The BTCC Media Team has been busy giving the official website an update over the winter months and has today launched the newly refreshed website – ahead of the Donington Park season opener!

The new responsive and high-speed website is all-device friendly with a look to suit this modern era of the BTCC, whilst it will contain all the favourite content enjoyed by our visitors, plus an ever-growing portfolio of new media content.

Latest news, photos, calendars, timetables, ticket information, drivers’/teams’ pages, video, social media, plus live TV, timing and audio interviews are all present, whilst further new features, such as the Championship’s Sustainability Strategy, will follow over the coming weeks and months.

As part of our new-for-2024 media and broadcasting strategy, which has included the recent announcement that the BTCC will be streamed live across the globe via TikTok, the new website is also a major part of this ongoing and improved approach.

• Hopes are high at Speedworks Motorsport-run squad as new BTCC season looms
• Former world champion Huff targeting ‘a big bagful of points’ in curtain-raising contest
• Jack Sears Trophy winner Watson returning to the scene of standout series debut

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK is approaching the forthcoming British Touring Car Championship campaign in positive mood, with an exciting new-look driver line-up and a home soil start at Donington Park next weekend (27/28 April).

The Speedworks Motorsport-prepared Toyota Corolla GR Sport is already 12 times a race-winner in the country’s premier motor racing series, and its road-going cousin is produced just a few miles up the road from the track at Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK (TMUK) in Burnaston.

The Corolla’s maiden BTCC victory came at Donington in only its sixth start in 2019, with another following last season. The British-built hatch has achieved four rostrum results in total at the Leicestershire circuit, which the championship will visit twice this year – once for the curtain-raising contest on the popular ‘National’ layout, and then again in late August when competitors will tackle the extended ‘Grand Prix’ loop, made famous by Ayrton Senna’s fabled wet-weather heroics just over three decades ago.

Behind the wheel of the two Toyotas will be former FIA World Touring Car Champion Rob Huff and reigning Jack Sears Trophy winner Andrew Watson. Huff was a double podium-finisher in the WTCC at Donington in 2011, and is embarking upon only his second full campaign in the BTCC – his first dating all the way back to 2004. Since then, the Cambridgeshire ace has plied his trade almost exclusively on the international stage, with substantial success.

In the sister Corolla, Andrew Watson similarly boasts a wealth of experience of competing on foreign shores, making a name for himself in GT racing before transferring his skills to tin-tops last season. The 29-year-old Northern Irishman stunned on his BTCC debut at Donington 12 months ago by qualifying inside the top eight – some way ahead of his two team-mates – and coming within a whisker of a podium finish in his very first race in the series.

The 2024 calendar features ten race weekends, with all of the action season-long to be broadcast live and in high-definition on ITV channels as well as the championship’s TikTok account.

Christian Dick, Team Principal, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK, said:

“There have been a lot of changes over the past few months, but one thing that has absolutely not changed is the burning ambition that drives every single member of this team – and the commitment to delivering no less than 100 per cent in the pursuit of perfection.

“And I don’t mean that lightly. The BTCC is so fiercely competitive that you can’t afford to leave a single stone unturned or so much as a tenth-of-a-second on the table if you want to win. That’s why we have worked harder than ever over the winter, to ensure we can go into the new campaign in the strongest possible shape and hit the ground running right from the first free practice session.

“The Corolla is a proven package in the championship, and even in its sixth season in the BTCC, we are still finding more pace and performance, with Rob and Andrew delivering useful feedback about areas for further improvement.

“Both drivers are quickly getting to grips with the Toyota and learning how to extract the best out of it, and I have no doubt that they will be capable of challenging for podium finishes from the outset. We’re all massively excited to get going and seeing what we can achieve this year!”

Rob Huff, Driver, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK, said:

“I think we’ve had a very positive pre-season, all-in-all. Testing has been predominantly wet, but it’s been nice for me to be able to settle into the team, form relationships with everybody and get my head around the car a bit and the way it operates. It’s very busy inside the cockpit compared to what I’ve been used to recently, from its manual sequential ‘box and changeable gear ratios to hybrid deployment – and that’s before you even begin to consider the different tyre compounds!

“I’ve been working very well with my engineer and crew exploring different set-up options and feel pretty comfortable in the Corolla now. It goes without saying that I would love another seven or eight days in the car before the season gets underway, but I’m sure everybody else is of the same opinion!

