots of miles, but obviously this is the first time in the public eye."

The entire 30-car field was covered by an astonishing 1.049s as many predict one of the most fiercely contested weekends of the season so far.

It's also building towards the business end of the season with many drivers looking to keep their title hopes alive around the shorter national circuit.

One of those racers is arguably Toyota Gazoo UK Racing's Rory Butcher, and the Scotsman kicked off his weekend by topping the times, ahead of the EXCELR8 Motorsport-run Hyundai of Chris Smiley.

The duo traded top spot before Butcher made his final effort count in the latter stages.

Laser Tools Racing – fresh from a stellar outing at Croft last weekend – continued its run of good form as Aiden Moffat and Ash Sutton were third and fourth respectively.

Tom Ingram (Ginsters EXCELR8 with TradePriceCars.com) and Josh Cook (BTC Racing) are two other title contenders looking to keep their championship challenges on-track – they were inside the top six, ahead of Daniel Rowbottom's Team Dynamics-run Honda.

Sam Smelt (Toyota Gazoo Racing UK), Jack Goff (Team HARD. with Autobrite Direct) , Gordon Shedden (Halfords Racing with Cataclean) completed the top ten.

Free Practice 2 commences at 1205, before Qualifying for Round 22 of the 2021 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship kicks off at 1440 – the latter will be streamed live via www.itv.com/btcc.

2021 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Free Practice 1 – Silverstone

1            Rory BUTCHER (GBR) Toyota Gazoo Racing UK +57.478s
2            Chris SMILEY (GBR) Ginsters EXCELR8 with TradePriceCars.com +0.010s
3             Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.146s
4             Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.217s
5             Tom INGRAM (GBR) Ginsters EXCELR8 with TradePriceCars.com +0.247s
6            Josh COOK (GBR) BTC Racing +0.270s
7            Daniel ROWBOTTOM (GBR) Halfords Racing with Cataclean +0.302s
8            Sam SMELT (GBR) Toyota Gazoo Racing UK +0.314s
9             Jack GOFF (GBR) Team HARD. with Autobrite Direct +0.401s
10          Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Racing with Cataclean +0.404s
11          Tom CHILTON (GBR) Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport +0.463s
12          Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team BMW +0.497s
13          Jack BUTEL (GBR) EXCELR8 with TradePriceCars.com +0.508s
14          Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux with Power Maxed Racing +0.545s
15          Daniel LLOYD (GBR) Adrian Flux with Power Maxed Racing +0.574s
16         Adam MORGAN (GBR) Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport +0.625s
17          Senna PROCTOR(GBR) BTC Racing +0.626s
18          Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Team BMW +0.657s
19          Árón TAYLOR-SMITH (IRL) Team HARD. with HUB Financial Solutions +0.704s
20          Sam OSBORNE (GBR) Racing with Wera & Photon Group +0.716s
21          Ollie JACKSON (GBR) MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square +0.726s
22          Andrew JORDAN (GBR) TOCA/Cosworth/M-Sport +0.750s
23          Carl BOARDLEY (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.769s
24           Jake HILL (GBR) MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square +0.814s
25          Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.828s
26          Rick PARFRITT (GBR) EXCELR8 with TradePriceCars.com +0.847s
27          Jack MITCHELL (GBR) Team HARD. with Autobrite Direct +0.864s
28          Jade EDWARDS (GBR) PHSC with BTC Racing +0.908s
29          Andy NEATE (GBR) Racing with Wera & Photon Group +0.971s
30          Nicolas HAMILTON (GBR) ROKiT Racing with iQuoto Online Trading +2.319s

The second half of the only doubleheader in the 2021 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship kicks off at Silverstone tomorrow (25/26 September) as teams and drivers gear up for the eighth race weekend of the 30-round campaign.

Following an exciting outing at Croft (18/19 September), the home of British Motor Racing is set to host another trio of enthralling races, in what could prove to be a vital weekend in the championship battle.

Fans at home can enjoy a bumper weekend of BTCC action courtesy of ITV4, as Croft's highlights programme immediately precedes Silverstone's coverage, amounting to nearly nine hours of non-stop tin-top thrills.

