Handy Motorsport's Rob Austin cruised to the top of the timesheets in free practice one of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at Donington Park.

Austin experienced a mixed opening event at Brands Hatch, which initially kicked off in some style for the Evesham racer. A flying fifth place in the curtain raiser was followed by an unfortunate incident under yellow flag conditions in race two, ulitmately ending in Austin's disqualification and an end to a solid looking weekend.

Undeterred by the setback, however, Austin has again showed the pace of the Handy Toyota Avensis by setting the pace around the 1.98-mile Donington National circuit.

"We thought it would suit this circuit better," he said. "On old tyres and normal running it's a good sign early on. You can't read into it too much because you really don't know what everyone else is doing, but to be at the top with that much ease is very encouraging.

"We were top five pace at Brands Hatch a fortnight ago and we knew Donington Park would suit us better so we're hoping for a good weekend. It's all differnt in qualifying with new boots and you've got to put it all together so we'll see what we can do."

The fellow Toyota of Tom Ingram led the way for much of the 40-minute session, but he was eventually relegated down to fourth following late laps from Jack Goff's Honda and Jake Hill's VW respectively. The Team HARD-run Volkswagens have again shown their credentials after a promising opening weekend at Brands, with Michael Epps coming home sixth in this session.

BMW manufacturer driver Colin Turkington managed to wedge his 125i M Sport amongst the Independents' runners with fifth place, the Northern Irishman continuing his impressive looking return to West Surrey Racing.

A further quartet of young drivers were next in the order with Aiden Moffat (Laser Tools Racing), Chris Smiley (BTC Norlin Racing), Adam Morgan (Ciceley Motorsport) and Ash Sutton making it seven different marques in the top ten.

Such is the strength in depth of young talent in the 2017 BTCC field that the average age of the top ten was just 26.

Free practice two takes place at 12:25 before the all-important qualifying session commences at 15:40, which will be streamed live on www.itv.com/btcc.

2017 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Free Practice 1 – Donington Park

1 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) Handy Motorsport 1m10.113s (101.61mph)
2 Jack GOFF (GBR) Eurotech Racing +0.031s
3 Jake HILL (GBR) TAG Racing +0.124s
4 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +0.162s
5 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.212s
6 Michael EPPS (GBR) Autoaid/RCIB Insurance Racing +0.378s
7 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.460s
8 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +0.463s
9 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Ciceley Motorsport +0.527s
10 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.592s
11 Rob COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +0.671s
12 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.705s
13 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +0.710s
14 Jeff SMITH (GBR) Eurotech Racing +0.729s
15 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat with Duo +0.777s
16 Aron TAYLOR-SMITH (IRL) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +0.837s
17 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +0.840s
18 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +1.048s
19 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmDtuning.com with Cobra Exhausts +1.065s
20 Josh COOK (GBR) Team Parker with Maximum Motorsport +1.166s
21 Daniel LLOYD (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +1.221s
22 Ant WHORTON-EALES (GBR) AmDtuning.com with Cobra Exhausts +1.315s
23 Will BURNS (GBR) Autoaid/RCIB Insurance Racing +1.356s
24 Josh PRICE (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +1.479s
25 Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +1.482s
26 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker with Maximum Motorsport +1.497s
27 Martin DEPPER (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo +1.520s
28 James COLE (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +1.700s
29 Luke DAVENPORT (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo +1.934s
30 Dave NEWSHAM (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +2.582s
31 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +3.698s
32 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed Racing NO TIME

 

Every Toyota Avensis is built at Toyota's UK factory in Burnaston, including Tom Ingram's race-winning Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship Avensis . In this film, the Speedworks Motorsport car returns to the factory line where it was created.

Speedworks Motorsport is eager to build upon its stellar start to the 2017 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at Donington Park this weekend with Tom Ingram primed after a strong showing at Brands Hatch.
 
Currently contesting its seventh campaign BTCC, Speedworks came out of the blocks firing on all cylinders at Brands Hatch Indy, as Tom Ingram replicated his curtain-raising victory from 12 months earlier before adding to that triumph with a hard-fought podium finish in race two.
 