“Donington is probably one of the UK circuits I’ve been to most often and one I’ve always enjoyed – it’s fast-and-flowing with a really nice combination of corners. It’s also a home event for Toyota with the Burnaston factory just around the corner, so hopefully we will see a large crowd of guys and girls there from TMUK to cheer us on.

“The Corolla has a strong record at the track, so we’re keen to capitalise upon that and I’m targeting a good first weekend to start off as we mean to go on – with a big bagful of points!”

Andrew Watson, Driver, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK, said:

“I’m feeling really excited for Donington Park. It’s such a great circuit – especially in a touring car – and the perfect place to start the season. It tends to generate really good racing and obviously has very positive memories for me from last year.

“There has been a lot to get on top of during the off-season, but I think we have used our test days wisely to build a very solid foundation for the campaign ahead. Switching to right-hand drive has been a little bit different, but I got a good feeling from the Toyota straightaway and we’re finding more with every test. The Corolla’s base set-up seems to be really strong, so now it’s about extracting the most from it at each track.

“It’s great having Rob alongside me. He’s a super-nice guy, really open with so much experience and I’m already learning from him. He brings a lot of value to the team and will be a tough competitor for sure. We’ve been saying very similar things about the Corolla, too, which is reassuring – everybody is pulling in the same direction.

“I’m also really beginning to gel with my race engineer, Jack, so overall, I’m feeling good and my confidence is high. I’m in a top team and a great car, so there’s no point in denying it – the goal is to challenge for podium finishes and wins.”

• Former champion fully focussed on winning back his title in 2024
• EXCELR8 Motorsport star hails ‘best-ever’ pre-season build-up
• 30-year-old says team has ‘turned a huge corner’ over the winter

Tom Ingram leaves no doubt about his objective for the forthcoming British Touring Car Championship campaign – he wants to reclaim the biggest prize in UK motorsport, which he first lifted 18 months ago. He is confident he can do just that.

Ingram concluded last season in the country’s premier motor racing series placed second in the standings amongst the 31 high-calibre contenders – his second runner-up finish in the past six years. He has no intention of repeating the feat in 2024.

“My desire to win the title back is greater than it was to win it in the first place,” asserts the Team Bristol Street Motors star, a 27-time race-winner in the BTCC. “It’s natural that you want to win it once, but I don’t think I’d previously appreciated how much you want to get it back after losing it. I used to wonder how drivers kept on coming back for more, but now I understand you are never satisfied with just winning it once.”

Ingram’s title defence in 2023 was by no means a disappointment. He scored more points than in any of his previous nine campaigns in the championship and reached the rostrum 17 times from 30 starts – ascending the highest step at both Snetterton and Donington Park. He was, he acknowledges, ‘the only one to consistently take to fight to Ash [Sutton]’ – and now, he wants to turn the tables.

One of the factors that he identifies as a key issue last year was the team’s lack of representative running over the winter, meaning they were constantly trying to learn ‘on the job’ as the season progressed. Twelve months on, the situation could scarcely be more different.

“The 2023 pre-season period was absolutely shocking for us, with next to no dry track time followed by a predominantly dry season, which left us routinely on the back foot and playing catch-up,” the 30-year-old explains. “This year has been very different. It actually feels like the best pre-season we’ve ever had. We spent three days at Anglesey in amazing weather, which was massively productive. That played a major role in steering our direction and development of the car for the coming season.”

The car he refers to is the EXCELR8 Motorsport-prepared Hyundai i30N, which now benefits from the additional input of tin-top powerhouse Team Dynamics, with whom EXCELR8 has joined forces, relocating premises to share the renowned Midlands-based outfit’s state-of-the-art workshop. Team Dynamics has no fewer than 13 BTCC titles to its name – six Drivers’ crowns and seven Teams’ trophies – and Ingram believes the partnership could prove pivotal to a renewed assault on glory.

“Team Dynamics was the absolute benchmark in the series for many, many years,” reflects the talented Bucks-born ace. “It’s a hugely impressive facility they have, which I have no doubt played a significant role in that success.

“Alongside the move, we’ve had a very busy winter from an engineering perspective. We’ve taken everything right back to basics and have tried to be very strategic, analysing what worked last year and what didn’t. There’s no such thing as a silver bullet in this game, so rather than focussing on any one particular area, we have concentrated on trying to make small improvements across the board. I’m confident that will put us in really good stead once the serious business gets underway.

