Tom Ingram claimed victory in the opening Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship encounter at Silverstone after MG's Ash Sutton and Josh Cook were disqualified for a technical infringement post-race.

Both MG Racing RCIB Insurance drivers had to fightback from minor setbacks off the line with Sutton losing P1 to Ingram and Cook being demoted down to fourth by Andrew Jordan's Pirtek Racing Ford Focus.

Adam Morgan's Mercedes and Rob Austin's Toyota traded places during the early running too, as battles kicked off all the way down the order. This was highlighted particularly by three championship contenders fighting for positions outside of the points with Sam Tordoff, Rob Collard and Mat Jackson swapping paint for much of the contest.

Cook and Jordan touched through the complex on lap four and the MG6 was back through into third, and he immediately set about hauling his machine to the front-running duo.

Sutton was by Ingram for the lead at the start of lap eight and Cook was soon joining them in the scrap. Cook got into Ingram's Speedworks Toyota at Maggott's four tours later and despite a valiant defence it was the MG pairing that assumed control for the remainder of the race.

Post-race, however, both MG6s were disqualified for a technical infringement due to their the rear wings being outside of the allowed tolerance. This hands victory to Ingram, whilst both Sutton and Cook will now start the second race from the back of the grid. MG Racing RCIB Insurance have appealed the decision relating to Cook's car, but this will be heard after the conclusion of the event.

"We worked hard for this one," said Sutton prior to the disqualification. "To top race one I’m absolutely over the moon. Tom (Ingram) got a great start and broke out a bit of a gap. ‘I’ll settle for the minute,’ I thought. Then I saw an opportunity, a car width gap beside Tom, big enough for my MG. There was a little bit of contact but nothing unfair. Down to turn one we were side by side but I came out on top. We’ve got to continue the momentum."

"We had it under control but I knew the MG boys would be coming for us," claimed Ingram. "I wasn’t quite able to hold off the attack. The move was there for Ash (Sutton). It was a strong move and he saw the opportunity and took it. It was robust by Josh (Cook) too. He’ll see it his way and I’ll see it mine. We’ll both disagree on it. I’ve probably got a really mardy face on but I am really pleased with being back on our pace and back at the sharp end. I’m over the moon really."

Jordan held on to a lonely fourth ahead of Austin and Morgan, who had both enjoyed an eye catching battle throughout the 22 laps of racing. Due to the aforementioned MG decision this later became second, third and fourth in the final classification.

Jake Hill fended off the attentions from a gaggle of contenders, including Honda's multiple champions in Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden. Incredibly both Honda Civic Type Rs suffered punctures late on – Neal's following contact with Aiden Moffat's Mercedes – and Hill was eventually able to secure fifth for the Team HARD-run squad.

BKR's Aron Smith claimed sixth ahead of two stellar drivers from a couple of BTCC's big guns. Rob Collard took seventh after scything his way BMW 125i M Sport through from 25th on the grid, whilst Colin Turkington blazed a trail from the rear of the field to grab eighth for Silverline Subaru BMR Racing.

Championship leader Sam Tordoff scored a few points to maintain his championship lead from Neal and Shedden respectively.

2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 25 – Silverstone:

1 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport 21m49.891s (99.18 mph)
2 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) Motorbase Performance +3.478s
3 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) Handy Motorsport +7.464s
4 Adam MORGAN (GBR) WIX Racing +10.121s
5 Jake HILL (GBR) RCIB Insurance Racing +16.570s
6 Aron SMITH (IRL) BKR +18.131s
7 Robert COLLARD (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +18.307s
8 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +18.431s
9 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +18.554s
10 Jason PLATO (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +18.785s
11 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +19.928s
12 Jack GOFF (GBR) Team IHG Rewards Club +20.135s
13 Hunter ABBOTT (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +20.139s
14 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD Tuning.com +22.960s
15 Jeff SMITH (GBR) Eurotech Racing +23.520s
16 Mark HOWARD (GBR) BKR +29.944s
17 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance +31.346s
18 Michael EPPS (GBR) RCIB Insurance Racing +39.350s
19 Stewart LINES (GBR) Maximum Motorsport +52.021s
20 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +56.575s
21 Dan WELCH (GBR) Goodestone Racing +1 lap
22 Kelvin FLETCHER (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +1 lap
23 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +1 lap
DNF Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +1 lap
DNF Warren SCOTT (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +2 laps
DNF James COLE (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +2 laps
DNF Martin DEPPER (GBR) Eurotech Racing +3 laps
NC Tony GILHAM (GBR) TLC/RCIB Insurance Racing +8 laps
NC Alex MARTIN (GBR) Dextra Racing +17 laps
EX Ash SUTTON (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance
EX Josh COOK (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance

MG Racing RCIB Insurance driver Ashley Sutton secured the second pole position of his Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship career with a stunning lap at Silverstone.

The top 22 cars were separated by less than a second in an extremely tight and tense qualifying session, which saw a number of the title contenders struggling to find ultimate performance.

Sutton's MG6 set the pace from the outset with the impressive young charger clocking his best time on only his fourth tour, with team-mate Josh Cook initially proving to be his closest challenger.

Tom Ingram was busy chasing his pole position hat-trick this season and the Speedworks Motorsport driver blasted his Toyota Avensis across the line mid-session, just 0.003s shy of Sutton's benchmark.

A late stoppage due to an off track excursion for Mark Howard's VW looked to have set up a five minute showdown, but track conditions were not at their optimum following the restart and no improvements were made at the top of the order.

Andrew Jordan's Pirtek Racing Ford was fourth ahead of Adam Morgan's WIX Racing Mercedes, with the latter having been in the top five during every session on the day. Jordan's Motorbase Performance stablemate Mat Jackson could only manage 21st on the grid.

Rob Austin backed up his practice pace with another stellar effort in qualifying, bringing his Handy Motorsport Toyota home in sixth place.

Halfords Yuasa Racing's Matt Neal was the first of the main championship contenders in the order, as he hauled his ballast-laden Honda Civic Type R to seventh on the grid ahead of Power Maxed Racing's Hunter Abbott. BKR's Aron Smith and Honda's Gordon Shedden completed the top ten.

A further quartet of top guns struggled during qualifying around the 1.64-mile national layout with the Silverline Subaru BMR Racing duo of Colin Turkington and Jason Plato down in 15th and 16th.

Team JCT600 with GardX endured a tough session with championship leader Sam Tordoff clocking the 17th fastest time while Rob Collard will start tomorrow's opener from 25th. A coming together in qualifying summed up the pair's Saturday with Tordoff being verbally warned for the incident.

Ashley Sutton said: "We came here with no expectations and we got pole! My first pole at the start of the year was fantastic but it came by surprise in the conditions. I suppose I have more pressure on me now and we really had to work for it. To have Josh (Cook) up there is great. A front row lockout would have been better but it's good to have him there and hopefully we can link arms and work together. Our rivals went back out but most of them got caught in traffic after the red flag. We had another run in our pockets if we needed to go and do it. I’m feeling good for tomorrow and i'm optimistic we can do well in all conditions."

Tom Ingram said: "That was super close. We believe that the 0.003s time difference is 13 centimetres on track. Rockingham wasn't quite up to our standards so after some positive changes it looks like we're back to where we were at the start of the year. I will try my best and there's absolutely no reason why we can't turn that into good results tomorrow. Qualifying is one thing though and racing is another, so we need to make sure we have a good Sunday."

Josh Cook said: "I think I left a little bit on the table there. A few times I was up on my best but there was a lot of traffic in that five minute dash that cost us. Nobody was going to get out of the way for each other while they were battling to better their times. We had good race pace in practice and I am disappointed to miss out on the front row but I'll take it and we'll see what we can do tomorrow."

