UK’s premier motorsport championship to star on ITV and ITV4 next weekend

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship blasts into Brands Hatch next weekend (14/15 May) for the second race weekend of its all-new Hybrid Era.

The new season began at Donington Park last month when three different race winners highlighted the ultra-competitiveness of the UK’s premier motorsport series, and now the BTCC heads to the shortest track on the calendar – the action-packed Brands Hatch Indy circuit.

Tom Ingram (Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com), Gordon Shedden (Halfords Racing with Cataclean) and Jake Hill (ROKiT MB Motorsport) shared the spoils in the season opener, whilst an incredible seven drivers filled the podium positions.

Brands Hatch is arguably the ‘spiritual home’ of the BTCC, having held more races than any other circuit and at least one event every season since the championship’s inception back in 1958.

The 1.21-mile Indy circuit often creates bumper-to-bumper racing with an astonishing 28 cars covered by less than a second during last year’s qualifying session.

TV coverage

The event marks the first of two on the BTCC calendar which will feature not only on the home of the BTCC, ITV4, but also on ITV for a three-hour programme covering the trio of races.

With itv.com/btcc set to host Saturday's qualifying session from 1545, Sunday's race-day action will kick off on ITV4 between 1100-1355, before ITV's main channel takes over to host those tin-top thrills from 1400-1700. Following this, from 1655-1835, ITV4 will resume its duties for the final portion of the day, rounding out the BTCC's first trip to the Kent circuit in 2022.

Goodyear Blimp

During the weekend, the Goodyear Blimp will once again soar overhead as it did at the Kent circuit in 2021.

The Goodyear Blimp will also be providing aerial views of the action, with footage from the ‘eye in the sky’ set to feature in Saturday's qualifying stream as well as ITV and ITV4’s race-day coverage.

Timetable and Tickets

The BTCC action will as always be complemented by a spectacular line-up of support series at Brands Hatch, with the range of racing disciplines set to entertain and enthral the expected huge crowds.

The F4 British Championship, Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain, MINI CHALLENGE Ginetta Junior Championship and Ginetta GT4 SuperCup also join the fray for the final meeting of the season.

Advance tickets are available from just £20, with Adult Weekend Admission costing £43. Grandstand tickets start from £5, while accompanied children aged 12 and under will be admitted free of charge.

For further information or to buy tickets, click here.

With the second event of the 2022 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship edging ever closer, the official BTCC website caught up with the driver who's topping the Jack Sears Trophy battle after Rounds 1, 2 and 3 of the campaign, Bobby Thompson.

Getting the year off to a strong start, the Autobrite Direct with JourneyHero driver bagged a trio of points finishes at Donington Park's opener, with a best result of seventh in race two.

His consistent results now see him lead the JST standings, but with just one point separating the 25-year-old from rival George Gamble, the battle for glory is expected to be fierce this year...

Check out what Thompson had to say about the new campaign in the exclusive interview below!

Toyota GAZOO Racing UK may have endured a bruising start to the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship’s new hybrid era at Donington Park (23/24 April), but drivers Rory Butcher and Ricky Collard are still confident that the Speedworks Motorsport-run outfit will once more be a force to be reckoned with over the course of the 2022 campaign.
 
Returning to the BTCC following a cameo appearance in the final four outings of 2018 – and having not contested a full season in anything since 2019 – Collard would line up a competitive 11th in qualifying amongst the 28 high-calibre contenders, but with stablemate Butcher unable to post a representative lap time due to driveshaft failure, the Scot was consigned to a frustrated 26th on the starting grid for the curtain-raising contest.
 
Undeterred, the former BTCC Independents’ Champion and Jack Sears Trophy winner had made up no fewer than nine positions when he was caught out by a sudden safety car intervention heading onto lap two. As the field unexpectedly checked up, the unsighted Butcher – tucked in tight behind Ollie Jackson – had nowhere to go, with front end damage to his Corolla spelling an early bath.
 
The cause of the interruption, unfortunately, was Collard, whose car had stopped on the main straight. That left the Toyota duo to begin race two from down in 26th and 27th places, but in front of the live ITV4 television cameras, a host of enthusiastic supporters from nearby Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK (TMUK) and the trackside crowd, the fired-up Butcher went on a charge.
 