“The truth of the matter is that we were never far away last year. We were in the mix every weekend and were the only ones to regularly take the fight to Ash and keep him on his toes. It goes without saying that everybody else will have improved too – nobody ever sits still in a championship as tough and competitive as the BTCC – but I believe the steps we have taken with the Hyundai’s chassis over the past few months have yielded real gains, and testing seems to have corroborated that. 

“Honestly, it feels like we’ve turned a huge corner and that we’re in a really strong place in every area, and I feel like I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been too, both mentally and physically. More than anything, I think we’re all in such a positive headspace right now, because we know we are good enough and quick enough to win the title back, and we are aiming to hit it hard right from the start.

“The key, as ever in the BTCC, will be to be fast and consistent at every circuit. That, fundamentally, is what we need to do. Do I think we can turn the tables on Ash and NAPA Racing? Yes, I do.”

The new campaign will get underway at Donington Park on 27/28 April, with all of the action season-long to be broadcast live and in high-definition on ITV channels and the ITV Sport TikTok account.

Motorsport Games and the British Touring Car Championship has confirmed a new non-exclusive license agreement, effective immediately, that reinstates BTCC content in the highly acclaimed rFactor 2 racing simulation until the end of 2026.

Current BTCC content included in rFactor 2 comprises of eight different cars, which MSG will continue to update with the latest liveries from the 2024 season and beyond, plus a range of the current iconic circuits, such as Brands Hatch, Donington Park and Thruxton.

BTCC Chief Executive, Alan Gow, said: “The BTCC content within rFactor 2 was incredibly well received by our fans and the sim racing fraternity – so this new agreement provides for our BTCC content to continue to be updated and rolled out through to the end of 2026. I’ve no doubt this news will be very welcomed by sim racers everywhere.”

For further information on rFactor 2 visit www.studio-397.com or the game’s social media channels @rFactor2. You can purchase rFactor 2 through the Steam store page and BTCC content in the game’s item store both from Steam and inside the game.

Global Media Properties (GMP) proudly announces its appointment as the Exclusive Commercial Partnership Agency for the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship (BTCC). This partnership heralds a new era of strategic collaboration aimed at driving innovation, fostering new partnerships, and enhancing consumer experiences within the UK’s premier motorsport series.

The British Touring Car Championship is one of the most prestigious and longest running motorsport championships in the world. Since its inception in 1958, the BTCC has captivated tens of millions of fans in the UK and worldwide, with its non-stop action and entertainment.

In its capacity as the Exclusive Commercial Partner, GMP will spearhead the development and execution of a dynamic commercial strategy tailored to meet the evolving demands of modern businesses and audiences. This entails reimagining the BTCC’s commercial proposition to align seamlessly with contemporary content and ROI expectations while unlocking new avenues for growth and engagement.

Moreover, GMP will extend its expertise to BTCC teams, offering support in their pursuit of new partnerships and sponsorship opportunities, further enriching the competitive landscape of the championship.

Alan Gow, CEO of the British Touring Car Championship, remarked, “As we embark on this exciting journey with GMP, we are confident that their innovative approach and strategic insights will elevate the BTCC to new heights of commercial success and audience engagement.”

Greg Albrecht, CEO of Global Media Properties, commented, “Securing the BTCC as a client is a testament to our commitment to excellence and innovation in the field of commercial partnerships. We are eager to collaborate with Alan and his team to unlock the full potential of the championship and deliver unparalleled value to commercial partners and consumers alike.”

For more information about Global Media Properties and the British Touring Car Championship, please visit www.globalmediaproperties.co or www.btcc.net.

About Global Media Properties (GMP): Global Media Properties is an integrated agency providing innovative commercial solutions in the realm of sports, arts and culture, entertainment, and tourism. Utilising its four core verticals of sales, content creation, data/insights, and asset development, GMP strives to unlock new opportunities and enhance experiences for partners and audiences worldwide.

Contact: Greg Albrecht, CEO, Global Media Properties (GMP): +1 (416) 399-7293 or galbrecht@globalmediaproperties.co

FANS FLOCK TO DONINGTON PARK FOR OFFICIAL SEASON LAUNCH

NAPA Racing UK claimed a one-two on the timesheets during the final afternoon of official pre-season testing, as the reigning BTCC champion edged out team-mate Dan Cammish at Donington Park.

Rival outfit Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS enjoyed the morning run as Tom Ingram topped team-mate Tom Chilton.

