Last gasp drama in BTCC qualifying at Silverstone

Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS’ Tom Ingram was left celebrating at Silverstone earlier today (21 September) as the title contender snatched pole position for Round 25 of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship.

Despite his #80 car carrying minimal hybrid deployment by virtue of his second-place position in the overall Drivers’ standings, Ingram mastered the wet conditions to initially end up second at the conclusion of the final ‘Quick Six’ qualifying segment.

Drama followed, however, as no fewer than three cars were subsequently excluded from the result after their respective cars failed post-session ride height checks.

The Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing duo of Aron Taylor-Smith and Mikey Doble lost first and third on the grid due to the failure, whilst rookie Dan Zelos was also relegated to the rear of the grid after his Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS Hyundai suffered the same fate.

When the results eventually filtered through it was Team BMW’s Colin Turkington lining up second and LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ’s Josh Cook in third. 

Dan Cammish (NAPA Racing UK), Andrew Watson (TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK) and Jake Hill (Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport) were subsequently promoted into the top six, although Watson also faces his own three-place grid penalty following a previous incident at Donington Park.

The shocks had already begun when reigning champion and NAPA Racing UK star Ashley Sutton exited at the Part 1 stage of qualifying for the first time this season.

The penultimate race day of the 2024 BTCC campaign takes place tomorrow with an incredible six contenders still gunning for the title. 

The leading half dozen are blanketed by just 54 points as Hill, Ingram, Sutton, Cammish, Turkington and Cook all still hold a genuine hope of claiming the most coveted prize in British motorsport.

ITV4’s all-day race day broadcast gets underway at 1045 tomorrow while every race will be streamed live across the globe via ITV Sport’s TikTok channel.

Tom Ingram, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS, said: “Really good result. If I’m honest I didn’t expect to line-up on the front row this weekend. Just goes to show what a bit of weather can do. 

“We’ve got the pace, but we haven't got the hybrid, that’s a contributing factor here. I was confident enough of our speed in the dry, which would have just about got us in the top eight realistically. When it rained it was kind of a reset for everybody, we all had to get on with the job. The tyre only gives you a lap so for us all it was a bit of a, close your eyes, hope for the best, guess your braking zones, hope they were there or thereabouts and go from there. I’m really pleased, and Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS did really well.

“I don’t know where Jake [Hill] or Ash [Sutton] are on the grid, we have been focusing so much on ourselves. Tomorrow’s another day, we’ve gathered two of every animal we can find, we’ve gathered all the wood we can find to make a massive boat because it looks like that is going to be needed tomorrow.”

Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS' Tom Chilton set the fastest time for the second successive practice session at Silverstone, as he edged out the Team BMW duo of Adam Morgan and Colin Turkington.

Chilton continued his strong form from the opening session of the day as the #3 set a lap time that is under the current qualifying lap record set by Dan Cammish in his Honda back in 2020.

Morgan led the Team BMW duo, ending the session in second place, sitting shy of Cammish's record by just 0.042 seconds.

Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing's Mikey Doble returned to the sharp end at the place of his sole BTCC pole position one year on. The #88 set a time in the second free practice session that was quicker than his pacesetting time from 2023.

The sole LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ car in the hands of Josh Cook rounded out the top five. Team-mate Aiden Moffat endured an engine change after FP1, removing him from any on-track time in FP2.

Following one Toyota Corolla GR Sport was another in the form of the #11, Andrew Watson. Setting a 57.587s lap time, Watson was the last driver to set a time quicker than the 2023 pole. Sat in seventh was second-in-the-championship Tom Ingram. The Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS driver setting the joint-second most laps during the session with 26.

The final of the three Toyotas partaking in FP2 was Speedworks Motorsport's Rob Huff. The tight nature of the field was on show with Huff only 0.146 seconds behind the leading Toyota of Cook.

Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS' Dan Zelos was the next driver to feature in the running order with his first practice session finish inside the top ten at only his second event. The #45 would finish ahead of Árón Taylor-Smith as the Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing driver rounded out the top ten.

