GKR TradePriceCars.com will hope to impress on track when the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship heads for Brands Hatch’s Grand Prix configuration this weekend (8/9 August) for the second event of the 2020 campaign.

Taking place just a week after the season opener at Donington Park, the Brands Hatch meeting will be the second of four events in a busy five-week period - and the first on home soil this season for the Essex-based squad.

The Donington Park opener saw a solid performance on track for the two GKR TradePriceCars.com Audi S3s, with Bobby Thompson securing a pair of points scoring finishes, and series newcomer James Gornall showing impressive pace on his debut - with his hopes of points only being ended by an unfortunate engine issue whilst dicing for the top ten in his very first race.

Thompson enjoyed some of his best results of the 2019 season at Brands Hatch, taking four points finishes across the six races at the Kent circuit - including a career-best sixth place finish on the shorter Indy layout.

The 24-year-old has plenty of experience around his home circuit and heads into the second race weekend buoyed by a competitive display on his first race outing in the Audi last week in the East Midlands.

Currently ninth in the Independents' championship and just seven points off the lead of the Jack Sears Trophy, Thompson will be looking to put more solid points on the board to aid his title challenge, with his aim being to try and break into the top ten for the first time this season.

Despite being one of three rookies in the field this season, Gornall wasted no time in showing his pace at Donington, where he ran well in the points in race one before his engine dramas, and then raced from the back of the field to just miss out on the points in race three.

The 36-year-old has an enviable record of success around the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit, winning in both the British GT Championship and the MINI Challenge UK en route to the respective championship titles.

Eager to try and maintain his impressive form around the iconic Kent circuit, Gornall heads into the weekend looking to not only make up places in the Independents' and Jack Sears Trophy standings, but also to put his first overall points on the board.

With no fans in attendance again this weekend as a result of COVID-19 restrictions, qualifying will stream live via itv.com/btcc from 1510 on Saturday (8 August) and all of the action can be enjoyed live on ITV4 on Sunday (9 August), with coverage starting at 1020 and the three races set to run at 1050, 1330 and 1730.

"I can't wait to get to Brands Hatch this weekend,” said Thompson. “I'm feeling good about my home round. I know the track well as I do a lot of driving work there with customers; I know it like the back of my hand.

"We have a two week break after Brands Hatch so I think we might see some people getting their elbows out a bit more than then they did at Donington Park - even though it was like a wrestling match at times there! It's going to be a tough weekend like they always are, but I feel we'll have a good race car on the Grand Prix layout.

"I'm going to spend a bit of time looking at the data from last season and will watch some of the onboard videos from Jake [Hill], but I'm going to Brands Hatch fighting for three sets of points and pushing for the top ten."

"I feel good going to Brands Hatch,” said Gornall. “I have a good record on the Grand Prix layout having won in both British GT and the MINI Challenge. It's an interesting circuit and I'm pleased I got Donington under my belt before going Brands in a touring car, because you really have to hang it all out round there and it would have been an interesting place to make my debut!

"More dry track time is going to be helpful for me and I'll approach the weekend in the same way I approached the first event. I need to learn as much as I can early in the weekend, and then try to get into a better position in qualifying so I can come out all guns blazing for race day.

"I showed at Donington that I have the pace to fight for points, so I'm confident that I can open my account during the weekend ahead."

Kwik British Touring Car Championship team Halfords Yuasa Racing started the delayed 2020 season in style, with Dan Cammish winning the first race at Donington Park last weekend (1/2 August). Cammish ended the day just six points off the top of the title race, while Honda leads the Manufacturers' championship – on the same points as title rivals BMW – as the squad heads to Brands Hatch this weekend (8/9 August).

Saturday's qualifying saw the Halfords Yuasa Racing mechanics forced into rapid action after discovering an issue on Cammish's car shortly before the session began. They changed the differential in just 16 minutes and Cammish rewarded their efforts by securing the outside of the front row, just thirteen hundredths-of-a-second behind main 2019 title rival Colin Turkington. Matt Neal also put in a strong performance to line up his Honda Civic Type R in ninth spot, half a second further back.  

At the lights turned green for race one, Cammish was beaten away by the fast-starting rear-wheel-drive car of Ashley Sutton, the Honda man settling into third as Sutton challenged leader Turkington. On lap four the two leaders squeezed each other, opening a gap that Cammish happily dived into to snatch the lead.

Not even a late safety-car period prevented a victorious start to the 2020 campaign for Honda, with Cammish finally banishing memories of his previous BTCC race last October, when he lost the 2019 title in an accident just 14 corners from the chequered flag. To add to the Halfords Yuasa Racing joy, Neal fought his way up to fifth.

Race two proved more challenging – with his Honda Civic Type R weighed down by 60kg of success ballast, Cammish spun the wheels at the start and Turkington beat him away. The weight then told and the Honda slipped back to finish just ahead of the sister car of Neal.

Sixth and seventh places at the chequered flag earned another useful clutch of championship points for the team, and the same spots on the race three grid after the reverse grid draw swapped round the first 12 places. 

Following a frenetic mid-pack start, Cammish had to give best to eventual race winner Sutton but then set about rival Stephen Jelley, with the Honda moving ahead at the chicane and Jelley then spinning, promoting Neal. But as the race wore on Cammish was unable to hold back the Corolla of Tom Ingram and eventually finished seventh. Neal was just behind in eighth having held off Tom Oliphant and his team-mate, reigning champion Turkington.

The productive day's work saw the Halfords Yuasa Racing team leave Donington with Cammish just six points behind Turkington at the top of the Drivers' points, while Honda heads the Manufacturers' championship on equal points with its closest rival. But there is little time to enjoy the success, the team heading south to Kent for the second three races in the series at Brands Hatch in just a few days’ time (8/9 August).