Ingram heads to Donington sitting second in both the overall Drivers’ and Independents’ Trophy standings, with Speedworks third in the Teams’ table and second in the Independent Teams’ classification.
 
With that early success, however, must come success ballast, and 23-year-old Ingram will tackle both qualifying and race one at Donington behind the wheel of a Toyota Avensis weighing in 66kg heavier than usual.
 
Given that the top 28 drivers in the high-calibre 32-car field were blanketed by less than a second in practice at Brands Hatch, any handicap is likely to be magnified.
 
With that in mind, Speedworks Team Principal Christian Dick is keeping his expectations in-check for the early stages of the weekend – albeit remaining hopeful that as the weight comes off, Ingram will be able to give full rein to both his and the Avensis’ potential.
 
“It was obviously fantastic to start the season in such emphatic fashion at Brands Hatch, and to be the fastest in the field in the only race in which everybody is on zero ballast – for the second year running – proves that our trusty Toyota is inherently a very quick car indeed,” Dick said.
 
“We similarly showed that by topping the timesheets in the official pre-season BTCC test at Donington last month, but we are under no illusions that we will be in for a much tougher challenge this weekend – particularly in qualifying and race one.
 
“The BTCC is so ultra-competitive right now, and that level of weight will probably cost a few tenths per lap around Donington – possibly more over a race distance. You only have to look at last year when Gordon Shedden was unable to stay inside the top ten on 66kg, so we’re certainly going to have a fight on our hands. That said, it’s a battle we’re relishing – and with our sights focussed firmly on the bigger picture, hopefully it will be a case of short-term pain for long-term gain.”

Long-standing BTCC partner IHG® Rewards Club launches its Podium Predictor today with the promise of big prizes, bragging rights and the chance to outwit the pundits.

Fans can follow the form book from the first three rounds or make their own forecast to decide who they think will finish first, second and third in each round and who’ll take the fastest lap. Predictions will be pitted up against those made by celebrity pundits, and a prize pool will be up for grabs at the end of every race weekend for those who come closest to the real result.

Anyone who beats the pundits’ score will be entered into a draw to win 50,000 IHG Rewards Club points – enough for a two-night break at a Holiday Inn, framed artwork of all ten BTCC circuits and four tickets to any future race weekend on the BTCC calendar. 

Any fan who correctly predicts every podium result and every fastest lap on a weekend will be in line to win the one million IHG Rewards Club points, which is equal to twenty nights in any InterContinental Hotel & Resorts, or even more nights at all of IHG’s many other great hotel brands located around the world.

COMPETITION: To celebrate Podium Predictor going live, we're teaming up with IHG® Rewards Club to give away four pairs of tickets to BTCC Rounds 4, 5 and 6 this weekend at Donington Park. To enter, head to podiumpredictor.com and make your predictions then let us know who you've gone with in the comments below this post over on Facebook or in response to this post on Twitter.

*Terms and conditions:
1x entry at podiumpredictor.com + comment on Facebook = 1 entry. 1x entry at podiumpredictor.com + reply on Twitter = 1 entry. 1 entry per platform per person. Winners will be picked at random from all the entries. The competition will close 4pm Wednesday 12 April. The winner will be announced shortly afterwards. The winner will have 24 hours from the announcement to come forward – it is the responsibility of entrants to check the winner’s announcement. If this does not happen another winner will be selected. The winner must be available over the Donington Park race weekend, transport to and from the circuit is not included. The prize is non-transferrable.

The dawning of the 2017 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship means the return of Autoglym Tin Top Tuesday, the hugely popular radio show that keeps fans right up to date with all the latest news and gossip from Britain's premier motor racing series.

The show has become one of the most respected and most listened-to dedicated BTCC media outlets around, down to its mix of content and engaging presentation style from the inimitable Alan Hyde. It boasts an impressive roster of top guests including many of the drivers, team owners, industry professionals, and, from time to time, Series Director Alan Gow.

