DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing driver Rob Austin has made his mark in the opening BTCC practice session at Oulton Park by setting the pace ahead of Tom Ingram and Tom Chilton.

Alfa star Austin has been busy trying to find the sweet spot in the all-new Giulietta during the opening three events of the 2018 season, and despite scoring a podium in the Brands Hatch curtain raiser, admits that it is the final push that the squad are looking for.

The multiple race-winner has been quick out of the blocks in Cheshire as he clocked a benchmark 1:26.300s lap time, albeit more than eight tenths slower than Jason Plato's 2015 qualifying lap record.

Ingram – who is recovering from a sickness bug – showed no ill effects by pipping Chilton's Ford into second, with the latter again showing good form for Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher.

The ballast-free BMW of Andrew Jordan was fourth quickest and the Pirtek-backed racer will be hoping for glory this weekend in order to ignite his championship challenge. Jordan won at Oulton last season so he's likely to be one to watch as the weekend develops.

Chris Smiley and Matt Simpson were next up in the order – both running in the older shaped Honda Civic Type Rs. A top ten berth is becoming a regular effort for Northern Irishman Smiley, whilst Simpson continues to show progress in the early part of the campaign.

Scotsman Aiden Moffat left is late to set his fastest time, which was good enough for seventh, ahead of WIX Racing with Eurotech's Brett Smith.

Many are predicting a 'Colin Turkington Show' at Oulton Park this weekend with both man and machine often running well at the picturesque venue. The Team BMW legend set a steady pace in ninth, with fellow title challenger Jack Goff rounding out the top ten.

Championship leader Adam Morgan showed how success ballast can take its toll around the twisty and undulating 2.23-mile circuit as the Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport man could only manage 19th, although the top 25 cars were incredibly covered by less than a second.

2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Free Practice 1 – Oulton Park

1 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing 1m26.300s
2 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +0.101s
3 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +0.117s
4 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +0.219s
5 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +0.245s
6 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +0.251s
7 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.297s
8 Brett SMITH (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +0.300s
9 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.367s
10 Jack GOFF (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +0.369s
11 Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.387s
12 Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Ciceley Motorsport +0.396s
13 Mike BUSHELL (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +0.397s
14 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.454s
15 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.472s
16 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team GardX Racing with Motorbase +0.486s
17 Josh COOK (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +0.489s
18 James COLE (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +0.614s
19 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport +0.646s
20 Dan LLOYD (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +0.679s
21 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +0.766s
22 Rob COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +0.774s
23 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +0.914s
24 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +0.965s
25 Jake HILL (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +1.016s
26 Rory BUTCHER (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +1.029s
27 Tom BOARDMAN (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +1.071s
28 Michael CAINE (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +1.306s
29 Sam SMELT (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +1.452s
30 Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +1.650s
31 Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +2.199s
32 Josh PRICE (GBR) Autoglym Academy Racing +2.752s

Power Maxed TAG Racing has joined forces with Technical Partners PCSpecialist, Milltek Innovations and MotorDrive Seats, to give Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship supporters a unique opportunity to test their mettle and win some fantastic prizes.

From this Saturday at Oulton Park, fans will be able to take a turn on the current BTCC pace-setters’ high-specification race simulator, as used by race-winning drivers Josh Cook and Senna Proctor to hone their skills.

The simulator, which features an ultra-high-end hardware package put together specifically by the team at PCSpecialist, is built around Milltek Innovations framework, created solely for the task at hand. Fans who take to the wheel will sit in a BTCC-spec seat, based on a design Power Maxed TAG Racing are developing with British based motorsport seat manufacturer, MotorDrive.

Budding racing drivers will be automatically entered into a competition to win one of three fantastic prizes across the year based on their raw pace!

The third fastest time will win two VIP passes to a round of their choice in 2019 with Power Maxed TAG Racing, with the second fastest taking home their very own high-end simulator setup.