2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Qualifying – Silverstone:

1 Ash SUTTON (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance 58.321s (101.26 mph)
2 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +0.003s
3 Josh COOK (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +0.146s
4 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) Motorbase Performance +0.160s
5 Adam MORGAN (GBR) WIX Racing +0.216s
6 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) Handy Motorsport +0.277s
7 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.350s
8 Hunter ABBOTT (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +0.388s
9 Aron SMITH (IRL) BKR +0.403s
10 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.459s
11 Jake HILL (GBR) RCIB Insurance Racing +0.536s
12 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.555s
13 Warren SCOTT (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +0.562s
14 Martin DEPPER (GBR) Eurotech Racing +0.639s
15 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +0.676s
16 Jason PLATO (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +0.686s
17 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +0.693s
18 Jack GOFF (GBR) Team IHG Rewards Club +0.719s
19 Jeff SMITH (GBR) Eurotech Racing +0.734s
20 Kelvin FLETCHER (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +0.759s
21 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance +0.828s
22 Dan WELCH (GBR) Goodestone Racing +0.915s
23 James COLE (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +1.018s
24 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD Tuning.com +1.047s
25 Robert COLLARD (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +1.059s
26 Stewart LINES (GBR) Maximum Motorsport +1.107s
27 Tony GILHAM (GBR) TLC/RCIB Insurance Racing +1.209s
28 Mark HOWARD (GBR) BKR +1.396s
29 Alex MARTIN (GBR) Dextra Racing +1.593s
30 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +2.294s
31 Michael EPPS (GBR) RCIB Insurance Racing +12.655s

Penalties

General: 
Matt Simpson was officially reprimanded and received two penalty points for an incident involving Michael Epps in race three at Rockingham. As this was his sixth offence he will start race one at Silverstone from the back of the grid.

Sam Tordoff received a verbal warning for an incident involving Rob Collard in Saturday's qualifying session.

Ashley Sutton hit the top in the closing moments of the second Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship free practice session at Silverstone, as the MG Racing RCIB Insurance driver pipped Tom Ingram by just 0.071s.

Sutton went on a late run of laps, which initially saw him fall slightly shy of Adam Morgan's benchmark, but the young MG6 racer continued on a further tour to set the fastest time of the day so far.

"It matters in qualifying later today of course but it's a good sign," said Sutton. "I would say we're in the right operating window but we still haven't quite found the sweet spot yet. The car feels good so we'll be happy to be somewhere in the top five on the grid."

Ingram also left it late as he relegated FP1 pace-setter Adam Morgan down to third. It remained a positive session for WIX Racing's Morgan, however, as he backed up his pace in the earlier damp conditions with another strong showing in the dry.

BKR's Aron Smith is on the crest of a wave having won last time out at Rockingham and the Irishman looks strong at Silverstone too, as he blasted his VW to fourth in the order.

Former team-mates Rob Austin and Hunter Abbott were fifth and sixth respectively with the Handy Motorsport Toyota getting the better of the Power Maxed Chevrolet, although both drivers will be buoyed by their performances ahead of qualifying.

Pirtek Racing's Andrew Jordan was the highest placed Ford in seventh while his Motorbase stablemate Mat Jackson could only manage 25th.

Josh Cook made it two MGs in the top eight, which bodes well for the Triple Eight-run squad. Jake Hill and Martin Depper impressively completed the top ten order as a number of championship challengers again struggled to find the ultimate pace.

Series leader Sam Tordoff was 12th behind Subaru's Colin Turkington, while the Honda duo of Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden had to settle for 16th and 19th. Rob Collard and Jason Plato were even further down the order in 21st and 22nd respectively.

The all important qualifying session for the penultimate event of the 2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship takes place at 15:45 and will be streamed live via www.itv.com/btcc.