As practice is behind us next up is Qualifying for Round 25 of the BTCC season. Tune in on the ITV Sport YouTube Channel from 15:25 for live coverage.

Silverstone - Free Practice 2 - Final Classification

P/	No/	Name/	Entry/	Laps/	Time/	Gap/	On/
1	3	Tom CHILTON	Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS	22	57.205		20
2	33	Adam MORGAN	Team BMW	24	57.391	0.186	17
3	20	Colin TURKINGTON	Team BMW	24	57.428	0.223	22
4	88	Mikey DOBLE	Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing	24	57.507	0.302	24
5	66	Josh COOK	LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ	22	57.555	0.350	20
6	11	Andrew WATSON	TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK	21	57.587	0.382	13
7	80	Tom INGRAM	Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS	26	57.623	0.418	8
8	12	Rob HUFF	TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK	24	57.701	0.496	21
9	45	Dan ZELOS	Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS	24	57.747	0.542	15
10	40	Árón TAYLOR-SMITH	Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing	17	57.761	0.556	11
11	24	Jake HILL	Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport	30	57.820	0.615	13
12	1	Ashley SUTTON	NAPA Racing UK	24	57.850	0.645	8
13	18	Daryl DELEON	Duckhams Racing with Un-Limited Motorsport	17	57.862	0.657	15
14	27	Dan CAMMISH	NAPA Racing UK	21	57.963	0.758	20
15	77	Sam OSBORNE	NAPA Racing UK	22	58.117	0.912	17
16	222	Chris SMILEY	Restart Racing	17	58.155	0.950	16
17	22	Nick HALSTEAD	Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS	26	58.190	0.985	24
18	29	Scott SUMPTON	Restart Racing	20	58.291	1.086	19
19	32	Daniel ROWBOTTOM	NAPA Racing UK	21	58.338	1.133	10
NS	16	Aiden MOFFAT	LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ	0			0

Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS' Tom Chilton set a late benchmark lap in the opening Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship Free Practice session at Silverstone, as he pipped the BMW duo of Jake Hill and Colin Turkington to the early bragging rights.

Championship leader Hill was one of several drivers to be black flagged during the session as a number of competitors pushed beyond the allowed track limits.

Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport's Hill responded well and looked to be ending the session in P1, ahead of his Team BMW stablemate Turkington, but Chilton had other ideas as he blasted his Hyundai i30N to the top of the timesheets.

"It's always nice to see your name in P1 and it's a great start to the weekend," said Chilton.

"We've just got to make sure we get everything right this afternoon. Barry [Plowman], my engineer, is a superstar – eight championships under his belt – and he's been trying to figure out my driving style, and what I need and want from the car. It's actually worked and the car is mega.

"Pole is the plan for qualifying, so fingers crossed."

The top three drivers were blanketed by just 0.038s, whilst TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK's Andrew Watson was just behind in fourth. The Toyota Corolla has often been a potent weapon around the short National Circuit and the Speedworks Motorsport-run squad will be hoping that remains the case this weekend.

Team BMW's Adam Morgan was next in the order as the 330e M Sport also proved its pace with the three Bavarian machines inside the top five, whilst Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing's Mikey Doble was sixth.

Josh Cook (LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ), Tom Ingram (Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS), Rob Huff (TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK) and Árón Taylor-Smith (Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing) completed the top ten positions.

The cars and stars of the BTCC will be back on-track for FP2 at 1205 before qualifying commences at 1535, which will be streamed LIVE via the ITV Sport YouTube channel.

