- 26/05/2025
An Intro to the 2025 BTCC (British Touring Car Championship) from the season opener on the 27th April 2025.
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00:00This is a production of the U.S. Department of State.
00:30Welcome to Donington Park and the return of the number one competition in British motor racing.
00:43It's the first weekend of the 2025 QuickFit British Touring Car Championship.
00:4824 drivers are standing by to provide some of the closest, most competitive action in the sport.
00:55Ahead of us lies 10 weekends, 30 races, but the dust has barely settled on that amazing climax we had to the season at Brands Hatch just six months ago.
01:07As if the finale couldn't get any more chaotic and unpredictable.
01:12It is a straight one-on-one fight.
01:15We're racing for the final time this year.
01:17Ibram goes ahead of Hilt.
01:18The two championship fighters go toe-to-toe.
01:21Jake Hilt goes through.
01:22Our car always comes good in the middle of a race than, my God, was it good.
01:26Tommy, for the sport, he's got to throw everything at this.
01:30We've just had so much pace.
01:31Unfortunately for Tommy, it wasn't going to get any better.
01:33The 2024 QuickFit British Touring Car Champion, Jake Hilt.
01:39Champion.
01:40Oh, God.
01:42Yes, yes, yes.
01:44Yes, yes.
01:45Last year's championship was one of the closest we've ever seen and was decided in the most dramatic fashion at the final race of Brands Hatch.
01:58It had all the ingredients.
02:00Jake Hill was crowned champion at his home circuit, realizing a lifelong dream to win his maiden title.
02:06He was in exceptional form in 2024, but can he retain his crown this year?
02:12Tom Ingram narrowly missed out by the smallest of margins last year.
02:15He'll surely be among the pace setters again in 2025.
02:19He was on the podium 15 times last season, and he'll be even more desperate to repeat his title success of three years ago.
02:26Ash Sutton finished in third place last year, and he's back in the Ford Focus once again, aiming to become the first man to win five championship titles.
02:36There's no Colin Turkington, but back comes three-time champion Gordon Shedden to take on the new generation, typified by 18-year-old Max Hall, who's already been very quick in pre-season testing.
02:48And this is the campaign that awaits them all, ten weekends, with three touring car championship races at each.
02:56We begin here at Donington, followed by the short circuit of Brands Hatch, and then Snetterton in May.
03:02We're back at the Grand Prix circuit at Donington in August, with the traditional finale at Brands Hatch in October.
03:08Today, it's the shorter national circuit at Donington.
03:11We're in the heart of the Midlands, right alongside East Midlands Airport.
03:15A fast-flowing circuit, just under two miles, and this is where Tom Ingram was a double winner in the opening meeting last year.
03:24So, good morning, and welcome to Donington.
03:27Good morning to Tim Harvey, and let's just confirm, first of all, this is Donington.
03:31This is the first day of the championship.
03:33We never have weather like this.
03:34It's gorgeous out there.
03:36It is absolutely great.
03:37What a contrast to last year.
03:38And perhaps it's a portent of things to come, that things are going to be different this year,
03:42because as much as everything appears to stay the same, everything's different.
03:46It's a complete reset.
03:47We all start off with zero points, and I'm looking forward to a great year.
03:51Yeah, everyone around here is talking about the contrast with the opening round last year.
03:55It was about two o'clock in the afternoon before we even saw a car out on the circuit.
03:59This was a year ago, and my goodness, we had a battle that day, and so did the spectators.
04:04But they're getting their award today, and they're out in force.
04:07But we love a bit of weather in the British Touring Car Championship,
04:11and the weather played its part in that dramatic climax of Brands Hatch six months ago.
04:19Touring cars at its best.
04:20It did.
04:21A grandstand final, one that will go down in the annals of history of BTCC racing.
04:26It could have gone either way.
04:28Perhaps if the weather had changed slightly differently, it might have gone on Tom Ingram's way.
04:32But it's all about seizing the opportunity when you have the chance,
04:35and you have the equipment on you, and that's exactly what Jake Hill did.
