The Latest Breaking News from Rory Butcher

As a BTCC rookie, the Northern Irishman won the 2023 edition of the Jack Sears Trophy, the sub-division for drivers who have never scored an overall BTCC podium before the season. He scored two podium finishes with the Power Maxed Racing Vauxhall Astra squad, in rain-affected races at Knockhill and…

The 36-year-old Scot has made the decision after finishing 10th in the standings last year, his worst campaign since his maiden full BTCC season in 2018.

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. 

Lloyd had started his Team Hard Cupra Leon from pole position and led the Excelr8 Motorsport Hyundai i30 N of Tom Chilton, who was soon given a five-second penalty for an out-of-position start.

Ingram worked his Excelr8 Motorsport Hyundai i30 N ahead of the Motorbase Performance Ford Focus ST of Sutton on the fourth lap of 14, and stayed in front until the end of the race.

The 2019 series runner-up, who lies fifth in the 2023 standings, crashed his Motorbase Performance Ford Focus ST at McLeans in the closing stages of the first free practice session, moments after setting the quickest time to date.

Ingram and his Excelr8 Motorsport Hyundai i30 N squad appeared to have made the right call to pull him into the pits for wet-weather tyres on the ninth lap of 24 when rain began making the circuit treacherous at the Clark/hairpin end of the course. 

The three-time champion wrung everything out of himself and his Motorbase Performance-run Ford Focus ST in the Q2 top-10 shootout to pip the One Motorsport Honda Civic Type R of Josh Cook by 0.006 seconds.

Hill whisked his West Surrey Racing-run BMW 330e M Sport around the short Scottish circuit 0.169 seconds quicker than the closest opposition during the slightly less wet second session.