Silverstone – Free Practice 1 – Final Classification

P/	No/	Name/	Entry/	Laps/	Time/	Gap/	On/
1	3	Tom CHILTON	Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS	19	57.437		15
2	24	Jake HILL	Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport	20	57.457	0.020	7
3	20	Colin TURKINGTON	Team BMW	24	57.475	0.038	24
4	11	Andrew WATSON	TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK	21	57.614	0.177	18
5	33	Adam MORGAN	Team BMW	17	57.733	0.296	11
6	88	Mikey DOBLE	Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing	22	57.814	0.377	20
7	66	Josh COOK	LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ	19	57.817	0.380	11
8	80	Tom INGRAM	Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS	22	57.872	0.435	19
9	12	Rob HUFF	TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK	24	57.929	0.492	21
10	40	Árón TAYLOR-SMITH	Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing	16	57.937	0.500	10
11	27	Dan CAMMISH	NAPA Racing UK	19	58.049	0.612	10
12	1	Ashley SUTTON	NAPA Racing UK	22	58.093	0.656	15
13	45	Dan ZELOS	Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS	22	58.178	0.741	18
14	16	Aiden MOFFAT	LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ	21	58.212	0.775	20
15	77	Sam OSBORNE	NAPA Racing UK	23	58.487	1.050	21
16	18	Daryl DELEON	Duckhams Racing with Un-Limited Motorsport	14	58.573	1.136	8
17	32	Daniel ROWBOTTOM	NAPA Racing UK	20	58.592	1.155	18
18	222	Chris SMILEY	Restart Racing	18	58.681	1.244	14
19	29	Scott SUMPTON	Restart Racing	19	58.859	1.422	12
20	22	Nick HALSTEAD	Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS	21	58.984	1.547	12

NAPA Racing UK’s technical partner Valvoline celebrates the relaunch of VR1 Racing at the home of UK motorsport, Silverstone for the penultimate event of the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship (21/22 September).

To celebrate the relaunch of Valvoline’s all-new VR1 Racing oil, the #1 racing oil in the USA, NAPA Racing UK drivers Sam Osborne and Dan Cammish will be sporting the new VR1 Racing branding with a stunning new livery on their Ford Focus ST’s, along with race suits and team merchandise. The design is a global collaboration between NAPA Racing’s UK design team and the teams at Valvoline’s Kentucky, USA head office.

As the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) charges towards the end of the season, the series returns to Silverstone’s National layout for the penultimate three rounds of the championship. As was the case at Donington Park last time out, increased freedom in the Goodyear tyre allocations will add to the excitement as the season draws to a close.

Goodyear is set to inject an additional layer of strategy to the event by offering teams a selection of both soft and medium slick tyre compounds, along with the flexibility to select three sets of carryover tyres for use in free practice and qualifying. These can be carried over from any previous event, so teams will choose the tyres in the best condition to optimise performance across the race weekend.

The fast, flowing 1.6-mile National layout will take drivers through some of Silverstone’s most iconic and challenging corners, as they battle for crucial championship points in the penultimate weekend of the season. Getting a good result at Silverstone will put the drivers in good stead for the three remaining races at Brands Hatch, where the 2024 championship will be decided.

Current championship leader Jake Hill of Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport has enjoyed victory at each of his last three visits to Silverstone, and will be determined to maintain his winning streak to preserve his lead at the top of the table. Hill currently leads Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS driver Tom Ingram in the championship standings by only nine points.

Michael Butler, Goodyear’s BTCC Event Leader, previews the weekend: “Silverstone has played host to some memorable touring car battles in recent years. This year, the introduction of a free choice of carryover tyres during practice and qualifying adds a new layer of excitement and strategic depth. It has forced teams to be more tactical in their tyre management throughout the season.

“Close collaboration with Goodyear’s tyre engineers will be key for teams and drivers to identify the best sessions to use their additional tyre allocations and to gain an advantage over competitors. This weekend’s action promises excitement, and every point will be crucial as the drivers battle it out as the season reaches its conclusion.”

Goodyear Wingfoot Award battle intensifying

Team BMW driver Colin Turkington currently leads the Goodyear Wingfoot Award standings, holding a 10-point advantage over the reigning champion, Ash Sutton. Turkington shot to the top of the standings after securing pole position at Knockhill and a strong second-place grid start at Donington Park GP.

The race for the Wingfoot Award remains fiercely competitive, with only 14 points separating the top three contenders. Three-time Silverstone polesitter Tom Ingram trails Ash Sutton by just four points, while Dan Cammish still has a chance to clinch the Wingfoot trophy, currently sitting on 92 points. With a maximum of 20 points available for securing pole

position on Saturday, and a further 20 available to the Brands Hatch polesitter, the battle for the award remains as open as ever.