The fastest driver over the course of the season will win a money-can’t-buy prize – a full day of track-based tuition with BTCC race winner and Power Maxed TAG Racing driver Josh Cook, in one of Milltek’s very own high-performance cars.

You’ll be able to have a go on the Power Maxed TAG Racing simulator on the Power Maxed stand at all the remaining rounds this year, starting this weekend at Oulton Park.

The 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship sees its next instalment this weekend (9-10 June) at Oulton Park, Cheshire.

As ever, ITV Sport will have you covered live, free-to-air and exclusive, starting with qualifying on Saturday afternoon – streamed over at itv.com/btcc. Then, on Sunday, Rounds 10, 11 and 12 of the BTCC will be live on ITV4, the ITV Hub and at itv.com/btcc with action from the support series’ over an eight-hour programme.

https://www.facebook.com/OfficialBTCC/videos/2001283513246422/

Oulton Park 9/10 June

Qualifying LIVE: Saturday 9 June
ITV.com/BTCC from 1515

Raceday LIVE: Sunday 10 June
ITV4 & ITV4 HD 1115–1800
ITV4+1 1215–1900
ITV Hub 1115–1800
ITV.com/BTCC 1115–1800

Highlights: Saturday 16 June
ITV4 & ITV4 HD 1130-1300
ITV4 +1 1230-1400
ITV Hub Available anytime for the next 30 days

Highlights: Sun 17 June
ITV4 & ITV4 HD 0630-0800
ITV4 +1 0730-0900

Highlights: Wednesday 20 June
ITV & ITV HD 2355-0115

BMW Pirtek Racing’s Andrew Jordan says he is confident of challenging at the front of the field as the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship heads to Oulton Park this weekend for the fourth event of its 60th Anniversary year.

Jordan makes the trip to the picturesque Cheshire circuit aiming to kick-start his title challenge after a mixed start to the year at the wheel of his West Surrey Racing-run BMW 125i M Sport.

Having taken a podium finish in the opening race of the campaign at Brands Hatch, the Midlander has shown strong pace at all three meetings run so far but has also endured more than his fair share of misfortune, which leaves him sitting 11th in the Drivers' standings.

What that does mean, however, is that the 2013 title winner goes into this weekend running without additional success ballast on his car at a circuit where rear-wheel drive machinery traditionally goes well.

That was certainly the case twelve months ago, when Jordan qualified on the front row of the grid before taking victory in the opening race of the weekend – adding a further podium finish to come away from the meeting with the biggest points haul of the 32 competing drivers.

With Oulton Park having been the circuit where he secured his maiden BTCC podium back in 2008 – and with ten trips to the podium in total – Jordan goes into the weekend in optimistic mood and confident of adding a big points haul to his tally.

“We’ve shown really good pace in the car so far this season and hopefully this weekend will be the one when we start to get the points we deserve – as was the case last year,” he said.

“Oulton is a circuit where I have always gone well and I really enjoy it because it is so old school and packed with character.

“Rear-wheel drive cars have traditionally been strong at Oulton Park, as we were last year with a front row start, a win and more points than anyone else was able to manage.

“Considering that we are running ballast free going into Saturday, I have to aim for similar results this time around and want to qualify well to make sure we are right in the mix to fight for some trophies.”

Forgive me if I get more nostalgic than normal here but Oulton Park is next for the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, and for me, Oulton is where the motor racing bug bit.

I was five, it was noisy, and I was grumpy. I remember walking over the old Eagle Star footbridge at Deer Leap as a grid of loud, modified sports cars accelerated away.

I mention this because, a few months later at the start of 1978, I was back, less grumpy, and captivated by my first look at what was then the Tricentrol British Saloon Car Championship. There were four classes based on engine size and they were split so that the bigger two got a race and the baby classes did battle separately. There were these wailing Ford Capris with the likes of Gordon Spice and Stuart Graham up front.

I was there in 1985 when Andy Rouse debuted his Ford Merkur, the American-marketed car rebadged as an XR4Ti. He took the lead after Brian Chatfield’s Ford Capri faded, the last time I can recall a Capri leading a BTCC round. It was later thrown out for being as bent as a coat hanger.