"Race one was brilliant,” said Cammish. “To start on a high with a win – I always

knew Ash would be aggressive with Colin and when he opened up the gap I think he forgot about me, and I took the opportunity.

“Our front-wheel-drive rivals are very competitive but it’s been a cracking day, I’m second in the points with 40 more than I started with last year.
 
“It will be tough going back to Brands, I’ll have a lump in my throat the first time I go through the corner where my title ambitions went last season, but I like the track and the car goes well there – it will be head down and get some more points in the bag."  

"A solid day for me, scoring points in all three races,” said Neal. “I got a bit stuck behind Dan in the last race, tail-gunning for him which meant I got compromised a bit, but the car was strong and we finished ahead of our main rivals in both race one and three. We have points on the board and both cars in one piece going to Brands in just a few days' time. 
 
“The Brands GP circuit is always a favourite for all the drivers because it’s so old school. I think our rivals will be strong but we have a strong car too – the Civic Type R likes fast corners and the GP circuit has a lot of fast stuff out the back."

BTC Racing celebrated a promising start to the 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at Donington Park claiming a podium finish, Jack Sears Trophy, and points in all three rounds during an action-packed opener, as the squad now turns its attention to rounds 4, 5 & 6 at Brands Hatch’s legendary GP circuit this weekend (8/9 August).

Josh Cook led the scores for the Brackley-based squad, securing third place in the weekend finale. New team-mate Tom Chilton collected a solid haul of points from all three races, showing impressive pace out of the box, with Michael Crees’ dream Honda debut netting him the Jack Sears Trophy honours.

Chilton set an early pace in Saturday’s practice sessions, before getting caught on the wrong side of the red flag, traffic, and changing weather conditions during qualifying. Despite being just eight tenths-of-a-second off the pace, he found himself in 16^thfor the opening encounter, closely followed by team-mate Crees in 18^th. Cook fared better, lining up eighth on the grid, after setting a best lap time of 1m09.411s; beating Plato’s 2014 qualifying lap record - showing the strength of the BTCC grid this year.

The 2020 season opener delivered all the excitement expected from the BTCC, with high drama from lights out. After making a strong start off the line, Cook found himself in the gravel as the lead pack charged into McLean’s, which saw him re-join the grid in dead last. A strong fightback ensued with Cook picking off positions as the laps unfolded, and he eventually crossed the line in 13^th.

Chilton’s steady hand and refined race craft saw the Reigate-racer bide his time to take advantage of a mid-pack coming together on lap nine. Having initially worked his way up the field in the early laps, the #3 Type R stole into tenth, opening the 35-year-old’s points tally.

Losing a couple of spots off the line, Crees quickly made amends as he found his feet in the Clever Baggers-backed Type R. Running as high as 13^th, damage in the closing laps saw him finish just outside the points, in 16^th.

Race two delivered a full complement of points for the BTC Racing trio. Trading places as they battled in the lead pack, both Chilton and Cook looked set for top-eight finishes with promising pace on show. Unfortunately, contact for Chilton on his 13th tour of the circuit pushed the #3 Civic wide, dropping him down to P13. Cook held fast in the running battle, managing to claim a top ten finish.

A solid performance by Crees was rewarded with a 14th place finish, collecting his first points of the season on only his second competitive run in the #777 Civic.

Starting from third by virtue of the reverse grid draw, Cook had to take immediate evasive action to avoid a coming together with Jelley off the start line before the safety car was called into play.
 
Lapping fastest on lap four, the former Jack Sears Trophy winner put on a stunning display as he closed down the race leaders whilst defending from Adam Morgan. Taking advantage as Ollie Jackson and Chris Smiley tangled for the lead, Cook dived into second. Coming under immediate pressure from the lighter and fast-charging pack, a frenetic battle unfolded with Smiley as Ash Sutton stole into the lead, dropping Cook back to third. A final push to the finish line almost paid off as he chased down Smiley to the final flag, but it was just out of reach with the #66 coming home in P3, securing a maiden BTCC podium of the year for the BTC Racing squad.

Chilton endured a frustrating end to the weekend. Struggling to unlock the full potential of the Type R on his first weekend in Honda machinery, the 14-time BTCC race winner had to settle for 12^th, collecting his third set of points from the opening weekend of the 2020 season.

A weekend best position just behind team-mate Chilton – 13th in the final race of day – netted a delighted Crees his first BTCC silverware since joining the grid last year. Securing top honours in the illustrious Jack Sears Trophy, the 36-year-old showed promising pace and a clear head to take his second overall points score of the weekend and now tops the JST standings with an eight-point lead.

The weekend’s results leave BTC Racing fourth in the Teams’ Standings with just a few days’ turnaround before the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship heads to the iconic Brands Hatch GP circuit for rounds 4, 5 and 6 on 8/9 August.

“It was quite a tough weekend for us, but we’ve come away with points in all three races and two trophies so we’re very happy,” said Joint Team Principal Bert Taylor. “It could have gone better, but all in all, I’m pleased with a podium and exceptionally happy to win the Jack Sears Trophy with Michael on his first outing.

“We’ve learned a lot about ourselves this weekend. We’ve shown resilience to come back from the back of the grid to take a podium in the last race. All three drivers scored points and brought the cars home safely as well, which is a task in itself in this championship.

“I’m looking forward to seeing what the boys can do on the GP circuit this weekend. We went from the back to the front there with Josh last year and finished second in the last race of the season. So we have lots of good memories. It’s Tom and Michael’s local track, so a little bit of home advantage should see them both further up the grid. I want us to achieve nine finishes firstly, and keep banking the points for our championship challenge.

“Credit where it’s due as well, TOCA, MSV, and ITV did a mega job to put on a great show for the fans this weekend.”

