BRITAIN’S PREMIER MOTORSPORT CHAMPIONSHIP HEADS TO KENT

Rounds 4, 5 and 6 of the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship takes place at Brands Hatch this weekend (11/12 May) with sun expecting to shine on the cars, stars and thousands of fans in attendance.

The latest weather forecast is a far cry from the conditions that welcomed in the new BTCC season, when heavy and persistent rain delayed proceedings at Donington Park last month.

When the action eventually got underway it was Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS’ Tom Ingram who laid down an early season marker with a commanding double, as the 2022 champion aims to take back the title from reigning supremo Ash Sutton.

NAPA Racing UK’s Sutton scored a strong rostrum treble, whilst podium places for Team BMW’s Colin Turkington and Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport’s Jake Hill ensured that last year’s top four picked up from where they left off.

The most entertaining contest came in the final race at Donington, as LKQ Euro Car Parts with Synetiq's Aiden Moffat held off a quartet of high-level challengers to take one of the best victories of his career so far.

Now, the BTCC heads to the shortest track on the calendar – the action-packed Brands Hatch Indy circuit. 

The much-loved Brands Hatch venue is a mainstay on the BTCC calendar, having held more races than any other circuit and at least one event every season since the championship’s inception back in 1958. 

Read on for more details on the local lights, tv times, circuit timetable and the all-important ticket information…

Local Lights 

Jake Hill has fast become a BTCC fan favourite across the country, but that support is even further enhanced at his local circuit – Brands Hatch.

The Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport man has been a regular title contender in recent seasons and is hoping that his undoubted promise can finally result in winning the most coveted prize in British motorsport in 2024.

Hill led a race at Donington Park last time out, before going on to secure a double podium and a positive start to his title challenge. Now, with his newly improved BMW, the Kent driver will be gunning for a first victory of the season at Brands.

West Surrey Racing, which famously run the BMWs on the BTCC grid – including Hill’s – also regard Brands Hatch as its local circuit, as does new entry Duckhams Racing with Bartercard.

Essex driver Ash Sutton is now a record-equalling four-time BTCC champ and is another that receives huge support at the circuit closest to his home. He already has many fond memories of the venue of course, having lifted the championship trophy there in 2017, 2020, 2021 and 2023.

Surrey’s Tom Chilton is another that views Brands Hatch as home, with the hugely experienced BTCC racer hoping for better fortunes this weekend. Chilton has shown good pace in pre-season and at times during the season opener, before mechanical woes hampered his progress.

TV, Timetables and Tickets 

Complimenting the tin top racing will be a sensational line-up of support series, as the Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain, F4 British Championship, MINI CHALLENGE and Legends Elite Cup completes the schedule of exciting races. 

BTCC will be wowing the crowds both trackside and at home, with Saturday’s new ‘Quick Six’ qualifying session being streamed live via ITV Sport’s YouTube channel from 1525, before ITV4’s seven-and-a-half-hour race day broadcast gets underway at 1100 on Sunday. 

Remember, for the first time in the championship’s history the BTCC is being broadcast globally with every race being streamed live in 2024 via ITV Sport’s TikTok channel. Look out for the races on Sunday starting at 1150, 1430 and 1715.

There’s no place like being there of course and fans can purchase tickets in advance or on the gate throughout the weekend – visit  here for more details.

NAPA Racing enjoyed a solid start to the new Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season with a podium hat-trick at Donington Park, as reigning champ Ash Sutton led the way for the Ford Focus ST outfit.

Although not the quickest car in practice, Dan Cammish, Dan Rowbottom and Sutton would all lap within the top ten and were widely expected to be in the mix for top spot in qualifying later on Saturday – although it would end with mixed results.

Making it through to the final stage of the new three-part qualifying session in mixed weather conditions, Sutton just missed out on putting the #1 car on pole as the leading NAPA Racing UK entry.

It was a more difficult session for the other three cars however, with Sam Osborne falling in Q2 to sit 11^th, with Rowbottom and Cammish down in 14^th and 17^th respectively on the grid after tyre choice proved pivotal in the wet/dry running of Q1.