After climbing into the points by the end of the opening tour – an astonishing 11-place gain on his starting slot – the 35-year-old produced a bold and committed performance to secure a top ten finish, and despite not benefitting from the reverse-grid draw, he then improved further to take the chequered flag seventh in race three, less than two seconds shy of the podium.
 
Collard’s luck did not change in race two, with the 25-year-old star rising to the cusp of the points before contact damaged the crash structure of his Corolla, but from the tail-end of the grid again, he determinedly fought his way to a 15th-place finish in the day’s finale, getting stuck back into the famous cut-and-thrust of the UK’s premier motor racing series as he opened his account for the season.
 
“That obviously wasn’t the start to the season that we wanted,” admitted Team Principal Christian Dick. “To see both cars retire from the first race was a nightmare scenario, but the Speedworks Motorsport boys and girls are amazing and while we had a mountain to climb from the back of the grid in race two, we quickly put our initial disappointment behind us and focussed on moving forward.
 
“For Rory to fight through to a top ten finish was incredible, and showed his strength of character in overcoming the misfortune of qualifying and race one. It was a superb effort and an excellent turnaround after his earlier adversity. He produced stunning opening laps in races two and three, and was rewarded with a couple of really solid points-scoring finishes.
 
“Following the failure in race one and contact in race two, for Ricky to battle into the points in race three was absolutely spot-on. Yes, we’ve got some details to work on with him, but he’s finding his feet in the car and in the championship after a couple of years away from full-time competition, and there are some quirks to racing a front-wheel drive car that he’s continuing to get his head around.
 
“There are no doubts in my mind about his raw pace, and quite honestly, I think we’ve got another superstar on our hands here. Once he’s fully in the groove, he’s going to be a real contender and I’m tremendously excited to see what he can achieve in the coming rounds. At the end of the day, this is a long championship and other people will have tough weekends too. We’re still in a very good place.”

“I was so disappointed at the end of qualifying,” said Butcher “The car felt really competitive – and it meant we were more at risk of getting caught up in incidents in race one, which unfortunately is exactly what happened. Following a stellar repair job by the Speedworks crew, the Corolla was mega in race two and we made up a lot of places early on again. The hybrid element was fun and definitely gives us more to think about, requiring a little bit of strategy with regard to when and where is best to deploy it.
 
“We put up another good fight in race three, and whilst I lost a little bit of performance in the closing laps, I was pleased to bring the car home in seventh and score some decent points. Clearly, we wanted a lot more than that from the weekend, but we can definitely move forward from here. Onwards and upwards!”
 
“It was a weekend that promised so much, but ultimately didn’t deliver,” reflected Collard. “The Corolla is a brilliant car, and I’ve been slowly getting the hang of it, with no pressure from the team. I kept plugging away, finding a little bit more and learning a little bit more with every run. In race one, I was just settling into my rhythm and got a good exit from the chicane going onto lap two, but unfortunately that was all she wrote. The driveshaft failure was sheer bad luck and completely out of our control.
 
“That obviously meant we didn’t begin race two where we’d been hoping to and we had to fight through the field again in race three, when it was good to finally get a full race distance under my belt. My racecraft was a little bit rusty, but the pace is there and at the end of the day, I’d rather be in this kind of position and able to attack instead of lucking into results. I’m still adapting to front-wheel drive and there’s a lot more I need to learn, but we will build upon this and I’m really looking forward to Brands Hatch.”

For the third time in his career, Tom Ingram won the opening race of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, as the Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com star made history and drew first blood in the 2022 title chase at Donington Park (23/24 April).

Entering his ninth season in the UK’s premier motor racing series, Ingram started the weekend from fourth on the grid after a highly-competitive qualifying session on Saturday.

Weaving his way through the front three drivers, an epic battle saw him take the lead on the second lap, sealing his 20th career victory in the championship and win the first race of the 2022 season.

Not only was the Bucks-born driver able to secure the win, but also the coveted extra point for clinching the fastest lap during the encounter.

His earlier success meant that Ingram had fewer ‘boosts’ of hybrid power than the rest of the grid, but nonetheless, he went on to finish race two with an impressive second position, having lost the lead on lap ten to the attacking Honda of Gordon Shedden.

Round three’s partially-reversed grid saw the 28-year-old start from eighth and fight his way up the order to fifth at the chequered flag, earning a seven-point winning margin over the rest of the drivers in the championship standings as the field prepares for Brands Hatch’s Indy Circuit in little over a week’s time (14/15 May).