Sunday's highlights show kicks off at 0925, before Silverstone's coverage gets underway at 1100, whilst you can catch qualifying on Saturday from 1435 over at itv.com/btcc.

Qualifying LIVE: Saturday 25 September
ITV.com/BTCC from 1435

Raceday LIVE: Sunday 26 September
ITV4 & ITV4 HD 1100-1805
ITV4 +1 1200-1905
ITV.com/BTCC 1100-1805

Silverstone Highlights: Saturday 2 October 
ITV4 & ITV4 HD 1145-1315
ITV 4 +1 1245-1415
ITV Hub Available anytime for the next 30 days

Silverstone Highlights: Sunday 3 October 
ITV4 & ITV4 HD 0810-0945
ITV4 +1 0910-1045

Silverstone Highlights: Wednesday 6 October
ITV & ITV HD 2340-0055
ITV +1 0040-0255

Ultrafast full-fibre broadband network becomes official partner

The British Touring Car Championship welcomes Jurassic Fibre to its partnership portfolio from this weekend onwards, as the ultrafast full-fibre broadband network joins the UK’s premier motorsport series. 

The South-West based business is currently fuelling the region’s economic growth by equipping businesses with the digital infrastructure they need to thrive, by building a state-of-the-art fibre network that takes ultrafast broadband straight to your door.  

Jurassic Fibre is working to bring the internet experience for families and businesses to a whole new level with faster and more reliable speeds. And with performance being synonymous with the British Touring Car Championship, it’s a perfect partnership. 

Its involvement with the BTCC will commence at the final three race weekends of the 2021 season at Silverstone, Donington Park and Brands Hatch.

The Jurassic Fibre logo will appear on some trackside hoardings, the TV interview and podium backdrops, as well as featuring on the official BTCC website and social media channels.

Alan Gow, BTCC Chief Executive, said: “We welcome Jurassic Fibre to the BTCC and look forward to the partnership between Britain’s biggest motorsport series and the country’s best ultrafast full-fibre broadband network. The BTCC prides itself on the loyalty and longevity of its partners – many of which have been with the series for more than two decades – and we look forward to adding Jurassic Fibre to that burgeoning and successful portfolio.” 

Steve Garrood, Jurassic Fibre, said: “Jurassic Fibre are thrilled to be partnering with the British Touring Car Championship. Our mission is simple - to bring ultrafast, state-of-the-art connectivity to homes and businesses in the UK and enhance the digital infrastructure of rural communities traditionally overlooked by ISPs. We are passionate about supporting local people and championing initiatives and events such as these. Jurassic Fibre and the British Touring Car Championship are united by our shared dedication to speed, performance and community and we look forward to working with them in the coming months as their official partner.”

Andrew Jordan to drive the BTCC Hybrid Toyota at Silverstone this weekend

There has been a lot of excitement and anticipation building since BTCC Series Organiser, TOCA, announced that the BTCC Hybrid car would be taking part in this weekend’s race event at Silverstone. 

With that event now upon us we thought it would be helpful to provide some pointers to look out for ahead of its debut… 

LOCATION: Silverstone 
DATE: September 25/26 
CAR: Toyota Corolla – TOCA-Cosworth Hybrid Test Car 
ENGINE: The all-new 2022 ‘TOCA Engine’ - developed and built by M-Sport 
DRIVER: Andrew Jordan 
RACE NUMBER: 2022 

INTRODUCTION: 

This is a demonstration event of the hybrid system - it is not the full competitive debut of the car. The object of this weekend is to replicate full real-time BTCC race event conditions for the hybrid system, as part of the carefully planned ongoing test and development cycle. 

However, be mindful that this car is not in its final specification and is still validating some components and software. Therefore it may be calling into its pit garage more often, for adjustments and data downloading etc. 

