Goodyear Wingfoot Award revamped for 2025 as drivers now compete for a Wingfoot trophy at each event, in addition to the season-long title.

Goodyear is set to kick-start the 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season at Donington Park this weekend, where a 24-car grid will usher in a bold new era of touring car racing, now powered entirely by 100% sustainable fuel.

The 30-round campaign will take place over ten weekends, visiting eight of the most iconic venues in British motorsport. Goodyear will once again supply its proven range of soft, medium and hard slick compounds to all teams, alongside a wet-weather tyre designed for maximum performance in all conditions. These specifications were instrumental in setting new qualifying and race lap records at all but four circuits last season.

All rounds in 2025 - with the exception of Thruxton - will feature both the ‘standard’ and a single set of the ‘option’ compound tyres, with the latter mandated for use in any one of the three races during each race weekend. A regulation change for 2025 also requires the top three finishers in Race 1 to use the hardest available tyre compound in Race 2, replacing the previous rule which applied to the top ten finishers.

The soft compound will be available as the ‘standard’ specification at Brands Hatch (Indy), Snetterton, Oulton Park, Croft and Knockhill; and the medium at Donington Park (National and GP), Silverstone and Brands Hatch (GP). The soft compound will be available as the ‘option’ specification at Donington (National), Silverstone and Brands Hatch (GP), medium at Knockhill, and hard at all other tracks.

This season also brings a fresh twist to the Goodyear Wingfoot Award. Drivers will now compete for a Wingfoot trophy at each event in addition to the season-long title. This change adds an extra layer of visibility to the award and will help to celebrate the very performances that make touring car racing at the highest level so thrilling.

The sole tyre supplier partnership between the Goodyear group and BTCC began in 2003 making this one of the most enduring partnerships in motorsport history. The sole tyre partnership was built on success in the pre-millennium open tyre competition era.

Goodyear is ready for a new BTCC era

The 2025 season marks a new era in the BTCC as it becomes the first major UK championship to adopt 100% fossil-free sustainable fuel across the entire grid. This new fuel replaces the hybrid power systems used in the previous three seasons. As a result, the cars will become some 55 kilograms lighter and noticeably more agile.

Michael Butler, Goodyear’s BTCC Event Leader, explains the impact of these changes on tyre performance: “The switch from hybrid power to sustainable fuel is a huge change in the BTCC. It’s a move towards greater environmental responsibility and brings with it a significant influence on how our tyres will behave on track. With a 55-kilogram drop in car weight, we expect a greater difference in lap times between the soft, medium and hard compounds. That gives us more confidence in using the soft compound at more circuits this season.”

Butler adds: “We’re entering what could be the fastest era of cars in BTCC history. The pace in pre-season testing has already seen lap times fall below several current qualifying records. The lighter, more agile cars are allowing drivers to really extract the most from their tyres.”

Reigning champion Jake Hill eyes back-to-back titles

Jake Hill returns to the grid in 2025 as the reigning BTCC champion, aiming to defend his crown in what is expected to be one of the most competitive seasons to date. Hill, who claimed his maiden title in a nail-biting season finale at Brands Hatch in October, is already feeling positive about the impact of the latest regulation changes on tyre performance.

“The soft compound is my favourite tyre,” said Hill. “The BMW tends to be quite gentle on tyres, so having that extra grip from the soft compound is something we really appreciate. That said, we’ve had some very good running on the hard compound in pre-season testing this year and the car seems to be a little bit happier on it compared to last year.

“The regulation changes this season will have a massive impact on tyre behaviour. So far it has forced us to re-think how we set the car up, but it's proving to be a positive change. It should keep the racing interesting to the very end and make things even closer between the drivers,” Hill adds.

Hill also described the significance of Goodyear’s role in the championship: “Our relationship with Goodyear is extremely important. The Goodyear engineers spend a lot of time with us to help us understand why we might be damaging the tyres, or on the other hand, why we might not be pushing them enough.

“Winning the Goodyear Wingfoot Award in 2022 was a great achievement, but I’m also here to win the ultimate crown again. I was fortunate enough to win [the championship] last year, and that’s always the main goal.”

Track action gets underway at Donington Park on Saturday 26 April with two BTCC free practice sessions and qualifying, followed by the opening three races of the season on Sunday 27 April.

2025 Goodyear tyre allocation quick facts:

- All events carry a ‘standard’ and ‘option’ tyre specification. A driver must use one complete set of ‘option’ tyres for the entirety of one race at all rounds (except Thruxton).

