MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square enjoyed a strong end to its maiden campaign in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, with a sixth podium of the year during Brands Hatch’s frenetic finale.

The team headed into the weekend looking to maintain a fine run of form that had seen Jake Hill score three rostrum results in six races, and with team-mate Sam Osborne one of the drivers in contention for the Jack Sears Trophy title.

A challenging qualifying session in wet conditions saw Hill maintain his record of lining up inside the top ten at every event of the year, as he secured sixth on the grid despite an ‘off’ at Paddock Hill Bend, with Osborne ending up 21st – well-placed amongst his Jack Sears Trophy rivals.

Heavy overnight rain and further morning showers meant track conditions were far from easy for the opening race on Sunday, but Hill enjoyed a solid start to race day, staying out of trouble to bring the #24 Honda home in sixth place, having held off the challenge of former champion Matt Neal.

Osborne moved himself up into the top 20 in the early laps, but his race would come to a premature end when he got out of shape at Paddock Hill Bend on lap seven. Subsequent contact from the Volkswagen of Glynn Geddie resulted in him going off into the gravel trap at Druids, ending his Jack Sears Trophy hopes.

Race two was held on a drying circuit and provided the chance for drivers to run on slick tyres, albeit on a track surface that was particularly greasy to begin with and which played to the strengths of some runners who gambled on sticking with wet rubber.
Hill lost places on the first lap following a trip through the gravel at Paddock Hill Bend after contact in the pack, which left him down in 19th place and with work to do in order to add to his points tally. However, he went on to excel in the tricky conditions and battled his way back up to seventh place at the finish.

Osborne was similarly on fine form in the #4 Honda as he recovered well from the disappointment of race one with a strong drive through the pack from 26th on the grid. Into the top 20 by the end of the third lap, the 27-year-old continued to make gradual progress up the order and, having moved into the points-paying positions by two-thirds distance, he crossed the line in a solid 14th place.

The reversed grid left Hill starting sixth for race three, which would be held in wet conditions after the onset of heavy rain.

Making up one place on the opening lap, Hill then took fourth on lap two when Chris Smiley ran off-track and continued to run at the sharp end throughout as he diced for the podium positions with Josh Cook, Tom Ingram and Dan Cammish.

The end result for Hill was a strong third place, which made it six rostrum finishes for the season and allowed him to conclude the campaign seventh overall, and fifth in the Independents’ Trophy.

Osborne ran inside the points early on before being forced off-track at Graham Hill Bend, which left him with dirty tyres and resulted in a spin as he headed into Surtees, forcing him to retire to the pits with damage to the radiator.

Despite that disappointment, he wound up inside the top 20 in the overall standings, 14th in the Independents’ Trophy and fourth in the Jack Sears Trophy.

“It was great for us to end the season with another podium,” acknowledged Team Principal Shaun Hollamby. “Jake did a really good job again to take three solid points finishes in difficult conditions. Sam also did a fantastic job in race two to come through the pack in the way he did, and it is unfortunate that he wasn’t able to stay in contention for the Jack Sears Trophy as it would have been just reward for the progress he has made as a driver this season.

“Of course it would have been nice for us to get a win this year, but I feel we can be happy with the way our season has gone in very difficult circumstances with everything that is going on in the world. Everyone involved in the series deserves credit for going out and putting on a good show for our fans, sponsors and partners in recent months, and we look forward to welcoming them all back trackside in the future.”
“This has been a positive first season for MB Motorsport in the BTCC, and it is nice to end it with another podium finish,” added Mark Blundell, MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square’s Sporting Director. “Jake did a really good job again at the weekend in the same way he has done all season, and to get a sixth podium of the year against such competition in those conditions is very pleasing. A top seven championship finish is also a job well done, and something to build on in 2021 as our partnership continues.

“Although it’s a shame that Sam wasn’t able to take the Jack Sears Trophy, he has come on in leaps and bounds this season and is a totally different driver to the one who first got in the car when he joined us. He has worked well with Jake and has been eager to learn and improve, and I think that was shown by his performance in race two.”

“When we left Brands Hatch earlier in the year, I felt terrible as we’d had an awful weekend and it was the lowest I’d felt after a touring car meeting,” reflected Hill. “Now, six podiums later after a fantastic turnaround, we can celebrate what has been a really good weekend to end the season.

“Brands is my home circuit and one that I absolutely love, and we enjoyed a strong race day to be right up there in the top eight, scoring good points and picking up some more silverware. I have to say a massive thank you to the team for doing a fantastic job and I’m hugely excited for next year to see what we can achieve together.”

“It was an interesting weekend with the weather being the way it was, as I’d not driven the car much in those conditions,” revealed Osborne. “In the opening race, things were going okay but then I made a small error and, as I recovered, Glynn [Geddie] just seemed to move over into my car and we ended up in the gravel which was a shame, as it ended my Jack Sears Trophy hopes. Race two, however, was mega. We made a good call on the tyres and made up loads of places from the back and scored more points, which I didn’t expect at the start.

“It’s unfortunate that we didn’t finish race three, but I’m delighted with the season as a whole. When you look at the progress I’ve made from the end of last year to now, it’s been huge and there are so many positives for me to take away from 2020. Huge thanks to the team and to Jake for helping to push me along – this season is something for me to now build on going forwards.”

Tom Ingram proved that his Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters Corolla is more than a match for any of its rivals in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at Brands Hatch last weekend (14/15 November), splashing through the spray to pole position and a full house of podium finishes that have left him feeling bullish indeed about his prospects going into 2021.
 