ACTIVITY: 

• The car will take part in both BTCC practice sessions, the qualifying session and the three races. 
• It will use electric power to drive from its garage to the pit-lane exit, the first time in each session. 
• Its qualifying time will be disregarded when setting the grid. 
• It will start all races from the pit-lane. 
• It will have hybrid power available – approximately a 10% power increase - for a maximum of 15 seconds per lap. The hybrid deploys when Andrew pushes the hybrid button once full traction has been established. It automatically disengages when braking, or when there is less than full traction or has abnormal steering inputs etc. (Note: that there are many more such parameters built into the system, but those are the basics). 
• It will not get involved in ‘dicing’ with other cars mid-corner or under brakes - unless that driver signals Andrew through or moves over. Otherwise, he will only usually overtake cars under acceleration out of corners or on the straights. 
• It will not provide an ‘aerodynamic tow’ to aid other cars in qualifying or races. 
• Its race results will be invisible as far as points or official results are concerned. 
• The car currently has no external indication as to when the hybrid is engaged – however that feature will be on all cars next year. 

As well, the car is also equipped with the all-new 2022 ‘TOCA Engine’ - developed and built by M-Sport. This new engine has very successfully completed all of its durability and performance programmes (both in-car and on-dyno) in readiness for introduction from next season, for those teams that don’t wish to develop their own engine. 

This is an exciting time for the UK’s premier motorsport series and the dawn of a new era for the BTCC. This weekend’s activity should be celebrated and enjoyed, whilst taking into account that it is just the beginning of the BTCC Hybrid’s competitive life cycle. As always, thanks for your support and enjoy the show!

After a second front-row qualifying result in as many races, MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square’s Jake Hill converted an excellent qualifying into the team’s maiden victory in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at Croft last weekend (18/19 September).

Having lined up second on the grid for the initial encounter, a strong start from Hill allowed the BRDC Superstar to harass pole-sitter Aiden Moffat for the full 18-lap contest, before crossing the finish line in second and sealing the squad’s first podium visit of the weekend. Team-mate Ollie Jackson meanwhile made a superb start from 11th and was up to eighth by the end of the opening lap, before an incident at the final hairpin ended his race on the third circuit.

Starting race two from opposite ends of the field, with Hill in second and Jackson 29th, the pair showed determination and resilience in two very different circumstances.

With Jackson climbing an outstanding 14 places on the opening tour alone, the 37-year-old was into the points by lap six and made up a further place by the end of a mammoth comeback to finish in 14th.

Having initially pressured race one winner Moffat, a committed move from Hill saw the #24 Ford Focus claim the lead before the end of the first lap. Managing a post-safety car restart impressively, the 27-year-old continued to head the field and began to bridge a gap to the chasing pack, taking a second career victory with a lead of more than five seconds.

The Motorbase Performance-run squad headed into race three with hopes of a strong finish to the day as both cars lined up within the top 15.

Another dose of unfortunate luck for Jackson saw the #48 car entangled in an incident early on which brought a premature end to his race due to the damage incurred.

Battling full success ballast and the softer Goodyear tyre compound, Hill defended throughout the encounter to hold on to his seventh-place starting position and claim another valuable points haul.

With less than a week until the team heads to Silverstone for Rounds 22, 23 and 24 of the campaign (25/26 September), Hill holds second in the standings and tops the Goodyear Wingfoot Award, while MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square sits sixth in the teams’ battle.

“Get in there!” proclaimed Hill. “I'm absolutely delighted to get the win and a huge amount of credit goes to the MB Motorsport and Motorbase Performance squad – the car was absolutely faultless, even with the weight. The tyres stayed with me right until the end and it's just a massive thank you to all the team.

"Overall, it was a fantastic weekend – we've done just about all we can, clawed back some ground in the Championship fight and pulled ourselves up to second in the standings. That's what we are going to have to do with every remaining round, but we are properly in the fight and it feels like the momentum is building.”

“It's been another frustrating weekend and we leave Croft with a sense of what might have been yet again,” said Jackson. “Qualifying went really well and we had put ourselves right in the mix, but our chances of success were taken away from us. Getting caught up in the incident at the hairpin in race one meant it was another recovery mission. We came through really strongly in race two, which again underlines that the pace and combination are there, but we haven't had the rub of the green as you can see yet again in race three. I'm looking forward to returning to Silverstone at the weekend, a scene of happy memories last year, and hopeful that we can create some more this time around."

