The 2023 Championship was won by Ford/Alliance Racing but it was not as easy as its other triumphs. Despite scoring 802 points the Northampton-based outfit only won by four points to BMW. The two outfits are back once again along with the strengthened competition from Hyundai/EXCELR8 Motorsport and Toyota to form a tense title charge.
Donington Park National - Rounds 1-2-3
It would be last year's runners-up that would leave the first weekend on top after recording the only 30+ point race of any outfit in the final race of the day. BMW went into the final race of the day tied on points with Ford/Alliance Racing before getting a seven-point buffer.
Hyundai/EXCELR8 Motorsport had started the day as well as it could as it lead both teams above in the standings after race one. Then a one-car score even with an outright win in race two saw the team drop to third in the standings. The full new driver line-up at Toyota embedded in to come away from the opening weekend ten points behind the outfit ahead of them.
Manufacturers/Constructors Championship - Event 1
1 - BMW - 87 |
2 - Ford/Alliance Racing - 80 |
3 - Hyundai/EXCELR8 Motorsport- 72 |
4 - Toyota - 62 |
Brands Hatch Indy - Rounds 4-5-6
The second weekend of the year saw all outfits raise the game to another level as BMW equalled its highest points haul in a race from Donington as all other competitors bettered their own. As the bar was raised, the gap at the top shrunk as Ford/Alliance Racing had closed the gap to two points by the end of the weekend.
Hyundai/EXCELR8 Motorsport had also closed the gap to the top with nine points to the Northampton-based outfit and 11 to BMW. Toyota did not match the level of the rest as it scored its highest points haul in a race in the opening race of the weekend before the points tally lowered race-on-race.
Manufacturers/Constructors Championship - Event 2
1 - BMW - 163 |
2 - Ford/Alliance Racing - 161 |
3 - Hyundai/EXCELR8 Motorsport - 154 |
4 - Toyota - 118 |
Snetterton - Rounds 7-8-9
Snetterton was a weekend of change as the Championship lead took a turn along with the weather being as unpredictable as ever. Ford/Alliance Racing climbed to the top of the standings as it outscored BMW in every race across the Norfolk event.
Toyota outscored all competitors with the best race of any team across the season in the final race of the weekend. This was after race two was also its best round of the season so far. Hyundai/EXCELR8 Motorsport had its worst event so far as the adverse weather left the team making some unsuccessful opportunistic strategy moves.
Manufacturers/Constructors Championship - Event 3
1 - Ford/Alliance Racing - 242 |
2 - BMW - 236 |
3 - Hyundai/EXCELR8 Motorsport - 223 |
4 - Toyota - 202 |
Thruxton - Rounds 10-11-12
The fastest circuit in the UK saw Ford/Alliance Racing make the first breakaway of the season as the team failed to register a sub 30-point race. Along with the consistently strong results they also achieved what Toyota had at the last event in getting a maximum score in a race.
All gaps began to grow as BMW found itself 23 points adrift from the top with Hyundai/EXCELR8 Motorsport a further 33 behind. After going from its best, Toyota had its worst weekend of the season so far as the Manufacturer sat 33 points behind third to sit in fourth and 89 from the top of the table.
Manufacturers/Constructors Championship - Event 4
1 - Ford/Alliance Racing - 341 |
2 - BMW - 318 |
3 - Hyundai/EXCELR8 Motorsport - 285 |
4 - Toyota - 252 |
Oulton Park - Rounds 13-14-15
As the summer-break approached there was one last event to navigate before the wait for on-track action would begin. Ford/Alliance Racing would hold onto its advantage despite bringing home its lowest scoring result in race three. BMW would close in to the top as every team had one race of 30+ points.
The gap between BMW and Hyundai/EXCELR8 Motorsport would grow by 12 points as the former would hold a 45 point advantage heading into the mid-season break. Toyota would close in on third place whilst still falling back from the lead.
Manufacturers/Constructors Championship - Event 5
1 - Ford/Alliance Racing - 419 |
2 - BMW - 395 |
3 - Hyundai/EXCELR8 Motorsport - 350 |
4 - Toyota - 325 |