Osborne had a dramatic off into the barrier going down the Craner Curves on lap one of race one, which resulted in a lengthy safety car period before the action got underway in earnest. Sutton would race to a solid second place to secure the first podium finish of the year for the team, with Cammish showing the pace of the Focus to fight his way through into eighth.

Rowbottom was also working his way towards the top ten before being forced to pit with damage to the bonnet, ultimately leading to his retirement late on.

Slipping to third at the start of race two behind a fast-starting BMW, Sutton battled his way back ahead of Jake Hill late on to equal his result from the earlier race, whilst Cammish continued his recovery from qualifying as he fought his way up into the top six.

Whilst Osborne was unable to take the start as the team worked to repair his damaged car, Rowbottom stormed from the back of the grid to take tenth, setting the second-fastest lap of the race in the process.

Sutton completed a podium hat-trick in race three with a typically attacking run through to third place, with Rowbottom recovering from contact with the Toyota of Andrew Watson on lap two – which dropped him down to 18th spot – to fight his way back through to eighth.

Cammish lost places when the lights went out as his car bogged down off the line but would recover to take tenth, with Osborne grabbing the final point after the team worked hard to get him back out on track to contest the finale.

At the end of the opening weekend, Sutton sits second in the standings – nine points off top spot – as the lead NAPA Racing UK runner, with the team sitting top of the Teams’ Championship ahead of the next meeting at Brands Hatch.

Hear what Sutton had to say after the final race at Donington Park...

As we countdown towards the second Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship weekend of the new season, get yourself in the mood by listening to our race commentary podcasts from the season opener at Donington Park...

The 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship campaign kicked off at Donington Park last weekend (27-28 April), with the series taking to the popular ‘National’ circuit configuration.

Speedworks Motorsport, running its satellite team LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ, made a strong statement with drivers Aiden Moffat and Josh Cook at the helm of the Toyota Corolla GR Sports.

Despite deteriorating weather conditions and the challenges of navigating the new ‘Quick Six’ qualifying format, the squad showcased great pace and a lot of potential throughout the weekend. Moffat’s victory in the final race, seven years after his first BTCC win at the same venue, sets a competitive tone for the 2024 season and Cook’s consistent top ten finishes further solidified the team’s position.

Sunday’s race day schedule was delayed after significant rainfall left large parts of the circuit underwater. Following a brief warm-up session to assess the conditions, racing got underway and the rain began to clear. After less than a full racing lap, the safety car emerged while marshals rebuilt the tyre barrier following an accident, but not before Cook had made up a place and Moffat had impressively gained six. Once the safety car returned to the pits, Moffat was able to advance a further two positions, crossing the finish line in tenth, with Cook similarly making progress to wind up sixth.

As the weather continued to improve, Moffat benefitted from a penalty for another driver, meaning he would start race two in ninth just behind Cook. When the lights went out, Cook promptly set about passing Colin Turkington and Dan Cammish ahead, and by the end of the first lap had moved up to fourth, where he would remain. Despite suffering with some front-end instability, Moffat was able to secure eighth place, placing him comfortably inside the reverse-grid draw, alongside team-mate Cook as well as Speedworks’ TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK driver, Rob Huff.

The draw placed Huff on pole position, Moffat alongside in second and Cook in sixth, representing a Toyota lock-out of the front row for the final race of the day. Initially dropping back to third, Moffat managed his hybrid power effectively and overtook both Adam Morgan and returning world champion Huff prior to fending off challenges from multiple title-winners Turkington and Ash Sutton in a thrilling climax to clinch a popular win. Moffat’s victory with the LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ Toyota marked a significant achievement, coming seven years after his maiden BTCC triumph at the same venue. Cook crossed the line in ninth, extending his run of top ten finishes and banking valuable points in a year when consistency is likely to be more crucial than ever.