It's a compelling mix and one which has attracted the show many thousands of passionate, deeply knowledgeable listeners, all of which has contributed to its strong standing within the touring car community.

“Autoglym came back within moments and said they'd happily play, and even wanted to do some more bits around the show – some prizes for listeners, some features, all sorts of things," said Alan Hyde, the voice of TTT, and a veritable treasure trove of paddock knowledge.

"They were awesome partners last year; TTT is quirky and fun and Autoglym embraced the quirks and supported us in whatever format evolved.

"The show absolutely wouldn't happen without them, and I couldn't think of a nicer company to deal with, or more fitting to a show made for BTCC fans."

Autoglym's Mark Docherty echoed Alan's enthusiasm: “We've been a fixture of the BTCC landscape for quite some time now, and also supply many of the top teams with their all important car care products.

“This long standing association with the championship explains why we're so happy to sponsor Tin Top Tuesday – easily the best way of staying bang up to date with series.”

Those tuning in for the first time will be happy to learn that listening couldn't be simpler, with the show available through the official website – tintoptuesday.com, or via the Autoglym BTCC Race Day app. The latter compiles the hottest news stories from some of motorsport's most trusted sources, displaying them in a format that is both simple to view and easy to digest.

Use the links below to download the Autoglym BTCC Race Day app: App Store, Google Play 

Schedule:

Episode 01 – Round 1 Brands Hatch – Tuesday 11th April
Episode 02 – Round 2 Donington – Tuesday 18th April
Episode 03 – Round 3 Thruxton – Tuesday 2nd May
Episode 04 – Round 4 Oulton Park – Tuesday 23rd May
Episode 05 – Round 5 Croft – Tuesday 13th June
Episode 06 – Round 6 Snetterton – Tuesday 8th August
Episode 07 – Round 7 Knockhill – Monday 14th August
Episode 08 – Round 8 Rockingham – Tuesday 29th August
Episode 09 – Round 9 Silverstone – Tuesday 26th September
Episode 10 – Round 10 Brands Hatch – Tuesday 3rd October

Donington Park National Circuit hosts the second race meeting of the already spectacular 2017 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship this weekend, 15th/16th April, where Rob Austin has his sights squarely set on a podium bid after a very competitive start to the season one week ago.

Handy Motorsport racer Austin, who bagged a best finish of fifth at the wheel of his Toyota Avensis during the Brands Hatch season-opener at the beginning of the month, heads to Donington feeling confident of more still, especially as the squad was so strong at the Leicestershire circuit pre-season.

The team feels that the fast and flowing 1.96-mile National Circuit is more suited to the strengths of the Toyota than the season-opening venue, considering the competitiveness Handy displayed at Brands Hatch Indy Circuit the mood in the squad is one of unsurprising positivity.

Having earlier raced from eighth to fifth in the opener, Austin was then excluded from the next encounter following an overtaking incident under yellow flag conditions, preventing a similar result and ultimately leading to a back-of-the-grid start for round three. 

Despite that, the Evesham driver again confirmed his pace and that of the Avensis by carving through the order from 32nd position into the top 18. 

“Brands was a strong weekend, so it’s such a shame the thing everyone remembers is the incident in race two”, said Austin, “We were on for three top five finishes which would’ve been a fantastic start to the season for us. Obviously we couldn’t predict what would’ve happened in race three if I hadn’t started at the back but we know we had the pace.

“We showed a lot of promise and proved we’ve got a good package. Having said that, though, it wasn’t a perfect weekend and there are things we learned which should make us stronger still for Donington. All along we’ve looked at Donington as a better track for us than Brands was, so I’m looking forward to it. We need a strong weekend with a lot of points to recover the lost ground.”

During the official pre-season test at Donington, Austin steered the Handy Motorsport entry to the second fastest time overall and while reluctant to use that as a clear guide of potential performance for this coming weekend’s return to the East Midlands, confidence is certainly high.

“I think we can definitely challenge for the top five or six on the grid next weekend, we’ve got no weight [ballast] in the car so that’ll help”, he added, “We have the car to be up there in qualifying, but our race pace is our strength so if we start well up the order we’ve got a great chance of some good results at Donington.”