Cook #66:
“Being taken out in race one put us on the back foot for the rest of the weekend. Without the option tyre, it makes it quite difficult to come through the field. You no longer have a race where you have an advantage. Not the ideal start to the weekend, but we managed to claw our way back up to get into the reverse grid draw for race three.

“We faced a lot of challenges we didn’t expect. We struggled with temperature management, so we just had to make sure that we brought the car home and played the long game. We had the pace to challenge higher up I think, and in clearer air, we would have pushed harder. I’m pleased with how it went overall. It’s a solid set of results to start the season and puts us in a good place heading to Brands Hatch.”

Chilton #3:
“Your whole weekend hinges on a strong qualifying result. We got caught in traffic, then a red flag, and then it rained, so I never got to set a fast lap. Starting from 16^th, it’s always going to be hard work. I moved forward in race one and we were on for a top-six finish in race two, which would have been perfect for the reverse grid.

“I’ve come away with points in all three races on my first weekend with the team, the first weekend in the Honda, and with my new engineer. I’ve learned an awful lot about the car. I’m feeling confident that I’ve got to grips with the Type R and where we’re going to pick up from at Brands Hatch this weekend.

Crees #777:
“When I started in the Ginettas three years ago, I never thought I’d be on the BTCC podium winning the Jack Sears trophy. It’s incredible and it means so much to me. It was the perfect end to my first weekend in the Honda with the BTC Racing team. I made a few mistakes early on, but I got my head down and came through.

“Although Brands GP is my home track it’s never been my favourite. I’ve just got to keep focused on bagging the points and winning the Jack Sears Trophy. The opening weekend has given me a lot more confidence in the car and my abilities.”

Tom Ingram outlined his title-chasing credentials with a battling performance as the Kwik British Touring Car Championship fired belatedly into life at Donington Park last weekend (1/2 August), scoring a hat-trick of top six finishes to stake his claim as a leading contender for the biggest prize in UK motorsport. The 26-year-old will now be looking to build on his strong start to the season this weekend on the Brands Hatch GP circuit.

Heading into its second campaign with the race-winning Toyota Corolla – whose maiden success in the series came at Donington last year – the Speedworks Motorsport-run Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters outfit returned to the track for the 2020 season curtain-raiser in optimistic mood. Ingram duly put the #80 entry fourth on the grid in qualifying, barely two tenths-of-a-second adrift of pole position amongst the 26 high-calibre protagonists having for a while topped the timesheets himself.
 
After losing out to the fast-starting rear wheel-drive BMW of Tom Oliphant when the lights went out in race one, the Bucks-born ace wasted no time at all in redressing the balance with a bold pass up the inside at the Old Hairpin to reclaim the spot. He swiftly settled into a close five-way scrap for supremacy, until a lap four tangle saw the leaders trip over each other, causing a concertina effect in which Ingram hit the back of defending champion Colin Turkington.
 
Not only did the incident cost the Toyota driver two places, it also left him having to manage overheating issues for the remainder of the race – although that did not prevent him from pulling off another peach of a move on Oliphant when the action resumed following a safety car intervention on lap 11. The quickest driver on the track in the closing stages as he zeroed in on the top three, Ingram went on to take the chequered flag fourth, just two seconds away from victory.
 
Carrying 42kg of success ballast on-board the Corolla in race two, the two-time BTCC Independents’ Champion made short work of fighting his way past triple title-holder Matt Neal, earlier nemesis Oliphant and race one winner Dan Cammish to seal the same result again – but the partially-reversed grid format saw him begin the day’s finale from down in P9.
 
In front of the live ITV4 television cameras, Ingram immediately went on a charge, even saving a lurid slide after finding himself tagged from behind heading onto the start/finish straight at the end of lap six. Showcasing his sublime car control, Ingram recovered without losing any positions and proceeded to flash across the finish line less than three tenths-of-a-second shy of fifth place at Toyota Motor Manufacturing (UK)’s ‘home’ track.
 
Ingram will travel to Brands Hatch’s legendary ‘GP’ circuit this coming weekend (8/9 August) sitting fifth in the Drivers’ standings, just ten points off the lead as Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters occupies the same position in the Teams’ table in Britain’s premier motor racing series.

“I’m really pleased with how the weekend went,” said Team Principal Christian Dick. “It was a rock-solid start to the season, which was exactly what we had been targeting, with no big dramas and good points scored in all three races. The Corolla ran well throughout and we had strong speed across the board – both with and without ballast – which bodes well for the remainder of the campaign.
 
“It was good to corroborate our testing results, and we have clearly taken a step forward since last year – with progress in every area. That has made the car easier to drive on the limit, and Tom performed extremely well all weekend and really fought for every result.
 
“The podium was certainly achievable in race one had it not been for the early skirmish ahead. That’s how it goes sometimes, but we still came away with a fourth-place finish and a good points haul. The same could be said of race two, and in race three, we were just as quick at the end as we were at the beginning, which enabled Tom to pick some of the other guys off as their pace fell away and ours remained strong. That was particularly promising.
 
“Moving on to Brands Hatch, the objective has to be three good, consistent points-scoring finishes again – with all eyes on the prize. Tom is within touching distance of the championship lead, yet being in fifth place means he will arrive carrying considerably less ballast, so we need to make sure we capitalise upon that in qualifying and race one.
 
“There’s a really positive feeling inside the team right now – a sense of underlying confidence. We’re very comfortable with the Corolla, and I think we will only get stronger and stronger as the season settles into its stride.”
 
“More than any other season I’ve known in the BTCC, I think every race is really going to count this year – particularly now tyre choice is no longer a factor – and in that respect, we did a great job at Donington,” said Ingram. “The Corolla felt strong all weekend; we’ve clearly established a good baseline with it, and that’s obviously encouraging for the remainder of the campaign.
 