“That was a lot of fun – one of the most enjoyable weekends I’ve had in the BTCC,” said Ingram. “We worked so hard with the Hyundai over the winter, and it felt absolutely fantastic. In the corners, it was simply phenomenal – it did everything I wanted it to.

“Race one was the perfect way to begin the season – starting as we mean to go on! The first couple of laps were a bit spicy as it all kicked off ahead, and after that, with Colin [Turkington] pushing me along and Jake [Hill] closing onto the back of him, there was never any point at which I could just relax or focus on bringing it home. But becoming the first person ever to win in a hybrid touring car was awesome, and quite a cool thing to be able to say.

“Then I got another mega result in race two. I knew I had to try to keep my powder dry until later on when I would really need the hybrid boosts. I wanted to use them to attack rather than to defend, and that was what got me back into the fight towards the end. To come away with a double podium on Bristol Street Motors’ first weekend with the team was a brilliant outcome.

“I’ve got to say, not needing to keep adjusting the set-up to adapt to [success ballast] makes a massive difference. Now you can just make small tweaks rather than having to reinvent the wheel, and I like being a bit more in control of my own destiny.

“I don’t necessarily think we had the quickest car at Donington, but I feel in a very good place with the Hyundai at the moment and I’m really happy. I’ll go to Brands Hatch pumped up to try to qualify on pole.”

Reigning Champion Ash Sutton opened the 2022 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship with a second-place finish at Donington Park (23/24 April) to grasp a podium for NAPA Racing UK on its first weekend in the series.

Qualifying saw Sutton put his Motorbase Performance-run Ford Focus ST third on the grid, while a mid-session car fire for team-mate Dan Cammish thwarted his hopes to set a strong lap time. After an herculean effort to repair the car overnight, the Leeds racer was able to start from 28th on Sunday morning.

Sutton continued his run of good form in the opening two races with top-six finishes, before topping the day off by bagging his first podium of the season with second in the final race of the day.

Following the hard work of the mechanics, Cammish fought his way from 28th to 16th in the first round and looked to finish in the points before a puncture dropped him to 21st in race two. Another impressive recovery drive saw him clinch a best finish of 13th to round off his outing to the Leicestershire circuit.

The Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan pairing of Ollie Jackson and Sam Osborne encountered issues over the weekend which led to a pair of retirements for Jackson, before a 19th-place finish.

Having gained an impressive 13th place in qualifying, Sam Osborne went on to achieve a best position of 17th in race three.

“What a weekend!” said Team Manager Oly Collins. “I think we covered most of the emotions available over those two days.

“Firstly, a huge thanks to the whole team for what was a monumental task turning around Dan’s car from the fire on Saturday, and the marshals who were on the scene. That’s the last thing we could have done with at the first round but, as always, the main thing is that Dan reacted quickly and got out unharmed and then the Motorbase crew worked through the night to turn it all around.

“Great results for Ash on race day, putting him third in the championship. He drove in the manner we’ve seen in recent years which has helped him win championships and got a solid start to this year’s campaign. Unfortunately, we couldn’t unlock the race pace from the car for Dan.

“Ollie and Sam were unbelievably unlucky with problems beyond the team’s control. It seems like a simple software update has affected our throttle system which has cost Ollie and Sam some good points finishes. NAPA Racing UK has its first podium in the bank and now we head to Brands aiming for much more.”

"We’re learning things so I’m pleased with that," said Sutton. "We deserved [the podium finish] with what the boys have been putting in, especially from Dan’s car as well, obviously they’ve done a tremendous job. So, from NAPA Racing UK, a sterling job. We’ve now got some more data and it’s about learning – what do we need to do now to try and unlock a bit more.”

“It’s been a tough first weekend for us, but everybody has worked so hard and I can’t thank the boys enough for getting my car onto the grid for the first race,” added Cammish. "The fire in qualifying was devastating, after looking at the damage it had caused then you really couldn’t have expected we’d be ready for race one. Everyone at NAPA Racing UK and Motorbase put in so much and I’m thankful we were able to get some important data in the races. We’ll build from here and come back stronger at Brands.”