- Drivers will be allocated four sets of the medium compound as the ‘standard’ specification and one set of the soft compound as the ‘option’ specification at the season-opening rounds at Donington Park (National).

- Five events will carry the soft compound as the ‘Standard’ specification, four events will carry the medium as ‘Standard’ and only one (Thruxton) will carry the hard compound as ‘Standard’.

- ‘Option’ tyres may be used in any Free Practice session(s) (as well as for the entirety of one race) but are not permitted to be used in Qualifying, except at Donington Park (GP), Silverstone and Brands Hatch (GP).

- Any driver that finishes in the top three of the first race of any round must use the hardest compound tyre remaining available to them in the second race of that round.

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA will begin its bid for Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship glory on home soil this weekend (26-27 April), as the country’s premier motor racing series kicks off its eagerly-anticipated 2025 campaign at Donington Park.
 
The Leicestershire circuit holds happy memories for the Speedworks Motorsport-run outfit. It was at Donington back in 2019 that the race-tuned Toyota Corolla GR Sport – whose road-going cousin is built barely ten miles away at Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK in Burnaston – clinched its maiden BTCC victory in only its sixth start in the championship.
 
There have been further wins since – another on the ‘National’ layout that will be used this weekend, and one on the longer ‘GP’ loop – raising hopes of similar success in the forthcoming curtain-raising contest, particularly considering the prior records of the four drivers set to take to the track in the Japanese ‘hot hatch’ this season.
 
Two-time champion Gordon Shedden – returning to the fray for the first time since 2022 – boasts a wealth of experience in the BTCC. Of the Scot’s 52 career triumphs – placing him fifth on the all-time winners list, and first amongst active competitors – 11 have come at Donington, including three from his most recent six races there.
 
Árón Taylor-Smith counts three podium finishes to his name in Leicestershire, with the reigning Independents’ title-holder approaching his 11^th full season in the series, while Ronan Pearson has twice set fastest lap at Donington in the BTCC and reached the rostrum there in just his second race in the championship two years ago, only to subsequently be disqualified due to ride-height failure. The Fife native prevailed at the circuit in the single-make MINI CHALLENGE in 2022.
 
While all three of his TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA stablemates are race-winners in the BTCC, James Dorlin will conversely be making his touring car debut. The Yorkshireman – who turned 26 last week – claimed a commanding double victory at Donington in the Renault UK Clio Cup in 2018 on his way to sealing the runner-up spoils in the series standings, and has similarly triumphed at the track in both the Porsche Sprint Challenge GB and British GT Championship.
 
Following Saturday afternoon’s qualifying session at 15:10 – 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 and ITVX, beginning at 11:00. The full race day schedule will additionally be streamed live around the globe on the BTCC YouTube channel, with the exception of the UK and North America, where there are existing broadcast agreements in-place with RACER Network.
 
Christian Dick, Team Principal, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA, said: “We’re all hugely excited to embark upon another BTCC campaign – our  seventh with the Toyota Corolla and the 15^th for Speedworks Motorsport. We’ve had a very good off-season, and in a championship in which preparation and attention-to-detail are the indisputable keys to success, we have left absolutely no stone unturned to ensure we can hit the ground running from the outset.
 
“The BTCC continues to go from strength-to-strength – as evidenced by the fact that almost two-thirds of the drivers in the 2025 field are race-winners in the series – but in Gordon, Árón, Ronan and James, we have a line-up to rival any other on the grid, and that gives us plenty of confidence as we head to Donington Park. Factor in the support of our new partner, IAA, and our colleagues from nearby TMUK, and we look forward to getting our challenge off to a very strong start this weekend.”
 
Gordon Shedden, Driver, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA, said: “We’re ready to go! I’m settling into the team well and really feel like I’ve been welcomed into the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA and Speedworks family, which is very important. Donington has traditionally been a happy hunting-ground for me in the BTCC, and I’ll certainly be looking to keep that run of form going.
 
“Having seen what the lap times have been like in testing, I think it’s going to be unbelievably close, but we enter the race weekend aiming to do the very best job we can. Given how new the relationship is, it’ll inevitably take a little while for everything to gel and for me to get the Corolla exactly as I need it, but hopefully we will be somewhere in the mix right from the ‘off’ and can score some strong results sooner rather than later.”
 
Árón Taylor-Smith, Driver, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA, said: “Pre-season testing has been very productive and beneficial, and I’ve spent the past few weeks getting settled into the team – it’s a really competitive but welcoming environment, and I already feel completely at home. I have three extremely strong team-mates and everybody is equally hungry to win, which means we’re all pushing each other hard and driving the whole team forward in the process.
 