“I think we could probably have pushed for pole in qualifying – I initially thought the lap time that put us at the top of the order midway through the session would be enough – but we would have had to risk just a little bit more to get the very most out of the car and we decided it would be better to save a set of tyres as P4 still left us well in the mix.
 
“I was chuffed with my move on Oliphant on the first lap of race one and we were looking to gain further ground, but then the contact between Sutton and Turkington delayed us a bit – I came round the corner to find Colin jumping on the brakes, with the result that I ran into the back of him. That blocked a lot of the engine intake and caused overheating issues which we subsequently had to nurse for the rest of the race. I was pretty happy to come away with fourth considering the damage we were carrying, and it represented solid points towards the championship.
 
“I thought the Corolla handled the ballast really well in race two. Donington Park is all about momentum, and the second you get slowed by the car ahead or have to defend from the car behind, you find yourself losing so much time. Being in close company throughout, I was mindful of not wanting to get caught up in any incidents, and it was satisfying to take another fourth-place finish.
 
“As is often the case, race three was then a real elbows-out affair. We had some enjoyable battles and it was good to directly measure the Corolla against quite a few of the other cars. I could attack the whole way through, which was very promising. With one more lap, we could definitely have had fifth, but I was still happy with sixth.
 
“I think we are in a positive place going to Brands Hatch and I’m feeling excited. I love the ‘GP’ circuit – it’s a proper old-school challenge and we’ve usually gone well there. The aim is more of the same to keep ourselves in the hunt – and if a win or podium is there for the taking, we will of course grab it with both hands.”

MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square endured a day of mixed emotions as the 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship kicked off at Donington Park last weekend (1/2 August).

The Essex-based team headed into race day looking to build upon an encouraging performance on Saturday, with drivers Jake Hill and Sam Osborne both impressing on-track during free practice and qualifying.

Despite a minor electrical glitch, Hill showed top ten pace during the opening practice session and backed that up in qualifying to put his Honda seventh on the grid for the opening race with a time less than four tenths-of-a-second off pole - and underneath the previous qualifying lap record.

Osborne, meanwhile, produced an eye-opening performance as he ran well inside the top ten during the early stages of the session before eventually ending up 12th-fastest in the sister car, having improved his best time by a second over the course of the day.

It marked the 27-year-old’s best qualifying result by far, having never previously broken into the top 20.

The opening race would prove to be a mixed affair for the team, although things started well with Hill maintaining his position through the opening lap and Osborne moving quickly up into the top ten.

The #4 car would continue to move forwards until the two MB Motorsport Hondas were running together on-track, only for Hill to then be forced to pit on lap six with an engine problem. That promoted Osborne up into seventh place and a measured drive - despite a Safety Car that allowed the chasing pack to close in behind - saw him rewarded with his maiden top ten finish.

Hopes were high of a strong result for both drivers in race two, with the team having worked hard to change the engine in Hill’s car in order to allow him to join Osborne on the grid for the start.

Osborne was able to retain his place inside the top ten through the early stages but his race would end in disappointing fashion when an alarm sounded in the car and forced him into the pits to retire. Capping a tough race for the team, Hill was then hit with further engine issues that left him joining Osborne in retirement.

The team again pulled out all the stops to get Hill’s car back out for the final race, which became an important test to ensure that the engine issues on the #24 Honda had been resolved. Despite being forced to make two pit-stops to check the engine and replace a punctured tyre, Hill showed the pace in the car to set the second-quickest lap time, even though he would be unclassified in the results, three laps down.

Osborne would unfortunately retire after an issue with the right-rear wheel having battled his way up towards the points-scoring positions, with the team now looking forward to fighting back in the races to come.

"We had a tough weekend, but hopefully we have managed to get rid of all our bad luck at Donington Park!” said Team Principal, Shaun Hollamby. “Sam's result in race one was an obvious highlight. We're hugely impressed with the way in which he performed to secure his first top ten finish. It was certainly a drive that has shown people what he can do and is the reason why we wanted to bring him on-board.

"It was a difficult day for Jake, but he showed in race three that he has the pace of the front-runners and it was simply unfortunate that circumstances didn't allow him to pick up some good results. Even though the end results aren't what we were hoping for, there are things we can take away from Donington that will benefit us going forwards and we look forward to fighting back at the sharp end next time out."

"Motorsport is full of highs and lows, and it is just unfortunate that we have endured a tough start on-track,” said the squad’s Sporting Director, Mark Blundell. “The potential of the team is clear to see from Sam's hugely impressive performance in race one and the pace that both he and Jake showed in race three. We have a quick turnaround before the next event and there'll be no stone left unturned to make sure we can get the results our pace deserves next time out. It was a long day for our team with all the work needed to get Jake out for each race, so we are really thankful to everybody involved.”

"That certainly wasn't the start to the season we were hoping for, but there wasn't much we could do about it,” said Hill. “It's heartbreaking when things happen that are outside your control, but I can't fault the MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square team as they pulled out all the stops to make sure I was out for all three races.

"It's been a challenge for us as a team but these things make you stronger, and we just need to put Donington Park behind us and focus on what is to come. We showed in race three that the car is quick, and I have no doubt that we'll come back strong."

"It was a mega weekend for me, even though two retirements on paper might not look so good,” said Osborne. “I had my best-ever qualifying result on Saturday and to then race through to seventh in the first race was fantastic; a top ten finish first time out in the car is more than I could have hoped for.

"In both race one and race three, we showed strong speed on-track and were able to match the front-running pack. That is something that gives me a huge amount of confidence for the season ahead."

Adam Morgan started his Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship assault with three top 12 finishes at Donington Park, including an impressive fourth place finish, as Britain’s premier motor sport championship roared into life.

Behind closed doors, but in front of ITV4’s cameras for day-long coverage, Adam’s Carlube TripleR Racing Mac Tools Mercedes-Benz A-Class, run by Ciceley Motorsport, ended the day in the top ten in the championship with a positive driver buoyed by the car’s pace.

