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.”