Ingram has been a contender season-long in the country’s premier motor racing series, but a variety of misfortunes meant he entered the final weekend as an outsider in the chase for the coveted crown, at 34 points adrift of the summit of the standings. Be that as it may, he headed to Brands’ short Indy circuit vowing to push right to the end and have some fun along the way – and he was every bit as good as his word.
 
In a tense and eventful qualifying session – punctuated by three red flag stoppages for accidents – the Bucks-born ace mastered inclement conditions to secure his fourth career BTCC pole amongst the 27 high-calibre protagonists. On a wet track surface, he then went on to lead the opening 12 laps of the curtain-raiser in front of the live ITV4 television cameras, before ultimately having to give best to Dan Cammish and Ash Sutton following energetic wheel-to-wheel duels as the trio sped clear of the chasing pack.
 
The sun emerged before race two, leaving a drying circuit, but the early laps on slick tyres were still something of an adventure and Ingram was one of five drivers to slide sideways through Paddock Hill Bend for the first time, skating through the gravel and rejoining down in 13th. That served as the catalyst for a stirring recovery charge as the 27-year-old fairly scythed his way back past his adversaries, posting a flurry of fastest laps and pulling off some sensational overtakes to move into second place by lap 13.
 
He proceeded to practically halve the 8.7-second deficit separating him from leader Sutton by the chequered flag, and then – from 11th on the partially-reversed grid – produced an almost carbon copy performance in race three. In fully wet conditions again, Ingram belied the 54kg of success ballast aboard his Corolla to advance to seventh by the end of lap two and climb to second by mid-distance.
 
Thereafter, he slashed Rory Butcher’s advantage from six seconds to just 1.5 seconds by the close to seal his 11th rostrum finish of 2020 – the second-highest tally in the field and a personal career-best – and cement his status as the weekend’s top scorer.
 
Ultimately missing out on the title by only 24 points – having conceded at least 20 at Silverstone due to a puncture and a further six when he was taken out at the last corner at Snetterton – the two-time BTCC Independents’ Champion concluded the campaign with the best average score of the top five based on races finished without any major issues. Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters secured sixth in the final Teams’ table – and leading single-car outfit.
 
“We said going to Brands Hatch that to be in with a shot, we would need to throw absolutely everything at it and that’s exactly what we did,” reflected Team Principal Christian Dick. “It was maximum attack throughout. To take pole position and then come away with three podium finishes, I really don’t think we could have done very much more. Tom drove superbly in all conditions, and his recovery in race two was particularly special. It was probably the best weekend we’ve had with the Corolla to-date.
 
“It was the first time we’ve achieved a podium in every race, which is no mean feat in the BTCC with the reversed grid format and ballast to factor into account – not to mention the unpredictable weather that we had to contend with at Brands. I think it’s fair to say we have shouldered more than our fair share of misfortune this year, and we always knew we would need the other guys to have some bad luck too if we were to take the title. Whilst that didn’t happen, we can all hold our heads very high.
 
“It’s been an absolutely astonishing team effort all season. With such a condensed calendar and a number of back-to-back weekends and tight turnarounds, the work rate has been nothing short of relentless. The whole Speedworks crew have been outstanding, leaving no stone unturned, and I want to pay tribute to each and every one of them.
 
“Disregarding the penalty at Croft, Tom qualified inside the top three at each of the last five events – with significant weight on-board – and we would have finished the season with six consecutive podiums if it hadn’t been for what happened at Snetterton. We are gaining momentum every time out, and it’s just a shame we don’t have a tenth race weekend as we normally do, because I would really fancy our chances if we did.
 
“Still, we go into the winter feeling very positive for next year. We’ve shown repeatedly just what the Corolla is capable of now – it’s been the strongest front-wheel drive car in recent weeks, and arguably the strongest car outright. We’ve been consistently in the hunt at every circuit, and have really got on top of what makes it tick. The start of next season truly can’t come soon enough!”

“What a fantastic weekend!” beamed Ingram. “To come away with a podium in every race was amazing – without the little squabble at Snetterton, it would have been six on the bounce. With no direct pressure on us, I felt very relaxed going to Brands – probably the most relaxed I’ve felt all season, in fact, and I really enjoyed every single lap.
 
“It was incredibly slippery in qualifying – the circuit felt very different to how it had in free practice, and it took quite a while to settle into a rhythm. You only get a narrow window with the wet tyre at its absolute peak performance, especially around such a short lap as Brands Hatch Indy with so much traffic and people going off and bringing out red and yellow flags. We were chasing the set-up for quite a lot of the session, but then my engineer ‘Spenny’ made a couple of inspired calls that transformed the Corolla.
 
“The conditions were really tricky again in race one, and it seemed like they were changing every lap. We struggled with the front tyres and I didn’t really have an answer for Dan [Cammish] or Ash [Sutton] towards the end, but it was pleasing to get a podium nonetheless.
 
“I got a really good launch off the line in race two and I knew I had to try to make up as many places as I could, so I gave it a go – it was a case of ‘lick the stamp and send it’ and see what happens. I went to the outside through Paddock Hill Bend, but lost the rear and ended up doing a bit of rallycross! They’re conditions I absolutely love, though, and it was brilliant fun fighting my way through. It took me back to being about six-years-old, when my dad was too tight to buy me wet tyres for my go-kart! It was a similar story in race three – the Corolla felt superb again and we were able to pull off a lot of very satisfying moves.
 
“There are always ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’, aren’t there, but we’ve shown in recent weeks that we’ve got some serious pace in this car. We’ve been right up there in qualifying and have scored at least one top three finish every weekend since Knockhill, but we’ve just lacked a bit of luck, with the puncture at Silverstone, the driveshaft failure at Oulton Park and being taken out at Brands GP, Silverstone and Snetterton.
 