“I’m excited to rock up to Donington this weekend. We’re going up against the nation’s best drivers in the country’s best cars, but I feel we have all the ingredients we need to win, so hopefully the stars will align and we’ll have a fighting chance. Joining TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA unquestionably represents the best opportunity of my career to-date, so I’m feeling more pumped than ever to see what Donington brings and then what the rest of the season has in store.”
 
Ronan Pearson, Driver, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA, said: “It’s been a long winter, with a huge amount of hard work to make this happen, so now I’m really keen to get back in the car and get the new season underway! I’ve been settling in nicely, and all four drivers seem to be bouncing off each other pretty well – so long may that continue. We’re not sure where we are yet compared to the other teams, but we’ve certainly got a good race car so we just need to focus on trying to unlock that outright pace over a single lap, too.
 
“This season marks my tenth year in circuit racing, which is crazy to think, and as ever, I’ll be giving it my very best shot. Donington is my favourite track on the calendar and I’ve always gone well there, so fingers crossed we can have another strong weekend. Bring it on!”
 
James Dorlin, Driver, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA, said: “I’m super-excited to finally be making my BTCC debut. I’m absolutely loving being with the team; the Speedworks guys and girls have been amazing and really made me feel like one of their own from day one, and I’ve already spent a lot of time in the workshop getting to know everyone.
 
“I’ve also been getting to grips with the Corolla and playing around with different set-ups. It’s obviously hard to tell in testing, but our pace has looked reasonable so far and I feel good in the car. I need to be realistic in terms of my expectations for my first weekend; it would be great to be able to battle inside the top ten, but it’s a super-competitive grid so the main focus is on trying to bag some solid points and then build from there. I think we’ve got the recipe for a really successful and enjoyable season.”

Tom Ingram has only one ambition for the 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season – the successful conquest of a second career crown – and he is aiming to get that bid off to the best possible start in the forthcoming curtain-raising contest at Donington Park (26-27 April).
 
Few drivers can match Ingram’s stellar record around the challenging Leicestershire circuit. Since 2022 – the year that he first lifted the laurels in the UK’s premier motor racing series – the Bucks-born driver has triumphed there four times.
 
Three of those victories were achieved on the ‘National’ layout that will be used this weekend, with the other coming on the slightly longer ‘GP’ loop, while five further podium finishes over the same period mean that in recent campaigns, Ingram has reached the rostrum at Donington more often than not.
 
Behind the wheel of his #80 Hyundai i30N, the Team Vertu star similarly outpaced all of his rivals for much of the ‘Media Day’ test at the track last week. He eventually wound up a competitive fifth on the timesheets amongst the 23 high-calibre protagonists, after focussing on longer runs rather than single-lap speed when conditions were at their quickest.
 
Last season, Ingram notched up no fewer than six race wins, 15 podiums, four pole positions and ten fastest laps in the BTCC. In so doing, he oh-so-nearly added a second Drivers’ title to his impressive résumé, with only the changeable weather in the Brands Hatch GP finale denying him the biggest prize in British motorsport and restricting him to the runner-up spoils. Spurred on by that disappointment, the 31-year-old is ready and fired-up to fight back.
 
Following Saturday afternoon’s qualifying session at Donington Park at 15:10 – 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 and ITVX, beginning at 11:00. The full race day schedule will additionally be streamed live around the globe on the BTCC YouTube channel, with the exception of the UK and North America, where there are existing broadcast agreements in-place with RACER Network.
 
Tom Ingram, Driver, Team Vertu, said: “I think we’re in good shape. We’ve done a lot of testing over the off-season, which has gone very well. We seem to have found quite a chunk of extra pace from the Hyundai – and it was already arguably the fastest car in the field – but even more importantly, I’m 95 per cent certain we’ve managed to identify the cause of the issue we encountered in low-grip conditions last year, which was ultimately what cost us the title. Although testing has been primarily dry, I think we have been able to pinpoint where we were going wrong.
 
“The regulations reset over the winter – replacing the hybrid system with sustainable fuel and turbo boost – has removed about 55kg of weight, which in-turn has made a sizeable difference to how the car feels. We’ve had to revisit and re-optimise the whole package as a result, which has almost been like starting all over again.
 
“There’s no question that the season is going to be incredibly competitive, and consistency – as ever in the BTCC – will be absolutely key, but more than that, with 15 race-winning drivers on the grid, the level in the championship is so high now that consistently finishing fifth or sixth is no longer enough. You need to be finishing consistently on the podium if you want to be in with a genuine chance, and that is clearly our objective.
 