The Wingfoot Award recognises drivers for their performance in qualifying sessions throughout the racing season. Points are given based on qualifying position, with the driver accumulating the most points over the ten qualifying rounds winning the award.

Goodyear Wingfoot Award

1 - Colin Turkington - 112

2 - Ash Sutton - 102

3 - Tom Ingram - 98

4 - Dan Cammish - 92

5 - Jake Hill - 84

As we draw closer to the final two race weekends of the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, we’re taking a look back at the story so far in each of the respective championships before the final push for glory.

Continuing with the Manufacturers/Constructors’ championship, click here to see the story of the first half of the season, and read on for the most recent updates…

Croft - Rounds 16-17-18

Alliance Racing/Ford were the cream of the crop before the mid-season break and further extended its advantage over BMW at the first opportunity back. It was the latter of the two that would score the most points in the opening bout of the day, but the former would respond to leave Croft with a 15-point cushion.

EXCELR8 Motorsport/Hyundai in third would be the highest scoring outfit at the North Yorkshire circuit. After a slower start to the day a haul of 35 points in race three, which has only been bettered three times before in 2024, would close in on the team ahead by 18 points across the weekend.

The only squad to better that single race score of 35 on two occasions is Toyota, who achieved it in the second race of the day. Despite the high score, Toyota would fall further behind EXCELR8 Motorsport/Hyundai by ten points after the visit to Croft.

Manufacturers/Constructors’ Standings - Event 6

1 - Alliance Racing/Ford - 501

2 - BMW - 462

3 - EXCELR8 Motorsport/Hyundai - 435

4 - Toyota - 400

Knockhill - Rounds 19-20-21

The trip north of the border saw the lead of Alliance Racing/Ford slashed by more than half after a monumental performance from BMW. The championship leaders would have a consistent weekend, twice scoring 23 points and scoring 24 points in the middle race of the day.

Despite the decent haul, the second-placed outfit had such a strong weekend that would drastically dent the advantage at the front. Amassing 72 points out of a possible 74 across the first two contests, BMW would take 22 points out of first and gain 32 on third.

EXCELR8 Motorsport/Hyundai would not enjoy its first on track battle of the weekend as it posted the first single digit score of an outfit in a single race all season. Even after rescuing the weekend, it would still mean that Toyota gained 11 points with nine races remaining.

Manufacturers/Constructors’ Standings - Event 7

1 - Alliance Racing/Ford - 571

2 - BMW - 554

3 - EXCELR8 Motorsport/Hyundai - 495

4 - Toyota - 471

Donington Park GP - Rounds 22-23-24

Alliance Racing/Ford would once again hold onto the lead of the championship, but by only the slender advantage of two points. The outfit did not have a bad weekend by any stretch, never scoring below 20 points and walking away with a 30-point race also.

Even with the above being the case, BMW once again outshone the rest of the field to take a further chunk out of the championship lead. In the opening two races the Bavarian marque once again impressed, scoring 67 out of a possible 74 and after outscoring the leaders in every race, would sit right on the heels of the leaders with six races to go.

After being the first outfit to do so at the last event, EXCELR8 Motorsport/Hyundai would once again have a single digit scoring race. It means Toyota has closed to within six points as the championship splits into two separate rivalries with two events remaining.

Manufacturers/Constructors’ Standings - Event 8

1 - Alliance Racing/Ford - 647

2 - BMW - 645

3 - EXCELR8 Motorsport/Hyundai - 549

4 - Toyota - 543

Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing have their sights set on distancing themselves from the rest this weekend (September 21-22) as the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship speeds into Silverstone for the penultimate meeting of the 2024 season.

Poised to take centre stage, the Worcestershire-based squad  - spearheaded by Árón Taylor-Smith and Mikey Doble - sit at the top of the Independent Teams’, Independent Drivers’ and Jack Sears Trophy crowns.

