Speedworks Corolla Racing brought the curtain down on the 2026 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship in impressive fashion at Brands Hatch, with two podium finishes for Josh Cook and another hugely encouraging weekend for Ryan Bensley.

Competing on the iconic Grand Prix circuit, the Cheshire-based outfit demonstrated the pace and potential of its Toyota Corolla GR Sport throughout the season finale, with Cook firmly amongst the frontrunners from the outset and Bensley continuing his rapid progression in Britain's premier domestic motorsport championship.

Sunday's opening encounter, Round 28 of the championship, delivered an impressive performance from Cook. Immediately involved in the battle for victory, the #66 demonstrated excellent racecraft on his way to second place.

Cook also recorded the fastest lap of the race, providing further evidence of the Corolla's outright competitiveness and securing another podium finish.

Further down the order, Bensley produced one of his most encouraging performances of the season to make up four places in the opening encounter.

Round 29 brought another opportunity for Cook to challenge at the front, and once again he delivered, securing his second runner-up finish of the afternoon and completing an impressive sequence of three consecutive top-three finishes across the Qualifying Race and Sunday's opening two encounters.

The final race of the season, Round 30, featured the traditional reverse-grid draw, with Cook selected to start eighth.

Running on the soft-compound tyre, Cook produced another measured and determined drive, working his way forward to sixth position at the chequered flag to complete a highly successful final weekend.

For Bensley, the championship finale provided a fitting conclusion to his first partial BTCC campaign. Producing another competitive drive and continuing to make progress through the field, he crossed the line in 14th position.

Josh Cook, #66, Speedworks Corolla Racing: "It was a really positive weekend and a great way to round off the championship. The car felt strong pretty much from the moment we rolled out, and that gave us the confidence to really attack.

"Qualifying was incredibly close. We topped our group and ultimately missed pole by just a couple of hundredths, which was frustrating, but it showed we had the pace to fight right at the front.

"The qualifying race was a good battle, and then on Sunday we were able to take another two podiums. Getting the fastest lap in Race One was particularly satisfying.

"Naturally, you always want to win, and when you're that close to the front you can't help feeling there was perhaps a little bit more available. But two second places, three podiums across the weekend and fourth in the championship was a strong way to finish.

"It was a season of highs and lows, and there were occasions where we had the speed without quite getting the reward. But the team never stopped pushing, and I can't thank everyone enough for the effort they've put in.

"There's a huge amount of potential in this package, and hopefully we've given everyone a good reminder of what we're capable of."

Ryan Bensley, #7, Speedworks Corolla Racing: "I absolutely loved that weekend. Brands Hatch GP is an incredible circuit, but it's also a massive challenge, particularly when you're still relatively new to touring cars.

"Qualifying wasn't quite where I wanted it to be, and that's definitely something I need to keep working on. It's about getting everything together over one lap, building confidence quickly and knowing exactly where the limits are.

"But the races were a completely different story. I felt like I was making progress every time I went out, and the pace we had, particularly on Sunday, was really encouraging.

"In Race One we went from 21st to 17th, and to be setting lap times comparable to cars much further up the field was a massive confidence boost. Then to finish the final race in 14th was a really positive way to end the year.

"I've learned an unbelievable amount since joining Speedworks. The level of engineering, preparation and support is incredible, and having someone like Josh alongside me has been invaluable.

"I know there's still a lot for me to learn, but I feel like I'm making some really big steps forward now. I'm already excited about what we can achieve in 2027, and I can't wait to keep building on everything we've learned this year."