04:38He went out and took it like a champion, and he was the deserving winner of 2024.
04:43No one could take that away from him.
04:44We came away from Brands Hatch and thought, well, he could never be that good again.
04:49Maybe the grid will be down.
04:50Maybe it's a championship that's peaking.
04:53And certainly the closed season has been tough commercially.
04:56BMW have taken a slight step back as well.
04:59But we've got a great lineup.
05:01Yeah, you know, there are losses and gains.
05:03It's just part of the motorsport world.
05:05That's how it goes.
05:06Sadly, we've lost Colin Turkington.
05:08We've known Bobby Thompson and others as well.
05:12But new people come in.
05:13Three exciting new rookies.
05:15But the best stat for me, Steve, is that there are 16 drivers on the grid
05:18who have won a BTCC race.
05:21That's how competitive it's going to be this year.
05:22Yeah, well, nothing ever stays the same in the QuickFit British Touring Car Championship.
05:26And during the course of our build-up, we'll take you through some of the new regulations
05:30in that much-changed driver lineup as well.
05:33But nothing has changed in our lineup.
05:35We've still got Jade Edwards and Paul O'Neill.
05:37They're a little bit further down the pit lane alongside another strong contender.
05:42Thanks, Steve.
05:43What an amazing day, first of all.
05:45Jade Edwards, so good to see you back.
05:47Welcome back.
05:49You're looking forward to this, aren't you?
05:50You've seen a lot of pre-season testing, actually.
05:52Yeah, I'd spent a couple of days at the Croft 2-day test,
05:56mainly with, obviously, Josh's side of the garage.
06:00And just sort of, there's been some regulation change,
06:02which we're going to speak about a bit later.
06:03And I wanted to sort of get involved in that and learn the regulations,
06:06almost as a driver, but without the physical driving itself.
06:09So I've done a bit of pre-season testing, looking around.
06:12But there's a name here that's just behind us that seems very quick.
06:17Yeah, and he wanted to be on camera as well.
06:18I think he is just behind us, Tom Ingram.
06:21He's finished second in this championship quite a lot, hasn't he?
06:24I think it's three times.
06:26He must look at Ash Sutton and think,
06:27why is that lad 1-4 looking to be a record-breaking fifth?
06:31Why haven't I done that with my one?
06:33Yeah, exactly.
06:34All the drivers here, one's not enough for any of them.
06:37They all aim for that first championship,
06:39and then after that, it's just to see how many they can get.
06:42Tom actually said in a pre-season sort of interview
06:44that he had come second too many times.
06:46And I feel like this year, with seeing the car yesterday on track
06:50and seeing how pre-season's gone,
06:52I think he is in a very strong position.
06:55He's confident in himself, very relaxed.
06:57We raced with him at Goodwood a couple of weeks ago.
06:59He's very chilled.
07:00I think Tom looks super, super strong this year,
07:03and he's fed up a finishing second,
07:04so he's definitely elbows out
07:06and going to be fighting for that championship.
07:08Yeah, definitely.
07:09And quickly, what would he need to do change-wise to win that?
07:13Is it luck at the end of the year?
07:15I don't think it all comes down to luck.
07:17You need a little bit, of course.
07:19You need good team around you.
07:20I think he's got some teammates here
07:22that are going to really play the part for him.
07:24It's every man for themselves at this first round,
07:26but as it plays out, you do need that strong team effort.
07:29It's consistency.
07:30It's scoring points all the time,
07:31and having a car that is also balanced
07:33in both dry and wet conditions.
07:35If you've got a car that's brilliant in the dry
07:37but not in the wet, that's where you lose points.
07:39But everyone says that you don't win a championship
07:42on your best day.
07:42You win a championship on how well you achieve
07:45on your worst day.
07:46So it's consistency.
07:48It's point scoring, as he calls it, a pointy day.
07:51I think he's going all out today,
07:53but over the season, it's a scoring point.
07:56I'm with you on this one.
07:57Tom Ingram is definitely going to be one to watch.
07:59Back to you, Steve.