“Definitely a weekend to forget all round unfortunately," admitted Jackson. "A software issue caused a premature end to both races one and two, then we had strong pace in race three but when a vibration appeared, I backed right off to bring it home and give the boys one hard-earned finish for the weekend. Thanks to Jenner, my engineer, and the guys this weekend. Despite the challenges they kept their spirits up and worked immensely hard as well as supporting the whole Motorbase Performance team working tirelessly to get Dan’s car back out on track on Sunday – a huge effort, well done!”

“It’s disappointing we had the throttle problem in two of the races, but I’m actually feeling pretty positive about things as we showed really strong pace in qualifying and race one especially,” concluded Osborne. "The whole team has done a fantastic job, we were just unlucky with a few things, but that’s how it goes sometimes in racing. I’m looking forward to Brands now.”

BTCC Title Sponsor Kwik Fit has today (3 May) launched an exclusive competition to celebrate its expanded involvement with Goodwood Festival of Speed for 2022.

The BTCC is giving fans the exciting opportunity to feature their own livery design on one of the most successful cars in the championship’s history – the BMW 1 Series – which will be displayed on the Kwik Fit BTCC stand during this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed (23-26 June).  

The lucky winner will get two VIP hospitality tickets to the event so that they can see their design come to life during the world’s greatest celebration of motorsport and car culture and will also receive a professionally printed picture of them with the machine. 

As well as showcasing the winner’s liveried BMW, a yet to be revealed line-up of BTCC stars can also be expected at the stand during the event, with more information to follow. 

Runners up of this exclusive competition will also get the chance to attend, with both second and third-placed entries getting their hands on two pairs of general admission tickets for the event. 

Click here to download your livery template and get your markers ready! 

Bit of a whizz on Photoshop? You can download the pro pack here to create your masterpiece digitally. 

Submit your entry by emailing a picture of your design to btcc.net@mpacreative.com with the subject ‘Kwik Fit Livery Design Competition’ before 1600 on Friday 27 May. 

Winners and runners up will be announced on Friday 10 June via the Official BTCC social channels. 

Full terms and conditions can be found here. By entering this competition, you are confirming that you have read and understood these. 

Check out the 2022 BTCC liveries below for inspiration! 

ROKiT MB Motorsport got its 2022 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship campaign off to a winning start at Donington Park little over a week ago, with a victory in the final race of the day for driver Jake Hill.

Lining up on pole for the opener after a strong performance in qualifying, Hill started the race in a five-way battle for the lead but unfortunately did not come out on top. The Kent racer would initially cross the finish line in third but having failed a post-race ride height check, the #24 driver was subsequently disqualified from the result.

Round two offered a challenging start for Hill but, after harnessing the power of the hybrid system, the BMW climbed an impressive 19 places from the back of the grid, bagging a top ten finish for the squad.

The reverse grid draw looked favourably on the 28-year-old for the final race, with Hill being drawn to start from pole position. Holding the lead to the chequered flag, the BMW man was rewarded with his first victory of the 2022 campaign at the conclusion of the 16-lap encounter.

After his lights-to-flag victory, Hill heads into the second event of the year sixth in the Drivers’ battle, with ROKiT MB Motorsport holding seventh in the Teams’ Standings.

“I can’t describe how much of a crazy weekend it was,” said Hill. “From lining up for my first pole position to then starting from the very back of the grid and then going all the way back to pole, I experienced everything [at Donington Park]! The car felt fantastic and I’ve been so dialled in with it. We knew the performance was there and we knew what we had to do to go and get the result.

“As a team, I think we went through every emotion possible today and it all came good in the end. The last race felt very reminiscent of Croft last year – it was the sort of race you dream of where everything was just right and went exactly how you wanted it to. A big hats off and thank you to everyone at ROKiT MB Motorsport and WSR – if we can continue this momentum throughout the rest of the season then we’ll be in a great place.”

“If ever there was a test of strength and character then [that] was it,” added Mark Blundell, Sporting Director of ROKiT MB Motorsport. “The BTCC is all about the highs and lows and the team managed everything excellently today. Jake drove phenomenally all day and should be very proud of his performance. Unfazed by the disappointment of the first race, everyone kept chipping away and kept faith so it was brilliant to see them all rewarded with a victory. We’ll certainly be looking to keep that going as we move on to Brands Hatch.”

Will Powell has today (3 May) been confirmed as the fourth and final driver in Team HARD. Racing’s Cupra Leon line-up for the 2022 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, as the 37-year-old makes his series debut.

