Dan Lloyd’s 2021 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship campaign gets back underway this weekend with the long-awaited return of trackside fans – after an 18-month hiatus – at Norfolk’s Snetterton circuit (12/13 June).

Having made his Adrian Flux with Power Maxed Racing debut behind closed doors at the season opener in May, the 29-year-old is looking to maximise on his top-five finish at Thruxton and collect another strong points haul for his championship tally in the #123 Vauxhall Astra.

Celebrating its tenth anniversary this year – the 300 circuit layout is also poised to feature two of the series’ most entertaining features in the ‘Top Ten Showdown’ format for qualifying and Goodyear’s ‘Option’ tyre.

Hosted for the first time last season, the new qualifying format gives drivers a reduced window of 25-minutes to secure a spot in top ten lap times – with those successfully making it through competing for the chance to take pole position in a further ten-minute showdown.

Lap times will be reset following the first session, with all ten competitors heading back out to complete as many flying laps as possible during the final ten minutes – adding an extra element of drama to Saturday’s qualifying proceedings.

In addition – the Goodyear ‘Option’ tyre format stipulates that the option tyre must be used at least once during the three races, with the teams and drivers having to confirm choices and unveil their strategies before qualifying.

“I’m really looking forward to the weekend ahead and feeling super positive,” said Lloyd. “I haven’t raced at Snetterton for a very long time but I do like the circuit. I recently did some driver coaching there so I feel a bit more on top of it than I did at Thruxton.

“I managed to get a good simulator session in last week in preparation for the weekend. Hopefully, we can get to grips with the set-up much quicker than we did at Thruxton and show more of our potential. The Top Ten Showdown is going to make things very interesting in qualifying and adds a new element, as will the return of the option tyre.

“It’s going to be such a buzz racing in front of the BTCC fans, family and guests again. It just hasn’t been the same without them there. I’m sure we’ll all put on a good show for them.”

The Yorkshireman currently lies seventh in the Independents’ standings, with the Adrian Flux with Power Maxed Racing Team leading the Independent Teams’ and third overall ahead of the second meeting of the season in Norfolk.

As the 2021 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship welcomes spectators for the first time in more than 18 months, Laser Tools Racing is aiming to build on some promising results last time out, as the squad heads to Snetterton this weekend (12/13 June).

Thruxton Circuit in Hampshire hosted a high-speed thriller for the season curtain-raiser as reigning champion Ash Sutton scored the first pole position of the campaign, followed up with a win for the team during Sunday's reverse-grid finale despite bad luck plaguing him earlier in the day.

Aiden Moffat also had a promising start to the season with some strong pace and great racing before being hampered by technical problems.

Ipswich man Carl Boardley, who regards Snetterton as his local track, had a very promising start at Thruxton during his first outing in the Infiniti on wet tarmac, and he will be continuing his quest to claim Jack Sears Trophy honours in the Infiniti Q50 this weekend.

With the return of more tactical features such as the Top Ten Qualifying Showdown and the use of the Option tyre, Norfolk will no doubt produce some great racing as the Infiniti drivers aim to put on a show for fans trackside and at home.

ITV’s coverage of the second event of the campaign starts on Saturday with qualifying from 1430, before Sunday’s action starts on ITV4 at 1100.

Following a near dream start to the 2021 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship last month, pace-setting team BTC Racing is targeting more success when Rounds four, five and six take place this Sunday (13 June) at Snetterton 300 Circuit in Norfolk.

With Josh Cook racing to sensational back-to-back victories in the opening two races of the campaign at Thruxton, whilst also setting fastest lap in all three races, plus guest driver Dan Cammish making it a fabulous BTC Racing one-two in the second contest, the Brackley squad tops the BTCC Teams’ Championship. 

Going into the second event of the season, Cook leads the Independents’ Trophy and is second in the outright BTCC Drivers’ Standings in the #66 Honda Civic Type R.

Jade Edwards, piloting the #99 PHSC with BTC Racing entry, enjoyed a solid debut with the team taking a top 20 finish in round one. After falling victim to an error by a rival in round two, which caused major damage to her Honda, the whole team impressively repaired the car to race-ready condition for the day’s third race.