08:01OK, Paul and Jade will join us here
08:03in just a few minutes' time.
08:04Emma also on the team once again,
08:06our long-serving pit lane and grid reporter,
08:09Louise Goodman, eager for the season to start,
08:11and she's grabbed a quick word
08:12with defending champion Jake Hill ahead of the action.
08:17So, Jake, a new season, Dawns.
08:19Have you been like me over the winter,
08:21just itching to get rid of the winter months
08:23and get back to the track?
08:24It's rather nice to be back, isn't it?
08:25You know, yeah, loving it.
08:27You know, it's, especially after my previous season,
08:31it's a very nice feeling walking back into the paddock,
08:33you know, and just, yeah, being the reigning champion.
08:36It's a nice feeling, and, you know,
08:38I'm so happy to be back and going again.
08:40Does it feel different going into a season
08:43defending a title as opposed to looking to get one?
08:47For sure.
08:47I mean, I think your approach has to stay the same
08:50because, obviously, you've achieved, you know,
08:52greatness the year before,
08:53so you have to try and have the same mentality
08:56for going again
08:57because it's clearly worked.
08:58So, you know, I'm still just as hungry as I was,
09:01but I think, you know,
09:02that feeling of still chasing your first title,
09:05unfortunately, that can't be replicated.
09:07But, you know, to try and get another championship,
09:10of course, would be a fantastic feat.
09:12But as it is every year,
09:14I think this year is going to be extremely tough.
09:16Well, and a different season ahead
09:17because you're not heading into the year with the same car.
09:20We've got new regulations,
09:21the cars are lighter, lots of different things.
09:23Does that make the job more difficult for you?
09:25It does because you're going into
09:26a bit of an unknown, you know.
09:27It's going to benefit some teams and drivers
09:29and it's not going to benefit others.
09:32And, you know, until we get sort of round one out of the way
09:35and find out what the pecking order is,
09:37you know, that's when you can start to build.
09:38We might, you know, go into Donington and be right there
09:41or we might be slightly behind, you know.
09:43And testing's a bit of a weird one.
09:45We've had some really good running
09:47and some not so great running.
09:49So, you know, I can't call it at the moment
09:51which way it's going to go.
09:53There's only so much, as you say,
09:54you can tell from testing.
09:55But I do get the feeling we're looking at,
09:58as is always the case in Toronto,
09:59another really close fight.
10:01I think so.
10:02And I think especially with the likes of Josh Cook
10:04by being back in a Honda
10:05and Dan Cam seems to be providing,
10:08you know, really good speed at the moment in testing.
10:10So I think there's going to be definitely
10:13a couple other players
10:13that are going to be coming to our fight
10:15for the championship.
10:16And it's great.
10:17It's great for the fans.
10:17It's great for the sport.
10:19It's nice for us to be fighting
10:20maybe some slightly different people.
10:22So, yeah, I'm looking forward to it.
10:24But I think this year is going to be
10:25one of the toughest ones yet.
10:27Have fun out there.
10:30Jake Hill, the champion,
10:31but with a big challenge lying ahead of him in 2025.
10:35And completing the ITV touring car line-up
10:37in the commentary box, as ever,
10:39will be David Addison.
10:41And he can take us through a driver line-up
10:43which is full of youthful potential,
10:45past champions, race winners,
10:47and a whole host of definite contenders.
10:50This is the line-up for 2025.
10:55An expansion of cars on the grid,
10:57exciting debutants,
10:58and a host of returning big names
11:01are just a few of the headlines
11:02for the 2025 BTCC season.
11:06Reigning champion Jake Hill
11:07returns to defend his title
11:09with Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport.
11:12He'll be behind the wheel of a BMW 3 Series
11:14for the fourth consecutive season,
11:16sporting number one on his window.
11:18Every year it seems to get tougher and tougher.
11:20So I'm sure we're going to be experiencing
11:22a couple others joining our championship fight
11:25come the end of the year,
11:26but I'm ready for it.