“We’ve performed so well as a team all season, and the results we’ve achieved over the second half in particular – with five podiums from the last six races – quite frankly speak for themselves. In a championship as ultra-competitive and fiercely-fought as the BTCC, that’s a hell of an achievement and extremely encouraging. It puts us in a very good place heading into the winter now, and we fully intend to carry this momentum forward into next year.”

BMW swept aside the spray at a wet and windy Brands Hatch last weekend to secure a fifth consecutive Manufacturers’ title in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, as Team BMW similarly snared the Teams’ spoils at the end of another hugely successful campaign.

For the sixth time in his stellar career in the country’s premier motor racing series, Colin Turkington finished inside the top two in the Drivers’ standings, tallying a season-high 13 podium finishes – including five commanding victories behind the wheel of his BMW 330i M Sport.

The changeable conditions unfortunately conspired against the Northern Irishman at Brands Hatch, although as the track dried in race two, he demonstrated his BMW’s dry weather pace by scything through the pack from ninth to fourth, seeing him enter the final round of the campaign still in the hunt for the biggest prize in UK motorsport.

A battling performance that yielded ninth place at the chequered flag was ultimately not quite enough but nonetheless sealed second position in the Drivers’ classification, with team-mate Tom Oliphant concluding an excellent sophomore season with Team BMW in sixth.

Contesting only his third campaign in the BTCC, the 30-year-old similarly struggled to find grip around Brands Hatch’s short Indy circuit, posting a top ten finish in race one before fighting his way back into the points in race two after being spun down the order by a rival. That did not, however, take the sheen off a strong season, with his maiden race win and three further rostrum results firing Oliphant five places further up the Drivers’ table than in 2019.

The pair’s combined performances were sufficient to cement BMW’s seventh BTCC Manufacturers’ crown, as Team BMW successfully recaptured the Teams’ title. The hard work now begins in earnest ahead of the resumption of racing next April, when the 2021 season fires into life – back at Brands Hatch Indy – on 3/4 April.

“It’s been another great season for Team BMW, and it’s nice to come away with two pieces of silverware in the shape of the Manufacturers’ and Teams’ Championship trophies,” said BMW UK CEO, Graeme Grieve. “For us as a brand, the Manufacturers’ is the big one, and to secure it for the fifth year in a row is a quite remarkable achievement for which everybody involved should be congratulated.

“Obviously it was a great shame for Colin to miss out on the Drivers’ title – that would have been the icing on the cake – but Ash [Sutton] is a very deserving winner. The BTCC is such a competitive series in which the level seems to go up each year and the margins are always so small. Both Colin and Tom have driven brilliantly all season, and we go away happy and very much looking forward to 2021.”

“To win five consecutive Manufacturers’ titles in the BTCC is testament to a tremendous team effort from all the guys and girls here at WSR,” reflected Team Principal Dick Bennetts. “It’s an incredible achievement. This is always a hard championship, and starting in August and finishing in mid-November made it even tougher this year, but Colin did a brilliant job once again to finish second in the Drivers’ Championship and win the first Goodyear Wingfoot Award for qualifying, while Tom had a very positive season and took a real step forward.

“Reliability has been first-rate and we’ve got a fantastic car in the dry. The weather clearly didn’t help us at Brands, but the conditions were the same for everybody and we’ll make sure we go away and do some more homework on our wet set-up over the winter to come back even stronger in 2021.”

“It’s been a very positive season overall, and it’s great for all of us to win the Manufacturers’ and Teams’ championships, both of which are clearly very important titles,” added Turkington. “I gave it my very best shot at defending my Drivers’ championship, but there’s absolutely nothing to be ashamed of finishing second in a series as competitive as the BTCC – it genuinely is one of the toughest championships in the world to win, and it ultimately wasn’t quite to be for me this year.

“I tried to be as consistent as I could and we came very close, but the low-grip conditions didn’t favour us at Brands. We showed the pace we had in the dry over the second half of race two, and at the end of the day, we can hold our heads high. We’ve had some great results this season and the Team BMW guys have done a fantastic job to provide me with a great car throughout. Everybody gave 100 per cent in the pursuit of victory, and they should all be very proud of what we have achieved.”

“This has been my best BTCC season to-date, and I’ve got to be happy to finish sixth overall against a whole host of more experienced drivers,” proclaimed Oliphant. “It was a bit of a shame that we dropped off towards the end – in the last couple of race meetings, we didn’t really have any luck – but I’ve shown my speed and my overtaking abilities and I’ve always raced fair. I’ve had some good battles along the way, learnt a lot and scored some great results, and the guys on my side of the garage have worked tirelessly to get the car where I want it.

“A big thank you to BMW and WSR – they’re a great bunch of guys and girls and just phenomenal to work with, and they’ve done a cracking job. I’m really proud to race for such an iconic brand, and hopefully I’ll be back here again next year.”

The 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season finale marked the swansong of Carlube TripleR Racing with Mac Tools’ pair of Mercedes-Benz A-Classes.

Having announced the move to the German manufacturer while running a Toyota Avensis in 2013, the new machine would join the grid the following season, with the squad’s single-car entry manned by Lancashire-driver Adam Morgan.

Bringing a second into the mix from 2018, the pair of NGTC Mercedes’ have contested 286 rounds over the years and have amassed 1,517 BTCC points.

Furthermore, the Ciceley Motorsport-run machines have achieved eight victories, most recently at the squad’s local circuit of Oulton Park with Morgan’s emotional race three win, as well as a total of 30 podiums.

Morgan’s win and a further pair of podiums in the latest campaign reflect a strong reputation for the #33 car, as the 32-year-old has finished in the points in every round he has completed this year.

The 32-year-old secured fifth place at flagfall at Brands Hatch to send the Mercedes off on a high note. 