Christian Dick, Team Principal, LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ, said: “Congratulations to Aiden on his excellent race three victory, which was thoroughly well-deserved. His pace and racecraft all weekend were really promising, setting an exciting tone for the season ahead. He soaked up huge pressure from seasoned champions Colin Turkington and Ash Sutton, and it was impressive to watch him race and take that win.

“I also want to commend Josh for his consistent performances across the weekend. Despite facing a number of challenges, he secured a trio of top ten finishes, which was no small feat and speaks volumes about his capabilities as a driver.

“Seeing two Toyotas leading the pack at Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK’s home track was a proud moment for the team and highlights the potential that we have this season. We will head to Brands Hatch with a strong sense of optimism, and more motivated than ever to compete at the front!”

Aiden Moffat, Driver, LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ, said: “The car felt great all weekend! We started at the back of the grid for race one, but that wasn’t down to our pace – we were victims of the new qualifying format. The goal for Sunday was a podium, and I was conscious that I had to be aggressive early on. I was trying to be sensible with the hybrid in race three, and as I knew we were more vulnerable over the second half of the lap, I tried to deploy it there when I could.

“It has been a really hard few weeks, with lots of long hours before the start of the season, but everyone at Speedworks has done such a great job. After two top ten finishes, it would have been great to fight just for a podium in the reverse-grid race, never mind standing on the top step! It had been a couple of seasons since my last win, and it’s important this year for me to show my pace and win again, so to achieve that in the first weekend means so much.”

Josh Cook, Driver, LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ, said: “The first two races were slightly better for me, but obviously I lacked a little hybrid in race three. Whilst everyone knows that I set myself high goals, this has been a great first outing and I think there’s a lot more to come from the car going forwards. The team being second in the championship after the first race weekend is an amazing effort from all the staff, and a win for Aiden was the icing on the cake. I’m so pleased for him.”

Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS made a fine start to the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season with two wins from three during the opening weekend of the season at Donington Park.

The EXCELR8 Motorsport-run outfit went into the meeting hoping to reap the rewards of a busy winter of development work on the Hyundai i30 Fastback N, with Tom Ingram, Tom Chilton, Ronan Pearson and Nick Halstead all in confident mood for the season opener.

It’s been almost a week since Ingram’s phenomenal double, but that wasn’t the only positives for the squad… with Pearson making it into the new ‘Quick Six’ qualifying, before scoring a fifth place finish and a new fastest lap on Sunday.

Chilton brought home a couple of points paying finishes amid a frustrating weekend for the experienced racer, whilst Nick Halstead sits second in the Jack Sears Trophy after a solid performance.

Here’s what the drivers and the team had to say…

Tom Chilton, #3 Team Bristol Street Motors Hyundai, said: “Saturday was really difficult as we had no track time in practice and only really had two laps in qualifying - so to be to P13 was pretty unbelievable with the issues we had. The team did a mega job to change the engine overnight and they worked their socks off to get it all working well for race one and I was pleased to move forwards, but then we had a fuel pump issue that put us out of race two.

“Race three I went from last to eleventh and I was really flying and felt I could race people - with a late move on Andrew Watson being particularly good. We got there with the car by the end of the weekend, and I feel that my season will start at Brands Hatch next time out.”

Ronan Pearson, #14 Team Bristol Street Motors Hyundai, said: “What we did until race two this weekend was incredible and the car was mega. There was just one issue that affected us twice and we can’t change what happened, but we were up there on merit this weekend and showed we have the pace which I think can leave us really confident going forwards.

“I don’t think I’ve driven as well as I have done this weekend. I’m the most confident I think I have ever been in the car and I feel I left nothing on the table, which you can only do when you have confidence in it. The things that have hampered us this weekend were outside our control, so there are a lot of positives to take away from it.”

Nick Halstead, #22 Team Bristol Street Motors Hyundai, said: “Race one in the wet was tricky but I felt super confident, and the car felt so quick so I was pleased to come out of that making up places. Unfortunately, I got turned around at turn one in the

second race that dropped me back off the pack and the final race was a good battle with Scott where I was able to learn a lot.