“I am so pleased for everyone,” added Sporting Director Mark Blundell. “Everyone involved in the team in every role deserves that victory. Jake drove so dominantly to deliver it and I know how much it meant to him. For MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square, a BTCC outright win is new territory and I want to thank Motorbase Performance and all our incredible partners for helping make it possible."

Series organiser TOCA selects new official fuel supply for next five years

The British Touring Car Championship has today (24 September) announced its commitment to using a more sustainable fuel from the 2022 season onwards.

TOCA – organiser of the BTCC – opened a tender process for the supply of a more sustainable fuel to the series from 2022-2026, with expressions of interest invited and received.

Following detailed assessment and careful review of all submissions, TOCA selected a fuel that is considerably more sustainable than that which has recently been introduced to petrol station forecourts throughout the UK (E10).

The BTCC’s new-for-2022 fuel – designated Hiperflo® R20 – has a total of 20% renewable components, comprising 15% second generation ethanol content and 5% of renewable hydrocarbons. It is calculated by the manufacturer that this will give approximately an 18% reduction in greenhouse gasses when compared to current pump fuel, significantly lowering the fuel’s impact on the environment.

The successful tender was submitted by Haltermann Carless, who have been supplying the unbranded TOCA control fuel to the BTCC for some 26 years.

A small batch of this new fuel was recently produced and distributed to all current BTCC engine builders, as well as the BTCC fuel system supplier ATL, for trial and test purposes. All tests and examinations of the new fuel have returned excellent results, with absolutely no adverse effects recorded to either engine performance or the fuel system.

The new fuel will be manufactured for the BTCC by Haltermann Carless at its refinery in Harwich, Essex, UK and distributed direct to the teams at each event by Vital Equipment Ltd.

The introduction of the new fuel next season will also coincide with the commencement of the BTCC’s Hybrid era, as the series continues to lead the way in UK motorsport with regards to sustainable technology.

Alan Gow, BTCC Chief Executive, said: “As the premier motorsport series in the UK it is only right that the BTCC continues to navigate a more sustainable pathway and we are pleased to be introducing a cleaner fuel from the 2022 season onwards. Congratulations to Haltermann Carless on its successful tender and we look forward to continuing our working relationship over the next five years.”

Mike Jardine, Haltermann Carless Racing Fuels Division, said: “We are delighted to have been chosen by the BTCC to supply our new renewable and sustainable control fuel to the Championship for the next 5 seasons. This is an exciting time for our company as we are working hard on the development and implementation of renewable and sustainable fuels in all areas of our business. Supplying our fuels to the pinnacle of British motorsport only adds to the credibility, pedigree and innovative nature of our products.”

It was another battling weekend on track for EXCELR8 with TradePriceCars.com, with the squad securing a hat-trick of top ten finishes from the seventh outing of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season at Croft (18/19 September).

The Suffolk-based team headed for North Yorkshire looking to maintain its title challenge and chasing success on multiple fronts with its four-car driver line-up.

After showing top four pace during practice, driver Chris Smiley felt confident for qualifying, but it proved to be a tricky session as a suspension issue left the Northern Irishman in 13th place on the grid.

Team-mate Tom Ingram, hampered by the additional success ballast for running second in the standings, found himself down in 21st despite only being eight-tenths of a second away from pole, with Jack Butel in 25th and series debutant Nick Halstead – deputising for the weekend for team regular Rick Parfitt – in 27th.

A strong opening lap during Sunday’s initial contest saw Smiley move up into the top ten. Battling up into eighth at the hairpin on the third lap, he then made a fine move on Adam Morgan’s BMW at Tower to secure a solid seventh spot.

Ingram meanwhile jumped up to 16th during the starting tour and, by the end of lap three, found himself running inside the points. The end result of 12th place by the time the chequered flag dropped allowed him to put points on the board, whilst also getting rid of the additional ballast on his car.

Both Butel and Halstead were able to stay out of trouble to take the flag in 23rd and 26th place respectively.