"It’s been a great car and even in its last race the Mercedes-Benz A-Class is still competitive," he said. "You could come and buy these two cars with a comprehensive spares package, be on the BTCC grid next season and be competitive, that is how good the car has proved to be. I’ve had a win this season and been regularly up at the front, so the car still has pace.

"It’s the end of an era after seven years but we’ve had some great days and the first outright win for a Mercedes in the BTCC, so we can be proud of what we have achieved."

Team-mate Jack Butel has manned the second Mercedes for 2020, recording an impressive near-perfect finish rate, with only one retirement throughout his rookie season in the championship.

The squad’s announcement marks the third team to reveal a change of machine for 2021, with Team HARD’s Cupra Leon announcement in September and the latest news of Trade Price Cars Racing merging with Excelr8 Motorsport to run a quartet of Hyundais next year.

Claiming two of the three class victories available from the final three rounds of the year, local-racer and fan favourite Michael Crees delivered an unassailable performance to claim Jack Sears Trophy honours during an action-packed 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season finale on the Brands Hatch Indy Circuit (14/15 November).

With the weather playing a big part in proceedings over the final meeting, the season finale delivered plenty of drama from the start. A much-interrupted qualifying session in tricky conditions left the BTC Racing drivers struggling to unlock the best of the Honda Civic Type R FK8s, as they grappled with rear-end grip on the slippery circuit. Josh Cook rounded out the top ten, with Tom Chilton securing 16th and Crees ending the session in 22nd.

A strong start from the trio in the opening contest saw all three drivers move their way up the grid in the tricky racing conditions. Cook led the pack home, crossing the line in eighth, with Chilton picking up points in 12th. Crossing the line in 20th, Crees extended his lead atop the Jack Sears Trophy standings finishing ahead of his main rival Carl Boardley.

With different track conditions presenting themselves for race two on a drying but greasy track, Chilton opted to take a risk on wets, with Cook and Crees choosing to run on slicks. A frenetic opening lap kicked off the drama with the front-runners tangling at Paddock Hill as Chilton powered off the line to take the lead. Despite initially heading off into the distance in the #3 Civic Type R, he was unable to hold onto the lead as the slick runners came into play on the now dry track, and he plummeted down the field in the closing laps, eventually crossing the line in 18th.

Running as high as third in the opening laps, Cook was on track for a podium challenge as he scrapped with Ingram and Cammish before a big sideways moment at Druids dropped him down the order to take ninth at the flag.

An epic drive from Crees saw the Broadstairs-racer pick his way up through the pack to collect another strong points-finish, bringing the #777 home in 13th overall to collect his 11th class victory of the year and secure the 2020 Jack Sears Trophy title at his home circuit.

Another torrential downpour just before the season closer saw the return of the perilous conditions out on track. Starting from the second row by virtue of the reversed grid draw, Cook made a strong start off the line and followed through with a brave inside lunge at Paddock Hill Bend to steal into second place. With another podium spot on the cards, Cook was squeezed wide whilst duelling with Hill on lap 11. Although he managed to keep the #66 Civic from running too deep into the gravel trap, he lost position and ended the final race in ninth.

Chilton made good progress in the challenging conditions, managing to make up seven spots over the 24 lap race to take 11th as the final flag dropped. Picking up his second points-score of the day, Crees brought his #777 FK8 home in P15, claiming his 12th Jack Sears victory of the year and extending his title-winning championship lead to 48 points.

The season finale signed-off a rollercoaster season for the BTC Racing Team. Having amassed a total of three outright victories and four further podium finishes, the squad ended the season placed fifth in the Teams’ Championship and third in the Independents' standings, collecting four Independent wins and ten podiums along the way.

“We’re all absolutely over the moon for Michael winning the Jack Sears Trophy,” remarked Joint Team Principal Bert Taylor. “He’s had a phenomenal year competing against a lot of drivers for the title and we couldn’t be happier for him.

“It’s been a fantastic season. We’ve had our highs and lows. As a team we’ve worked incredibly hard for little reward. The positions we’ve finished the year in reflects the pace that we’ve had all season. Although we’ve won as many races and podiums as anyone else, we just haven’t been able to string it all together for some reason.

“We need to go away and sit down, look to the future and work out a plan for next season.”

“I’d just like to say thank you to everyone at BTC Racing,” said Chilton. “Thank you to all of the sponsors for making it happen, and to Steve [Dudman] and Bert [Taylor].

“It hasn’t been as successful as we’d hoped. We thought we’d win all five championships, but the only one who upheld his deal was Creesy – winning the Jack Sears. I’m really happy for Michael. I’m pleased that I made it onto the podium a few times this year, and it was great to lead some laps in the last round of the year and end on a bit of high. Lots of highs and lows in motorsport, but it’s been good fun.”

“I’m really happy for Creesy winning the Jack Sears Trophy,” added Cook. “He drove really well, did everything he needed to do and didn’t try and be a hero!

“We’ve not had an easy year at all, but I’ve had a decent amount of wins and more podiums. We’ve just not unlocked the best out of the car this year. When you’re struggling for pace you can only benchmark against your team-mates in the same machinery, and I achieved the best results with what we had. Hopefully that doesn’t go unnoticed.”

“The team have worked incredibly hard all year, under really tough circumstances. It’s just a shame that we didn’t quite get the rewards that hard work deserves.”

“I’m absolutely buzzing,” buoyed Crees. “That’s another one ticked off the bucket list! I want to thank everyone who supported me through this and helped me to realise my dream. I had my doubts if we could pull it off after a bit of a wobble, but we’ve shown that you can achieve your dreams if you keep pushing, and never give up.