Starting from tenth on the grid for the opener, Adam lost ground as a brace of cars flashed by and then contact with Sam Osborne’s Honda Civic at McLeans Corner cost him two more. As the race settled down, Adam upped his pace and was making progress into the top ten when he suffered another setback – having just overtaken Ollie Jackson (Ford Focus), there was contact at the Chicane as Jackson braked too late and Adam was forced wide, falling from tenth to 17th. In a gutsy fight-back, Adam dragged the Carlube Triple R Racing Mac Tools Mercedes-Benz A-Class into 12th place at the chequered flag.

“I was a bit disappointed in that. I lost places at the start and then contact with Sam didn’t help, but the real rub was Jackson taking me off. I never really got into a rhythm in that race, but it sure is good to be back racing!”

From 12th on the grid, the Accrington-based racer was in feisty mood in race two. He was part of a frenetic battle that raged on for much of the contest, with Adam charging up into eighth place, illustrating the pace of the Ciceley Motorsport Mercedes. Just 6.5 seconds off the lead, Adam was delighted with his result.

“That felt a lot better. I was fully on it in that race and the car felt really good. I set the third fastest race lap and made progress up the order so a lot of boxes were ticked. I’m a happy chap!”

On the semi-reversed grid for the final race, Adam lined up fifth in what turned out to be an exciting race. Led initially by his race one nemesis Ollie Jackson, the race pace was electric as Jackson fended off Chris Smiley (Hyundai i30N) and Josh Cook (Honda Civic) with Adam slotting in behind in fourth. The fast pace forced Adam to drive as hard as he could and with 18 kilos of success ballast on board from his race two result, the speed and weight combined to affect Adam’s left front tyre.

“I pushed a bit too hard too early I think,” said Adam. “The pace was really quick and I just asked a bit too much of the left front, so as the race wore on I couldn’t quite have a go at Josh for third. It was close, but I just didn’t quite have the final tenth to attack him. Fourth was a good result to end the weekend, though, and the car feels so much better than last year that I am very positive about Brands Hatch next weekend. The Mercedes feels like a new car!”

The results put Adam ninth in the championship and fourth in the Independents’ Trophy. Carlube TripleR Racing with Mac Tools is eighth in the BTCC Teams’ Championship and fourth in the Independent Teams’ Championship.

Ciceley Motorsport’s Commercial Director Norman Burgess said: “It was a great way to end the weekend which had a very different feel to it. On-track, the racing was as exciting as ever and it was amazing to see Adam running up at the front and in a car that gave him so much confidence. Off-track, it felt strange not having our Carlube Triple R, Mac Tools guests and friends with us but we can’t wait to welcome them back to the circuits. I am sure that they enjoyed the ITV4 coverage and Adam’s results underline that our sponsors are with one of the top teams in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship.”

The second Carlube TripleR Racing Mac Tools Mercedes-Benz A-Class was raced by Jack Butel, who signed a late deal to join the BTCC. Thrown in at the deep end, the weekend was all about track time for Jack in his first experience of a front-wheel drive racing car. Starting 24th for race one, Jack kept out of trouble and finished 22nd, before improving further in race two to bag 19th place. Sadly, in the final race, Jack was the victim of contact as he was fired into the gravel trap. Although Jack was able to re-join, he lost a chunk of time and suffered rear end damage that affected the pace of the car but he took 20th place as well as gaining more valuable track time.

“Jack has had a steep learning curve this weekend,” said Burgess, “but he has delivered what was required. He finished every race, gained experience of the car and the championship and has fitted into the Ciceley Motorsport family very quickly. We don’t think that there are many young lads in the country that could jump into the BTCC and achieve what he did this weekend, he’s ultra-impressive. We are confident that he will gain pace with more seat time and be fighting for points before long. Jack’s enthusiasm, determination, raw speed and natural talent will pay massive dividends with time, his confidence was growing with every single lap completed."

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship moves on to Brands Hatch this weekend, 8/9 August. Qualifying on Saturday is shown live on itv.com and all the raceday action is live on ITV4 on Sunday.

Laser Tools Racing fighting at the front as BTCC returns

Ash Sutton and Aiden Moffat starred for Laser Tools Racing as the 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship stormed back into action at Donington Park this weekend (1/2 August).

Sutton was the standout driver of the event, as the 2017 champion broke a number of long-standing records as well winning an enthralling final race around the famous 1.98-mile track.

Having made the shrewd decision to run the Inifiniti Q50 for the second half of the 2019 BTCC season, Laser Tools Racing hit the ground running for the long-awaited 2020 campaign – building and preparing a fantastic racecar for the opening weekend.

Sutton was just 0.097s behind Colin Turkington’s pole position time on Saturday afternoon and would line-up third on the grid for Sunday’s curtain raiser, whilst Moffat was just over a second off the ultimate pace.

Moffat produced a really promising first race performance as he scrapped his way through the order to score the final championship point on offer, but the remainder of his afternoon was compromised by misfortune.

A grid infringement in race two brought about a ten second time penalty from the stewards, which ended his hopes for a second successive points paying finish.

The 23-year-old’s final race was spent fighting back through the pack, but with little reward for his sterling effort.

It initially looked like Sutton would also face a frustrating Sunday afternoon when another rival curtailed his enthralling race one performance.

The Essex man was attempting to take the lead from Turkington’s BMW on lap four, and looked as if he had got the job done, before he was tipped into a spin from behind.

The #116 Infiniti Q50 was sent tumbling to the back of the order but this is where Sutton’s phenomenal fight back began, as he sliced through the order to take the fastest lap of the race on his way to a 14^thplace finish.

