Official tyre supplier of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Goodyear – continued to evaluate its future tyre options during a scheduled test at Snetterton yesterday (11 September).

With eight BTCC Drivers’ titles and 129 race wins between them, Colin Turkington (Team BMW), Ash Sutton (NAPA Racing UK) and Tom Ingram (BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8) were all invited to give their feedback during a lengthy day of running, which included multiple qualifying simulations and race runs.

Team BMW’s Turkington experienced one of his busiest days ever behind the wheel of a BTCC car as the four-time champ completed significant mileage of the Norfolk circuit.

“I feel like I’ve been driving for two days solid, my neck is rather stiff on both sides, but it’s been a productive day,” said Turkington.

“Mostly, we’ve been testing potential tyres for the next few years. The Goodyear technicians tend not to tell us what tyres they’re putting on the car and just ask for our feedback. I’ve done five qualifying simulations and then three race runs in the afternoon, so pretty much two days’ worth of normal running, but it has been really good.

“It’s also been great to be back in the BMW and get some seat time and mileage… we’re always learning.”

It was a similar story for Sutton and Ingram too, as Goodyear’s BTCC Event Leader, Michael Butler, confirmed.

“It was a really good test,” he said. “Each car completed nearly 100 laps so that’s the best part of nearly 1000 miles clocked, and all three drivers were pretty tired by the end of it.

“The level of support received from the teams and drivers was exceptional. The driver feedback from all three was extremely detailed and of a very high level, so I would like to thank everyone involved.

“We got through a lot of work concentrating on construction work, and how the new construction and new materials effects the tyres on the current compounds, so we learnt a lot of information.

“We had a staff of 14 people on the ground – including people flying in from Germany and Ireland – plus it was also being live linked to our Goodyear Technical Centre in Germany. It was a very useful time, really pleased with the event, and we’ve definitely got a clear direction moving ahead to the 2024 season.”

The BTCC is back on track for its penultimate event of the season at Silverstone on 23/24 September.