Light showers interrupted the early afternoon running before thunder and lightning eventually brought an end to proceedings in the final hour.

Sutton had already set his benchmark time – the only driver to clock a lap time in the 1:07s bracket – and he was closely followed by Cammish.

“We didn’t get enough dry running, but I think everyone is in the same boat,” said Sutton. “Overall, I’m pleased – we got through our testing plan and we’re nearly there.

“The car is in a good place; we’ve made a few changes. They seem to have been positive, but you never really know until qualifying gets underway. We’re looking forward to getting stuck in and seeing what car we’ve got beneath us.”

Cammish admitted to having a tricky morning, but he bounced back with a productive afternoon in the #27 Ford Focus.

“It has been a good pre-season test programme,” said Cammish. “We’ve had some varying weather and different temperatures across the five days of running.

"We got some really nice, consistent and quick laps in there this afternoon, but there’s a bit to come. If it ends up as a one-two for us next week then I’ll be thrilled, but there’ll be others coming out swinging, so let’s see.”

Chilton ended his positive day in third overall, having fired his Hyundai into second during the opening session.

Ingram had to settle for fourth, ahead of NAPA Racing UK’s Dan Rowbottom and Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport’s Jake Hill.

The Donington Park test was the third and final test of pre-season with BMW, Hyundai and Ford machinery topping a day apiece – highlighting the likely competitiveness of this year’s top-quality grid.

A big crowd arrived at the Leicestershire circuit for the official Season Launch, which had already included championship photography, television, radio and media activities.

Alongside the six hours of testing, fans flocked to the lunchtime pitlane walkabout to get autographs and photos of the BTCC’s cars and stars.

With today’s action bringing down the curtain on the BTCC’s pre-season, attention now turns to the opening race weekend of the 2024 campaign… back here at Donington Park on the 27/28 April.

ULTRA-COMPETITIVE FIELD BOASTS A MULTIPLE OF CHAMPIONS AND RACE WINNERS  

The 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship has been officially launched at Donington Park (15/16 April), with the UK’s premier motorsport spectacle confirming a stellar line-up for the campaign ahead. 

The potential race for a record fifth drivers’ title, a returning world champion, significant increases to the hybrid, a new qualifying format and tyre regulations, plus an enhanced broadcasting strategy have headlined the off-season proceedings.

Three former champions, 13 race winners and no fewer than 15 drivers who have reached the rostrum in the BTCC will take part in the most competitive championship in the UK, so the race for the coveted title is set to provide unmissable action.

Official media duties commenced at Donington Park yesterday, prior to further photography this morning, before the cars took to the track in front of thousands of fans for the final pre-season test session.

The BTCC season officially gets underway here at the same venue on 27/28 April, before setting off on its annual nationwide tour, comprising 30 races across ten events.

Race for the title

Consistency throughout many teams in the BTCC has been one of the main features in recent years with the likes Ash Sutton (NAPA Racing UK), Tom Ingram (Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS), Colin Turkington (Team BMW) and Jake Hill (Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport) all competing with their respective outfits for at least the last three seasons.

Sutton’s all-conquering campaign in 2023 means he is now a record-equalling four-time BTCC Champion, alongside fellow tin-top legend Turkington… setting up an intriguing battle that could result in the first ever five-time champion.

Certainly, the likes of Ingram and Hill will have something to say about that with the former looking to reclaim his crown, whilst the latter targets his first BTCC title.

While continuity may have paid off for some of the big guns, Speedworks Motorsport has chosen to take a different route for 2024, with the squad announcing one of the most exciting line-ups in memory. 

It’s an all-new four-car entry for Speedworks with returning World Champion Rob Huff and reigning Jack Sears Trophy Champion Andrew Watson heading up TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK’s challenge, whilst multiple race winners Josh Cook and Aiden Moffat make the switch to the Corolla with LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ.

NAPA Racing UK was the standout outfit of 2023, taking the treble of Drivers’, Manufacturers’/Constructors’ and Teams’ titles and the squad has unsurprisingly announced an unchanged line-up, as Sutton is joined by Dan Cammish, Dan Rowbottom and Sam Osborne – all with trophy aspirations of their own.

Team BMW has maintained its line-up of Turkington and Adam Morgan – the latter will be looking to mount his own challenge during his second season with the squad, whilst a potential third WSR entry could yet be confirmed.

The consistency theme continues at Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with Ingram being joined once again by Tom Chilton, Ronan Pearson and Nick Halstead.

Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing enjoyed an impressive 2023 – both Árón Taylor-Smith and Mikey Doble stay with the team this season in the chase for outright and Independents’ honours.

Two new squads have also joined the fray – ensuring the popular Cupras remain on the grid – with Restart Racing signing series returnee Chris Smiley and debutant Scott Sumpton, whilst Daryl DeLeon will contest his first full BTCC season with Unlimited Motorsport.

BTCC powers up

BTCC organiser – TOCA – has introduced a number of exciting new regulation changes including the doubling of hybrid boost and a new qualifying format, whilst Goodyear’s option tyres are also set to further spice up the action in 2024.

The BTCC became the first touring car series in the world to introduce hybrid power when it was officially launched in 2022 and this season sees a further focus on overall performance.

The Hybrid Energy Management System (HEM) provides drivers with the ability to deploy the hybrid for a dedicated amount of time per lap in qualifying and for a number of laps in the races – depending on their championship position (for qualifying) and their race finishing position on race day. 

Now, from 2024 that same push of the button will have double the amount of power output through a combination of both hybrid and turbo boost, which will provide a whole different complexion to race strategy and performance. 

Additionally, the BTCC’s newly introduced ‘Quick Six’ qualifying will feature a number of short ten-minute segments, creating further interest for fans in attendance and the hundreds of thousands more that will be able to watch every qualifying session and race live via ITV Sport.

The format – similar to the one successfully used in IndyCar – will see the cars divided into two groups for the opening qualifying session.

The fastest six from each group will go through to make a 12-car second segment of competition. The top six from that next session will proceed to the grand finale of qualifying each weekend – Quick Six – a final ten-minute dash to determine pole position and the top six grid positions.

Goodyear’s option tyres have also been revised with tyre choice during the races adding a further tactical element to proceedings, whilst the top ten of race 1 at each event will be forced to use the hardest available tyre compound in their next race – making successive victories on a weekend even harder to achieve.

Going global

As the exciting news continued during the off-season, TOCA also announced that every race of the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship will also be streamed LIVE around the globe via TikTok – in full-screen horizontal mode – thanks to a world-first agreement with its partners at ITV Sport.

This ground-breaking agreement is in addition to the BTCC’s expansive and existing UK television contract with the ITV network, which sees around eight hours of broadcast – live and free – from each event across ITV4 and ITVX, as well as the continued highlights and catch-up offerings across the network.

It is the first ever sport to be streamed live via TikTok by ITV Sport, and it is also thought that it is the first major sporting organisation to stream its entire competition all season across the giant social media platform.

Following its launch in 2016, TikTok has since become one of the world’s most popular online platforms, now reaching more than one billion active monthly users worldwide, with some 45% of those in the 18-34 age group, whilst women make up around 57% of all users – further highlighting ways in which the BTCC will be brought to a new, younger and more diverse demographic.

The announcement is also fantastic news for the BTCC’s loyal global fanbase, as this agreement will see every race in the UK’s premier motorsport championship broadcast live right around the world for the first time in its illustrious 66-year history.

Alan Gow, BTCC Chief Executive, said: “It has arguably been one of the busiest off-seasons in recent memory with several on-track and off-track innovations and announcements set to bring further excitement to the BTCC.

“We have a grid that is firmly focused on a real depth of quality, with so many potential race winners and an ever-growing number of likely title contenders. 

“These driver announcements from the teams – combined with the new hybrid-turbo boost, qualifying and option tyre regulations – look set to be the perfect recipe for a hugely competitive and entertaining year ahead.

“I’m also incredibly proud of our ground-breaking move in ensuring that the BTCC will be the first major motorsport championship in the world to have its entire race season streamed live on TikTok around the globe, alongside our fantastic ongoing and absolutely vast UK coverage, which is live and free on ITV4 and ITVX.

“This will introduce the BTCC to a massive new and completely different demographic – a younger and more diverse audience whose engagement is vital for the future of our sport.

“I always look forward to the start of a new season, but this one feels a bit special – I really believe we have a cracking championship ahead of us.”

Click Here to view our 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship Entry List.

Nick Halstead will hope to make steps forwards in his second season in the British Touring Car Championship after a positive start to pre-season testing in his new-look Team Bristol Street Motors Hyundai.

Halstead revealed a striking new livery on his car in a special event at Donington Park last month having agreed a new major partnership deal with Razor, the company behind the Crazy Carts that he introduced to the BTCC paddock last season.