“Donington has traditionally been a happy hunting-ground for us – particularly in recent years – and I see no reason why we can’t win again this weekend. The aim is very much to come out-of-the-blocks fighting, and at the end of the day, my goal is simple – I want the title back.”

The 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship kicks into life at Donington Park (26/27 April) for the opening event of the year, here’s all the information you need to know to keep up with the action…

For the very first time the full field of BTCC cars will race with 100% fully sustainable fuel as the championship enters into a new era of competition. The removal of the hybrid system has made the current machines 55kg lighter than their predecessors which has already seen some of the fastest laps in BTCC history during pre-season testing.

Only one week ago, the 2025 grid headed to Donington Park for the final of the three official pre-season testing days. The expanded 24-car grid hit the track and gathered as much data as possible in preparation for the looming first event of the campaign.

This weekend’s race day action will feature on the home of the BTCC, ITV4, from 1100 on Sunday (27 April) while the ITV YouTube page will host qualifying on Saturday (26 April) from 1455.

TOCA – organisers of the BTCC – also announced that each race day of the 2025 season – including all support series’ races – will be streamed LIVE around the globe on the BTCC YouTube channel, with the exception of the UK and North America which have existing broadcast arrangements.

Furthermore, the BTCC will be aired LIVE in North America (US and Canada) for the first time ever thanks to a new multi-year agreement with the RACER Network, streaming live and on demand as part of a long-term agreement with the championship.

All 30 races are scheduled to air on the main RACER channel, whilst support series’ and extended BTCC highlights will be available to watch via the RACER+ App, the network’s premium motorsports streaming platform. Race 1 will begin at 06:50 Eastern Time (ET) with Race 2 following at 08:25ET and Race 3 closing out the day’s racing at 11:15ET.

Click here for the full TV guide for Donington Park

Max Hall is looking to make his mark at Donington Park this weekend (April 26-27) as he gears up for his eagerly-anticipated debut in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship with Un-Limited Motorsport.

Stepping up to the UK’s premier motor racing series for 2025, the 18-year-old - who has enjoyed a rapid rise through the ranks in recent years - is poised to lift the curtain on his maiden campaign across Saturday and Sunday at the world-famous venue in Leicestershire.

Teaming up with Dexter Patterson and Nicolas Hamilton at the Independent-run Cupra squad, Hall will take centre stage in front of a capacity crowd under the flight path of East Midlands airport, as well as many more watching on live on ITV4.

Going into the season-opener, the Motorsport UK Academy driver is brimming with confidence having been one of the standout performers from pre-season testing - where he clocked valuable mileage at Brands Hatch, Snetterton, Croft and most recently Donington Park.

Lighting up the timesheets on numerous occasions in testing, the talented teenager is now focused on translating his eye-catching pace into three strong results on Sunday as he competes for honours in the Jack Sears Trophy and Independent Drivers’ Championship.

Max Hall: “I’m really excited for the weekend! It’s been a busy few months of hard work and I’ve loved every second but I now just can’t wait to get out on-track and see where we truly stack up against everyone else.

“Everyone at Un-Limited Motorsport has been amazing and the amount that I’ve learnt during pre-season testing is hard to comprehend. Importantly, we’ve made progress every time I’ve been in the car so that’s something to be positive about.

“Going into this weekend I’m under no illusions that the BTCC is one of the most competitive championships in the world so it’s going to be tough; but I’m clear about my goals and what I want to achieve.

“If we can come away from Donington Park with three solid points finishes and a strong showing in both the Jack Sears Trophy and Independent Drivers’ then I’ll be more than happy. It’s going to be a weekend to remember that’s for sure!”

Qualifying for the opening round of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship commences at 15:10 on Saturday before racing kicks off at 11:50 on Sunday. Races two and three are scheduled for 14:35 and 17:25 respectively later that day.

One Motorsport will  launch its challenge for honours in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship this weekend (26-27 April) when the 2025 season gets underway at Donington Park.

Having taken a sabbatical from the UK’s premier motor racing series last year, the two-time Independent Teams’ champions are poised to make their eagerly-anticipated return to the grid with Josh Cook, Stephen Jelley and two Honda Civic Type R challengers.

Despite watching on from the sidelines last season, the team has ensured that no stone has been left unturned during its absence with ongoing development work being carried out across both cars back at its Brackley base over the past 12 months.

The intensive development programme has yielded positive results too with double Independent Drivers’ title winner Cook setting the fastest-ever BTCC lap around Donington Park National during last week’s Season Launch.

Cook’s homecoming to the familiar surroundings of One Motorsport proved to be one of the biggest stories of the off-season and now that he has re-aligned with the team in which he has enjoyed the most success at in his career, he’s fully focused for more triumphant moments.