“Thanks to the whole BTC Racing team for their efforts, and also to Bert and Steve for giving me the opportunity to show what I’m capable of. It’s been an unbelievable season, and one I’ll never forget.”

Motorbase Performance celebrated a strong run in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season finale at Brands Hatch this weekend, securing the squad's 11th podium of the campaign with Rory Butcher's race three victory.

In the latest Ford Focus ST's first year in the series, it was a quintet of wins with Butcher adding to the tally in the final race of 2020.

Team-mate Ollie Jackson continued his impressive run with a trio of top ten finishes while Andy Neate achieved his best qualifying position of the year during a wet-dry weekend in Kent.

Catch the weekend round-up from the team below...

Laser Tools Racing star clinches title on dramatic day at Brands Hatch

Laser Tools Racing’s Ash Sutton is a two-time British Touring Car Champion after clinching the title at Brands Hatch earlier today (15 November), as the curtain came down on a dramatic season of wheel-to-wheel racing.
 
The Infiniti Q50 driver came into the season finale weekend trailing defending champion Colin Turkington by nine points in the overall standings – the Team BMW star aiming for a record fifth title – but Sutton immediately turned things around at the Kent circuit.
 
He qualified third on Saturday afternoon while Turkington could only manage eighth, as the BMW 3 Series seemingly struggled for pace in the wet.
 
Turkington’s hopes may have been dashed as early as Sunday morning when heavy rain descended on the 1.2-mile Indy circuit and the opener would commence in extremely tricky conditions.
 
Halfords Yuasa Racing’s Dan Cammish produced one of the best performances of his BTCC career so far to win the opener from fourth on the grid.
 
The Honda man blasted around the outside of Rory Butcher’s Motorbase Performance Ford Focus at Paddock Hill Bend on the first lap, and he soon saw off Sutton ahead of him.
 
The pivotal moment came on lap 13 when Cammish squeezed his Honda Civic Type R down the inside of Ingram’s Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters Corolla, as the pair climbed the hill towards Druids. It was a tense moment as Cammish braked as late as he dared, just about stopping his #27 machine on the run through the slowest corner on the track.
 
It was a fantastic move and one that eventually saw Cammish largely cruise away… that was until Sutton also took his opportunity to pass Ingram through Surtees. Sutton set the fastest lap as he closed in on Cammish, but his challenge came too late.
 
Ingram completed the podium as Turkington hobbled to ninth, whilst fourth place wasn’t enough to keep Butcher’s championship hopes alive.
 
Sutton – now leading the overall standings – went one better in the second contest as the 27-year-old extended his advantage by winning the wet-dry race in commanding fashion.
 
Ingram and Cammish finished second and third respectively – the former now out of title contention heading into the grand finale – whilst Turkington could only manage an improved fourth place.
 
Turkington’s loosening grip on the championship trophy eventually ended in the final bout when Sutton cruised past the BMW 3 Series on his way to taking fifth place – securing more than enough points to comfortably earn a hugely deserved second BTCC title.
 
Butcher completed his impressive season with victory in the final encounter at Motorbase Performance’s home track. Ingram scored a podium hat-trick on-the-day with another second-place finish and Jake Hill celebrated his new deal with MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square by taking the final rostrum on offer in the 2020 campaign.
 
So, it was a delighted and emotional Sutton who clinched the Drivers’ crown – lifting the most coveted trophy in British motorsport. Turkington and Cammish were second and third respectively, Ingram cemented fourth place during his positive weekend, whilst Butcher completed the top five in the overall order.
 
Team BMW concluded its fruitful campaign with Manufacturers’ and Teams’ honours, whilst Sutton and Laser Tools Racing took both Independents’ titles.
 
Michael Crees was one of the happiest people in the paddock as the sun came down at Brands Hatch – the Kent driver lifting the Jack Sears Trophy at his home circuit.
 
The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – having successfully completed its rescheduled but delayed campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic – will be back in April next year.
 
Ash Sutton said: “It’s an absolute dream to get this, for an Independent team to win the overall championship. It’s been a long time since that’s happened, so I have to thank Laser Tools Racing, BMR Engineering and everyone involved. It’s just a real shame that we can’t experience it with the crowds and fans. All year we’ve tried to put on a good show, and it’s been absolutely mega to even be racing after everything that’s happened, but without your support at home it wouldn’t be possible.
 
“Coming into the weekend, we saw it was going to be mixed conditions both days. Obviously yesterday in qualifying it was wet and we just missed out on that pole, but we were in a perfect position today and despite it drying out in race two, the car came alive and I was a bit shocked myself. The boys and girls back at base, those here this weekend and all my family, they’ve delivered me the perfect year and without them this also would not be possible.
 
“I spoke to Louise [Goodman] before and she said ‘you must think you have one hand on the trophy’ and when you’re coming into the final race nine points ahead yes you do to some extent, but obviously touring cars can change so quickly and that race fell into our favour with the rain. We sat behind Colin and I wasn’t willing to make a move until he made a mistake or left the door open which he did and I made the most of it – from that point onwards we just drove off into the distance.
 
“I learnt the hard way at Croft, race two bit me hard when I ran into Jake but I’ve calmed. I’m a new man in some respects and we’re just going to sometimes have to bite the bullet and say we’re not on a winning weekend but for sure this weekend the inner racer came out and we were there. We still managed the results when we needed to but I took the gaps when I saw them.
 
“I’d like to think that we won the championship in that last race with the inner racer showing, rather than the conservative. I still wanted to give the guys at home a good show and we did that to come away with the championship.”
 
Colin Turkington said: “It’s been a very positive season overall, and it’s great for all of us to win the Manufacturers’ and Teams’ championships, both of which are clearly very important titles. 
 
