The Latest Breaking News from BTCC

Ingram faces a mountain to climb if he’s to make it back-to-back titles – the only rival to three-time champion Ash Sutton is 45 points adrift heading into the competitive action – but he was on form in the opening session early on Saturday morning.

"I think there’s probably six really elite standout drivers in the championship at the moment, and I’d put Bobby in that six, definitely. He’s very fast, he’s deceptively quick, and he’s got a very calm head on his shoulders. He doesn’t get flustered, he looks inwardly at himself before blaming…

Championship leader Ash Sutton will therefore go into his Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit showdown against Tom Ingram with the rebranded Alliance Racing team running his NAPA Racing Ford Focus ST.

Sutton ensured his commanding points lead remains intact ahead of next weekend's Brands Hatch finale by impressively storming from 23rd on the grid to win the second Northamptonshire contest.

The admission comes at the start of what looks set to be a hectic BTCC silly season, albeit with the team’s reigning champion Tom Ingram hinting that he will stay with the Sussex squad into 2024.

The win, remarkably Sutton’s first of his BTCC career at the Northamptonshire circuit, came after long-time leader Jake Hill suffered a misfire just as the race restarted following a half-distance safety-car interlude.

Despite steady morning drizzle, Hill was the only driver among the top nine to take the start on wet-weather Goodyears and had qualified his West Surrey Racing BMW 330e M Sport in fourth position. 

Sutton, who holds a 42-point advantage over Tom Ingram in the rankings, sat on the bubble at the wheel of his Motorbase Performance Ford Focus ST during the last couple of minutes in qualifying on the National Circuit. 

One of four drivers in contention for the title, Hill set the fastest time in the early-morning session aboard his West Surrey Racing BMW 330e M Sport.

Thompson takes over the entry occupied at Knockhill last month by Rob Huff and will see out the season this weekend at Silverstone and next month at Brands Hatch. 

It’s around 10am on Saturday 22 April at Donington Park. The first British Touring Car Championship free practice session of the season is nearing its end. The rhythm of rasping BTCC cars bombing downhill through the Craner Curves to the Old Hairpin is becoming almost hypnotic. Suddenly, a blue-and-yellow projectile…