On the other side of the garage, multiple race-winner Jelley returns to the grid after a season away and he too is relishing the prospect of what can be achieved this year as he gets reacquainted with driving a front-wheel-drive touring car again.

Since the team’s last appearance in the BTCC, a number of changes have been implemented including the removal of hybrid and the additional power surge now coming solely via turbo boost. In addition, the championship has also introduced the use of 100% fully sustainable fuel.

The ‘Quick Six’ qualifying format will continue for a second successive year with Saturday's first qualifying session of the season gets underway at 15:10 and will be streamed live via ITV Sport’s YouTube channel worldwide, whilst all three BTCC contests on Sunday will be available to watch on ITV4 and ITVX in the UK, RACER Network in the USA and Canada and YouTube for all other regions. 

Race one is scheduled to begin at 11:50 BST before race two blasts into action at 14:35 BST. The reverse grid finale will then round out proceedings at 17:25 BST.

Josh Cook, One Motorsport #66: “I’m looking forward to getting the season underway. It’s been an incredible job by everyone at One Motorsport to get us to this point and their efforts deserve a huge amount of credit. During pre-season testing we’ve kept our heads down, worked through our run plans and we seem to be in a good place. Of course you don’t know where everyone else stacks up but I’m optimistic that we can be in the mix towards the front of the field. It’s going to be extremely competitive this year, like it always is, so hitting the ground running with three strong finishes is the aim going into Donington Park this weekend." 

Stephen Jelley, One Motorsport #12:“It wasn’t that long ago that I was having my seat fit at the team workshop and now suddenly here we are going into the opening round of the new campaign. Pre-season testing has gone predominantly well; it’s been nice to settle into the team, form relationships with everybody and importantly get dialled into the car. Having Josh on the other side of the garage is great as he knows the car really well so while there has been plenty to learn, I’m heading to Donington Park in a good place. If we can bring home three solid finishes and a big haul of points on Sunday I’ll be more than happy. That'll be a solid foundation to build upon going into future rounds."

Steve Dudman, One Motorsport Team Owner: "As the team continues to gather momentum with our Honda challengers heading to Donington Park, credit must go to Paul Hartley for stepping up as Sporting Director this year; the dedication of everyone back at Brackley has been relentless since the start of the year. To put the team and cars in immediate contention at the Season Launch was a proud moment. We all know that Josh and Stephen will give everything they have behind the wheel and the team is targeting to be right at the sharp end - that's how we function. We'll arrive 100% ready to compete, for every single lap, of every race, to the highest of our ability and will be at full throttle, no exceptions."

West Surrey Racing begin a new Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season at Donington Park this weekend with another spot in the history of the UK’s most prestigious racing series the target.
 
With a lighter, faster BMW 330i M Sport race car, an expanded four-driver line-up and Jake Hill aiming to win back-to-back Drivers’ crowns, the 2025 season is set to be an all-action affair for the 18-time series champions, who currently share the all-time record of 132 race wins for a team and are aiming to take the accolade for themselves.
 
The 2024 season finale was a dramatic encounter that climaxed with Hill winning his first BTCC title on home soil at Brands Hatch.
 
The Kent racer, who needs just a 14th-place finish to break the 2000 career-points barrier on Sunday, once again drives the Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport BMW in what will be his fourth season with WSR.
 
The 1.9-mile Donington Park National layout has happy memories for the Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport driver as he scored pole position and a race win on his WSR debut in 2022 and began his title-winning campaign there with a double-podium last year.
 
Joining Hill are three new arrivals; race-winner Aiden Moffat and rookie Charles Rainford in LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR BMWs, and BTCC sophomore Daryl DeLeon.
 
Moffat, who won at last year’s Donington opener, is one of a small number of current competitors to have won BTCC races in both front-wheel-drive and rear-wheel-drive cars.
 
The Edinburgh driver has more than 300 starts to his name in the BTCC and has been on the podium five times at the Donington National circuit, making it his most successful track in the series.
 
Rainford, meanwhile, is preparing to make his BTCC debut at Donington. The Sussex racer steps up from the Porsche Carrera Cup GB, in which he claimed the runner-up spot in last year’s championship.
 
Like Rainford, DeLeon will not only compete for overall honours, but also for the Jack Sears Trophy – named in honour of the BTCC’s inaugural title-winner in 1958 and awarded to the best-performing driver without a podium finish or a top-10 championship finish at the start of the upcoming season.
 