Sutton continued the trend – breaking the existing lap record as well as becoming the first BTCC driver to set fastest laps in all three races, since Gordon Shedden back in 2012.

The best was saved until last, however, as the talented racer stormed from eighth on the grid to claim his 15^thBTCC career victory and the first for the incredible Laser Tools Racing Infiniti Q50.

He made a number of fantastic moves during the race with his final pass by Chris Smiley’s Hyundai clinching the victory, much to the delight of everyone at Laser Tools Racing.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship now moves on to Brands Hatch, with three races taking place on the legendary Grand Prix circuit next weekend (8/9 August).

Ash Sutton said: “This is just what we needed. The car gives me a hell of a lot of confidence and it’s allowing me to do these things. I’m over the moon with that. As long as we can keep this momentum going, I know I’ve got the best team behind me with Laser Tools Racing and BMR Engineering. I couldn’t ask for a better outfit. The car is absolutely phenomenal. I feel at home in it, it’s the best I’ve ever felt in a car so we’re ticking a lot of boxes here.”

Aiden Moffat said: “It didn’t turn out to be the best weekend for me personally but I am delighted for Ash and I’m extremely proud of everyone involved in Laser Tools Racing. We have all been working so hard over the last few years and the hard work developing the Infiniti Q50 over the last 12 months is really starting to pay off. I’ve won on the Brands Hatch GP circuit before and it’s a circuit that I really like, so lets hope for something similar next weekend!”

A win apiece for Dan Cammish, Colin Turkington and Ash Sutton

The 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship got off to a dramatic start this weekend (1/2 August) with Dan Cammish, Colin Turkington and Ash Sutton scoring a win apiece at Donington Park.
 
The top three qualifiers from Saturday all stood on the top step of the podium during the course of Sunday’s action, which commenced some 294 days after the 2019 season finale.
 
Halfords Yuasa Racing’s Cammish claimed victory in the season opener after he got the better of Turkington and Sutton in a ding-dong battle for the lead.
 
The critical moment of the contest came on lap four as Sutton got the switchback on Team BMW’s Turkington on the exit of the Old Hairpin. The pair touched on the run up to McLeans and Cammish incredibly squeezed by both of them, whilst slight contact from Tom Ingram’s Toyota tapped Turkington’s BMW into Sutton.
 
When the dust eventually settled Sutton’s car was left stranded on the grass, with Cammish now leading from Turkington and Motorbase Performance’s Rory Butcher.
 
That’s how the leading trio remained until the finish but there was plenty of action behind for the other points paying positions.
 
Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters’ Ingram and Halfords Yuasa Racing’s Matt Neal shuffled Tom Oliphant’s BMW down a couple of places late on to eventually finish in fourth and fifth respectively, whilst Oliphant still grabbed an encouraging top six result.
 
Turkington cruised to victory in the second contest as the reigning champion showed his composure and class around the 1.98-mile National Circuit.
 
The Team BMW star got the jump on pole-sitter Cammish on the run down to Redgate for the first time as the latter struggled slightly with his ballast-laden Honda Civic Type R.
 
The 38-year-old scampered away into the distance – even calmly controlling a mid-race safety car spell – whilst the remaining podium position switched several times.
 
Cammish failed to keep Butcher, Ingram and Oliphant behind him with the trio setting up their own scrap for second and third.
 
Oliphant was shuffled back again initially but the BMW man would fight back to eventually pass Ingram’s Toyota Corolla to grab third at the finish, whilst Butcher claimed second.
 
The star of the second bout was arguably Sutton as the 2017 champion stormed from 14th on the grid – following his race one clash – to take a fantastic fifth place.
 
Sutton made several eye-catching passes with his final two moves past the manufacturer Hondas of Cammish and Matt Neal being particularly impressive.
 
If there was any doubt as to Sutton's star status, there was little argument following the grand finale, as he sped to victory from eighth on the grid.
 
The 26-year-old was in the thick of the action throughout the weekend with a stellar qualifying performance, fastest race laps and fight back drives, culminating in a magnificent win in the finale.
 
From eighth on the grid, Sutton scythed his way through to fourth in the early running and was then part of an enthralling four-way battle for the lead, which also included Ollie Jackson, Chris Smiley and Josh Cook.
 
The Motorbase Performance Ford of Jackson led the opening laps but was eventually passed by the impressive Smiley in the all-new Excelr8 Motorsport Hyundai. That moment brought about a domino effect as Sutton soon jumped two spots and into second, with Cook’s BTC Racing Honda tucked in behind.
 
It was a matter of when, not if, and shortly after mid-distance young charger Sutton blasted by Smiley along the Dunlop Straight.
 
Sutton sailed away with the win in the closing laps, whilst Smiley crossed the finish line just 0.276s ahead of Cook. Sutton’s victory was the first for the Infiniti Q50 and Smiley’s podium was the first podium for the striking Hyundai i30N.
 
Incredibly for Sutton, he also set the fastest in lap each of the three races, the first time such a feat has been achieved in the BTCC since Gordon Shedden did so at Thruxton back in 2012.
 
It was a wonderful way to end an incredible day of racing as the BTCC made its long-awaited return to action.
 
Turkington holds a slender advantage in the early Drivers’ standings from Cammish, Sutton and Butcher, whilst Team BMW also top the Teams’ standings.
 
Honda and BMW can’t be separated in the Manufacturers’ order – both having scored 89 points on the opening weekend.
 
Butcher and his Motorbase Performance squad lead the Independents’ scores, whilst Michael Crees tops the Jack Sears Trophy.
 
Rounds 4, 5 and 6 of the 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship take place at Brands Hatch on 8/9 August.