Unfortunately, Edwards was forced to retire from round three due to a technical failure – a huge disappointment to everyone at BTC Racing after such an incredible effort.  

Following Cammish’s great guest drive in the curtain-raiser, he has had to honour his original commitments for the rest of the 2021 motor racing season in Porsche Carrera Cup GB.

In his place, for the remainder of the campaign, the team is very pleased to be joined by fellow race-winner Senna Proctor, who will be racing with his recognisable #18. Proctor became a proud father for the first time in May, so the team sends huge congratulations to him and his family as well as extending a very warm welcome to BTC Racing.

Free practice at Snetterton this Saturday, 12 June, will be Proctor’s maiden run behind the wheel of the BTC Racing Honda and he will therefore be straight in at the deep end. With four years’ experience in the BTCC, though, the 22-year-old is one to watch and will be hungry for success, determined to hit the ground running.

In addition to spectators making a very welcome return trackside at the weekend, the event will also mark the return of the BTCC Qualifying Top Ten Showdown – first used at Snetterton last season. Instead of the usual 30-minute session, competitors will have 25 minutes to set their best times before the quickest 10 drivers then take part in a 10-minute pole position showdown.

The qualifying session will be streamed via itv.com/btcc on Saturday from 1430, while the race day coverage will be broadcast live on ITV4 between 1100-1815 on Sunday.

Team BMW returns to racing this weekend (12/13 June) as Snetterton’s rounds of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship mark the first event with fans trackside since 2019.

The trio of Colin Turkington, Stephen Jelley and Tom Oliphant will be aiming to build on a promising start to the campaign, having secured eight out of a possible nine points-finishes during Thruxton’s opener.

The BMW 330i M Sport went well at Snetterton in 2020, with Turkington following up pole position with a pair of victories, while it was three top 15 places for team-mate Oliphant.

For its second outing this year, the West Surrey Racing-run outfit will be aiming to make the most of two entertaining, new-for-2021 features this weekend, as both the option tyre and the Top Ten Qualifying Showdown make their returns at the Norfolk circuit.

“I’m looking forward to Snetterton,” said Jelley. “Last season, Colin qualified on pole with full ballast, so we know the car is fast there. I think we will be quick, and we had a good pre-season test there too, so I am coming into the weekend with that knowledge behind me.
 
“It’s a technical racetrack so I will have to get my head down and focus on getting everything right to maximise the weekend for myself, West Surrey Racing, and Team BMW, but I am optimistic and can’t wait to get back racing after the five-week break since Thruxton.”

“Snetterton is a lot more technical [than Thruxton],” said Turkington. “It's a classic British motor racing circuit with a great mix of high and slow speed corners. When everything is hooked up at Snet, it's one of the best feelings! The high-speed stuff is always my favourite.

“I'm itching now to get back to competition and attack the season like I had planned to at Thruxton. It looks like the weather will be nice and hot which I like, and our fitness will come into play with that too. Snetterton is the longest lap of the season, so you get fewer attempts in qualifying to nail it. I like that pressure. The Top Ten Showdown will make it interesting as well. I'm looking forward to those moments where I have to make it count.”

Toyota Gazoo Racing UK is heading into the second outing on the 2021 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship calendar at Snetterton this weekend (12/13 June) in confident mood, as the Speedworks Motorsport-run squad bids to ‘kick-start’ its season around the longest circuit in the country.

A frustrating curtain-raiser in mixed conditions at Thruxton last month did not ultimately yield the results that the pace of the Toyota Corolla GR Sports had promised. Hopes, however, are high for a rapid fightback in Norfolk, where the British-built hatch twice reached the rostrum last October despite carrying significant success ballast.

Not only that, but drivers Rory Butcher and Sam Smelt both have a strong track record at Snetterton, whose 2.97-mile layout is characterised by fast sections calling for maximum commitment, interspersed by slow-speed hairpins where precision is paramount.

The Scot was a winner there two years ago and tallied a trio of top five finishes last season, while his young team-mate produced one of the best performances of his BTCC career to-date in the circuit’s ‘Diamond Double’ feature race in 2018, taking the chequered flag less than five seconds adrift of the top ten midway through his rookie campaign in the UK’s premier motor racing series. The 24-year-old from Northampton has since competed there twice more in the British GT Championship.