Team principal Simon Belcher, who himself was back in competitive action this past weekend in the British Jet Sport Championship at Wyboston Lakes in Bedfordshire, says Handy Motorsport is in a very good place as rounds four, five and six of the BTCC approach.

“We’re all really looking forward to Donington and feel we have a great chance of three consistently strong results”, commented Belcher, “While Media Day can never be a true guide of what everyone is doing, our test programme went well and proved we have a strong package at Donington. 

“The track is definitely suited to the car and Rob enjoys the challenge the circuit provides, so we are heading there aiming high. Brands was a good start for us, our competitiveness was clear to see, so the target now is to improve further and take some big points away at the weekend.”

Opening practice at Donington Park will take place at 09.30 on Saturday, with the second session following at 12.25 ahead of qualifying at 15.40 – which will be streamed live online at the www.itv.com/btcc website.

On Easter Sunday, 16th April, round four will start at 11.35, round five will follow at 14.35 and round six will begin at around 17.20 with each contest screened live on ITV4.

Competition in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship is as fierce as ever as the teams and drivers head to Leicestershire's Donington Park next weekend (15-16 April) following an all-action season-opener.

A full 32-car grid lined up at the Brands Hatch curtain-raiser, with 28 of those incredibly separated by less than 0.9 seconds during practice. From the outset, it was truly anybody's game with an unprecedented depth of quality in the field. Discounting the rookie entrants that could not yet have tallied a BTCC win, some 60 per cent of the championship's drivers had previously taken to the top step of the podium, while only two of the teams in the paddock had yet to make the rostrum. This was borne out in the on-track action in Kent last week with three different winners, representing three different marques.

With the evolution of new chassis components for 2017 now in place across the board, a new TOCA power unit, updated tyre specifications and compounds from Dunlop and teams still learning their 2017 machinery, the form book has been thrown out of the window – ensuring fans are once again in for a feast of close-run, unpredictable racing.

All of the action will be broadcast live and free-to-air by the championship's long-standing partner ITV on ITV4, ITV Hub and streamed online at itv.com/btcc. This means that whether you're in the grandstands, on the spectator banks or relaxing in your front room, you won't miss a second of the drama – and, if anything is guaranteed in the BTCC, it is drama.

Decorated manufacturers enjoy successful return
BMW and Vauxhall made their mark on the Brands Hatch weekend, with both taking to the podium on their return to the series. Andrew Jordan completed a dream debut for BMW Pirtek Racing by claiming victory in the closing race of the weekend. The Midlander switched from front-wheel drive Ford machinery to the rear-driven 125i M Sport over the winter and looked at home right away – holding off a late attack from West Surrey Racing stablemate Colin Turkington, as the Bavarian marque notched a one-two finish to lead the overall Manufacturers' standings.

Tom Chilton's own comeback after a six-year absence featured a taste of champagne on the rostrum for Vauxhall. Chilton's team-mate, Senna Proctor, was the best of the fresh faces on his way to the opening weekend's Jack Sears Trophy for highest-placed rookie and the pair's combined efforts were enough to yield Manufacturers' honours in race one for the Luton firm.

Reigning champion Gordon Shedden made his presence felt with a race two victory with a ballast-laden Honda Civic Type R, backed up by a race one runners-up berth – a signal to all that it will likely take something special to dethrone him. He's currently the man to chase atop the Drivers' championship and Halfords Yuasa Racing are leading the Teams' table.

“The championship lead obviously comes with its own challenge in the form of a 75kg handicap going into qualifying," said Shedden. "It is clear that the advantage is going to ebb-and-flow throughout the season – and as I’ve always said, I’ll take points in the bag every day of the week and then deal with the rest of it later.

"The goal is to leave still leading the championship – although quite how I do that, I haven’t figured out yet!”

Tom Ingram follows just behind the Scot in the running at this very early stage, starting as he did last season – with a win to open his account. A race two podium bolstered his credentials and he will be encouraged by his pace in the official pre-season test at Donington Park, where he topped the timesheets.