Dan Cammish, Halfords Yuasa Racing, said: "Race one was brilliant, to start on a high with a win – I always knew Ash would be aggressive with Colin and when he opened up the gap I think he forgot about me, and I took the opportunity. I’m second in the points with almost 40 more than I started with last year. It will be tough going back to Brands, I’ll have a lump in my throat the first time I go through the corner where my title ambitions went last season, but I like the track and the car goes well there – it will be head down and get some more points in the bag." 
 
Colin Turkington, Team BMW, said: “It feels great to stand on the top step. After all our preparation, to get a win feels fantastic and a great result for the team. My race was made off the line; I knew the job had to be done before turn one. Once I was in front my car had electric pace, it felt even stronger with a little weight in it, which settled things down. I’m really happy to get my first win of the season and a big clap on the back for my team.”
 
Ash Sutton, Laser Tools Racing, said: “This is just what we needed. The car gives me a hell of a lot of confidence and it’s allowing me to do these things. I’m over the moon with that. As long as we can keep this momentum going, I know I’ve got the best team behind me with Laser Tools Racing and BMR Engineering. I couldn’t ask for a better outfit. The car is absolutely phenomenal. I feel at home in it, it’s the best I’ve ever felt in a car so we’re ticking a lot of boxes here.”

2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 1 – Donington Park
 
1        Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing 19 laps
2        Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.707s
3        Rory BUTCHER (GBR) Motorbase Performance +1.144s 
4        Tom INGRAM (GBR ) Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters +1.941s
5        Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +2.817s
6        Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Team BMW +3.722s
7        Sam OSBORNE (GBR) MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square +4.855s 
8        Chris SMILEY (GBR) Excelr8 Motorsport +5.492s
9        Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +7.322s
10      Tom CHILTON (GBR) BTC Racing +7.623s

2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 2 – Donington Park

1          Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW 19 laps
2          Rory BUTCHER (GBR) Motorbase Performance +2.199s
3          Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Team BMW +2.610s
4          Tom INGRAM (GBR ) Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters +2.935s
5          Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +3.046s
6          Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +5.839s
7          Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +6.271s
8          Adam MORGAN (GBR) Carlube TripleR Racing with Mac Tools +6.576s
9          Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +7.949s
10        Josh COOK (GBR) BTC Racing +8.320s

2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 3 – Donington Park

1          Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Laser Tools Racing 17 laps 
2          Chris SMILEY (GBR) Excelr8 Motorsport +2.280s
3          Josh COOK (GBR) BTC Racing +2.556s
4          Adam MORGAN (GBR) Carlube TripleR Racing with Mac Tools +3.524s
5          Ollie JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance +4.890s
6          Tom INGRAM (GBR ) Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters +5.161s
7          Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +6.247s
8          Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +7.112s
9          Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Team BMW +7.629s
10        Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +7.993s

Penalties:
Race 1:
Ollie Jackson received a verbal warning for an incident involving Adam Morgan

Race 2:
Aiden Moffat received a ten second penalty for lining up in the wrong grid position

Race 3:
Ollie Brown received an official reprimand and had his licence endorsed by the addition of two penalty points for an incident involving Jack Butel

Laser Tools Racing’s Ash Sutton sped to victory in the final Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship race of the day at Donington Park.

The 2017 champion has been in the thick of the action throughout the weekend with a stellar qualifying performance, fastest race laps and fight back drives, culminating in a magnificent win in the finale.

From eighth on the grid, Sutton scythed his way through to fourth in the early running and was then part of an enthralling four-way battle for the lead, which also included Ollie Jackson, Chris Smiley and Josh Cook.

The Motorbase Performance Ford of Jackson led the opening laps but was eventually passed by the impressive Smiley in the all-new Excelr8 Motorsport Hyundai. That moment brought about a domino effect as Sutton soon jumped two spots and into second, with Cook's BTC Racing Honda tucked in behind.

It was a matter of when, not if, and shortly after mid-distance young charger Sutton blasted by Smiley along the Dunlop Straight.

Sutton sailed away with the win in the closing laps, whilst Smiley crossed the finish line just 0.276s ahead of Cook. Sutton's victory was the first for the Infiniti Q50 and Smiley's podium was the first podium for the striking Hyundai i30 N.

It was a wonderful way to end an incredible day of racing as the BTCC made its long-awaited return following a gap of some of 294 days since last year's final race weekend.

The Carlube TripleR Racing with Mac Tools Mercedes of Adam Morgan was in striking distance throughout the 17-lap contest but had to settle for fourth, ahead of early leader Jackson.

A number of significant likely championship challengers settled for points in the final Donington bout with Tom Ingram (Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters), Dan Cammish (Halfords Yuasa Racing), Matt Neal (Halfords Yuasa Racing), Tom Oliphant (Team BMW) and Colin Turkington (Team BMW) completing the top ten positions.

Ash Sutton said: "This is just what we needed. The car gives me a hell of a lot of confidence and it’s allowing me to do these things. We made a couple of little tweaks for that race the bits we were missing that I mentioned in qualifying and we definitely solved them then. I’m over the moon with that.

As long as we can keep this momentum going, I know I’ve got the best team behind me with Laser Tools Racing and BMR Engineering. I couldn’t ask for a better outfit. The car is absolutely phenomenal. I feel at home in it, it’s the best I’ve ever felt in a car so we’re ticking a lot of boxes here, we just need that little luck at the end and we’ll be sailing."

Chris Smiley said: "It’s a dream come true really. To turn up here with a brand new car and a brand new team of guys around me and to come away with a second place and really be on the money. It was one of those drives you remember as it was inch-perfect the whole race, apart from the start really, I let myself down at the start. I just haven’t figured out how to get the Hyundai off the line but a big thanks to Excelr8.

Ash has been on fire all day. I didn’t make his life too hard, I knew with the pace there was no point in getting involved in a battle with him, I was guaranteed second place so I let him go. I had a good battle with Josh which I really enjoyed, so it’s been a good day for both me and Excelr8, and the all-new Hyundai i30 N BTCC car."