11:28He'll be flanked by an all-new trio of BMW team-mates
11:31in Aidan Moffat,
11:32Daryl De Leon,
11:33and BTCC rookie Charles Rainford.
11:37Narrowly missing out on the crown last year,
11:39Tom Ingram will aim to make a vibrant comeback
11:41to match his new colours.
11:43I've only won it once,
11:44and I want that to change
11:46because too many times
11:48I've been the first loser or the second loser.
11:50The 2022 winner spearheads Team Virtu's four-car line-up,
11:55which includes the experienced Tom Chilton,
11:57former Jacks' trophy winner Michael Kreese,
11:59and Adam Morgan.
12:01Four-time championship winner Ash Sasson
12:03will once again be a major contender to watch
12:05at the pointy end of the grid
12:07as he aims to become the first driver in history
12:10to win five titles.
12:12It definitely stung a lot,
12:13for sure, not getting that title.
12:15The aim is the same as last year,
12:17go for that fifth title.
12:19Alongside him at Napa Racing,
12:21it's a familiar line-up,
12:22consisting of 13-time race winner Dan Kamish,
12:25Sam Osborne,
12:26and Dan Robottom,
12:27who's had a winter of rest,
12:28recovering from open-heart surgery.
12:31They got me in the second week of November of last year,
12:33so by middle of Feb,
12:36I was able to get back in the gym
12:37and slowly, slowly start training,
12:39and here we are.
12:40Possibly the biggest headline
12:41is the high-profile return
12:43of triple champion Gordon Shedden.
12:45My motivation is not just to be on the grid.
12:48That doesn't do anything for me.
12:50My motivation is to win,
12:52and that's the only reason we're here.
12:53Joining him at Toyota Gazoo Racing UK
12:55with IAA is Aaron Taylor-Smith,
12:58talented youngster Ronan Pearson,
13:01and former GT racer James Dawling.
13:03It feels like a long time coming,
13:04actually doing touring cars this year,
13:06so, yeah, super excited to finally be here.
13:10Josh Cook will contest the season
13:11at the wheel of a one motorsport Honda Civic Type R,
13:14alongside teammate Steve and Jelly.
13:17We do want to do anything to win.
13:18That is why we're here.
13:19We're not here to make up the numbers.
13:21Dan Lloyd is back on the grid
13:22after a season in Porsches in 2024.
13:25He lines up alongside Chris Smiley
13:27for restart racing,
13:28and another popular returning face
13:30is Nicholas Hamilton,
13:31following 20 months away from the circuit.
13:34Motorsport is very, very powerful for me.
13:36It gives me a reason to get up in the morning
13:38and continue moving forward,
13:40overcoming my disability.
13:41He drives for Unlimited Motorsport,
13:43where it's a three-car set-up,
13:45which boasts Dexter Patterson
13:46and 18-year-old newcomer Max Hall.
13:49The test of Croft went a lot better
13:51than I thought it was.
13:52Ended up in first in the standings
13:54at the end of day one,
13:55which I really would expect.
13:57Completing the class of 2025
13:59is Jack Sears trophy winner Mikey Doble.
14:01So, the BTCC line-up is set and ready to go,
14:05and with an abundance of experience
14:07and talent on show,
14:09this should be a year to remember.
14:13And Paul O'Neill and Jade Edwards
14:15have joined us out in a bit late,
14:16along with Tim Harvey,
14:17as the sense of anticipation
14:19starts to mount.
14:20Our first touring car race
14:21is about half an hour away.
14:23But let's take a look at a little more detail
14:26about that driver line-up,
14:27which seems weird without Colin Turkington.
14:30Yeah, it is a great loss
14:31to the championship, obviously,
14:32but this is the commercial factors of racing.
14:35You know, without the money,
14:36the wheels don't turn.
14:37It's an often-said,
14:38and as deserving as Colin is,
14:40obviously, of his place on the grid,
14:42that's largely been funded by BMW
14:44for the last few years,
14:45and they're not in a position
14:46to support that programme at the moment.
14:49So, it is a big loss.
14:50You know, we've also lost Rob Huff.