Ciceley Motorsport’s Adam Morgan made an excellent start to his campaign with a trio of top five finishes and an Independents’ win at Brands Hatch. The Mac Tools-sponsored Mercedes-Benz A-Class showed its promise early on and Morgan made good on that potential, ensuring he and his outfit topped the Independents' charts after a string of strong results.

Twenty up
The most successful driver in the BTCC in terms of race wins is Adrian Flux Subaru Racing's Jason Plato. He made his debut in the championship at Donington Park some 20 years ago, and since then, the legendary racer has tallied an unprecedented 95 victories – 35 more than the next driver on what is an esteemed roster of touring car greats, Andy Rouse.

Another experienced head, in Matt Neal, will travel to Donington chasing Rouse's total, with the Halfords Yuasa Racing man just one victory shy as it stands. Neal will arrive in Leicestershire the more optimistic of the pair after a strong weekend for the works Hondas last time out. He also scored a victory in the final race at the corresponding event last year. Plato, on the other hand, endured a tough start to 2017 with race two contact putting paid to his hopes at Brands. 

Home advantage
Neal, from Stourbridge, counts Donington Park as his home circuit and it's a venue that holds very happy memories for him. In 1999, his maiden BTCC victory also made him the first Independent driver in the modern era to win a BTCC race outright – receiving a £250,000 cheque from Series Director Alan Gow. In his 27th campaign in the series, the 50-year-old remains on top of his game and he will undoubtedly be one to watch in Leicestershire.

"It’s always great to race at my local track and I have a lot of special memories there, going right back to my very first BTCC win in 1999," said Neal. "They’ve resurfaced some of the circuit this year and it will be the first time we will have run on the harder-compound Dunlop tyres in 2017, so that will be a new challenge."
 
Fellow champion Andrew Jordan (Lichfield) will similarly view the venue as his backyard, and he comes into the weekend off the back of a storming win last time out – besting rear-wheel drive specialist and WSR team-mate Colin Turkington on his first weekend giving rear-driven machinery the full beans.
 
Longbridge-based marque MG will also consider Donington as home soil. New pairing Aron Taylor-Smith and Dan Lloyd had a mixed weekend at Brands Hatch and will be looking for better next time out.
 
Eurotech Racing is a Midlands-based outfit, fielding a pair of potent Honda Civic Type Rs with Coventry's Jeff Smith and Jack Goff at the helm. The former scored a standout pole position – his first in the BTCC – at the season-opener and the duo will hope to build on the pace they showed in Kent.

Team Parker with Maximum Motorsport also hails from the area, as does its two-time race-winning driver Stephen Jelley.

Kings Norton's Martin Depper and Lichfield's Ant Whorton-Eales are similarly locals – driving Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo's Ford Focus and Amdtuning.com with Cobra Exhaust's Audi S3 Saloon respectively.
 
Timetable and tickets 
The second race day of the 2017 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship takes place on Sunday 16 April, with all three BTCC encounters – and many of the day’s other races – broadcast live and in high-definition on ITV4. Those in attendance at the circuit can stay in touch with the commentary and live timing from every session, available at btcc.net/live throughout the weekend.
 
In addition to the BTCC, the support series on the TOCA package are set to bring even more action to Donington Park. Sportscar racing fans will get their fix with races from the Porsche Carrera Cup GB, Michelin Ginetta GT4 SuperCup and Simpson Race Products Ginetta Junior Championship. The Renault UK Clio Cup – often seen as a stepping-stone to reaching the BTCC – will also feature on the huge bill of British racing, as will the F4 British Championship, the single-seater launchpad for the next generation of aspiring Formula One world champions.
 
Tickets for the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship’s annual visit to Donington Park on 15/16 April are available in advance from just £12, with free entry for children aged 13 and under. For more information, visit www.donington-park.co.uk. All admission includes access to Sunday morning’s Pit Lane Walkabout and autograph session with the BTCC's stars (limited spaces) and the racing paddocks, as well as free parking and giant TV screens on Sunday. Racing starts at 09:25 on Sunday with the final BTCC showdown scheduled for 17:22. 