The Cambridgeshire racer, 19, joins WSR after working his way up the grid in 2024 and claiming a career-best seventh place finish at the final round of the season. He was one of last year’s Donington stars as he qualified inside the top 10 for the first time.
 
Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport, said: “It’s time to defend the title we worked so hard to win last year, but honestly, a week out from Donington, it feels no different having the #1 on the BMW as all the work is about the ‘now’. Lots has changed with the BMW with the BTCC’s move away from hybrid power and there’s a bit still to unpick in terms of ultimate pace, but we’ve been in this situation before and always been at or near the front come race day. We’ll take it one step at a time and we’ll be fine.”
 
Aiden Moffat, LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR, said: “Donington gave me a winning start last year, and things look close this time around, even if it looks like we still have a little bit of pace still to unlock from the BMW, based on the final test. It’s been very easy to get comfortable within the team so I already have a good feeling. If we can just find a little bit more speed, I’m sure we can be challengers this weekend.”
 
Charles Rainford, LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR, said: “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed driving the BMW in testing and now I’m ready to make my BTCC race debut. There are still a few things we have to finalise with the set-up going towards Donington, but we’ll take everything as it comes. I’m feeling confident in my ability to fight and this first qualifying session this weekend will tell us exactly where we are. I can’t wait.”
 
Daryl DeLeon, WSR, said: “I’m so excited to start the season. I’ve had five days of testing in the BMW over the past month so I’m feeling comfortable and ready for the lights to go out on Sunday. As with anything, you can look at testing, but you never really know where you are until that first qualifying session is underway. I feel ready though; WSR are a great team and will put a good car under me, so I’m aiming for success.”
 
Dick Bennetts, Team Principal, said: “The new season is here and, as always, we’re aiming high and want to see if we can win more BTCC titles. It’s been a very busy winter at WSR with three new drivers to introduce to the team alongside our reigning champion Jake and with the technical rule changes requiring a total re-engineering job on the rear-wheel-drive BMWs. We’ve learnt plenty in testing, but to be honest, we won’t know where we really are until we arrive at Donington and see everyone’s true performance levels in both qualifying and the races.”

Racing returns for the entire BTCC grid with the season kicking off at Donington Park on the 26/27 April.

BTCC to air live in North America for the first time ever

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship will be aired LIVE in North America (US and Canada) for the first time ever thanks to a new multi-year agreement with the RACER Network.

All 30 races will be brought to an American audience in 2025 after RACER secured exclusive broadcast rights, with the network streaming live and on demand as part of a long-term agreement with the championship.

BTCC races are scheduled to air on the main RACER channel, whilst support series’ and extended BTCC highlights will be available to watch via the RACER+ App, the network’s premium motorsports streaming platform.

The addition of BTCC strengthens RACER Network’s commitment to delivering top-tier international motorsports content to fans across North America as it continues to expand its global motorsports coverage.

Live coverage kicks off with the BTCC season opener at Donington Park on 27 April, with full pre- and post-race coverage, commentary, and expert analysis.

The news follows the BTCC’s recent announcement confirming that it will stream each race day of the 2025 BTCC season – including all support series’ races – LIVE around the globe on the BTCC YouTube channel, apart from within the UK and North America which both have specific broadcast arrangements.

The UK is obviously covered by the expansive television contract with the ITV network, which sees around eight hours of broadcast – live and free in the UK – from each event across ITV4 and ITVX, as well as the continued highlights and catch-up offerings across the network.

Now, this ground-breaking deal between Series Organiser TOCA and the RACER Network confirms that one of the most famous and oldest touring car championships in the world will be broadcast LIVE in North America for the first time in its illustrious history.

CJ Olivares, RACER Network President, said: “Bringing the BTCC to North American screens live for the first time is a milestone for our newly launched network and for motorsports fans across North America.”

Alan Gow, BTCC Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted to strike this new partnership with the RACER Network, ensuring that the BTCC will be screened live across North America for the first time ever. It’s another significant step in the ongoing growth of the championship and our continued broadcasting expansion strategy.”

BTCC launches 2025 campaign at Donington Park

Josh Cook made it a happy return to Honda machinery as the One Motorsport driver topped the final pre-season BTCC test at Donington Park today (15 April).

The 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship kicks off competitively here at the same venue on 26/27 April, and it’s Cook who will arrive with the bragging rights having set a new fastest lap at the venue.

With steady runs taking place throughout the day, it was Hyundai holding an incredible one-two-three-four-five on the timesheets well into the final hour, before a late flurry of qualifying simulations set about a change to the order.

