The 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship kicked off at Donington Park this weekend (26/27 April) as Ash Sutton secured a double success before the experienced Tom Chilton claimed victory in the finale.
Sutton won the opener, having got the better of a few old rivals in the first bout of the new campaign.
Sutton’s first challenge was to get by pole-sitting team-mate Cammish on the opening tour, which the four-time champion lined up straight off the line. The #116 nipped by the sister Ford Focus having ran side-by-side with Cammish’s car through Redgate and Hollywood, before concluding the move at the Craner Curves.
Team Vertu’s Ingram also passed Cammish a few laps later, and the latter faced more frustration with a front left puncture shortly after.
The front two pulled clear as a game of cat and mouse ensued with Sutton on the Goodyear soft tyre while Ingram was on the medium compound.
When the dust settled it was NAPA Racing UK’s Rowbottom securing the final spot on the podium.
Sutton made it two out of two as the NAPA Racing UK star once again held off Team Vertu’s Ingram.
The leading duo had played the same game in the earlier curtain raiser, but they were initially joined by a gaggle of contenders in the second encounter.
It was Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport’s Hill leading a train of cars for third place in the early running as the soft-shod Goodyear runner held firm in the #1 BMW.
Ingram’s best opportunity seemed to come in the opening exchanges, but Sutton defended valiantly while saving what little boost he had available, by virtue of his earlier race victory.
Hill began to fade as the hard-charging Cammish was busy making his way through the pack from eighth on the grid, whilst One Motorsport’s Josh Cook’s initial surge was scuppered by a puncture. The switch came on the penultimate lap as Cammish’s #27 Ford Focus scythed his way by Hill at Coppice.
Sutton saved his boost until the final lap as he impressively set his fastest lap on his final tour, as the four-time champ claimed another triumph ahead of Ingram.
Team Vertu’s Chilton claimed a commanding triumph in the finale around the 1.98-mile Donington Park National Circuit, just reward for the experienced racer having shown fantastic pace during pre-season and throughout the weekend.
Rowbottom battled with Ingram’s #80 Hyundai i30N slicing by, whilst Sutton was also through soon enough. Another battle royale commenced between the duo, as Sutton waited until the final few laps to attack old adversary Ingram.
Ultimately, it wasn’t enough as Chilton led home team-mate Ingram and Sutton to complete a popular podium.