“With limited testing, it took me a little while to get back up to speed, but I feel comfortable in the car at the end of the weekend and am looking forward to getting back out at Brands Hatch.”

Tom Ingram, #80 Team Bristol Street Motors Hyundai, said: “I don’t think I’ve ever had such a good start to a season, with pole, two wins and fourth. I’ve had a great car and as Max Verstappen would say, it’s been a lovely weekend. The way things all started with the weather delays was difficult we you don’t know what the circuit will be like, and just how wet things are going to be, so it was a bit fruity in the first race and to win was great.

“Race two however was even better as you could argue we shouldn’t have won that with the new hybrid rules, so the fact we did showed how strong the car is. That’s all down to the hard work that we’ve done over the winter and a solid result in race three just wrapped up, so it’s all feeling good.”

Justina Williams, Team Bristol Street Motors Team Owner, said: “It’s been a fantastic way to start the season, and I’m really pleased of how we have performed this weekend with strong performances across the board from all drivers. To come away from the weekend with pole, two wins and three fastest laps is reward for all the hard work that has gone in across the winter on the car, and leaves us well placed for the rest of the season.

“I also think it’s important to give credit to everyone who worked hard to make sure we could even go racing this weekend given the conditions that were thrown our way, and also give mention to the fans who had to stand around and deal with the worst of the weather not knowing if they were going to get to see any racing. Hopefully they enjoyed the show when we managed to get underway.”

Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport enjoyed a strong start to the year with two trips to the podium as Jake Hill recorded a brace of third place finishes and a fifth place to commence the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship.

In the new-for-2024 ‘Quick Six’ qualifying format, the grid was split into two groups with Jake handed a place in the second group. Finishing second in the first round of qualifying, he progressed through to the next stage which saw the top-six from each group make up the 12 cars battling for the six spaces in the final shootout.

Another strong session saw Jake finish in fourth place and bag his place in the ‘Quick Six’ shootout. In the final part of the day's qualifying, Jake finished the session in 4th place to secure a second row start for the opening race on Sunday.

Once the standing water had cleared, the opening race of the season eventually got started with Jake getting a fantastic launch from the second row.

Flying past Ash Sutton and into third place, Jake continued on the attack and passed Colin Turkington down the Craner Curves, moving up to second place within half a lap. Racing was paused after a big collision for Sam Osborne forced repairs to be made to the tyre barrier.

Racing resumed with just a handful of laps remaining and unfortunately, Jake lost a position to Sutton and crossed the finishing line in third place to record a trip to the podium in the opening race of the season.

Starting in third place for race two, Jake got another sensational launch off the line and passed both Sutton and Ingram heading into turn one.

Jake then tried to extend his lead at the front of the field but was soon caught by both Ingram and Sutton, falling behind both drivers before the end of the race to record back-to-back third-place finishes.

For the final race of the weekend, and the reverse grid race, Jake was handed a seventh place starting position. Jake was able to make good progress up the order and came home in fifth place to round out a strong opening race day of 2024.

Hill ended the opening weekend third in the Drivers' Championship with 42 points, 16 points adrift of leader Tom Ingram, as we head to Brands Hatch Indy (11/12 May) for the second race weekend of the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship.

Restart Racing – one of two new outfits in this year’s Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – made its series debut last weekend at Donington Park, battling through challenging conditions to secure points in a solid start to the campaign.

With a race day delay due to intense rainfall, Chris Smiley and rookie Scott Sumpton had to wait to make use of their promising 12th and 15th starting grid positions for the opening bout of the season.

Smiley, returning to the BTCC for the first time since 2021, fought valiantly in the midfield and faced challenges with understeer, but finished 15th to bring home the team’s first point in its maiden race. Sumpton ended his debut race in 17th place.

As conditions improved, Smiley showcased his fantastic wheel-to-wheel skills by engaging in several intense battles during race two, moving up to 14th by the finish. Sumpton was forced into a precautionary retirement due to overheating issues with hs car.