Race two marked Ingram’s time to shine, despite his i30 Fastback N carrying plenty of battle scars as a result of contact in the pack. Up into the top ten on the opening lap, Ingram fought hard throughout and was able to take any opportunities that came his way to work his way up to fourth place by the finish; a late move on title rival Ash Sutton at the hairpin being key.

Smiley looked set to join the #80 machine in the top ten after another solid drive saw him cross the line in ninth spot, but a post-race penalty for gaining an advantage in the early stages would drop him to eleventh.

As in race one, Halstead stayed out of trouble to bring the car home successfully in 25th place but Butel would be forced into an unscheduled stop after an incident on a restart saw him make contact with the car in front and dislodged the bonnet, dropping him off the lead lap.

The reverse grid final race saw Ingram line up in fourth on the grid and he would retain his place throughout despite pressure from the Honda of Josh Cook, giving him another solid points finish to maintain his championship challenge.

Smiley was battling for a second top ten finish when he was unfortunately forced to retire with a radiator issue, although there were best results of the weekend for both Butel and Halstead in a race of attrition. Butel avoided trouble ahead at the start to make up places and would eventually be rewarded with 19th place, whilst Halstead dropped off the lead lap after a spin at the complex but was classified in 21st.

“We showed good pace all weekend, but a little issue in qualifying hurt us a bit and meant we weren’t at the front where we should have been,” said Smiley. “Passing at Croft is really difficult but we made up ground in the races and were there or thereabouts, and it was just unfortunate in race three that we had the radiator issue.

"It’s been another weekend where we could have got more but we know the pace is there and just need luck to go our way a bit."

"This has been a mega experience for me and even though it would have been nice to avoid the spin in race three, it meant I got to follow Colin Turkington for a bit, which was great!” Halstead enthused. “That was just a lack of experience on my part, but that happens when things are new.

"Overall, I couldn’t have asked for more in terms of the progress I’ve made, although at times I think I gave a bit too much respect to others. However, I think my pace has been good, particularly in the technical parts of the circuit when compared to my team-mates. It was also important to keep the car safe for Rick when there is only a week between meetings, so it’s mission accomplished."

"Considering we started so far back for race one, I’m really pleased to come away from the weekend with two fourth-place finishes,” said Ingram. “Getting up to P12 in the first race was a good start as it left us in a solid position when the weight came for the other races.

"Of course, we would like more but we have to be realistic after Saturday, and although we have dropped a few places in the standings, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing as it’s still tight between us all and we’ll have less ballast onboard for the next round."

"I hoped we could fight for points this weekend, but Croft has never been my strongest circuit and sadly we couldn’t replicate the results we picked up in recent rounds,” admitted Butel. “I haven’t felt 100 per cent today if I’m being honest so all things considered, I’m pleased with how I’ve driven.

"The race pace has been solid enough, but it’s been so close on the times that making up ground was never going to be easy. I’ll look ahead to Silverstone and put this one behind me now."

"We’ve scored more good points over the weekend,” added Team Owner Justina Williams, “although the results in qualifying proved to be key. When the grid is so competitive, it isn’t always easy to make up places, so for Chris and Tom to both come away from the weekend with top ten finishes to their name is good and it shows what a strong race package the Hyundai is.

"It’s a shame for Jack that he couldn’t fight for more points but three solid results when he was feeling under the weather is still a good weekend, and Nick did everything we asked from him and stayed out of trouble for three finishes.

"With a quick turnaround to Silverstone, we’re going to go there hoping to fight for more points and more silverware to keep our championship bid on track."

The upcoming rounds of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship will see the team head to Silverstone this weekend (25/26 September), as the 2021 campaign's eighth race event gets underway.

Research shows many motorists believe BTCC hybrid will help drive change on the road

With a hybrid powered car taking to the track in the UK’s biggest motorsport championship for the first time this weekend (24-26 Sept), new research reveals the importance of this development for the everyday motorist.

A study by Kwik Fit, title sponsor of the British Touring Car Championship, found that motorists believe introducing hybrid power to the grid will have a positive impact - both for racing and in speeding up the shift to electric in road cars.  57% of drivers believe that using hybrid or electric power in motor racing will help convince those who remain sceptical that these cars are credible alternatives to traditionally fuelled vehicles. 