I stood at Clay Hill watching Rouse and the pack in their Ford Sierra Cosworths, the ill-fated Super Touring-spec Sapphire and, and, and...

The Ford story in the BTCC is a long one and could perhaps have another successful chapter in the offing, as the Motorbase Performance-run Ford Focus RS trio is due a win. They have shown pace this year, although stymied thanks to bad luck or niggling problems depending upon your point of view. Motorbase can win, should win more arguably, and the new Focus fleet should be up front at Oulton this weekend. James Cole's at his local circuit and, having returned to David Bartrum’s team, is displaying good race craft, so should be in the mix.

Having Ford on the grid, as a mainstay of the BTCC’s heritage, is a good thing. It is one of the most recognisable car brands, it has a long and successful history in the series and many of the Blue Oval's products carry fans to the circuit. It is a people’s car irrespective of whether it has the performance RS badge on or not.

The trouble for Bartrum and his team is that the opposition is at a very strong level. It has certainly been an intriguing start to the season and while much has been said on ITV’s coverage (I hear it’s very good, by the way) about the changing of the guard in terms of drivers, the same is true of teams isn’t it? Ciceley Motorsport, Speedworks Motorsport, Power Maxed TAG Racing are all currently showing Team Dynamics, West Surrey Racing, BMR and Motorbase the way. Just as the list of drivers at the pointy end is a different one this season, so are the teams that they represent. That, surely, shows that plugging away and learning pays dividends, whether you are a driver or team. 

I am not suggesting that will be the way it will go all season, but nine faces in, the rest are already playing catch-up, to an extent. Winning a championship requires a good points haul each time out. Small wonder that Sam Tordoff was pleased to have finally garnered points at Thruxton. 

A Ford win at Oulton? Possibly. It is hard to overtake around the narrow, technical circuit, so a good qualifying session is important, but so too is survival. The hairpin at Island Bend and that frustrating chicane at Hislop’s are pinch-points, and with 32 cars on track it will be busy. It will be a crucial and fascinating 30-minute qualifying session and that point for pole may well be crucial come the end of the season.

Get it wrong this weekend and it may not just be five-year-olds in a grump!

Daniel Lloyd will replace James Nash at BTC Norlin Racing from this weekend's Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship event at Oulton Park (9-10 June).

BTC Norlin Racing were quick to sign the talented young gun and series returnee, following the announcement earlier today (6 June) that the squad had parted ways with Nash. 

Lloyd has contested 24 races in his BTCC career so far, making his debut in Britain’s biggest championship with Triple Eight back in 2010.

2016 proved to be his standout campaign, when the Yorkshireman produced a number of eye-catching performances in the Eurotech Honda, most notably with a front-row start at his home circuit Croft.

Armed again with a Honda Civic Type R – this time with the fledgling and impressive BTC Norlin Racing outfit – there is every chance that Lloyd will be quick straight out of the box at this weekend’s Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship event at Oulton Park.

The 26-year-old will contest the remainder of the season running under competitor number 26.

"I’ve not had any time in the car yet," confirmed Lloyd. "FP1 on Saturday will be my first run out so I’ve no expectations at the moment. As a new driver to the championship, I will be carrying the 45kg of late entry ballast into the first race so it’ll be a big challenge.

"It’s nice to come back at Oulton Park, which is one of my local rounds. I’m just looking to find my feet on this year’s grid, have a solid weekend and get to know the team and the car."

BTC Norlin Team Boss Bert Taylor said: "I’ve been impressed with Dan’s performance in the TCR UK Championship so far this season. We’re really pleased to welcome him to the BTC Norlin family and back onto the BTCC grid. I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do once he gets up to speed."

 

The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, alongside The Goodwood Festival of Speed, can this morning announce that the BTCC will return to the event this summer as part of the series' 60th Anniversary, Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

The Goodwood Festival of Speed will host a thrilling BTCC shootout, taking place over 12-15 July outside Goodwood House, headlining the Festival’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations of saloon car racing in Britain, which will also feature a stunning collection of cars spanning six decades of door handle-to-door handle action.
 