Powell has raced in multiple UK championships spanning from single-seaters to GT cars. He drove the Brabham BT62 Competition in the marque’s return to racing at Brands Hatch in 2019 before winning the British Endurance Series championship in a McLaren GT3 in 2021 and has competed in TCR.

Unlike most drivers on the grid, Powell is also the Managing Director of his own race team; named Motus One. When originally formed by Powell in 2016, Motus One operated as a motorsport marketing agency before, in 2018, Motus One Racing was added to the Motus One group.

For the remainder of the 2022 BTCC season, Powell will pilot the #20 Autobrite Direct with JourneyHero entry alongside the current Jack Sears Trophy leader, Bobby Thompson.

“This is the realisation of a boyhood dream, going back to when we would skip school to camp out at Brands Hatch and watch the BTCC,” said Powell. “I’d like to thank Tony Gilham and his family for the opportunity to make the dream a reality, along with our friends at Autobrite Direct, JourneyHero and all my partners at Motus One.

“I think the series is the pinnacle of British motorsport and – despite unusual circumstances – I’m over the moon to join the grid at Brands Hatch. I don’t underestimate the scale of the challenge, but I’m looking forward to racing with the best.”

“We have been working with Will and Motus One for a little while now, including a successful test day in our Cupra last season, so it’s great that we are able to get him onboard to fill our last seat this year,” added Team Owner Tony Gilham. “Will is a great guy.

“Coming into the season at this stage, we wanted to find a driver that already has a relationship with both our staff and partners to build long-term and with his vast experience in motorsport both on and off the track will really help accelerate his development in the BTCC, as well as the fact that the team knows Will and vice-versa.”

This weekend, ITV4 has you covered with all the best bits from last weekend's Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season opener at Donington Park!

Check out the key information below to ensure you don't miss a moment...

Highlights: Saturday 30 April
ITV4 & ITV4 HD 1130-1300
ITV 4 +1 1230-1400
ITV Hub Available anytime for the next 30 days

Highlights: Sunday 1 May
ITV4 & ITV4 HD 0815-0940
ITV4 +1 0915-1040

As always, ITV's main channel will feature the highlights show too, with all the information you need below...

Highlights: Wednesday 4 May
ITV & ITV HD 2340-0055
ITV +1 0040-0155

Stars have their say on the new era

The successful start to the Hybrid Era was showcased during the opening races of the 2022 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at Donington Park last weekend (23/24 April), when the BTCC proudly became the first major touring car series in the world to integrate hybrid power into of all its race cars. 

It was an historic moment for the UK’s premier motorsport championship and one that many BTCC protagonists praised following a ground-breaking weekend…  

Ashley Sutton, NAPA Racing UK, said: “I really enjoyed using the hybrid throughout the opening weekend. It’s another element to think about during races which definitely adds more strategy into the mix, as well as another factor to consider during qualifying.

“It really is mega; I’m looking forward to seeing it add to the already super-competitive action on track throughout the year. We’re at the start of this new era and as we continue to learn more about it and refine our own tactics regarding deployment, it can only get better – bring it on!”

Josh Cook, Rich Energy BTC Racing, said: “This is the first major touring car series to have a hybrid system… it is a huge credit to the championship, and it really adds another dimension.

“Deploying hybrid as a means of defence for weak areas or for attacking in areas you can see where you are strong has really added something extra to driving a British Touring Car. 

“It has been a really successful weekend for the Championship and everyone can be really proud.” 

Matt James, Motorsport News, said: “The amount of extra oomph the electrical power gives a driver – said to be worth up to 15 metres per lap – was perfect. It still made overtaking tough and the action in the BTCC, which has always been its biggest pulling power, was in no way diminished. If the evidence of the three races last weekend is anything to go by, it will be a great season.”

Tom Ingram, Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com, said: “That was one of the most enjoyable weekends I’ve had in the BTCC! From a driver’s point of view, the races had more of a dynamic in terms of thinking about hybrid – there’s a lot going on and a definite level up from a strategic perspective, which was really fantastic. To have something that is driver-controlled and can make an instant difference has been brilliant, it definitely requires a more calculated approach and has added an awesome new dynamic to driving.” 

George Gamble, Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport, said: “It was a great weekend and I really enjoyed using the hybrid too. Obviously, I may have a slightly different perspective as I never drove in the series before hybrid, but for me it’s a great initiative. It may be a bit of a leveller for a rookie as everyone has got to get used to it, but even so I just really enjoyed the tactical side of it and of course it sends out the right messaging too.”