As the UK’s premier motorsport series enters onto the home stretch of another action-packed campaign, the Vauxhall Astra outfit will head to Northamptonshire looking to solidify their position at the summit of the Independent Teams’ Championship.

Scoring 22 wins from 24 races, the team hold a commanding 74-point advantage over their nearest challengers and providing they leave Silverstone with a margin of more than 60 points, they’ll secure an unassailable lead in the standings.

Taylor-Smith alone has claimed no less than 17 Independent victories and it has been that exceptional strike rate that has placed him in the box seat to capture a first-ever BTCC prize in the shape of the Independent Drivers’ title.

Doble meanwhile has been the toast of the Jack Sears Trophy in his sophomore season with 14 class wins putting him within touching distance of becoming the latest driver to capture the prestigious accolade.

With both drivers focused on both individual and team laurels, Taylor-Smith and Doble will be eager to make their mark, especially as the venue yielded a podium and pole position for them respectively last year.

Qualifying at Silverstone will be broadcast on the ITV Sport YouTube channel on Saturday from 15:35 before all three races are aired LIVE on ITV4 on Sunday. Race one is scheduled to begin at 11:30 ahead of race two at 14:20 and race three at 17:10.

Árón Taylor-Smith: “Silverstone is arguably my favourite weekend of the season; the crowds are massive, hospitality is going to be packed out and for some reason it has always been a track that I’ve gone well at down the years.

“As a team I feel like we’re in a really good place so there is no reason why we can’t hit the ground running from first practice all the way through to race three. I’m excited and I’m chomping at the bit; we’ve got two rounds to go and I’m chasing that first win with the team!”

Mikey Doble: “You really only get a few chances to win the Jack Sears Trophy so to be able to add my name to what is an illustrious list of winners would mean a lot to me. It’s certainly been the target throughout the year but while we are close, nothing is guaranteed as it stands.

“I’m going to Silverstone in a confident mood and it would be great to be able to be up in the mix again; the car is certainly in a great window to do just that. We’ll just go there and try do what we’ve been doing all year.”

Martin Broadhurst, Team Manager: “While we have the opportunity to achieve something that we as a team have never done before in the BTCC, we’re still very much approaching Silverstone as if it is just another race weekend.

“Time and time again we’ve shown we can fight at the front of the grid this year and I fully expect that to continue on the National circuit. The car is well-suited to the layout and I think with the option tyre being in play, we’ll be in the mix for some big results with Árón and Mikey.”

Adam Weaver, Team Principal: “Silverstone has been a happy hunting ground for us in the past so the hope is that we can make it another weekend to remember for everyone in the team and the many guests that we have joining us.

“Being on the fringe of provisionally wrapping up both Independent titles and the Jack Sears Trophy is exciting but our target first and foremost is to qualify well and then bring home the best results possible. If we do that to the level we’re capable of, the rest will follow.”

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK is fired-up to fight for podium finishes in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at Silverstone this weekend (21-22 September) – around a circuit where the Toyota Corolla GR Sport boasts an excellent record in the country’s premier motorsport series.

The British-built, Speedworks Motorsport-prepared ‘hot hatch’ was a double winner at Silverstone in both 2019 and 2021, and over the past five campaigns, has notched up no fewer than five victories and three further podium finishes in Northants – an impressive set of statistics by any measure.

Rob Huff currently sits eighth in the Drivers’ standings amongst the 22 high-calibre protagonists. The former FIA World Touring Car Champion reached the rostrum at Silverstone in his only previous full season in the BTCC in 2004 – prior to repeating the feat during a one-off return 13 years later.

Moreover, the Cambridgeshire ace twice ascended the podium there en route to clinching the SEAT CUPRA Championship crown in 2003, and he has additionally competed there in the WTCC. Huff goes into the forthcoming weekend off the back of 19 consecutive points-scoring finishes in 2024 – a run he is eager to extend.

Team-mate Andrew Watson mastered inclement conditions at Silverstone 12 months ago to claim his second top three finish in the BTCC from outside of the top ten on the starting grid, and the 29-year-old Northern Irishman wound up just shy of the rostrum at the track in the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2019.