A shootout was last held in 2016, when Goodwood’s resident track tester Andrew Jordan beat strong competition to take his Ford Focus ST to the top step of the podium and earn the bragging rights.
 
Jordan will be back in 2018 with the West Surrey Racing-prepared BMW Pirtek Racing 125i M Sport – the BMW was the fastest off the line in 2016 but could not convert it to winning pace at the top of the Hill.

Returning to the Festival alongside the 2013 BTCC champion will be three-time champion Matt Neal in the all-new Halfords Yuasa Racing Honda Civic Type-R and Adam Morgan in the MAC Tools with Ciceley Motorsport Mercedes-Benz A-Class, while Power Maxed TAG Racing will bring the on-form Vauxhall Astra with a yet-to-be-confirmed driver.
 
Making their Festival of Speed debut will be two of the championship’s most popular drivers in the shape of reigning Independent champion Tom Ingram with the Speedworks Motorsport Toyota Avensis and Rob Austin in the Alfa Romeo Giulietta of HMS Racing with DUO Motorsport.
 
Alongside the BTCC shootout will be a celebration class of some of the most iconic saloon cars to grace British motor circuits including the Alfa Romeo 155, Mini Cooper S, Volvo 850 Estate and the car which took Jack Sears to championship glory in 1958, the Austin A105.

Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship Series Director, Alan Gow, has been speaking with the series’ official website regarding all things BTCC, as he discusses the season so far, the rude health of the championship and how he would ideally like to reduce the grid size to 26 cars in the future.

In a fascinating interview, Gow also talks about the unpredictability of the racing and the ‘changing of the guard’ at the front of the field. The legendary BTCC boss regards the driver quality to be the best of the century, but there are a number of reasons why he feels the current 32-car grid capacity leaves Britain’s biggest championship ‘bursting at the seams’.

Oulton Park in Cheshire is the next stop for the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship this weekend and Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher has its sights set on the podium.

Three convincing points finishes for the Motorbase-run squad at Thruxton last month helped to bolster the squad’s position in the standings, with Tom Chilton leading the charge for the Kent-based outfit. The 33-year-old secured an good haul of points for the title campaign and is eager to carry that momentum forward on the challenging 2.26 mile Island configuration.

“The best thing about Oulton Park is the fans," said Chilton. "We’re really on the limit there and it’s great for them to get so close to the action and really feel a part of it. It always has a great atmosphere there.

“We need to keep moving up in the championship. We were really happy to grab some strong points at Thruxton and I’m hoping to carry that form into this weekend.

“We should be confident that we had a great qualifying car at Donington Park and the tyre and track temperatures are going to be a lot more similar at Oulton. I think we’ll have a strong qualifying and the aim for me is get two podiums this weekend and give our championship campaign a real boost. I’d love to get back into the top 10 in the standings by the end of this weekend.”

Team-mate James Cole had a weekend to forget last time out but nonetheless the Liverpool-based racer has reset after the trip to his bogey circuit and is looking to reclaim his impressive early round form and put claim to some silverware on his home circuit.

“Oulton Park is a special circuit for me; it’s where I first started racing and also where I won the Formula ford championship back in 2007 which set me on the career path to BTCC," said Cole. "It’s a great circuit and I can’t wait to attack it again. It’s a special meeting that always has a great festival feel to it which makes the racing even more fun and enjoyable.

“It’s a challenging place to go and hopefully the weather will be in our favour. We’ve learnt a lot over the last couple of rounds and racing in the high temperatures at Thruxton means we can take that data into Oulton Park. I’m looking forward to picking up from where I left off at Donington Park, getting back into the top six and staying there.”

Oly Collins, Team Manager, added: “Thruxton was another positive learning weekend for us with the RS, which resulted in some decent points finishes.

