The 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship campaign kicked off at Donington Park last weekend (27-28 April), with the series taking to the popular ‘National’ circuit configuration.
Speedworks Motorsport, running its satellite team LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ, made a strong statement with drivers Aiden Moffat and Josh Cook at the helm of the Toyota Corolla GR Sports.
Despite deteriorating weather conditions and the challenges of navigating the new ‘Quick Six’ qualifying format, the squad showcased great pace and a lot of potential throughout the weekend. Moffat’s victory in the final race, seven years after his first BTCC win at the same venue, sets a competitive tone for the 2024 season and Cook’s consistent top ten finishes further solidified the team’s position.
Sunday’s race day schedule was delayed after significant rainfall left large parts of the circuit underwater. Following a brief warm-up session to assess the conditions, racing got underway and the rain began to clear. After less than a full racing lap, the safety car emerged while marshals rebuilt the tyre barrier following an accident, but not before Cook had made up a place and Moffat had impressively gained six. Once the safety car returned to the pits, Moffat was able to advance a further two positions, crossing the finish line in tenth, with Cook similarly making progress to wind up sixth.
As the weather continued to improve, Moffat benefitted from a penalty for another driver, meaning he would start race two in ninth just behind Cook. When the lights went out, Cook promptly set about passing Colin Turkington and Dan Cammish ahead, and by the end of the first lap had moved up to fourth, where he would remain. Despite suffering with some front-end instability, Moffat was able to secure eighth place, placing him comfortably inside the reverse-grid draw, alongside team-mate Cook as well as Speedworks’ TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK driver, Rob Huff.
The draw placed Huff on pole position, Moffat alongside in second and Cook in sixth, representing a Toyota lock-out of the front row for the final race of the day. Initially dropping back to third, Moffat managed his hybrid power effectively and overtook both Adam Morgan and returning world champion Huff prior to fending off challenges from multiple title-winners Turkington and Ash Sutton in a thrilling climax to clinch a popular win. Moffat’s victory with the LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ Toyota marked a significant achievement, coming seven years after his maiden BTCC triumph at the same venue. Cook crossed the line in ninth, extending his run of top ten finishes and banking valuable points in a year when consistency is likely to be more crucial than ever.
Christian Dick, Team Principal, LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ, said: “Congratulations to Aiden on his excellent race three victory, which was thoroughly well-deserved. His pace and racecraft all weekend were really promising, setting an exciting tone for the season ahead. He soaked up huge pressure from seasoned champions Colin Turkington and Ash Sutton, and it was impressive to watch him race and take that win.
“I also want to commend Josh for his consistent performances across the weekend. Despite facing a number of challenges, he secured a trio of top ten finishes, which was no small feat and speaks volumes about his capabilities as a driver.
“Seeing two Toyotas leading the pack at Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK’s home track was a proud moment for the team and highlights the potential that we have this season. We will head to Brands Hatch with a strong sense of optimism, and more motivated than ever to compete at the front!”
Aiden Moffat, Driver, LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ, said: “The car felt great all weekend! We started at the back of the grid for race one, but that wasn’t down to our pace – we were victims of the new qualifying format. The goal for Sunday was a podium, and I was conscious that I had to be aggressive early on. I was trying to be sensible with the hybrid in race three, and as I knew we were more vulnerable over the second half of the lap, I tried to deploy it there when I could.
“It has been a really hard few weeks, with lots of long hours before the start of the season, but everyone at Speedworks has done such a great job. After two top ten finishes, it would have been great to fight just for a podium in the reverse-grid race, never mind standing on the top step! It had been a couple of seasons since my last win, and it’s important this year for me to show my pace and win again, so to achieve that in the first weekend means so much.”
Josh Cook, Driver, LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ, said: “The first two races were slightly better for me, but obviously I lacked a little hybrid in race three. Whilst everyone knows that I set myself high goals, this has been a great first outing and I think there’s a lot more to come from the car going forwards. The team being second in the championship after the first race weekend is an amazing effort from all the staff, and a win for Aiden was the icing on the cake. I’m so pleased for him.”