When the dust settled it was Cook in his M-Sport built TOCA engined Honda leading from the NAPA Racing UK duo of Ash Sutton and Dan Cammish, the former missing out on P1 by just 0.003s.

Cook’s benchmark – albeit not an official lap record – was the fastest BTCC lap ever around the Donington Park National Circuit, dipping just under Sutton’s 2023 qualifying effort.

Restart Racing’s Chris Smiley was an impressive fourth in his new Hyundai i30 N, whilst Team Vertu’s Tom Ingram completed the top five.

Ingram was the fastest driver in the morning session, and held top spot for much of the afternoon, before dropping slightly down the order in the closing moments.

Sam Osborne again performed well to fire his NAPA Racing UK Ford Focus into the top six, as he nipped by Team Vertu’s Tom Chilton and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA’s Gordon Shedden.

Adam Morgan (Team Vertu) and Mikey Doble (Motor Parts Direct with Power Maxed Racing) rounded out the top ten.

Click here for the final classification.

Josh Cook, One Motorsport, said: “The car feels good. We made a lot of changes during the course of the day and made some good progress. We just need to assess what worked and what didn’t work and make sure we come back next week somewhere in the right ballpark. We know it’s going to be extremely close, it always is, and hopefully we’re going to be in the mix at the front.”

The 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship was officially launched at Donington Park earlier today (15 April), with a total of 24 cars confirmed on the entry list for the new season as the all-new fully sustainable fuel era gets ready for take-off.

A front row of four former champions headlined this morning’s photo shoot, as they were joined by the full quota of cars and stars from Britain’s most competitive motorsport championship.

In fact, no fewer than 16 drivers from the ultra-competitive line-up have already stood on the top step of the podium in the BTCC, suggesting we are set for a fierce battle for the most coveted prize in national motor racing.

The ‘Class of 2025’ has a difficult act to follow of course considering that last year’s title race came down to a thrilling season finale with Jake Hill and Tom Ingram incredibly tied on points going into the unforgettable showdown at Brands Hatch.

Hill eventually prevailed as he claimed his maiden BTCC title, and now it’s almost time to do it all again with the competitive action kicking off at Donington Park on 26/27April, before the BTCC embarks on its annual nationwide tour, comprising 30 races across ten events.

Official media duties commenced at the former Grand Prix venue yesterday, prior to further photography this morning, before the cars took to the track in front of thousands of fans for the final pre-season test session.

Champions, challengers and future contenders

Jake Hill (Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport) became the latest name etched onto one of the world’s oldest motorsport trophies when he realised his life-long dream at Brands Hatch last October, and now it’s the new champion with the target on his back as he looks to defend his crown in the #1 BMW.

The two most recent previous title winners – Ash Sutton (NAPA Racing UK) and Tom Ingram (Team Vertu) – will likely provide the biggest threat to Hill’s title defence, but you can add returning three-time champion – Gordon Shedden (TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA) – to a stellar list of challengers.

The chasing pack – and those looking to grab their own maiden BTCC title – will arguably be led by Dan Cammish (NAPA Racing UK) and Josh Cook (One Motorsport), both of whom have produced their own championship challenges in recent seasons.

Hill will have three all-new team-mates at West Surrey Racing this year with Aiden Moffat (LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR) and Daryl DeLeon (WSR) switching to BMW machinery, whilst rookie Charles Rainford (LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR) also joins the fray.

NAPA Racing UK is defending a hat-trick of Teams’ titles, and it will do so with an unchanged line-up of Sutton, Cammish, Dan Rowbottom and Sam Osborne. Rowbottom is looking to mount a first championship challenge of his own, whilst Osborne has his eyes set on winning the Jack Sears Trophy – open to all drivers with no more than one overall podium in the BTCC.

Team Vertu’s four-car roster includes three multiple race winners, led of course by former champ Ingram, but Tom Chilton and Adam Morgan may also fancy their chances of fighting for the crown. There are actually a total of 25 talented racers entered across the 24 cars with the fourth Vertu entry being shared by two series returnees. Michael Crees contests the first half of the campaign, before race winner Senna Proctor takes the reins following the summer break.

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA boasts a fascinating line-up with the battle for supremacy in the Speedworks camp looking to be a wide-open contest. Shedden’s return is undoubtedly a huge head turner, but he is joined by the pace and quality of Aron Taylor-Smith, Ronan Pearson and talented debutant James Dorlin.

Motor Parts Direct with Power Maxed Racing comes off the back of an incredible 2024 season, winning the Independent Drivers’ and Teams’ trophies, along with Mikey Doble scooping the Jack Sears Trophy. Doble remains with the squad so the consistency of both team and driver could prove a potent force again this year.