2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Free Practice 2 – Silverstone:

1 Ash SUTTON (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance 58.589s (100.79 mph)
2 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +0.071s
3 Adam MORGAN (GBR) WIX Racing +0.136s
4 Aron SMITH (IRL) BKR +0.296s
5 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) Handy Motorsport +0.319s
6 Hunter ABBOTT (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +0.366s
7 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) Motorbase Performance +0.379s
8 Josh COOK (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +0.424s
9 Jake HILL (GBR) RCIB Insurance Racing +0.460s
10 Martin DEPPER (GBR) Eurotech Racing +0.462s
11 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +0.466s
12 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +0.529s
13 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD Tuning.com +0.558s
14 Jeff SMITH (GBR) Eurotech Racing +0.588s
15 Jack GOFF (GBR) Team IHG Rewards Club +0.591s
16 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.686s
17 Kelvin FLETCHER (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +0.708s
18 James COLE (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +0.712s
19 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.737s
20 Tony GILHAM (GBR) TLC/RCIB Insurance Racing +0.808s
21 Robert COLLARD (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +0.922s
22 Jason PLATO (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +0.933s
23 Dan WELCH (GBR) Goodestone Racing +1.027s
24 Warren SCOTT (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +1.040s
25 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance +1.048s
26 Stewart LINES (GBR) Maximum Motorsport +1.056s
27 Mark HOWARD (GBR) BKR +1.177s
28 Michael EPPS (GBR) RCIB Insurance Racing +1.531s
29 Alex MARTIN (GBR) Dextra Racing +1.641s
30 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +1.806s

Ollie Jackson (P2), Stewart Lines (P7), and Matt Simpson (P4) spoke to btcc.net following a free practice session that was hit by changeable conditions.

 

Adam Morgan topped the times in the opening free practice session at Silverstone although damp conditions prevented many of the top runners from completing a representative lap.

The weekend's action kicked off with drizzle in the air but it quickly turned into a light shower with only a number of drivers having set a time in the best of the conditions.

WIX Racing's Morgan clocked his lap in the opening minutes and he was quickly followed by a trio of unlikely contenders. Ollie Jackson, Matt Simpson and Stewart Lines all enjoyed impressive runs, ending the session in second, fourth and seventh respectively.

Championship challenger Mat Jackson was third on the timesheets with many expecting the Motorbase Ford Focus to go well around the 1.64-mile National circuit. Jackson has won at Silverstone in three of the last four seasons and a similar success this weekend could cement his title credentials.

Young guns Jake Hill and Tom Ingram wedged their Toyotas between the times of Simpson and Lines, whilst Ashley Sutton MG6 came home in eighth place.

The experienced duo of Rob Austin and Matt Neal completed the top ten order, although with more than ten seconds separating the field it's clear that times should improve significantly later today.

Dry but cloudy conditions are expected for free practice two and qualifying with the sessions commencing at 12:45 and 15:45 respectively. You can keep up to date with all the action via our LIVE ZONE, while qualifying will also be streamed live via www.itv.com/btcc.

2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Free Practice 1 – Silverstone:

1 Adam MORGAN (GBR) WIX Racing 1m03.540s (92.94 mph)
2 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD Tuning.com +0.822s
3 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance +1.365s
4 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +1.563s
5 Jake HILL (GBR) RCIB Insurance Racing +1.572s
6 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +1.812s
7 Stewart LINES (GBR) Maximum Motorsport +1.921s
8 Ash SUTTON (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +2.175s
9 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) Handy Motorsport +2.406s
10 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +2.555s
11 Josh COOK (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +2.564s
12 Hunter ABBOTT (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +2.653s
13 Warren SCOTT (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +2.744s
14 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +2.874s
15 Aron SMITH (IRL) BKR +2.903s
16 Michael EPPS (GBR) RCIB Insurance Racing +2.920s
17 Dan WELCH (GBR) Goodestone Racing +2.923s
18 Martin DEPPER (GBR) Eurotech Racing +2.928s
19 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +2.968s
20 Jack GOFF (GBR) Team IHG Rewards Club +2.996s
21 Robert COLLARD (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +3.007s
22 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +3.010s
23 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +3.039s
24 James COLE (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +3.314s
25 Jeff SMITH (GBR) Eurotech Racing +3.512s
26 Mark HOWARD (GBR) BKR +3.666s
27 Kelvin FLETCHER (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +3.940s
28 Tony GILHAM (GBR) TLC/RCIB Insurance Racing +4.462s
29 Alex MARTIN (GBR) Dextra Racing +4.708s
30 Jason PLATO (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +7.208s
31 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) Motorbase Performance +10.156s

There is always a hive of activity in the BTCC paddock on a Friday before a race weekend, and Silverstone was certainly no different.