The series’ reigning Jack Sears Trophy winner, Watson similarly has extensive experience of the circuit from the British GT Championship and Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup, while he was a winner and multiple podium-finisher there in Ginettas on his way up the national racing ladder.

Following Saturday afternoon’s qualifying session at 15:35 – streamed on ITV Sport’s YouTube channel – every moment of Sunday’s doorhandle-to-doorhandle action will be broadcast live and in high-definition on ITV4, beginning at 10:45. All three races will also be shown on the ITV Sport TikTok channel, in the UK and globally.

Christian Dick, Team Principal, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK, said “Silverstone has traditionally been a very happy hunting-ground for us, and is a circuit that really seems to play to the Corolla’s strengths. Allied to the upgrades we’ve brought to the car in recent weeks, that gives us a lot of confidence and we are approaching the race weekend with our sights firmly set on coming away with a solid clutch of silverware.

“Both Rob and Andrew have finished on the BTCC podium at Silverstone before, of course, and that is very much the target again. 

“The Speedworks boys and girls have all been working their absolute socks off since Donington Park a few weeks ago. Hopefully their stellar efforts will now pay off with another successful weekend at Silverstone...”

Rob Huff, Driver, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK, said “Silverstone is always great fun and a circuit that generates superb racing. The last time I competed there was when I briefly returned to the BTCC in 2017, walking away with a podium after a brilliant weekend and only narrowly missing out on the win.

“Going back after the updates we’ve made over the summer break as well as a really productive test for myself and Aiden [Moffat – Speedworks team-mate] at Pembrey a couple of weeks ago gives us a lot of positivity.

“I’m excited and looking forward to really finishing the season strongly over the final couple of weekends with some silverware and champagne.”

Andrew Watson, Driver, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK, said “Silverstone is a circuit that I think pretty much the entire paddock enjoys going to. It’s a fantastic track where the Corolla has performed well in the past, which gives us plenty of cause for encouragement. I’ve raced there in a number of series across various different layouts, and last season in the BTCC I had a strong weekend with a podium finish.

“It would obviously be amazing to repeat that kind of result, and I really feel we’re owed some luck now after all the misfortune we’ve had this year. 

“We’ve had a few weeks since Donington to refresh and recharge, so we’re ready to go racing again and we’ll certainly be trying our best over the final couple of events to end the season on a high.”

As we draw closer to the final two race weekends of the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, we’re taking a look back at the story so far in each of the respective championships before the final push for glory.

Continuing with the Independent Drivers’ Championship, click here to see the story of the first half of the season, and read on for the most recent updates…

Croft - Rounds 16-17-18

After taking three quarters of all victories in the opening half of the season, Árón Taylor-Smith came break from the mid-season break as he left before it. The Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing driver took two independent victories in the opening two races of the day at Croft to extend his championship lead.

Mikey Doble, Taylor-Smith’s teammate, would see the rear bumper of his Vauxhall Astra counterpart for all of the trip to the North-Yorkshire venue. The #88 would finish in second in the Independent Drivers’ class as his team-mate won and would finish third in the final bout of the day.

In fact, the Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing pair had won all of the races before said final bout, until Chris Smiley broke the 100% record in Round 18. The Restart Racing driver would stand on the top step of the podium despite a non-score in the race before as a Cupra Leon would top a category for the first time this season.

Independent Drivers' Standings - Event 6

1 - Árón Taylor-Smith - 336

2 - Mikey Doble - 315

3 - Chris Smiley - 222

4 - Daryl DeLeon - 205

5 - Scott Sumpton - 189

Knockhill - Rounds 19-20-21

As Taylor-Smith continued his first-half season form, the Irishman then repeated his points output from Croft again at Knockhill with two wins and a second-place finish. The battle behind would become tighter as Restart Racing continued to take steps forward.

Doble would initially start the day well, backing up his team-mate’s victory with a second-place finish. Form and fortune would not go the #88’s way, however, as a fourth-place finish and a non-score would round out his weekend north of the border.

