Team BMW bounced back from a challenging start to Sunday as four-time champion Colin Turkington took victory in the final Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship contest at Brands Hatch.
Reversed-grid pole-sitter Tom Chilton held station off the line and even withstood an early safety car spell, which followed an off at Druids for Rich Energy BTC Racing's Jason Plato.
The Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com Hyundai couldn't hang on, however, as Chilton was gradually relegated down the order before pitting with a problem.
Turkington calmly fired his BMW 330e M Sport around the outside of Chilton at Paddock Hill Bend on lap eight, and Jake Hill's ROKiT MB Motorsport machine soon followed suit.
The story of the race was developing behind as an opportunistic move from Bobby Thompson pushed the Autobrite Direct with JourneyHero racer into third.
Chilton's day eventually ended in the gravel as another safety car period was called for late on, with all eyes on the two BMWs and Thompson's Cupra.
The West Surrey Racing duo of Turkington and Hill remained line astern until the finish, whilst Thompson crossed the line for his first-ever podium in the UK's premier motorsport series.
Tom Ingram continued his impressive start to the 2022 campaign with fourth for Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com, as he maintained his standings lead.
Toyota GAZOO Racing UK's Rory Butcher and NAPA Racing UK's Ash Sutton were inseparable throughout as they came home in fifth and sixth respectively, ahead of Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport's George Gamble.
Eighth rounded off a stellar afternoon for Josh Cook – following his double victory earlier in the day – whilst Daniel Lloyd (Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com) and Dan Cammish (NAPA Racing UK) completed the top ten positions.
"I’m just so pleased I’ve got a reward for all the hard work yesterday after getting pole position," said Turkington. "The weather didn’t favour us today, but for race three, we said let’s just put a wet setup, starting P3 let’s just get to the front and go, and my gosh it was a different car.
"I knew I needed to get my head down, but a safety car with five laps to go! My engineer John kept me focussed on the radio and I knew I had better pace in my BMW than the guys behind, so I kept the focus to the flag. It’s been a super weekend for me. First podium of the year, first win of the year and good to see the BMW back at the front."
“I think I could have done that a bit sooner in the day, but it's great to be on the podium in the last one,” admitted Hill. “The car was good, my ROKiT MB Motorsport car was just fantastic in that last race! I think the BMWs excel when it’s a bit wetter, so with it being so greasy all day, before that last race it just didn't bite. We were still quick all day and I'm glad that it was mistake-free this time. I learned my lesson and we can come home with a podium.”
“It’s my first podium,” said Thompson, “and podiums don’t come often for the team, but hopefully they will now! To be the first front-wheel drive car – isn’t that just incredible. We had everything thrown at us; rain, then it stopped raining, a couple of safety cars. It's thrown it all at us and we held our own. I'm so proud of the boys and the job they’ve done this winter. They keep me on my toes and keep me honest out there. I’m loving every minute of it, I’m loving it.”
2022 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 3 – Brands Hatch Indy
1. Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW 27 laps
2. Jake HILL (GBR) ROKiT MB Motorsport +1.181s
3. Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) Autobrite Direct with JourneyHero +5.198s
4. Tom INGRAM (GBR) Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com +5.808s
5. Rory BUTCHER (GBR) Toyota GAZOO Racing UK +6.186s
6. Ash SUTTON (GBR) NAPA Racing UK +6.488s
7. George GAMBLE (GBR) Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport +7.031s
8. Josh COOK (GBR) Rich Energy BTC Racing +8.256s
9. Daniel LLOYD (GBR) Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com +9.062s
10. Dan CAMMISH (GBR) NAPA Racing UK +9.543s
11. Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Racing with Cataclean +11.783s
12. Ollie JACKSON (GBR) Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan +12.012s
13. Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team BMW +12.276s
14. Adam MORGAN (GBR) Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport +12.336s
15. Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +14.014s
16. Árón TAYLOR-SMITH (IRL) Yazoo with Safuu.com Racing +14.777s
17. Jade EDWARDS (GBR) Rich Energy BTC Racing +15.000s
18. Sam OSBORNE (GBR) Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan +15.927s
19. Jack BUTEL (GBR) Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com +16.152s
20. Ricky COLLARD (GBR) Toyota GAZOO Racing UK +17.075s
21. Ash HAND (GBR) CarStore Power Maxed Racing +17.940s
22. Dan ROWBOTTOM (GBR) Halfords Racing with Cataclean +18.645s
23. Dexter PATTERSON (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +21.977s
24. Nic HAMILTON (GBR) Yazoo with Safuu.com Racing +25.229s
25. Will POWELL (GBR) Autobrite Direct with JourneyHero +1 lap
26. Tom CHILTON (GBR) Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com +12 laps
27. Rick PARFITT (GBR) Uptonsteel with Euro Car Parts Racing +14 laps
28. Jason PLATO (GBR) Rich Energy BTC Racing +27 laps