The tension is building ahead of the closing two events of the season, so we caught up with two drivers who have had a very busy few weeks but for differing reasons!

Kelvin Fletcher returns to the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship this weekend following the birth of his baby daughter. Kelvin talks fatherhood and his racing career, as well as his short and long terms goals in the series.

Championship leader Sam Tordoff has other things on his mind of course and that is a maiden BTCC title! The WSR man speaks about his season so far and the upcoming climax to this unforgettable season.

Click the links below to listen to the interviews with Kelvin and Sam...

Pre-race meeting preparations might traditionally take the form of shakedowns, simulator work and hitting the gym, but Rob Austin and Dan Welch adopted a different approach ahead of Silverstone this weekend (17/18 September) – jumping out of a plane at 13,000 feet.

When the opportunity arose to participate in a tandem charity skydive in aid of Dunlop’s official charity Macmillan Cancer Support, neither driver needed very much persuading – in fact, Austin was ready to ‘take one for the team’ by jumping multiple times if no other willing volunteer could be found.

Welch, however, was every bit as eager to put himself forward, meaning the intrepid duo headed for Hinton Skydiving Centre just down the road from Silverstone for a different kind of high-octane thrill than what they are used to.

After successfully circumnavigating a minor weighbridge malfunction for Welch, the pair listened intently during the obligatory safety briefing and chatted animatedly on the way to the plane. The playful banter continued as they soared high into the skies, with each vowing to ‘race’ the other to the ground, and to their credit, neither bottled it when the time came to take the plunge, as it were – although Austin’s landing was somewhat suspect, to say the least.

Once they were back on terra firma, the two partners in crime continued to rib each other as they waxed lyrical about the experience, before heading off for their more traditional pre-race weekend ritual – a well-earned pint.

“It might have been my fourth skydive, but I never get bored of the sensation!” enthused Austin. “The feeling you get in your stomach as you’re about to leave the plane is indescribable – and I can only apologise to Dunlop for completely missing their branded landing strip when I came down. I promise to try harder next time...”

“Wow, what a blast!” echoed skydiving virgin Welch, whose only ‘practice’ run had been indoors in Basingstoke. “Rob might have more experience at this kind of thing than me, but I definitely managed the more stylish landing so it’s probably fair to say I’m already a natural. He’s already suggesting a re-match so I think he knows he was beaten...”

The pair’s aim is to raise £3,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support, the official charity partner of BTCC title sponsor Dunlop. They are halfway towards their stated total already, and you can still contribute to the cause by donating at:

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/BTCCSkydive

Macmillan offers information, practical advice and support to those diagnosed with cancer and their loved ones before, during and beyond the treatment phase. There are some 2.5 million people in the UK currently living with cancer, and that figure is set to rise to an alarming four million by 2030, making the work that Macmillan Cancer Support does absolutely essential.

Handy Motorsport ace Austin and Goodestone Racing star Welch will be back on-track at Silverstone this weekend for the penultimate Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship outing of 2016.

Motorbase Performance today unveiled a stunning new livery design for Mat Jackson’s #7 Ford Focus ST at Silverstone ahead of the penultimate event of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

Debuting a new partnership with Global printer manufacturer OKI for the final two meetings of the 2016 season at Silverstone and Brands Hatch, the eye-catching new design and sponsorship of the team forms the focal point of the company’s up-coming ‘Print My Ride’ competition.