Colin Turkington tops the Dunlop #ForeverForward standings after an action-packed season-opening Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship weekend at Brands Hatch Indy.

#ForeverForward rewards drivers who show their determination to fight back from adversity to gain the most places over the course of the season. Turkington picked up a staggering 29 places with his back-of-the-pack to top ten fightback in race two mirrored by Neal's equally impressive efforts in the same encounter – netting the latter a 26 place gain. Rob Austin, meanwhile made up 18 spots on his battle back in race three.

Fans across Dunlop’s social media pages had the opportunity to vote for their pick of the passes, with Jack Goff’s double manoeuvre on Rob Austin and Jeff Smith in race one, and Collard’s overtake on Ingram in race two tied as fans' choice.

Tony Ward, Brand Manager for Dunlop, said: “We decided to open up a vote across Dunlop's social media to see what the fans thought was the weekend's best pass. As ever, there were some fantastic edge-of-the-seat moments to choose from.

“It was clear that Turkington and Neal would be at the forefront thanks to their recoveries in race two. Colin's drive to an eventual second in the final race of the day, even challenging for the win, jumping 29 places across the second and third races was something to behold. Matt was close behind, managing fourth in the final race, and we saw 2016’s #ForeverForward runner-up Rob Austin also prove his eye for a move. He completed a strong recovery drive in the final race, jumping 14 positions and 18 in total for the weekend.

“We love the interactivity with our fans on our social channels and voting to decide the best overtake of the weekend really creates a debate along with some passionate, opinionated comment – which is great to see.

"We are very much looking forward to the next round at Donington Park to see how the results of the #ForeverForward award will evolve.”

#ForeverForward Standings: 

DRIVER	Total Places Gained at Brands Hatch
Colin Turkington	29
Matt Neal	26
Rob Austin	18
Dave Newsham	17
Jake Hill	17
Martin Depper	17
Chris Smiley	16
Rob Collard	14
Ollie Jackson	14
Josh Cook	13
Jeff Smith	12
Ash Sutton	11
Dan Lloyd	10
Mat Jackson	8
Aron Taylor-Smith	8
Luke Davenport	8
Ant Whorton Eales	7
Josh Price	7
Jack Goff	7
Will Burns	7
Andrew Jordan	7
Jason Plato	6
Michael Epps	5
Aiden Moffat	5
James Cole	5
Tom Chilton	3
Senna Proctor	3
Adam Morgan	3
Gordon Shedden	3
Stephen Jelley	1
Tom Ingram	1
Matt Simpson	0

 

Power Maxed Racing's Vauxhall Astra made an impressive competitive debut in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, with Tom Chilton taking to the rostrum and Senna Proctor clinching the Jack Sears Trophy, while the team itself was awarded Manufacturers' honours.

After a tricky qualifying session around Brands Hatch Indy for all concerned, given a smattering of stoppages and on-off rainfall, Chilton and Proctor would line up 12th and 16th for the opener.

Round one yielded a top ten finish for the more senior of the outfit's driver pairing, and Proctor's maiden outing saw him net 17th and Jack Sears honours as the best-placed rookie. It was Vauxhall and PMR's return to silverware, gaining Manufacturers' honours for race one.

Both drivers worked their way up through the field in the second bout of the day and straight into the thick of the action. Proctor's choice of the Option tyre proved prudent as he gained ground early on and a timely Safety Car further bolstered Proctor's selection, allowing the softer rubber brief respite.

Chilton wasted no time in passing Jack Goff's Honda moments after the restart and the pair both continued to charge hard until the final tour – ninth and 13th their eventual finishing berths and another JST went the way of Proctor.

A favourable reverse grid draw saw Chilton on pole position for the final race of the day. The fast-starting rear-wheel drive BMW of Andrew Jordan beat him to the first corner, though, and he would stay second as long as lap eighteen before Colin Turkington in the sister BMW found a way to break Chilton's defences – not that the end result would in any way prove to be a disappointment to the BTCC returnee, who proclaimed the podium finish felt 'as good as a win,' all things considered.