Smiley was making good progress in the final contest until he retired with radiator damage, after picking up debris from another car. Sumpton, overcoming earlier setbacks, demonstrated his growing confidence by finishing in 16th place, narrowly missing out on his first points of the season.

Chris Smiley said: “So guys, first day back and it started off quite well in the rain as we made a bit of progress. Race two we made another bit of progress and was our first proper race in the dry – in the last five or six laps we were as fast as any car on the track really, which is positive.

“Unfortunately race three we were making more progress, but bits were falling off one of the Fords and the parts that fell off went right through my radiator and unfortunately we had to retire the car.

“A bit of a frustrating end to the day but it’s great to be back. We’ve got some things to work on but that’s expected. We’re looking forward to Brands Hatch in a couple of weeks’ time and we’ll see you all there!”

Scott Sumpton said: “So, my first British Touring Car Championship weekend here at Donington Park and what a whirlwind it’s been, there have been a lot of emotions.

“It was really difficult today with the first race being delayed and it was extremely wet in race one. But we learnt a lot which was great. It was a shame in race two, we had a problem with the hybrid coolant so the motor started getting too hot, which was disappointing, but I kept my head held high going into race three.

“We had a really good race three and got to P16. I had some great battles, learnt lots and I’m ready to go into Brands Hatch fighting.”

Ben Taylor, Team Principal said: “A really productive weekend at Donington Park. It’s been a steep learning curve for all of us at the team over the winter and during pre-season, but I’m delighted with how everyone has handled the challenge.

“The weekend itself threw as many scenarios at us as it could and whilst it was a challenge it’s the perfect way to learn in this championship.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the whole team, we’ve come here, been competitive, scored some points and learned so much more about the Cupra Leon, which we will take into Brands Hatch in a couple of weekends time.”

Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing’s pursuit for perfection left them wanting more from the opening rounds of the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at Donington Park this past weekend (27/28 April) despite claiming a hat-trick of Independent race wins.

The Worcestershire-based squad were the class of the Independent runners as the curtain lifted on a brand-new season with Árón Taylor-Smith winning twice, while Mikey Doble also triumphed on his way to scooping the Jack Sears Trophy.

However, such is the desire to contend for outright race wins and podiums, the team were left focused on how they could make further improvements heading into the next few race meetings.

Despite having to contend with changeable weather conditions, both Taylor-Smith and Doble progressed out of Q1 and then came oh-so close to squeezing into the top six, instead having to settle for seventh and tenth on the grid respectively.

Race day saw heavy rain cause lengthy delays in the morning but when the action did get underway, both Taylor-Smith and Doble found themselves in the thick of the action.

Taylor-Smith led the line in the opening encounter as he scrapped with Josh Cook and Dan Cammish on his way to seventh overall while Doble narrowly missed out on the top ten by taking the chequered flag in 12th.

Sunday’s second bout saw both drivers tally another double points finish as the impact of hybrid deployment began to become more of a factor.

Battling fiercely in the midfield, Taylor-Smith headed Doble to claim a second successive Independent victory, with the latter taking a big stride towards clinching overall honours in the Jack Sears Trophy.

After missing out on the reverse grid draw for the final race of the day, the front-wheel-drive duo produced a near carbon-copy performance from race two as they again diced between themselves for coveted points.

Doble would find a way past Taylor-Smith late on to clinch his maiden Independents’ win of the year and with it, victory in the Jack Sears Trophy.

Leaving Donington Park, Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing hold an 11-point lead at the top of the Independent Teams’ Championship while a mere three points is the difference between Taylor-Smith and Doble in the Independent Drivers’ Championship.

Árón Taylor-Smith said: “To kick off the season with a clean sweep of Independent wins is something we as a team can be extremely proud of as it’s a testament to all of the work that has been put in during the winter.

“I’m personally really happy to come away with P7 in qualifying as it outlines our pace over one lap. On race day we fought as hard as we could and importantly uncovered a few little areas that I know we can improve on heading to Brands Hatch in a few weeks’ time.