The launch event not only saw the covers come off the 'Crazy Cart XXXL' design on the Hyundai but also gave fans in attendance the chance to experience a series of Crazy Cart races involving Halstead and a number of his BTCC rivals - offering a taster for what to expect during the 2024 season.

Pre-season running kicked off at Brands Hatch where Halstead was able to lap nearly half a second quicker than he had done during the corresponding race meeting last season, despite running without hybrid in operation on his car.

Moving on to Croft, Halstead then had the opportunity to run the new-for-2024 levels of hybrid for the first time and whilst changeable conditions prevented him from setting a truly representative lap time, confidence is now high going into the final pre-season test scheduled for the annual launch event at Donington Park.

"It was fantastic to take the covers off the Crazy Cart livery at Donington Park and the reaction from the fans has been overwhelmingly positive, which is exactly what we hoped for," he said.

"Testing so far has been productive although like everyone else, the weather hasn’t been on our side, particularly at Croft where I didn’t manage to get my laps in when the circuit conditions were at their best.

"Saying that, I’ve been pleased with the pace I’ve shown and I’m feeling comfortable in the car already, so hopefully when we now head to Donington Park for the season launch test, we can get a full day of dry running to really set us up for the opening round.

"I’ve said over the winter that I felt the additional hybrid power would spice up the action. Having now had the chance to try it on track, I’m even more certain that that will be the case - and I think fans are in for a treat when the racing action kicks off!"

The final pre-season test before the 2024 season kicks off is at Donington Park on the 16th April.

EXCELR8 Motorsport's Ronan Pearson set the overall pace during the second official Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship pre-season, with the #14 Hyundai's morning lap time holding sway throughout the day at Croft.

With wet conditions setting in for much of the afternoon running it was NAPA Racing UK that enjoyed the best of the tricky conditions as Ash Sutton topped team-mate Dan Rowbottom in the order, albeit several seconds off Pearson's ultimate pace.

Toyota Gazoo Racing's Andrew Watson was third quickest in the wet, whilst Tom Ingram bounced back from an earlier fire in his Hyundai to take fourth in the afternoon.

It was Pearson, however, who stole the show with his 1:22.243s flier taking top spot from the WSR-run BMWs of Jake Hill and Colin Turkington.

The afternoon proved more difficult, however, with Hill's Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport’s crashing into the barrier while on a quick lap through the Sunny In/Sunny Out section.

Josh Cook was another likely title contender that ended his day early after the Bath driver also had an off-track moment.

The NAPA Racing UK trio of Dan Cammish, Sutton and Rowbottom were fourth, fifth and sixth overall, thanks to their morning efforts, as the squad proved the pace of the Ford Focus in both wet and dry conditions.

Tom Chilton’s #3 EXCELR8 Motorsport Hyundai was next up, ahead of a Speedworks-run treble of Robb Huff, Josh Cook and Watson rounding out the top ten.

Now the BTCC moves to Donington Park for the Official 2024 Season Launch and the final test session on Tuesday 16 April.

A full timing classification of the BTCC test at Croft can be found here.

EXCELR8 Motorsport's Ronan Pearson set the pace during the morning session at Croft Circuit today (10 April), before rain brought a premature halt to proceedings.

The young Hyundai driver set an impressive pace as the #14 held off a gaggle of BMWs and Fords on the timesheets.

Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport's Jake Hill and Team BMW's Colin Turkington were second and third, as the Bavarian marque continues to show its winter improvements following impressive runs for both Hill and stablemate Adam Morgan at Brands Hatch last week.

The NAPA Racing UK trio of Dan Cammish, Ash Sutton and Dan Rowbottom were third, fourth and fifth respectively, as we begin to get a glimpse of the likely competitiveness in the 2024 BTCC field.

Tom Chilton's #3 EXCELR8 Motorsport Hyundai was next up, ahead of a Speedworks-run treble of Robb Huff, Josh Cook and Andrew Watson – the latter not only setting a solid lap time, but also experiencing an off midway through the session, which brought about one of a few red flag periods during the morning running.

2022 Champion Tom Ingram was one of the drivers who didn't set a competitive lap time during the session, and that opportunity was completely taken away when rain descended onto the North Yorkshire circuit in the final hour of the morning.

The action gets back underway this afternoon and you can follow live timing here.

A full timing classification of the BTCC test at Croft can be found here.