Proctor rounded things off by bringing the car home once again, this time 19th – enough to clinch overall JST honours on a debut weekend to remember.

"It was a good start to my first BTCC race. The car felt good and went well, plus we landed top rookie and top manufacturer, " said Proctor. 

"I got a good start on the restart in race two and held my position as the soft tyres came in. The car felt excellent, and the Safety Car halfway through gave the tyres time to cool. To get points in my second race was a great feeling.

"The final race was a bit of a hectic one! I just focused on finishing and bringing home the Jack Sears Trophy. I received an almighty whack from behind that flat spotted my tyres, compromising my pace but I achieved my goal of finishing all three races and getting my first trophy."

Tom Chilton said: "I'm happy with the car, and I'll take a top ten for the first outing. I'll make no outlandish claims but watch this space."

"I got a poor start in relation to the rear-wheel drives but I got a better restart after the red flag. The car felt awesome as we'd set it up for a strong second half of the race. We got the balance just right as the fronts went off; we finished with a great little car.

"I got a good start in race three but the BMW's starts are renowned, and (Andrew) Jordan beat me to the first corner. I pressured for the first four laps but wanted to look after the Option tyres as well as get away from the pack behind. All was going to plan until (Colin) Turkington caught me on lap 18, I wanted to finish with a podium for the guys at PMR, so I let him past and hung on to his tail to finish third. A great race for the team at PMR and it's awesome to be back on the podium with Vauxhall again in the BTCC."

Adam Weaver, PMR Team Principal, commented: "I am thrilled with this weekend, the team have worked so hard over the winter and for them to be rewarded with a great bunch of results is fantastic. Tom drove brilliantly, we know he is a class act, and he showed his pace and maturity today, and Senna is one to watch. We have a proud tradition of spotting young talent, and Senna has not disappointed, we are thrilled to have two strong drivers in our brand new Vauxhall Astras."

Eurotech Racing made an encouraging start to the 2017 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at Brands Hatch Indy last weekend, with the maiden pole position of the year going the way of Jeff Smith and a trio of strong points finishes collected by new boy Jack Goff.

A strong pre-season programme was cause for confidence at the Midlands outfit and practice at Brands evidenced that the pace is there in the Honda Civic Type R with Goff third fastest by Free Practice 2's end and Smith seventh.

With red flags and changeable conditions thrown into the mix for the opening qualifying session of the season, the pressure was on to find a clear run and to set a 'banker' time.

Smith was the man that timed it best – combining a tidy lap with a tow from Matt Neal's Halfords Yuasa Racing Honda to pocket pole.

Goff went well on the way to seventh given the circumstances but both he and the team felt the pace was there to go better still.

In Sunday's opening round, pole-sitter Smith started well, though lost out to the fast-starting Speedworks Motorsport Toyota of Tom Ingram. With an eye on preserving the 'Option' Dunlop rubber, the Eurotech man was caught by the hard-charging pair of Gordon Shedden and Adam Morgan. Smith then held his own in fourth, defending valiantly until a mechanical issue saw him shuffled down the pack and forced into the pit-lane and retirement. Goff, meanwhile, drove an effective race – finishing an encouraging fourth, yielding a good haul of points on his debut.

Contact on race two's initial start looked to have spun Goff out of the running from what was a strong starting berth. Fortunately, a restart enabled him to go again from fourth on the grid. Suspension damage sustained in that earlier contact, however, saw the Honda shuffled back to 12th by race's end. A brilliant drive from team-mate Smith saw him climb from the back of the pack to the cusp of the points-paying positions and 16th.

Goff solidified a weekend of positivity on the way to a battling eighth in race three. Smith survived a coming-together with Ash Sutton to work back to finish in 17th. 

Eurotech Manager Marvin Humphries said: "What a fantastic promising start to the season, to get the first pole was a massive boost to the team. We are happy that the pace is there, Jack and Jeff have shown they are confident and capable of putting the cars at the sharp end and looking like a formidable combination. This is the start of a great season."