CPRL wrapped up its maiden Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship campaign with an impressive second-place finish in the Manufacturers'/Constructors' standings. Its Mercedes-AMG A35 saloons notched 676 points, including nine podium finishes and a fifth-place finish in the Drivers’ Championship for Adam Morgan.
Morgan took to the famed 'GP Circuit' in Group 1 in qualifying, finishing with the seventh-quickest time, while in Group 2 Dan Rowbottom was sixth, leaving the pair starting the Qualifying Race from 11th and 14th, respectively.
Rowbottom started well, gaining three places and eventually finishing seventh, while Morgan had turbo wastegate issues, fell down the order, and took the flag in 18th.
The Lancastrian responded well during the first of Sunday’s three 15-lap races, gaining five places early on and another four as he battled his way into ninth, though he was subsequently given a time penalty for contact, dropping him to 11th. It was a tougher one for Rowbottom, who fell back early on and had to consolidate his position in 12th.
The penultimate race was a quieter affair, with Morgan gaining a place early on, but as he tried to gain another position, he was found wide at Paddock Hill Bend and lost momentum, dropping back two places to once again finish 11th. Behind, Rowbottom fell back at the start and was unable to fight back, taking the flag 14th.
Opting for different setups for the final race of the 2026 season, both drivers started well and appeared to have avoided trouble at turn one. However, the #32's race unravelled moments later when a car ahead lost control and spun across his path, leaving him with nowhere to go.
Rowbottom did well to recover from the gravel and continue, but was ultimately forced to retire. Pulling to the side of the circuit, damage sustained to a brake duct in the earlier contact caused the brakes to overheat, resulting in a small fire that was quickly brought under control.
Morgan, however, had gained two positions early on and, after a lengthy Safety Car to clean things up, went on the charge all the way to fifth position. After another Safety Car period to recover his teammate's Mercedes, the #33 slipped back a place but was classified in fifth after post-race penalties were handed out, helping the team to finish second in the Manufacturers'/Constructors' standings in a superb maiden campaign.
Following its memorable debut season, CPRL will continue working to further develop the race-winning Mercedes-AMG A35 saloons as it prepares for a planned return to the BTCC in 2027.
Adam Morgan, #33, said: “It's great to have finished fifth in the championship. The changes we made for the final race definitely paid off. We still haven't quite found the ideal balance with the car, but we have a good understanding of what the issue is.
“More than anything, I have to say a massive thank you to everybody at CPRL. They worked tirelessly throughout the winter and all the way through the season. Everyone has put in a huge amount of effort, and for me to achieve my best-ever championship result with a brand-new car is something I'm incredibly proud of. The fact we've been able to achieve that while still learning and developing the package shows just how much potential there is.”
Dan Rowbottom, #32, said: “Finishing second in the Manufacturers’ standings is a testament to how hard everyone has worked, and I think it's what we deserved in the end. If the championship was based purely on effort, we'd have won it comfortably given everything we've had to overcome this year.
“It was quite an emotional day. I always find race three at the final event a bit emotional because you never know whether you'll get another season like this. I wanted to thank all the boys over the radio at the end, but sadly I didn't get the chance. The whole team has put an incredible amount into the programme and I'm proud of what we've achieved.”