This rises to 65% among motorsport fans and a majority say these developments have a direct impact on their own views. 54% of racing fans say that seeing cars with hybrid or electric engines in racing makes them more likely to consider buying a low emission vehicle themselves.

The BTCC will switch to hybrid power in all cars for the 2022 season and in advance of that, a test vehicle will make its maiden outing in the Silverstone meeting this weekend.  Around one in six drivers (18%) say that a specific manufacturer’s performance in motor racing influences their view of that car brand.  However, showcasing technology in an entire race series can be influential for many more drivers.  The Kwik Fit research found that some 58% of drivers, around 24 million motorists, believe that it’s important to demonstrate that hybrid or electric power is suitable for racing as it shows the high performance and reliability of these engines.

The TOCA Hybrid car will take part in practice, qualifying and all three races at Silverstone, albeit starting from the pitlane.  Participating in race conditions, with 2013 BTCC champion Andrew Jordan at the wheel, is a crucial part of the ongoing test and development programme ahead of next season’s grid-wide adoption of the new technology.

Andy Lane, marketing director at Kwik Fit, said: “It’s important that technological development remains a focus of racing, and that fans can see advances which are reflected in everyday motoring.  Seven in ten drivers think that technology in road cars often comes from racing innovations, and we believe that this is especially relevant to a series where motorists can easily relate to cars which are advanced versions of their own vehicles.”

As well as the influence that introducing new technology into racing can have on the road, motorists believe that innovation is vital to the future of racing itself.  The overwhelming majority of drivers, 73% (rising to 82% of motorsport fans), say that they expect there will be strict restrictions on racing in cars with petrol engines within the next 20 years and for motor racing to survive it will have to develop hybrid or electric replacements. Two thirds of drivers (67%) believe that it’s important for motor racing to show that they are working to reduce emissions from their cars. 

The Silverstone meeting is the first chance for fans to see the new hybrid in a race format.  Although Andrew Jordan won’t be able to score any points for the championship and the car is only part-way through its development cycle, all eyes will be on how the car performs at the home of British motor racing, with everyone looking for pointers for next season.

2021 marks 50 years since Kwik Fit opened its first centre and the company is celebrating the milestone at Silverstone.  To highlight how motoring has changed in those decades, both on the road and in racing, a replica of Toyota’s BTCC title-winning Corolla from the 1980s will take to the track alongside the new TOCA Hybrid Corolla between practice sessions. Kwik Fit will be interviewing drivers Sam Smelt and Andrew Jordan to explain the key differences and sharing their thoughts and experiences on the company’s social media channels including Facebook and Twitter.

The Qualifying Top Ten Showdown will return for the next two race weekends, at Silverstone and Donington Park respectively, alongside the popular reversal of the garages – enabling fans to view the BTCC cars and stars in their garage environment.

In regard to the Top Ten Showdown, a marginally reduced window to record initial lap times will take place, with the top ten fastest competitors at the end of the 25-minute session rewarded with the opportunity to clinch P1 on the grid during a ten-minute pole position showdown.

Lap times will be reset ahead of the showdown as all ten cars head out on track and complete an unlimited number of laps during the ten minutes.

Team BMW’s Colin Turkington grabbed pole position when the format was used earlier this season at Snetterton.

There will be another exciting return to the BTCC paddock this weekend – and again at Donington Park – with the reversal of the pit garages for both events.

The move will see the front of the pit garages now face into the paddock, rather than the pit-lane, meaning teams and drivers will carry out most of their preparation work in clear view of the spectators.

The space and layout of the Silverstone and Donington paddock and pit-lane area has made this change both viable and safe. Teams’ transporters will be situated slightly further away from the pit garages, ensuring plenty of space is available for fans to view the cars.

The full Top Ten Showdown qualifying session at Silverstone on Saturday (25 September) will be streamed live on itv.com/btcc, with the action kicking off from 1440, before Sunday’s race day broadcast on ITV4 commences at 1100.