Smiley would stand upon the podium in all three races with a second-place finish being the highlight of the day in the second contest. It would be his team-mate Scott Sumpton who would dent the Vauxhall Astra’s win percentage with a victory in the final race of the day to close in on fourth-placed Daryl DeLeon (Duckhams Racing with Un-Limited Motorsport) to only two points.

Independent Drivers' Standings - Event 7

1 - Árón Taylor-Smith - 393

2 - Mikey Doble - 345

3 - Chris Smiley - 269

4 - Daryl DeLeon - 233

5 - Scott Sumpton - 231

Donington Park GP - Rounds 22-23-24

After taking two victories at each event since the summer break, Taylor-Smith would not complete the same feat at Donington Park but instead winning all three races on the GP layout. The gap between the two Astras out in front would grow to 59 points before the final two events.

Smiley would outpace Doble to take home the second-place trophy in the opening bout of the day before luck would reverse for the pair from the previous event. The #88 would return to the second-place spot on the podium for the rest of the weekend as the Restart Racing driver would fall to third in race two before a non-score in race three.

DeLeon and Sumpton would equal each other after the opening two contests on the GP circuit remaining two points apart. Until Smiley’s misfortune in the final race would allow the pair to fight over a podium place in which the Duckhams Racing with Un-Limited Motorsport driver would take advantage to grow the points margin from two to four.

Independent Drivers' Standings - Event 8

1 - Árón Taylor-Smith - 453

2 - Mikey Doble - 394

3 - Chris Smiley - 301

4 - Daryl DeLeon - 272

5 - Scott Sumpton - 268

Organisers of the British Touring Car Championship – TOCA – will be further raising sustainability awareness at its penultimate event of the season at Silverstone this coming weekend (21/22 September).

The UK’s premier motorsport championship released its ‘Sustainability Strategy’ earlier this year, outlining its ongoing ambition for the BTCC to become a global leader in sustainable improvements and carbon neutrality for national level motor racing.

While the BTCC has always championed its sustainability goals and actions, 2024 marked the formalisation of this strategy, and whilst the majority of topics maintain a 24/7 approach, the championship will highlight some of those ambitions this weekend.

A number of ITV features, social media posts, radio interviews and written articles will be published during this weekend’s event, as the BTCC demonstrates its approach towards a more sustainable future, dovetailed alongside the greatest wheel-to-wheel motorsport in the UK.

Some of the aspects to receive focus at Silverstone will be the testing of 100% sustainable fuel (see story in coming days), recycling of major components, preparation of a travel planning and mileage log, the launch of a BTCC sustainability award and many more.

Also, earlier this year the BTCC introduced a full recycling system into its TOCA Race Centre, in which the championship has since recorded an average of 95-97% of all waste having been recycled, the remainder of which is used for waste-to-energy purposes – all resulting in zero waste being sent to landfill. This will continue to be analysed at Silverstone and beyond.

TOCA will also be working closely alongside its loyal partners, such as Kwik Fit and Goodyear, with both looking to execute their own sustainability goals through a number of cutting edge and forward-thinking activations.

The BTCC aims to achieve its sustainability ambitions by developing and executing the policies and practices outlined in its strategy, striving for carbon neutrality even where reductions in emissions are minimal due to the nature of our sport.

Implementation of the strategy, through measured and achievable actions with realistic time frames, will be continually assessed with success criteria and key performance indicators to improve environmental impacts across 6 central pillars: Cars, Circuits, Suppliers and Partners, Teams, Central Functions and Fans. You can read the full ‘Sustainability Strategy’ here.

Alan Gow, BTCC Chief Executive, said: “Whilst the BTCC’s ‘Sustainability Strategy’ is ongoing and is something that we work on every single day, we believe that raising awareness of these ambitions during a race weekend is a great way to further inform and support our incredible fanbase. 

There are many ways in which we can all improve and get involved, looking at our own individual and collective approach to making the world a more sustainable environment.”