Butcher and Smelt both racked up the testing miles at Snetterton during the winter off-season and are now eager to return to showcase the Corolla’s speed and put into practice everything learned so far. Every moment of the wheel-to-wheel action will as always be broadcast live and in high-definition on ITV4 from 1100 on Sunday (13 June).

“I’m very excited for Snetterton,” said Butcher. “We did a fair bit of running there pre-season, and the Corolla felt brilliant right from the word ‘go’. We experimented with a lot of different set-up options, and I think we return in a very good place. The characteristics of the car really seem to suit the circuit, particularly its poise when tackling the medium and slow-speed corners – which is exactly what you want at Snetterton – and through the high-speed sections, too, it was very confidence-inspiring.

“After what happened at Thruxton, the goal at Snetterton has to be to finish all three races and put some solid points on the board. With no success ballast to carry, we can exploit the Corolla’s full potential in qualifying so it will be important to secure a strong grid position to give ourselves the best possible chance on race day. I know I have the car underneath me to get the job done, so there’s nothing holding us back. Let’s go out there and do this!”

“It was good to get the first race weekend under my belt,” added Smelt. “It was never going to be easy returning to the BTCC after more than two years away from the grid – especially at Thruxton – and the changeable weather only added to that challenge, but we stuck to our plan and kept working our way forward. It was all about re-finding my feet in the championship, and to finish the weekend by scoring my first points was a great confidence boost.

“The Corolla was strong [at Snetterton] last season, so there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be quick again and I know where I personally need to improve. If we can start further up the grid, that will immediately make our life a whole lot easier and I’m just really excited to get there and see what we can do. Hopefully we can hit the ground running right from FP1.”

“The mood inside the camp is pretty buoyant heading to Snetterton, I have to say,” concluded Team Principal Christian Dick. “It wasn’t the easiest start to the campaign for us at Thruxton, but we learned a lot from the weekend and adversity always makes you stronger. We have gone away, carefully analysed everything and know where we need to improve – and, most importantly, what we need to do to achieve that.

“Our pre-season testing at Snetterton was extremely encouraging, and obviously the Corolla was a very competitive proposition there last year. Throw in the fact that both Rory and Sam will be ballast-free in qualifying and race one, and I think we have the basis for a really strong weekend. We’re looking forward to kick-starting our season!”

A long five weeks since Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship’s Thruxton curtain-raiser kick-started the 2021 campaign, the second event is nearly upon us, and Snetterton is preparing to host Britain’s premier motorsport series this weekend (12/13 June).

With some 4,000 fans descending on the Norfolk circuit each day, ITV will, as always, provide fans at home with all the action straight from Snetterton’s 300 circuit, as it celebrates its tenth anniversary.

Saturday’s much-anticipated qualifying session will be streamed via itv.com/btcc from 1430 and marks the first of three events utilising the Top Ten Showdown format during the 2021 season. To brush up on your Top Ten Showdown knowledge, click here.

Qualifying LIVE: Saturday 12 June
ITV.com/BTCC from 1430

Raceday LIVE: Sunday 13 June
ITV4 & ITV4 HD 1100-1815
ITV4+1 1200-1915
ITV.com/BTCC 1100-1815

Further information, including when and where you can watch ITV’s highlights programme for Snetterton, to follow.

Britain’s premier motorsport series prepares for annual visit to Norfolk

The 2021 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship is set to welcome spectators for the first time in more than 18 months when the series visits Snetterton next weekend (12/13 June).

The BTCC kicked off its campaign behind closed doors at Thruxton in May, and is now preparing for the return of its loyal fanbase over the coming weeks and months, as the easing of lockdown restrictions continues in the UK.

Attendance levels for the Snetterton event will be capped at 4,000 spectators per day, and those fortunate enough to be trackside – as well as the many, many more watching the live television coverage on ITV4 – are set for a thrilling weekend of on-track action.