“I gave it my very best shot at defending my Drivers’ championship, but there’s absolutely nothing to be ashamed of finishing second in a series as competitive as the BTCC – it genuinely is one of the toughest championships in the world to win. It ultimately wasn’t to be for me this year.
 
“I tried to be as consistent as I could and we came very close, but the low-grip conditions didn’t favour us at Brands. We showed the pace we had in the dry over the second half of race two, and at the end of the day, we can hold our heads high. 
 
“We’ve had some great results this season and the Team BMW guys have done a fantastic job to provide me with a great car throughout, and everybody gave 100% in the pursuit of victory. They should all be very proud of what we have achieved.”
 
Dan Cammish said: “I’m going away from here with my head held high and incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved this year. I think to be third overall is a great result with the level of talent on this grid and the teams in this championship, it gets better and better all the time. 
 
“I thought we were mega today – in fact, I think we were really good all season. Everyone’s got a story to tell, I know that from last year. Everyone can say ‘if only this, if only that’ but I think 99% of the time we’ve got everything out of it. I’m very proud of that fact. I really am going away from here very content.
 
“It’s a fantastic result it really is. It’s so close! I don’t know how Alan [Gow] does it, but he manages to get us all here at the very end and he always keeps it so close and all to play for. 
 
Everyone’s points are actually beyond what we scored last year despite being actually one round less, which kind of shows you just how competitive it has been. To do nine events with all the troubles that everyone’s faced is brilliant and testament to the BTCC, and I hope everyone out there’s enjoyed it and I can’t wait to welcome everyone back next season.”
 
Tom Ingram said: “It was a hugely enjoyable weekend; to get a podium in every single race is fantastic. Without that little squabble with Rory at Snetterton, it would have been six podiums on the bounce. 
 
“The car has felt fantastic in the second half of the season, so I’m really, really pleased. But I’ve got to say a massive well done to Ash and all the guys at Laser Tools Racing, they’ve done a great job this year and full credit to them for getting Ash’s second title.
 
“I think we’ve shown in the second half of the year that we’ve got the pace. We haven’t been off the front row in qualifying over the last four races, we’ve had podiums every single weekend through from there as well. 
 
“We had some misfortune at the start of the year, so I think a bit of luck is the key. We’ve shown we’ve got the speed and everyone at Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters has shown that the Corolla is a great car, we just need that luck next!”
 
Rory Butcher said: “Fantastic! We really needed that to go into the winter. It’s been a tough few rounds, but we’ve made team boss David Bartrum very happy. We’ve had such a great year with a brand-new car. The Ford Focus ST came out of the blocks really fast and it’s been great all year. 
 
“We’ve had some bad luck; I’ve made some mistakes and it’s been a learning experience. In the middle of the season, two or three rounds in a row we didn’t get everything out of it that we wanted to. We’re finishing fifth in the championship and we’ve had numerous podiums, pole positions and wins, but we need to get more consistent next year if we want to challenge someone like Ash.
 
“I was really comfortable out there and the car was so much better than it had been in race one, so I was feeling good. It was only in the last few laps that I saw Tom’s lights start appearing in my mirrors and I thought ‘here we go’ but I kept it together, pushed a little harder to keep the gap and brought it home.
 
“It’s our first year and it’s been a fantastic new car. Our goal for next year is to come back fighting and put in an even stronger fight, with everything we’ve learned about the championship and the car itself, so we’ll be back!”

2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 1 – Brands Hatch Indy

1          Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing 27 laps
2          Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.813s
3          Tom INGRAM (GBR) Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters +3.160s
4          Rory BUTCHER (GBR) Motorbase Performance +6.538s
5          Ollie JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance +7.952s 
6          Jake HILL (GBR) MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square +9.273s
7          Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +10.164s
8          Josh COOK (GBR) BTC Racing +13.519s
9          Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +18.283s 
10        Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Team BMW +19.339s

2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 2 – Brands Hatch Indy

1          Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Laser Tools Racing 24 laps
2          Tom INGRAM (GBR) Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters +4.762s
3          Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +9.370s
4          Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +9.688s 
5          Ollie JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance +10.832s 
6          Adam MORGAN (GBR) Carlube TripleR Racing with Mac Tools +13.422s
7          Jake HILL (GBR) MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square +14.088s
8          Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Excelr8 Motorsport +14.418s
9          Josh COOK (GBR) BTC Racing +14.919s
10        Rory BUTCHER (GBR) Motorbase Performance +17.900s

2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 3 – Brands Hatch Indy

1          Rory BUTCHER (GBR) Motorbase Performance 24 laps
2          Tom INGRAM (GBR) Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters +1.522s
3          Jake HILL (GBR) MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square +7.679s 
4          Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +9.984s
5          Adam MORGAN (GBR) Carlube TripleR Racing with Mac Tools +10.521s
6          Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +12.038s
7          Josh COOK (GBR) BTC Racing +14.094s
8          Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +16.133s
9          Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +17.320s
10        Ollie JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance +18.431s 

Penalties:

Race 1:
Senna Proctor was officially reprimanded and had his licence endorsed by the addition of two penalty points for an incident involving Nic Hamilton

Race 2:
Colin Turkington was penalised by the addition of 2 seconds to his overall race time for gaining an unfair advantage in an incident involving Dan Cammish under yellow flag conditions

Michael Crees was officially reprimanded and had his licence endorsed by the addition of two penalty points for an incident involving Jack Goff

Laser Tools Racing's Ash Sutton is a two-time Kwik Fit British Touring Car Champion after clinching the title in the final race of a dramatic season at Brands Hatch.

Motorbase Performance's Rory Butcher won the contest with Toyota's Tom Ingram and MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square's Jake Hill completing the podium, but the title race was understandably the headline story as Sutton got the better of his Team BMW rival Colin Turkington.