“It’s the first time that we had run the RS and our 2018 driver line up in the higher temperatures. With track temps nearing 40 degrees it was somewhat different to what we’ve been running in this year. So going into Oulton Park, we’re ready for whatever the English weather can throw at us.”

Both Chilton and Cole are ballast-free heading into Saturday’s qualifying session, so hopes at the outfit are high in the search for a strong starting position ahead of Sunday’s three contests. Chilton in particular has set competitive lap times in the Focus RS - securing top eight qualifying spots during all three meetings so far this season.

“Oulton Park is definitely a circuit where qualifying is key. Qualifying has been one of our best attributes this season so hopefully that pays dividends,” added Collins. “If it’s dry all weekend it can be difficult to overtake there. Oulton is hard on brakes so we’ll be keeping an eye on that area of the car.

“Historically, Oulton Park has suited the rear wheel drive cars, but hopefully we can change that. We’re light so there is no reason why we shouldn’t be right up the front. James and Tom are both looking forward to it as it’s a circuit they’ve both gone well at in the past.

“With the pace that we’ve shown so far this season, the podium can’t be far away!”

Halfords Yuasa Racing heads to Oulton Park for the fourth round of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship on 9/10 June looking to maintain its forward momentum following a landmark first pole position and win for the new Honda Civic Type R. 

Team Dynamics had cause to celebrate last time out at Thruxton after Matt Neal powered to a lights-to-flag victory from the top spot in race one. He claimed a second podium of the weekend in race two and team-mate Dan Cammish impressed with his own trip to the rostrum, no other team scored more points over the course of the weekend.

Moreover, Neal’s strong turn at Thruxton in the Civic Type R has seen him make gains in the Drivers’ standings. He joins Cammish in the top ten with the pair now classified sixth and eighth respectively, while Honda and Halfords Yuasa Racing are primed to fight for the top spot in the Manufacturers’ and Teams’ standings too. 

Onto Oulton Park, a venue regarded as one of the UK’s most demanding circuits with its challenging blend of sixth-gear stretches, undulating curves and heavy-braking points a true test of a chassis’ all-round strength. 

The Honda outfit has enjoyed significant success at over the years, winning six of the last 18 races to be held there. 

Neal himself has triumphed at Oulton Park on seven occasions over the course of his BTCC career and is bullish about Honda’s chances with the new Civic Type R around a circuit he likens to the Nurburgring.

“We head to Oulton Park in good spirits and targeting another set of strong results for Halfords Yuasa Racing," said Neal.

"Thruxton was a wonderful weekend for myself and the entire team, one that showed just how far we have progressed with the Honda Civic Type R since the start of the season.

"Though we know we still have work ahead of us, it is very satisfying to already be scoring wins in a car that is surely only going to become quicker and more consistent as it develops.

"I love racing at Oulton Park; I think of it as a Nurburgring with its combination of sweeping curves, sections where we go maximum sixth gear and tricky hairpins and chicanes.

"It requires a lot of commitment but it is a circuit that has treated myself and Honda well in the past, so it is always pleasure to return.

"As with every event this year this is new territory for the Civic Type R, but we are ready to rise to the challenge and set our sights high.” 

With two podiums already under his belt, leading BTCC rookie Cammish is targeting the top step at Oulton Park. It's proven to be a happy hunting ground for the Yorkshireman, having tasted the winners’ champagne in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB on multiple occasions, Cammish is feeling positive about his chances. 

“I’m really pleased with the start of my BTCC career," said Cammish. "It’s been a steep learning curve but I am understanding more about the championship with each round.

"It certainly helps to have a brilliant team around me and a great team-mate in Matt. There is still plenty more to come from myself and the Civic Type R, which gives me confidence heading to Oulton Park.

"We won’t have too much weight on-board and qualifying has gone well in each round so far, so I believe we can get close to the front once again.

"I claimed a podium in my first-ever race at Oulton Park and picked up several wins there in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB, so you can be sure I will be giving it my absolute best to continue my good form next weekend.”