14:51There are other names,
14:52but, you know, motor racing continues.
14:54We've got more cars on the grid,
14:56and we've got a very exciting line-up,
14:58as David has just been through
14:59to watch this year.
15:01Yeah, we saw Colin Turkington
15:02buzzing around the garage,
15:03which says a great deal
15:04about Colin's dedication to this team
15:06and the sport as well.
15:08Gordon Shedden coming back.
15:09That was a bit of a surprise.
15:10We'll talk about that
15:11in a little more detail maybe later.
15:13But what about the young talent?
15:14Charles Rainford coming into West Surrey Racing.
15:18What an opportunity there.
15:19Yeah, I mean,
15:20most drivers come in
15:21and they go into a team
15:22that's maybe past a sort of entry level
15:24or a lower-level team,
15:25but to come into your first season at WSR,
15:28it's probably one of the best things
15:30you can do for yourself,
15:31but also the pressure around it as well.
15:33You know, they're a well-known team,
15:35very successful.
15:36I've been told that Charles
15:37is the happiest man on the grid,
15:38which I always thought was Tom Chilton,
15:40so he's done well there.
15:41But he's taken it, you know,
15:43really well.
15:43Testing's been strong,
15:45and he seems competitive.
15:46You know, he's still got a lot to learn,
15:47but as he's hit the ground running,
15:49he seems like one of the strong contenders
15:51as one of the rookies.
15:52And James Dolan at Toyota.
15:54Max Hall, I know you're a great fan of,
15:57and he was fantastic in minis last year.
16:00What a season for them.
16:02Yeah, it is.
16:02You know, I remember being a rookie,
16:04you know, back in the day,
16:05and you're so full of enthusiasm
16:07and ready to go.
16:07Those two guys,
16:09especially James Dolan,
16:10has deserved this for a long time,
16:11and he's been in the Toko package before.
16:14He's been in historics,
16:15but he's a real talent
16:17to look out for, James Dolan.
16:18I think he's going to be brilliant
16:19because he was exceptional
16:20in front-wheel drive,
16:21like Cleo's back in the day.
16:23But Max Hall was quick in a test,
16:25and I think that he's going to just progress
16:27as the season goes on.
16:28So I haven't been this excited for a long time.
16:30We've got some good stories
16:31up and down that grid.
16:32What happened to all that rookie enthusiasm, mate?
16:35Where's it all gone?
16:36I was going to mention me,
16:37but it was so far and long ago,
16:38I can't remember it.
16:40One person we must mention
16:41returning to the championship,
16:42Nick Hamilton.
16:43I mean, this guy is extraordinary.
16:45He is.
16:46He loves his motorsport,
16:47and it must be said
16:48that Nick puts all his deals together himself.
16:51This isn't just because he's Lewis's brother.
16:54He puts the deals together.
16:55He's an absolute role model for so many people,
16:58but he's here because he loves motorsport
17:00and he loves to compete,
17:02and it's great to see him.
17:02I hope he does the whole season.
17:04He's been in and out of the championship
17:06during the past,
17:07but I hope he does the whole season,
17:08and his pace is already looking good.
17:10OK, there are also regulation changes,
17:13technical changes,
17:14and rule changes as well
17:15to take you through,
17:16which potentially are going to affect
17:18the nature and competitiveness
17:19of the racing that we're about to see.
17:21So David Addison can take us through those as well.
17:25There's a lot to unpack
17:26in the rule changes for 2025,
17:28so let's make a start.
17:30The first, perhaps most significant one,
17:32is that the hybrid technology is no more.
17:35That comes out of the cars,
17:36and that in turn makes the cars
17:38around 55 kilos lighter.
17:39That's been a big hit with the drivers
17:41who now have a car that behaves differently.
17:43It's perhaps a bit more exciting to drive,
17:46but boost remains,
17:47and that is going to be very important.
17:49Nowadays, it's turbo boost
17:50rather than spooled up through hybrid,
17:52and it means the drivers need
17:53to be pressing the button
17:54for about three seconds
17:55for that to have any real benefit.