“This season has kicked off what I think is going to be a really successful 2024 and it’s nice to know that we have a package underneath us that is more than capable of challenging towards the front of the grid.”

Mikey Doble said: “I’m satisfied with how our weekend ended, coming away with the overall Jack Sears Trophy and an Independents’ win in race three. It’s been a solid start with three top ten points finishes and a continuation of qualifying inside the top ten.

“We’ll go over the data from the weekend before we head to Brands Hatch and see how we can close the gap to those at the front. Overall, it’s been a great first weekend of the year!"

For the majority of the final race in the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season-opener at Donington Park last weekend (27-28 April), the car in front was a Toyota – as former FIA World Touring Car Champion Rob Huff played his part in a crowd-pleasing duel on his series return.

Following a brace of productive free practice sessions around the popular Leicestershire circuit – located just down the road from Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK (TMUK) in Burnaston – Huff and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK team-mate Andrew Watson headed into the BTCC’s new knockout-style qualifying shootout for the first time.

In unpredictable and changeable weather, 29-year-old Watson excelled, with the reigning Jack Sears Trophy winner advancing to the ‘Quick Six’ showdown to secure a strong sixth position on the grid for the curtain-raising contest. Huff, however, was less fortunate, as a procedural issue meant he was unable to participate, restricting him to 20th and last place in the high-calibre field in the country’s premier motor racing series.

Grappling with an imperfect set-up in the tricky conditions, Watson ultimately finished tenth in race one, while a feisty Huff charged into the points in 13th, only to then get caught up as collateral damage in a chain reaction collision at the Old Hairpin with three laps remaining that sent him skating through the gravel trap, leaving him a frustrated and unrepresentative 18th.

The Toyota Corolla GR Sport hatchbacks ran in tandem for the mid-part of race two on a now dry track. Ever the canny opportunist, the experienced Huff took advantage of squabbles ahead to pick off some of his rivals, ramping up his pace as the laps ticked down and going on to take the chequered flag ninth. Despite struggling with braking performance, Watson clung on to finish 12th, putting both drivers in contention for the reversed grid pole position for the day’s finale.

With Huff’s number duly drawn out of the bowl, the 44-year-old Cambridgeshire ace promised to get stuck in – and in front of the live ITV television cameras and an appreciative trackside audience, he was every bit as good as his word. After almost inevitably having to give best to the fast-starting rear wheel-drive BMW of Adam Morgan into the first corner, he swiftly set about redressing the balance.

When Morgan locked up and ran wide approaching McLeans on lap six, Huff was through, followed in quick succession by Aiden Moffat in a satellite LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ Corolla, similarly run by Northwich, Cheshire-based Speedworks Motorsport.

The pair proceeded to put on quite the show for the hardy spectators who had braved the earlier rain, trading positions on multiple occasions before the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK man conceded some ground, eventually winding up sixth to move into the top ten in the championship standings. The race was won by Moffat, ensuring a Toyota triumph on the manufacturer’s home soil.

In the sister car, Belfast native Watson made a bright start to climb to ninth but found himself roughed up at Redgate heading onto lap two, dropping him back down to 12th, which is where he would finish. The season continues at Brands Hatch’s short ‘Indy’ circuit on 11-12 May.

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

“First of all, I must congratulate Aiden on a fantastic win in the final race of the weekend, withstanding some pretty intense pressure from two multiple BTCC champions in the shape of Colin Turkington and Ash Sutton to stay ahead. That was a truly sensational drive, and it was wonderful to see two Toyotas at the front of the pack really battling it out at TMUK’s home track.

“For Rob to be in that position in the first place after his bad luck in qualifying and race one is testament to his tenacity and strength of character. He certainly didn’t look like a driver who had been away from the cut-and-thrust of the BTCC for two decades as he properly got his elbows out to fight his way through, holding his own against the cream of the current crop in race three – and he is only just getting started.

“Andrew did a stellar job in qualifying to progress to the ‘Quick Six’, which really underlined both his potential and that of the car, and while he had to deal with some braking and set-up issues on Sunday, he nonetheless kept his cool to bring home three solid points-scoring finishes.