A first-ever for the BTCC grid; the striking custom-made wrap was printed on the new OKI ColorPainter wide-format printer and covers the entire Motorbase Focus ST. With its extensive range of printers – from office printers to wide-format and graphics devices, OKI currently serves many automotive organisations, delivering the speed and performance the industry demands – all while retaining a hyper-fast, high-resolution finish.

“It’s fantastic to have OKI come on board with the team at this point in our campaign;” commented Motorbase Performance Team Principal David Bartrum. “To have that kind of radical change to Mat’s Ford Focus with such a vibrant and unique design for the last two crucial rounds of the 2016 season at Silverstone and Brands Hatch tops things off nicely.

“We’re very proud to be the first team on the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship grid to carry the OKI brand and to demonstrate the new wide-format print wrap in action for the season’s climax and we look forward to a successful partnership off- and on-track.”

Following the BTCC season finale at Brands Hatch on October 1-2, Jackson’s Focus is set to get pulses racing at The Print Show (www.theprintshow.co.uk) on October 11 where it will be used as a launch-pad for OKI’s inaugural ‘Print My Ride’ competition. The printer manufacturer is offering budding artists and experienced creatives alike the opportunity to design a car wrap fit for the racetrack via a dedicated website: www.okiprintmyride.com.

Entries from five categories will be judged by an expert panel with an additional ‘wild card’ class being awarded to the design that receives the most ‘votes’ on social media. The incredible prize package that awaits the winners includes VIP trips to the 2017 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, behind the scenes weekends with the Motorbase Performance team and signed team merchandise; along with a 1:18 scale-model Ford Focus ST wrapped in the winners own design. The overall winner will also walk away with a 50% discount voucher to spend on an OKI hardware product of their choice.

OKI’s initiation into the BTCC comes as Motorbase Performance looks to capitalise on its 2016 success at the top of the Independent Teams and Drivers Championship and further close the gap to the overall leaders at Silverstone this coming weekend (September 17-18). Rounds 25, 26 and 27 will take place on Sunday with live coverage on ITV4, itv.com/btcc and the ITV Hub from 11:00 – 18:30. Saturday’s qualifying session will also be available online via live streaming at itv.com/btcc from 15:45 – 16:15.

 

Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship fans’ favourites Rob Austin and Dan Welch will be taking to the skies for charity this week to raise vital funds for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Originally scheduled to take place ahead of the Croft race meeting back in mid-summer – only for the jump to be cancelled due to adverse weather – the BTCC Charity Skydive has been rescheduled and will now be held this Thursday (15 September) as an amuse-bouche before the action resumes at Silverstone this weekend (17/18 September).

Between them, Austin and Welch count almost 300 BTCC race starts and have firmly established themselves as two of the paddock’s most popular characters. Well accustomed to white-knuckle rides in the cut-and-thrust of the UK’s premier motor sport series, the fearless twosome will give full rein to their inner adrenaline junkies in an altogether different way as they jump out of an aeroplane over Hinton-in-the-Hedges Airfield.

“I can’t wait!” enthused Handy Motorsport star Austin. “I was so disappointed when the original skydive was cancelled. I was ready to jump come rain, shine or gale-force winds, so I’m delighted that an alternative has been found. Hopefully all of the championship’s supporters will dig deep and we can raise many pennies for such a deserving cause.”

“When the opportunity arose to take part in the skydive, I didn’t need asking twice,” echoed Goodestone Racing ace Welch. “I’ve always been into high-octane adventures – and they don’t get much more thrilling than leaping out of a plane at 13,000 feet! Let’s see if we can really raise the roof for Macmillan Cancer Support!”

Their aim is to raise £3,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support, the official charity partner of BTCC title sponsor Dunlop. Macmillan offers information, practical advice and support to those diagnosed with cancer and their loved ones before, during and beyond the treatment phase.

There are some 2.5 million people in the UK currently living with cancer, and that figure is set to rise to an alarming four million by 2030, making the work that Macmillan Cancer Support does absolutely essential.

If you’d like to support Rob and Dan in their high-flying fundraising drive, you can do so at: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/BTCCSkydive