Turkington made steady progress early on but the BMW 3 Series has seemingly struggled in the wet conditions for much of the day, and Sutton was soon on his tail in a fight for sixth. Sutton sat comfortably behind the reigning champ but Turkington couldn't keep the Infiniti Q50 at bay, and the #116 slipped through at Paddock Hill Bend in the closing stages.

Halfords Yuasa Racing's Dan Cammish was fourth in the race – consolidating his third position in the overall standings – whilst Carlube TripleR Racing with Mac Tools' Adam Morgan grabbed a hard-earned fifth.

Sutton took sixth – and with it the title – after a late move by his good friend Josh Cook in the BTC Racing Honda Civic Type R.

Laser Tools Racing enjoyed a double celebration with Aiden Moffat claiming eighth, as the team also wrapped up Independents' glory.

Turkington could only manage ninth as his title defence ended on a rather soggy note around the undulating 1.2-mile Indy circuit, whilst Motorbase man Ollie Jackson rounded out the top ten.

Ash Sutton, BTCC Champion, said: "It’s an absolute dream to get this, for an Independent team to win the overall championship. It’s been a long time since that’s happened, so for Laser Tools Racing, BMR Engineering and everyone involved, RCIB, Cinch and all my personal sponsors, it wouldn’t be possible without any of them. It’s just a real shame that we can’t experience it with the crowds and fans. Obviously all year we’ve put on a good show and it’s been absolutely mega this year to even get racing, but without your support at home it wouldn’t be possible.

"Coming into the weekend, we saw it was going to be mixed conditions both days. Obviously yesterday in qualifying it was wet and we just missed out on that pole, but we were in a perfect position today and despite it drying out in race two, the car came alive and I was a bit shocked myself. The boys and girls back at base, those here this weekend and all my family, they’ve delivered me the perfect year and without them this also would not be possible.

"I spoke to Louise [Goodman] before and she said ‘you must think you have one hand on the trophy’ and when you’re coming into the final race nine points ahead yes you do to some extent, but obviously touring cars can change so quickly and that race fell into our favour with the rain. We sat behind Colin and I wasn’t willing to make a move until he made a mistake or left the door open which he did and I made the most of it and from that point onwards we just drove off into the distance.

"I learnt the hard way at Croft, race two bit me hard when I ran into Jake but I’ve calmed. I’m a new man in some respects and we’re just going to sometimes have to bite the bullet and say we’re not on a winning weekend but for sure this weekend the inner racer came out and we were there. We still managed the results when we needed to but I took the gaps when I saw them.

"I’d like to think that we won the championship in that last race with the inner racer showing, rather than the conservative. I still wanted to give the guys at home a good show and we did that to come away with the championship."

Rory Butcher, race three winner, said: "Fantastic! We really needed that to go into the winter. It’s been a tough few rounds but we’ve made (Team Boss) David Bartrum very happy.

"We’ve had such a great year with a brand new car. The Ford Focus ST came out of the blocks really fast and it’s been great all year. We’ve had some bad luck, I’ve made some mistakes and it’s been a learning experience. In the middle of the season, two or three rounds in a row we didn’t get everything out of it that we wanted to. We’re finishing fifth in the championship and we’ve had numerous podiums, pole positions and wins, but we need to get more consistent next year if we want to challenge someone like Ash.

"I was really comfortable out there and the car was so much better than it had been in race one so I was feeling good. It was only in the last few laps that I saw Tom’s lights start appearing in my mirrors and I thought ‘here we go’ but I kept it together, pushed a little harder to keep the gap and brought it home.

"It’s our first year and it’s been a fantastic new car. Our goal for next year is to come back fighting and put in an even stronger fight, with everything we’ve learned about the championship and the car itself, so we’ll be back!"

More to follow...

2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 3 – Brands Hatch Indy

1          Rory BUTCHER (GBR) Motorbase Performance 24 laps
2          Tom INGRAM (GBR) Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters +1.522s
3          Jake HILL (GBR) MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square +7.679s 
4          Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +9.984s
5          Adam MORGAN (GBR) Carlube TripleR Racing with Mac Tools +10.521s
6          Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +12.038s
7          Josh COOK (GBR) BTC Racing +14.094s
8          Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +16.133s
9          Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +17.320s
10        Ollie JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance +18.431s 
11        Tom CHILTON (GBR) BTC Racing +18.764s 
12        Chris SMILEY (GBR) Excelr8 Motorsport +19.008s
13        Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Team BMW +19.217s
14        Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +20.935s
15        Michael CREES (GBR) The Clever Baggers with BTC Racing +31.358s
16        Jack GOFF (GBR) RCIB Insurance with Fox Transport +35.780s
17        Paul RIVETT (GBR) GKR TradePriceCars.com +36.679s
18        Glynn GEDDIE (GBR) RCIB Insurance with Fox Transport +38.623s
19        Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Excelr8 Motorsport +39.743s
20       Nicolas HAMILTON (GBR) ROKiT Racing with Team HARD +45.302s
21        Jack BUTEL (GBR) Carlube TripleR Racing with Mac Tools +46.119s
22        Brad PHILPOT (GBR) Power Maxed Car Care Racing +47.175s
23        Carl BOARDLEY (GBR) HUB Financial Solutions with Team HARD +54.671s
24        Ethan HAMMERTON (GBR) GKR TradePriceCars.com +3 laps
25        Sam OSBORNE (GBR) MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square +12 laps
26        Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +21 laps
27        Andy NEATE (GBR) Motorbase Performance +21 laps

Ash Sutton won a wet-dry penultimate round of the 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at Brands Hatch as the Laser Tools Racing star edges closer in his quest to win a second Drivers' title.