Tim Harvey, ITV Commentator, said: “I thought it was really good, genuinely. I had my doubts, but the reality is the cars were faster overall, and we’re only two events away from when they last raced at Donington.

“It seemed like the drivers worked out quickly where to use it for an optimum lap for qualifying, but then it all changed in the races in terms of you use it in specific targeted points to overtake or put pressure on people.

“For example, you might do a large burst out of the Old Hairpin where you’d do only a couple of seconds in qualifying. It definitely worked, and it made the racing interesting.”

Gordon Shedden, Halfords Racing with Cataclean, said: “It’s been a great start to this new chapter for the championship and of course it’s brilliant to get the first hybrid win for Halfords Racing with Cataclean. This is the first time that everyone’s had a different level of hybrid available to them and I’ve found it a really interesting addition to not only be managing what I want to do but also thinking about what my rivals are doing too. It’s definitely elevated the more strategic side to racing which has been really entertaining as a driver and for fans watching along too.” 

Colin Turkington, Team BMW, said: “Donington was a big step into the unknown and with no other series to learn from, I was slightly anxious if I would get the deployment of hybrid right. Testing is one thing, racing is another! I was definitely outside my comfort zone initially with so much to think about, but the extra strategy element was really cool.

"Deploying hybrid was like an extra weapon I had to bring to the battle. I used it successfully to attack and defend and, having found myself at the very back in race two, I was able to charge my way back up to P14. I’d say I got it right about 70% of the time during the races, but at this stage it’s about learning as we go and I know I’ll be more savvy with it next time. I’m sure deploying will become more subconscious with time and I’ll develop how to use it in a more natural way, but for now it’s been a really exciting addition to the championship. I’m glad I’ve got to experience it.”

Daniel Lloyd, Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com, said: "The hybrid system definitely requires a different approach to the racing, with an increased reliance on the tactical side. I really noticed that in the final race when I didn’t have as many laps of hybrid power available and there was more pressure to make sure I was using them in the most efficient way. But we’re learning all the time. It’s something that you’ve got to really understand strategically in order to get the most out of it, and of course after one event there is still room for improvement. But with this as a starting point, I’m excited about what’s to come."

Rory Butcher, Toyota GAZOO Racing UK, said: “The hybrid element was fun and definitely gives us more to think about, requiring a little bit of strategy with regard to when and where is best to deploy it in order to make the most of it. It was a lot of fun – one of the most enjoyable weekends – and looking ahead to the rest of the season, as we become more attuned to it and the varying levels come into play I think it’ll really add a new dimension to the racing.” 

Jake Hill, ROKiT MB Motorsport, said: “I’m really enjoying finding the right approach to the hybrid system. It’s great and gives us more lap time. It’s all about using it in places where it worked best and would give the most benefit which, for the first race weekend using it, I think I got the hang of! It worked well for us and we got the result with that race three win, so you can definitely use it to your advantage.”

Bobby Thompson, Autobrite Direct with JourneyHero, said: “The hybrid was great – my car just came alive; you can just keep using it like a bit of free boost. In terms of driving, deployment can get you out of a problem when you’re defending your position as well as pushing you forwards onto the back of the cars ahead. It’s a little safety button in that respect and I love it, it’s great. Having used it throughout the weekend, now when you’re not using it, there’s a really noticeable difference. When you’ve run out in a lap and you’re flat out it doesn’t feel anywhere near as fast.” 

Adam Morgan, Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport, said: “The addition of hybrid power definitely added to the excitement and adrenaline of the races. It’s good how you can save it up and then use it to get alongside people, honing that strategic aspect will be key in the coming events. It will be interesting to see how it works in the next races too as people acclimatise to it, and to see the effect of those at the front having fewer laps to use it.”

Alan Gow, BTCC Chief Executive, said: “I think we can all be extremely proud of the opening weekend of the season and the introduction of hybrid energy in the BTCC. It has been an herculean effort since announcing the project back in 2019 and everything that the world has thrown at us since has dramatically added to the challenge. 

“What we saw at Donington Park was nothing short of phenomenal. The racing was fantastic, and the drivers have unanimously confirmed that hybrid has added to and improved the overall dynamic. There will be lots of hard work ahead of course, but I have no doubt the introduction of hybrid energy in the BTCC will be a huge success.”