17:58So the boost now becomes very much
17:59a overtaking mechanism
18:01rather than a defensive mechanism.
18:03The teams, by the way,
18:04don't get the data like they used to
18:06as who is on the boost and when.
18:08That's taken off the timing screen,
18:10and they don't get the television pictures
18:12quite in real time,
18:13so therefore they can't rely on that
18:15to give their driver any assistance.
18:17The driver now is very much on his own.
18:19It's going to be really interesting
18:20to see how this changes the racing.
18:23We also have a new fuel for 2025.
18:25After successful tests last year,
18:27the championship moves
18:28to a 100% sustainable fuel.
18:31Tyres also have a bit of a tweak,
18:33certainly as far as Donington is concerned,
18:34because for the two events here,
18:36National Circuit and Grand Prix Circuit,
18:38there will be an option tyre.
18:40We didn't have that last year.
18:42Lighting panels remain on the cars,
18:44but there's going to be
18:44a little change there as well
18:46because the border of the lighting panels
18:47will now indicate
18:48what tyre people are using.
18:51If it's white as the border,
18:52it's soft.
18:53It's going to be yellow
18:54for the medium tyre,
18:56red for the hard,
18:57and if it rains and they're on wets,
18:58then it'll be blue.
18:59And that lighting panel
19:00also will change colour
19:01if they're on the turbo boost.
19:03Green if they're on the boost,
19:04white if they've used it for that lap,
19:06and red if they've used all of it
19:08for that session.
19:10There's also been a slight tweak
19:12to the way the grid for the first race
19:13is going to evolve at the back.
19:16So the drivers out of the two groups in Q1
19:18now go on separate sides of the grid,
19:20Group A, Group B,
19:21rather than merging the times together.
19:23And that's fairer,
19:24just in case there's a change
19:26in weather conditions.
19:27Next change is to the Jack Sears Trophy,
19:30and that now is open only to drivers
19:32who have scored fewer than two outright podiums.
19:35And there's a change to the way
19:36that the safety car will work,
19:38not in terms of the actual process,
19:40but in what happens
19:41when the safety car is withdrawn.
19:43Yes, the driver that is in the lead
19:45has to dictate the pace,
19:46but he can't fully accelerate
19:47until he passes what is called the go board.
19:50And then it is flat out
19:52and a green flag beckons for the race leader.
19:55With me so far?
19:56Good, because we're going to be
19:57asking questions later.
19:58But for now, let's see how all of these
20:00rule changes affect the racing in 2025.
20:04Yes, it'll all make sense as the action evolves.
20:07Jay, give us a sense of the disappointment
20:09up and down the pit lane
20:10that hybrid has disappeared.
20:12Do you know what?
20:13I think the drivers could handle
20:14the actual hybrid element itself.
20:16It was the weight that we always complained about.
20:18The weight in the cars,
20:20which slowed it all down,
20:20made the cars feel a bit more sluggish.
20:22Now, take that weight out
20:23of where the system was.
20:25The cars have come alive again,
20:26and we saw that in lap times.
20:27They've come down straight away,
20:29and the drivers are getting out grinning
20:30because the car's nimble
20:32and able to do what they want it to do.
20:33So, for me, I'm a fan of the fact
20:35that the hybrid's gone in that sense.
20:37It's created the action in the cars.
20:40We've still got the green element with the fuel,
20:41so we've kind of ticked that box there.
20:43And, you know, I'm excited.
20:44I think it's still going to be competitive,
20:47and it's still going to be action-packed.
20:48And we've still got to push a button.
20:50Lots going on in the car.
20:51But I'm a fan of the fact
20:53that cars are now lighter
20:54and therefore a little bit more agile.
20:56Lighter, lively cars.
20:57That says Ash Sutton to me.
20:59Well, the main thing is
21:01it's an advantage for the front-wheel drive cars.
21:04Whenever you add weight
21:05and make the cars heavier,
21:06a rear-wheel drive car
21:07spreads the load a little bit better.