Story So Far…

Thruxton Circuit in Hampshire hosted a high-speed thriller for the BTCC curtain-raiser as BTC Racing’s Josh Cook claimed a memorable double victory, before reigning champion Ash Sutton scored a win for Laser Tools Racing in the reverse-grid finale.

“I’m really, really chuffed for the whole of BTC Racing,” said Cook. “We’ve had a tough winter, but a good start to the year. We’ve just got to keep the ball rolling – we need to be fighting at the front at the end of the season, so we’ve got to get our heads down!”

The day, however, arguably belonged to Jake Hill as he left the UK’s fastest circuit at the summit of the BTCC standings following a fantastic podium, whilst his MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square team took Manufacturers'/Constructors' honours in all three races – beating the might of BMW and Toyota in the process.

“It’s fantastic for all of us,” enthused Hill. “I’m proud of myself and proud of the team, we’ve just done a fantastic job and I can’t believe I’m standings leader!”

It wasn’t all about the BTCC’s young guns during the season starter, as a certain tin-top legend – Adrian Flux with Power Maxed Racing’s Jason Plato – made his return to the rostrum after taking a year’s sabbatical during 2020.

A number of the usual suspects hit snags on the opening day of competition with the likes of Colin Turkington, Tom Ingram and Rory Butcher all enduring mixed results.

Talking Points and TV Times

Snetterton’s event includes three BTCC races on the full 300 circuit – the challenging layout which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year ­– and will also see the return of the exciting Qualifying Top Ten Showdown.

The Norfolk venue hosted the new feature for the first time in 2020, which sees drivers having to take on a marginally reduced window to record their lap times. The top ten fastest competitors at the end of the 25-minute session, will be rewarded with the opportunity to clinch P1 on the grid during a ten-minute pole position showdown.

Lap times will be reset ahead of the showdown as all ten cars head out on-track and complete an unlimited number of laps during the ten minutes.

To throw an extra curveball into the tactical mix, the Goodyear ‘Option’ tyre will also return at Snetterton following a one-year hiatus.

The ‘Option’ tyre must be used at least once during the three races comprised in an event – ensuring a variety of strategies. Teams do not have to specify before qualifying, the race in which they will use their ‘Option’ tyre, with all choices being declared upon cars leaving the pit-lane.

The weekend will also see two female drivers contest the BTCC rounds after it was announced that Jessica Hawkins would be competing for Racing with Wera & Photon Group.

Having debuted in the BTCC at Snetterton in 2020, Hawkins is relishing the chance to again showcase her abilities in the strong Motorbase Performance-run Ford Focus next weekend.

Hawkins will join PHSC with BTC Racing’s Jade Edwards, ensuring that two females will be on the BTCC grid for the first time since 2001.

It’s just yet another talking point ahead of what is sure to be an unforgettable weekend. The full Top Ten Showdown qualifying session on Saturday 12 June will be streamed live on itv.com/btcc, with the action kicking off from 1430, before Sunday’s race day broadcast on ITV4 commences at 1100.

Local Lights and Support Races

EXCELR8 Motorsport, based in nearby Suffolk, will be hoping for home support as its quartet of cars take to the track with Tom Ingram, Chris Smiley, Jack Butel and Rick Parfitt looking to pick up the points for the Hyundai squad.

Ipswich man Carl Boardley also regards Snetterton as his local track and the Laser Tools Racing man will be continuing his quest to claim Jack Sears Trophy honours in his Infiniti Q50.

The showpiece BTCC races, including a reverse-grid finale, will be complemented by a full support programme, including some of the country’s leading one-make sports, saloon and single-seater series.

During the 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, Snetterton hosted a new feature for the series, with the first-ever BTCC Qualifying Top Ten Showdown taking place during the penultimate race weekend of the campaign.

This year, drivers will have the chance to impress once again during this new qualifying format, with Silverstone and Donington Park also joining the Norfolk circuit in the Showdown roster.

With a marginally reduced window to record their lap times, the top ten fastest competitors at the end of the 25-minute session, will be rewarded with the opportunity to clinch P1 on the grid during a ten-minute pole position showdown.

Lap times will be reset ahead of the showdown as all ten cars head out on-track and complete an unlimited number of laps during the ten minutes.