The majority of cars went to the grid on Goodyear wet tyres before a flurry of changes shortly before the start, but it was those choosing to stick with grooved rubber that initially had the better of the contest.

BTC Racing's Tom Chilton hit the front early on after choosing to run the wets – ahead of the slick-shod Sutton – with Andy Neate surging into third in the Motorbase Performance Ford Focus.

Chilton's joy was short-lived, however, as those running the Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport dry tyres were soon in the ascendancy.

Sutton scythed his way into an unassailable lead, also taking fastest lap on his way to his fifth victory of the season, whilst the other contenders all survived bruising encounters.

Toyota's Tom Ingram and Honda's Dan Cammish endured a sychronised half spin at Paddock Hill Bend on the first lap, whilst BMW's Colin Turkington was caught up in contact with BTC Racing's Josh Cook and MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square's Jake Hill shortly after mid-distance.

The title chasing trio were left to play catch up during the race and they eventually did exaclty that with Ingram taking second, ahead of Turkington and Cammish.

There was one contentious and heart-in-the-mouth moment when Team BMW's Turkington made it by Halfords Yuasa Racing's Cammish on the run-up to Druids. The Audi S3 of Paul Rivett was left stranded on-track in a separate incident, and Turkington was able to pass Cammish while taking avoiding action of Rivett's car ahead of him.

In summary, the result leaves Sutton nine points clear of Turkington, with Cammish the only other driver still in contention. Ingram's valiant title fight has come to an end but his second place again showed what a fierce competitor he is.

Motorbase Performance's Ollie Jackson had his second successive top five finish, ahead of the Ciceley Motorsport-run Mercedes of Adam Morgan. Hill survived to finish seventh.

Excelr8 Motorsport's Senna Proctor continued his day-long recovery – following his crash in qualifying yesterday – to finish eight, whilst BTC Racing's Josh Cook and Motorbase man Rory Butcher completed the top ten positions.

There was cause for celebration further down the order as Michael Crees moved into an unassailable points lead in the Jack Sears Trophy, capping off a wonderful season for the Kent driver at his home track.

Round 27 – the grand finale – takes place at 1515... all the action is live on ITV4 and a champion will be crowned.

Ash Sutton said: “Obviously, on the opening lap everybody’s a bit cautious and all hell broke loose behind me. I got a little tap from Tom [Ingram], but it’s just those conditions – there was nothing he could do, I think he was getting pushed from behind. From that moment on, it was just a case of getting my head down, keeping out of trouble and pulling the gap we needed. It’s touring cars, and it can change so quickly. Obviously I would have liked a few more cars between myself and Colin [Turkington], but he took advantage of what happened on lap one and came through. Anything can happen in the reversed grid race, so we’ll wait and see. We’re in a good position as it is, so it’s just going to be a case of managing the points gap to Colin.”

Tom Ingram said: “I got a really good launch off the line and got a bit of momentum. I knew I had to try to make up as many places as I can, so it was a case of ‘lick the stamp and send it’ and see what happens. I just got to the outside, but lost the rear, did a bit of rallycross and kept going. I think we were down in 13^th at one point and it was just a case of battling forwards from there. They’re conditions I absolutely love. It takes me back to being six-years-old and my dad was too tight to buy me wet tyres for my go-kart! It was mega fun and good to recover from where we were.”

Colin Turkington said: “I’m just thankful I avoided [Paul Rivett] – that’s the biggest shock you can have as a driver. Paddock Hill Bend is blind on the entry, so I had no idea he was there at all and there were no yellow flags out. It was such a shock to get to almost the bottom of the hill and see the road blocked. Just at the last moment I dived right, and I thought Dan Cammish was on the inside. I was expecting to get speared across the front of him, but those are the little bits of luck that you need to win this championship. It could be a pivotal moment. It was a really strong race for me even before that. We obviously made the call to go on slicks, and the car took a while to get going but once it did, it just switched on and I had excellent pace, so really well done by Team BMW.”

2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 2 – Brands Hatch Indy

1          Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Laser Tools Racing 24 laps
2          Tom INGRAM (GBR) Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters +4.762s
3          Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +9.370s
4          Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +9.688s 
5          Ollie JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance +10.832s 
6          Adam MORGAN (GBR) Carlube TripleR Racing with Mac Tools +13.422s
7          Jake HILL (GBR) MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square +14.088s
8          Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Excelr8 Motorsport +14.418s
9          Josh COOK (GBR) BTC Racing +14.919s
10        Rory BUTCHER (GBR) Motorbase Performance +17.900s
11        Chris SMILEY (GBR) Excelr8 Motorsport +22.605s 
12        Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +28.823s
13        Michael CREES (GBR) The Clever Baggers with BTC Racing +33.011s
14        Sam OSBORNE (GBR) MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square +37.119s
15        Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Team BMW +37.712s
16        Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +42.984s
17        Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +43.415s
18        Tom CHILTON (GBR) BTC Racing +1 lap
19        Jack BUTEL (GBR) Carlube TripleR Racing with Mac Tools +1 lap
20       Jack GOFF (GBR) RCIB Insurance with Fox Transport +1 lap
21        Andy NEATE (GBR) Motorbase Performance +1 lap
22        Brad PHILPOT (GBR) Power Maxed Car Care Racing +1 lap
23        Paul RIVETT (GBR) GKR TradePriceCars.com +1 lap
24        Ethan HAMMERTON (GBR) GKR TradePriceCars.com +1 lap
25        Nicolas HAMILTON (GBR) ROKiT Racing with Team HARD +3 laps
26        Glynn GEDDIE (GBR) RCIB Insurance with Fox Transport +22 laps
27         Carl BOARDLEY (GBR) HUB Financial Solutions with Team HARD +23 laps