Josh Cook said: "Obviously it’s good to end the day with a podium for the team; they’ve worked really hard over the winter. You can’t help but feel disappointed when you feel you had the pace to do a little bit more but it’s one of those things. Donington’s been really good for me in the past but I’m really happy to finish with a podium, it’s important for us because we’ve had a tough day so far.

"Ash was on it, so there wasn’t really a lot of point battling with him. I was hoping that as soon as he got through I’d be able to challenge Chris, but the guys at Excelr8 have done a really good job with that car. Credit to them, they fully deserve that podium and obviously well done to Ash for the win and I’m really pleased that we got some silverware because like I say our team deserve it. Today it wasn’t meant to be, but in the championship you’ve just got to pick up the points where you can and live to fight another day."

2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 3 – Donington Park

1          Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Laser Tools Racing 17 laps 
2          Chris SMILEY (GBR) Excelr8 Motorsport +2.280s
3          Josh COOK (GBR) BTC Racing +2.556s
4          Adam MORGAN (GBR) Carlube TripleR Racing with Mac Tools +3.524s
5          Ollie JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance +4.890s
6          Tom INGRAM (GBR ) Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters +5.161s
7          Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +6.247s
8          Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +7.112s
9          Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Team BMW +7.629s
10        Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +7.993s
11        Rory BUTCHER (GBR) Motorbase Performance +12.317s
12        Tom CHILTON (GBR) BTC Racing +14.635s
13        Michael CREES (GBR) The Clever Baggers with BTC Racing +17.127s 
14        Carl BOARDLEY (GBR) HUB Financial Solutions with Team HARD +17.239s
15        Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) GKR TradePriceCars.com +21.984s
16        James GORNALL (GBR) GKR TradePriceCars.com +22.478s
17        Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +26.247s
18        Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +26.512s
19        Andy NEATE (GBR) Motorbase Performance +31.712s
20       Jack BUTEL (GBR) Carlube TripleR Racing with Mac Tools +43.719s
21        Nicolas HAMILTON (GBR) ROKiT Racing with Team HARD +46.015s
22        Ollie BROWN  (GBR) RCIB Insurance with Fox Transport Team HARD +1 lap
23        Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Excelr8 Motorsport +1 lap
24        Jake HILL (GBR) MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square +3 laps
25        Sam OSBORNE (GBR) MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square +7 laps
26        Jack GOFF (GBR) RCIB Insurance with Fox Transport +13 laps 

Team BMW's Colin Turkington cruised to victory in Round 2 of the 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at Donington Park as the reigning champion showed his composure and class around the 1.98-mile National Circuit.

Turkington got the jump on pole-sitter Dan Cammish on the run down to Redgate for the first time as the latter struggled with his ballast-laden Honda Civic Type R, having won the earlier race.

Reigning champion Turkington scampered away into the distance – even calmly controlling a mid-race safety car spell – whilst the remaining podium position switched several times.

"It feels great to stand on the top step," said Turkington. "After all our preparation, to get a win feels fantastic and a great result for the team; a 1-3 for Team BMW.

"My race was made off the line, I knew the job had to be done before turn one. Once I was in front my car had electric pace, it felt even stronger with a little weight in it, which settled things down. I’m really happy to get my first win of the season and a big clap on the back for my team."

Cammish couldn't keep Rory Butcher, Tom Ingram and Tom Oliphant behind him with the trio setting up their own scrap for second and third.

Oliphant was shuffled back initially but the BMW man would fight back and eventually pass Ingram's Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters Corolla to grab third at the finish, whilst Butcher claimed second.

"We’re constantly developing the car and learning every session," said Butcher. "We’re just pushing it as hard as we can and sometimes we get it wrong, but so far we’ve made some good steps over the weekend. We started 13th in FP1 and we’ve gradually worked our way up to the podium."

The star of this second bout was arguably Ash Sutton as the 2017 champion stormed from 14th on the grid – following his race one clash – to take a fantastic fifth place. The Infiniti driver has set the fastest lap in both contests so far as a genuine championship challenge seems to be forming. Sutton made several eye-catching passes with his final two moves past the manufacturer Hondas of Cammish and Matt Neal being particularly impressive.

Cammish held off team-mate Neal as the Halfords Yuasa Racing duo finished line astern in sixth and seventh respectively.

2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 2 – Donington Park

1          Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW 19 laps
2          Rory BUTCHER (GBR) Motorbase Performance +2.199s
3          Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Team BMW +2.610s
4          Tom INGRAM (GBR ) Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters +2.935s
5          Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +3.046s
6          Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +5.839s
7          Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +6.271s
8          Adam MORGAN (GBR) Carlube TripleR Racing with Mac Tools +6.576s
9          Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +7.949s
10        Josh COOK (GBR) BTC Racing +8.320s
11        Ollie JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance +11.171s
12        Chris SMILEY (GBR) Excelr8 Motorsport +11.650s
13        Tom CHILTON (GBR) BTC Racing +12.003s
14        Michael CREES (GBR) The Clever Baggers with BTC Racing +14.610s 
15        Carl BOARDLEY (GBR) HUB Financial Solutions with Team HARD +17.384s
16        Jack GOFF (GBR) RCIB Insurance with Fox Transport +18.538s
17        Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) GKR TradePriceCars.com +19.000s
18        Andy NEATE (GBR) Motorbase Performance +20.635s
19        Jack BUTEL (GBR) Carlube TripleR Racing with Mac Tools +21.528s
20       Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +26.555s 
21        Jake HILL (GBR) MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square +3 laps
22        Sam OSBORNE (GBR) MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square +4 laps
23        Nicolas HAMILTON (GBR) ROKiT Racing with Team HARD +12 laps
24        Ollie BROWN  (GBR) RCIB Insurance with Fox Transport Team HARD +18 laps