BTCC: Ingram’s Lead Grows, But it Was No Walk in The Park

The KwikFit British Touring Car Championship’s return to Donington Park today saw Tom Ingram extend the gap at the head of the standings to 32 points.

The eighth race meeting of the year brought the BTCC to the ‘GP’ layout of Donington Park, featuring an extra half-mile of short straights and tight hairpins in the final sector. Adding to the challenge, unpredictable British summer weather loomed throughout the day.

In a developing story, One Motorsport announced prior to the weekend they would not return in 2025, with full focus on 2026. Their only remaining driver, Josh Cook, jumped ship to Toyota Gazoo Racing and replaced James Dorlin, who stepped away from the drive with a mutual decision hoping to come back stronger next year.

The NAPA Racing UK Fords of Ash Sutton and Dan Cammish were adorned in one-off Valvoline liveries this weekend, harking a throwback to the 1995 Ford Mondeo BTCC machine.

Tom Chilton shined in slippery conditions to take his first BTCC pole in 11 years, beating his Team VERTU team-mate Ingram by 0.3 seconds. Chris Smiley was promoted to third following Mikey Doble’s disqualification for a ride height infringement, while Daryl DeLeon and Senna Proctor completed the quick six.

Race One

Dominated by the Hyundais of Chilton and Ingram, race one was a clean event overall, with exception to DeLeon who found the gravel exiting turn one and dropped down the order.

Chilton took victory for the second time at Donington Park this year, bringing it home in formation with Ingram. The pair swapped at one point throughout the race, allowing Ingram to capitalise on a bonus point for leading a lap.

Ash Sutton carved his way from 10th to finish fourth, behind team-mate Daniel Rowbottom, albeit without the disadvantage of hard tyres for race two.

Cammish completed a NAPA 3-4-5 while Smiley took home sixth place and an independent win for Restart Racing.

Race Two

It was a clean getaway to start race two, featuring a charging Sutton on softer tyres than those in front. Ingram defended against Sutton with aggression and fairness, allowing Chilton to break away up front.

Meanwhile, an accident between Max Buxton, Senna Proctor and Aiden Moffat occurred into MacLean’s, when the two former drivers clipped the wet grass in the braking zone, lost control, and slammed into the side of Moffat’s BMW. This brought out the first safety car period of the day.

Braking for turn one at the race restart, Rowbottom nudged the rear of Sutton’s car, sending him into the back of Chilton, causing both drivers to almost spin and critically allow Ingram to temporarily inherit the lead.

Cammish passed Ingram into The Esses on lap six, followed by Adam Morgan one lap later into the Melbourne Hairpin.

A sudden downpour on lap 15 saw drivers skating off the road and scrambling through the gravel at Redgate, prompting a safety car to end the race, and Cammish took victory on his 200th BTCC start, with Adam Morgan and Gordon Shedden completing the podium. Ingram finished fourth, but critically for the championship, four places ahead of Sutton who recovered to eighth.

Smiley was stripped of an independent win when he was disqualified post-race for a ride height infringement, but it was given to Restart Racing team-mate Daniel Lloyd.

Race Three

The inverted grid put Sutton on pole for race three, fitted with hard tyres, and Ingram in fifth. The #80 Hyundai cut through the pack like a hot knife through butter on mediums, putting him up to second place by the end of lap two.

A fierce battle of trading paint between the championship protagonists saw Ingram take the lead at the Melbourne Hairpin on lap five.

Another safety car hit the field on lap ten when Nick Halstead’s Power Maxed Racing Cupra spun on its own leaking fluids at the top of the Craner Curves.

The race resumed on lap 14, and despite extending the race to 17 laps, the order up front did not change, and Ingram took his fifth victory of the season ahead of Sutton and Rowbottom.

Dan Lloyd took the independent win, making it three out of three for Restart Racing this weekend – their second consecutive weekend sweep.

With his win, Ingram’s championship lead grew to 32 points over Ash Sutton. With the penultimate meeting at Silverstone in three weeks time, there is limited time left for Sutton to claw back those points. As a four-time BTCC champion, he has what it takes, but Ingram will not make it easy – so stay tuned!