Un-Limited Motorsport and Restart Racing will embark on a sophomore season in the BTCC, with both outfits having enhanced their respective operations during the off-season.

Expanding from a single-car squad in 2024 to a three-car line-up this year, Un-Limited Motorsport enters with Nic Hamilton (Powder Monkey Brewing Co with Esidock), 18-year-old Max Hall (ROKiT Racing with Un-Limited Motorsport) and series returnee Dexter Patterson (ROKiT Racing with Un-Limited Motorsport).

For Hamilton – brother of seven-time former Formula 1 World Champion Lewis – the return marks another opportunity to inspire. As one of motorsport’s most prominent advocates for disability inclusion, Nic remains determined to use his platform to challenge perceptions, encourage others to break boundaries, and push the limits of what’s possible.

Meanwhile, Restart Racing has switched to the race-winning Hyundais after reaching a supply agreement with EXCELR8 Motorsport, and the team includes race-winning drivers in its arsenal too, as both Chris Smiley and Daniel Lloyd look to push the squad forward in 2025.

Last and by no means least is the return of One Motorsport and also the return to the grid for the popular Hondas. The returning theme continues as Josh Cook heads home to the squad that he drove for between 2019-2023, whilst Stephen Jelley is back in the BTCC after a one-year sabbatical.

Fully sustainable fuel era is here

Series Organiser of the British Touring Car Championship – TOCA – announced its latest rules and regulations during the winter with the introduction of 100% fully sustainable fuel headlining developments, taking over from the use of hybrid power.

The BTCC is the first major championship in the UK to adopt fully sustainable fossil-free fuel for all its cars, once again underlining its position at the forefront of national motorsport innovation and industry-leading standards.

All cars will still have the same power-boost output as in 2024 – and the same boost deployment format as previously used – with the additional power surge coming solely via turbo boost. The cars will also be some 55 kilogrammes lighter and nimbler as a result. 

A further tweak will see all notifications of the turbo boost deployment being removed from the timing screens, as it was felt this gave teams/drivers immediate information to try to counteract its use by their fellow competitors.

Information on the boost deployment will still be available to fans via the LED lights on the side windows of each car, as well as on ITV’s live television graphics (albeit with the usual few seconds delay of a live television transmission), but the instantaneous information via the timing screens will no longer be available to the teams.

Due to having the same turbo deployment and a significantly lighter car, the 2025 machines look set to be the fastest BTCC cars in history with the pace shown in pre-season already dipping well below some existing qualifying lap records.

Worldwide broadcast strategy continues

Another significant step forward during the off-season was the deal to ensure that each race day of the 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season – including all support series’ races – will be streamed LIVE around the globe on the BTCC YouTube channel, with the exception of the UK and North America which have existing live broadcast arrangements.

This further enhancement of the BTCC’s global coverage is of course in addition to the expansive and existing UK television contract with the ITV network, which sees around eight hours of broadcast – live and free in the UK – from each event across ITV4 and ITVX, as well as the continued highlights and catch-up offerings across the network.

Qualifying will also continue to be broadcast LIVE in the UK on ITVX, and indeed LIVE across the UK and throughout the world via YouTube.

With the BTCC’s ever-growing appeal and global fanbase, this latest development ensures that every competitive session of the BTCC, as well as the entire race day, can be watched LIVE from anywhere in the world and continues with the championship’s ground-breaking and ongoing broadcasting strategy.

You can subscribe to the official BTCC YouTube channel here.

Alan Gow, BTCC Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted to present our exciting and talented line-up for the 2025 BTCC season, boasting four former champions and an incredible 16 race winners.

“The work never stops in the BTCC and as you can see, we have made several enhancements both on and off-track ahead of the new season. Moving to 100% fully sustainable fuel was arguably the most significant development, ensuring the BTCC maintains the same high levels of competitiveness, performance and excitement, but in a more sustainable way and with the added advantage of our cars being lighter and more dynamic.

“Being able to announce that every moment of a BTCC race day will be streamed LIVE throughout the world on YouTube is also another huge milestone for the championship, representing fantastic news for all of our stakeholders and the BTCC’s loyal support series’.

“The action on-track remains the most important element of course and last year’s title race proved to be one of the closest and dramatic in the championship’s illustrious history. With such a strong line-up confirmed, we are confident we will enjoy more of the same during the 2025 campaign.

“We thank everyone that plays a role in making the BTCC such a wonderful success story, including our incredible loyal fanbase – we’re really looking forward to the season ahead and we’re sure you are too.”

Click here for the full 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship entry list.