Last year, we saw Rory Butcher go quickest during the initial session, but the pendulum duly swung out of the Scot’s favour during the showdown, as he settled for fourth on the grid while Team BMW’s Colin Turkington snatched P1.

While Snetterton’s race weekend (12/13 June) will be the feature’s second occurrence in Britain’s premier motorsport series, teams and drivers will inevitably be utilising a number of varying tactics throughout the session, and during the two showdowns later in the campaign, as they aim to give themselves the very best advantage possible to take that coveted pole position.

Invariably, the full Top Ten Showdown qualifying session on Saturday 12 June will be streamed live on itv.com/btcc, with the action kicking off from 1430, before Sunday’s race day broadcast on ITV4 starting at 1100.

For the first time in nearly a decade, the legendary Goodyear Blimp takes flight this summer over the UK with the airship due to fly over Brands Hatch on 26/27 June, providing aerial footage of the third event of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship.

The Blimp operating in Europe is a Goodyear-branded Zeppelin NT semi-rigid airship, the largest model of its kind in the world today. An international icon, seen in the skies since the 1910s, the tyre manufacturer’s brand ambassador not only provides once-in-a-lifetime experiences but is also used for the coverage of major racing events.

Launching its European campaign in 2020, Goodyear flew over a number of iconic races and will continue its voyage through Europe this year, with a range of special events taking place to celebrate its arrival and a number of major international racing events on the schedule.

Visiting a mix of cities and racing events, the Blimp's 2021 Tour will allow motorsport fans across Europe to see it in the sky, as well as giving fans opportunities to spot the Blimp during its transfer flights to iconic locations such as London, Milan and Le Mans.

“The Goodyear Blimp is a true icon that has captured the imaginations of consumers and enthusiasts in the United States and across the world for nearly one hundred years,” said Pravesh Amtha, General Manager Goodyear UK&I. “Its return to the UK has been long-awaited and we’re incredibly excited, both to see it soaring over the BTCC and providing once-in-a-lifetime experiences for the lucky passengers who will fly over London.”

“Discovery has always been at the heart of the Goodyear brand,” concluded Piotr Nagalski, Marketing Director Goodyear Europe. “After its popular return to European skies in 2020, the Goodyear Blimp will go to more cities and visit more events this year, passing world-famous landmarks along the way. With flights in Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Poland, Denmark and Slovenia, the Goodyear Blimp will channel Goodyear’s spirit of going further this summer.”

Power Maxed Racing announced Jac Constable as its BTCC Development Driver ahead of the new campaign, and the young talent has been talking about his tin-top hopes for the future…

You’ve been announced as PMR’s BTCC Development Driver, how did that come about?

With the experiences that I shared with the PMR team during my one test day at Donington, along with the practice and qualifying at Croft last year, we seemed to gel straight away and I quickly felt at home.

After missing the race day at Croft [through illness] I was contacted by PMR Team Boss, Martin Broadhurst, who said that he would like to try and work with me going forward, and it was then that I was offered the Development Driver role.

Along with my racing, there will be time spent testing the BTCC race cars as we progress our development programme. It really is pretty cool and I’m going to do everything in my power to make the most of this opportunity.

How are you feeling after your unfortunate bout of illness last year at Croft?

It's a hard feeling to sum up but the disappointment in not making the race day at Croft has made me even more determined to get myself back on the BTCC grid for 2022.

After such a successful RWD career to date, how are you finding the switch over to FWD?

Whilst I have needed to adjust my driving technique to meet the requirements of a front wheel drive car, it has come easier than I thought.

I wasn’t far off the pace in my first outing in the BTCC Astra when testing at Donington and I guess that my preference for a race car with a bit of understeer has helped me. In truth, I have no favourite… I just love racing!

You’re tipped to be fairly involved in the upcoming documentary series that PMR is producing with FastR and Amazon Prime – how are you feeling about that?

We’ve already filmed the first rounds of BTCC at Thruxton and yes, I was asked to be involved as part of the PMR Team which I really enjoyed.

I’m certain that all BTCC fans (and beyond) will enjoy seeing the workings of an Elite Race Team and I’m going to enjoy my ongoing contribution towards the series.