“The end results might not necessarily reflect it, but I have to say, that felt like our strongest start to a season for a few years, which is hugely encouraging – and something to really build upon over the upcoming rounds.”

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

“For the first race weekend of the year, you just want everything to run smoothly and without any complications – whereas it felt like we had pretty much everything thrown at us! Qualifying was clearly frustrating for everybody on my side of the garage, but we simply had to accept it and push on.

“I’ve had to come through many times during my career and make something of it – and we managed to do that again. Everything is new for me this year and ultimately, the racing is the easiest bit because racing is racing. Sunday marked the most I’ve ever driven the Corolla, and we battled hard and improved throughout.

“I’m learning all the time and feeling my way back into the championship. We’re still missing a bit of speed from me and from the car and marrying the two together, but to come away with a ninth and a sixth after starting at the back two times out of three is a big positive.”

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

“I really enjoyed the new (qualifying) format – I thought it was more exciting, and I hope the fans did too. I did a lot of work over the winter mentally and on my breathing, which really helped in that session. The team did a great job and worked perfectly in sync – everybody was really methodical and professional, which obviously made my life easier – and we had the right tyres on at the right time. The Toyota was very nimble and I felt like we maximised what we had in the ‘Quick Six’ shootout, which put us firmly in the mix.

“My focus for race day was on moving forward again, but with the way the weather turned out, Sunday was all about survival and staying calm and collected, especially with it being only the first weekend of the season.

“We didn’t quite get the balance of the car right, but at the end of the day, we scored points in all three races, and we know there’s a lot more to come. There’s plenty of potential in the Corolla and I’m really looking forward to unleashing it.”

SCHEDULE CONFIRMED BY UK’S PREMIER MOTORSPORT CHAMPIONSHIP

No sooner has this year’s Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship got underway, series organisers TOCA has today (30 April) announced the full calendar for the 2025 season.

The schedule has been released in record time thanks to the close co-operation between TOCA, ITV and the venues.

The Donington Park National circuit will again kick off the action in late April, before the BTCC rolls onto Brands Hatch Indy and Snetterton in May.

Thruxton and Oulton Park are next in the order during June, prior to the championship’s well known annual summer break.

The second half of the campaign commences with trips to Croft, Knockhill and Donington Park GP – all taking place in August – before the penultimate event at Silverstone in September.

As has been the case in recent years, the legendary Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit will host the all-important season finale at the beginning of October.

Alan Gow, BTCC Chief Executive, said: “It’s good news for our partners, stakeholders and fans that we can confirm next season’s BTCC calendar earlier than ever before, allowing for important planning to commence for all parties.

“The schedule has become a tried and tested formula in recent years and is universally backed. We are continuously pushing the boundaries on-track with new-for-2024 qualifying, hybrid and tyre regulations, so I am sure our teams will be happy with the continuity and consistency of our calendar.

“Of course, being able to agree our dates so early with our partners at ITV ensures we have locked in the primary slots for our continued all-day-live and free television coverage on ITV4. It also has a positive benefit for the rest of British motorsport, as other organisers can continue planning and scheduling their own events.

“Last year, I said we were unlikely to release our calendar any earlier than mid-May… I was wrong… and we are delighted to be able to announce this schedule earlier than ever before!”

2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship

Rounds	Date	Venue/Circuit
1, 2, 3	26/27 April	Donington Park (National)
4, 5, 6	10/11 May	Brands Hatch (Indy)
7, 8, 9	24/25 May	Snetterton (300)
10, 11, 12	07/08 June	Thruxton
13, 14, 15	21/22 June	Oulton Park (Island)
16, 17, 18	02/03 August	Croft
19, 20, 21	16/17 August	Knockhill
22, 23, 24	30/31 August	Donington Park (GP)
25, 26, 27	20/21 September	Silverstone (National)
28, 29, 30	04/05 October	Brands Hatch (GP)