Team VERTU signed off for the 2026 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season with a double win at Brands Hatch, and it could have been more following at the final race of the campaign.

Tom Ingram made a strong start to the opening race on Sunday morning to hit the front of the field ahead of Aiden Moffat before the Audi driver managed to reclaim the lead when he dived down the inside on the GP loop. 

However, Ingram refused to let his rival break away and despite having less TOCA Turbo Boost at his disposal, made a move around the outside at Clearways to reclaim a lead he would retain to the finish.

Moving up into fourth on the opening lap, Ricky Collard held position throughout the race to finish just off the podium on the road, but a penalty for Moffat would see him promoted into third spot to give the team a double podium finish.

Tom Chilton climbed to 13th place before he was handed a time penalty that dropped him a spot in the results, with Hamilton rounding out the finishers in 20th place.

From pole for the second race of the weekend, Ingram controlled proceedings from the front to make it two wins from two, although Collard was unable to replicate his earlier result as he faded to seventh having been overhauled by a number of drivers running the soft compound tyre.

Chilton would find himself embroiled in a huge battle I’m the midfield pack before being classified in twelfth, with Hamilton dicing with Ryan Bensley and Nick Halstead throughout before finishing in 21st.

The final race of the season would start in disappointing fashion as both Ingram and Chilton were forced out after an incident going into turn one, leaving Collard to fly the flag for Team VERTU as he blasted his way to the front on the opening lap from the second row of the grid.

From there, Collard was able to maintain his position at the front of the pack despite huge pressure from behind to cross the line first before a penalty for a restart infringement dropped him back to eighth place.

Hamilton meanwhile rounded out the season with 16th place to just miss out on an overall points finish.

Tom Chilton, #3 Team VERTU Hyundai i30 Fastback N, said:
“The weekend hasn’t gone the way I wanted it to in terms of the results, but I’ve felt a lot of love from everyone - from the fans, from colleagues and former colleagues, and from my family and friends. 

“It’s been a hugely emotional experience and at one point, I though the stars might align and we’d be on reverse grid pole with the soft tyres. I’m pretty confident that we could have gone for the win and achieved the dream of starting and ending my BTCC career with a trophy, but instead I signed off with a Vertu pirouette into the gravel with Tom!

“A huge thank you to everyone who has supported me through the years as I’ve had an absolute blast as a professional racing driver. Competing in the BTCC for so long has been the most amazing experience and I’m going to miss it, but I love this series and you can rest assured that I’ll still be watching on as a fan and cheering on!”

Ricky Collard, #11 Team VERTU Hyundai i30 Fastback N, said:
“I can honestly say this has been one of the best weekends I’ve ever had in motorsport. Regardless of the final result, I enjoyed every single moment of it. Of course, we all race to win, but sometimes the memories, the people and the journey mean far more than any trophy ever could.

“This season has been an incredible chapter in my career. To think I wasn’t even expecting to be on the grid at the start of the year, to then come back and fight at the front with some of the best drivers in the country, is something I’m incredibly proud of.

“I also want to wish my team-mate Tom all the very best in his retirement. It’s been a privilege sharing the garage with him and being part of his final season. He’s achieved so much in this sport and deserves to enjoy whatever comes next.

“I had the biggest smile on my face all weekend, and that’s how I want to remember it. I love what I do, I love racing. I’m excited for whatever the future holds.”

Nicolas Hamilton, #28 Team VERTU Hyundai i30 Fastback N, said:
“It’s been a tough weekend for me to end the season but that is what touring cars is all about. Not every weekend is going to be smooth sailing but I kept fighting until the end and we had a good race to finish things off.

“I’ve never known from year to year if I would get the sponsorship and the partners to go racing, and I am hugely privileged and honoured to be part of this grid. No-one else has to drive with a disability like I do, and it’s a massive achievement to even be out there competing.

“Moving into one of the top seats on the grid, I knew there would be people who would question me this year but I think everyone can see the progress I’ve made and how I’ve developed as a driver. This has been the best season of my touring car career by some margin and I feel I’ve proved a point with some of my performances on track.

“The highlight is obvious and getting on the podium at Snetterton is an experience that will live with me forever. It’s something I want more in the future and the hard work has already started behind the scenes to try and ensure that I can return next season to build on the foundations we have put in place this year.”

Tom Ingram, #80 Team VERTU Hyundai i30 Fastback N, said:
“The final race wasn’t how I expected the season to finish but it almost sums up our year as something completely outside our control prevented a good weekend from being a great one! 

“Before the final race, things had been going really well and the car was absolutely mega earlier in the day. The fight with Aiden in race one is what the BTCC is all about as it was hard but fair racing that I really enjoyed and to come out on top of a battle like that was particularly pleasing, especially given the different levels of TTB we had.

“Leading race two from the front was also great and was further indication of the pace we’ve had all season but - for whatever reason - we haven’t been able to show.

“The season as whole obviously hasn’t delivered what we were looking for at the start, but I’m hugely proud of the team for the way they’ve continued to fight hard when things weren’t going our way.

“Ash deserved the championship this season as he’s had a fantastic year, but I don’t plan to let him have it all his own way in 2027.”