Sweet 16 For Aiden Moffat

The #16 Mercedes-Benz of Aiden Moffat became the 16th different race winner in this year's Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship after the Laser Tools Racing driver topped a pulsating six-way battle in the final race at Silverstone.

Moffat – the youngest driver in BTCC history when he made his debut at 16 – dealt with intense race long pressure from some of the world's most experienced tin top drivers to claim a phenomenal lights-to-flag victory.

The breathtaking contest also included a heart-stopping scrap for second with the championship top two – Colin Turkington and Tom Ingram – vying for position.

Ingram held second for the latter part of the encounter but he had Turkington's Team BMW car swarming all over him during the final laps. Minor contact ensued as Turkington went side-by-side with Ingram's Toyota, but the Speedworks Motorsport man held on to claw back some points on his main championship rival.

Josh Cook (Power Maxed TAG Racing), Rob Austin (DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing) and Tom Chilton (Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher) swapped positions and paint work on numerous occasions, and ended their own ferocious fight in fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.

The Halfords Yuasa Racing duo of Matt Neal and Dan Cammish had hauled their Hondas onto the back of the lead sextet on the final lap, but had to settle for seventh and eighth at the finish.

Ricky Collard and Andrew Jordan ensured that all three BMWs made it into the top ten, although the former was bullied down the order early on. BMW Pirtek Racing's Jordan ended the day with a solid comeback drive and he failed to finish the opening race with power trouble.

Aiden Moffat said: "I’ll sleep tonight, that’s for sure. I looked at the timesheet and I was confident I would get away. I had a feeling Ingram and Turkington would be there at the end but they got there a lot sooner than I hoped. It’s a track we struggle at, so to win here is a bit emotional and special. I’ve had to fight for it. There’s been a few tears after that one. It meant a lot after the way things have been going recently. I’ve put a lot of work into this weekend. I was determined to bounce back to reward everyone for their efforts. There’s a few drivers you don’t want to see behind you and Tom’s definitely one of them!"

Tom Ingram said: "I was mindful of not putting myself in a vulnerable position. I knew Aiden (Moffat) was desperate for a win and rightly so. The only place I could have a little look at him was going down into Brooklands. I was trying to put myself into a position but if I went to the inside, Colin (Turkington) was going to do the opposite. I had to go to the outside and put Colin into the gap. Aiden started to go back and I was hoping he wouldn’t back me into the rest. It was a hugely important day for us. We’ve closed the gap down and it’s onto Brands Hatch now. I knew Colin was going to come at me. We had our elbows out! We’re in the best shape possible. You’d say we’ve got the strongest car. We’re lighter on weight and we’re in the driving seat here. Colin’s got it all to lose and we’ve got it all to gain. We’ve gone well at Brands in the past. We took 42 points out of Colin in the last two races. We can do it, it’s just a case of putting it all together next time out."

Colin Turkington said: "I’ve been here before and I’m really enjoying it this year. Last year, I was the one doing the hunting, trying to claw the points back on Ash (Sutton) but I wasn’t really getting there, and that’s where you start taking risks. I enjoy these moments, it’s what we live for. I’m so determined this year that it’s coming home to me, especially after last year. We’ve turned it right around from 18th yesterday to a podium today, so I’m delighted. Rob Austin was the biggest challenge. I had to be patient with him as I knew he’d be going hard for a podium. I had to wait for my moment. The instinct is go forward and beat Tom in a square fight but you’ve got to be sensible. I always picture Dick Bennetts having kittens on the pit wall! The BTCC is such that the stars have to align if you want to win the championship. Fate has to play its cards. No matter how hard I fought last year, it wasn’t coming to me. I hope that this is the year. I’ve got real determination. It’s doesn’t matter that I’ve won it twice. I’ve got a lot of people to do it for and a lot of reasons."

2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 27 – Silverstone

1 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing 25 laps
2 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +0.221s
3 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.322s
4 Josh COOK (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +2.347s
5 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing +2.642s
6 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +2.788s
7 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +3.000s
8 Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +3.304s
9 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +4.504s
10 Ricky COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +5.518s
11 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +5.953s
12 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +6.503s
13 Mike BUSHELL (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +7.887s
14 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team GardX Racing with Motorbase +8.264s
15 Dan LLOYD (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +8.634s
16 Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Ciceley Motorsport +10.729s
17 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport +12.189s
18 Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +12.725s
19 Brett SMITH (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +13.556s
20 James COLE (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +13.810s
21 Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +16.037s
22 Jack GOFF (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +16.421s
23 Sam SMELT (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +16.940s
24 Ethan HAMMERTON (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +18.289s
25 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +33.965s
26 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +2 laps
27 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +2 laps
28 Rory BUTCHER (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +10 laps
29 Josh CAYGILL (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +16 laps
30 Ollie PIDGLEY (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +19 laps
31 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +23 laps

16th September 2018