21:09The moment you take weight out,
21:10it's more an advantage
21:11to the front-wheel drive cars.
21:13So I think that's one of the reasons
21:15perhaps we're seeing BMW
21:16slightly on the back foot at the moment.
21:18But it's not just Ash Sutton.
21:19It's Tom Ingram, Dan Camish
21:21and everyone else as well
21:22in the front-wheel drive car
21:23that gets the advantage of lighter weight.
21:25It's going to be quicker than ever.
21:27It's going to be even more competitive than ever.
21:29It's fantastic.
21:29Cars are just getting set to come out.
21:31So let's take you through
21:32the timetable that lies ahead for us.
21:35And there's the usual
21:36top-class support programme as well
21:38to go alongside the three touring car races
21:41that are coming up at 11.50, 2.35 and 5.25.
21:45During the rest of the afternoon,
21:46we'll see action from the Porsche Carrera Cup
21:48and the Porsche Sprint Challenge,
21:50British F4 and the Mini Challenge as well.
21:53Well, after the break,
21:54we'll continue the build-up
21:56to the start of the season.
21:57We'll catch up with the returning
21:58three-time champion Gordon Shedden
22:01as he looks to add to his 52 race victories today.
22:04And we'll report on the first qualifying session
22:07of the season as well.
22:08This season, I think Jamie Osborne's going to win.
22:15And that is because he is committed
22:18and he really enjoys the racing
22:20and we're all sat here supporting him.
22:22I think it'll be Tom Ingram this year.
22:25Missed out last year,
22:26but this year's his year again.
22:27Jake Hill.
22:29Because he's a really good driver,
22:31he doesn't crash that often
22:32and he's quite competitive
22:34and I think that's good.
22:35My heart says it's going to be Jake Hill.
22:37My head says it's going to be Tom Ingram
22:39because Tom's just everywhere.
22:42You know, in your rearview mirror,
22:43he's in front of you.
22:44He knows how to get the most out of that car.
22:46My heart says Jake.
22:47It's going to be Jake Hill.
22:48I think Max Hall's going to win it this year
22:50and it's because he's my son,
22:52but also because he's an absolutely amazing racer.
22:57Proud mum.
22:58We're not going to disagree with Mrs. Hall.
23:00So many questions that are set to be answered this weekend
23:03and as ever,
23:04the first qualifying session of the year
23:06with everyone starting even
23:07was going to provide the first real insight
23:09to what lies ahead.
23:10David Addison,
23:11watch the 2025 action get underway.
23:17So qualifying was back with a bang.
23:21After Tom Ingram dominated the two free practice sessions,
23:24he was expected to be the man to beat.
23:26As ever in the BTCC though,
23:28it didn't pan out as expected.
23:30First,
23:31let's deal with the big names that went out in Q1.
23:34Adam Morgan lost out
23:35thanks to track limit offences on multiple laps.
23:38While Aidan Moffat had a difficult day
23:39that began with a throttle body problem.
23:42And Gordon Shedden complained of a lack of balance.
23:45Darrell De Leon was another
23:46who lost out to track limit penalties
23:47while Chris Mardish Hyundai missed out as well.
23:51Dan Kamish lost a number of laps in Q2,
23:54but managed to put one in that survived at the end
23:56as newcomer Charles Rayford belied his lack of experience
24:00to be 12th fastest just behind Dan Lloyd and Mikey Doble.
24:04Aaron Taylor-Smith was ninth
24:05and rather revved up Josh Cook
24:07when Cookie came across him at the chicane
24:09and the Toyota was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
24:13Cook was seventh ahead of reigning champion Jake Hill
24:16who lacked top-end speed and was eighth.
24:19Q3 was affected by a red flag
24:21after Tom Chilton's Hyundai stopped at Redgate
24:23with an electrical problem
24:25leaving Roman Pearson's Toyota to be fifth.
24:28Dan Rowbottom's Ford Focus
24:29had a gearbox upshift problem
24:31and was loose at the rear
24:32but he was still quick enough for fourth.
24:34Behind Tom Ingram.
24:36Yes, when it mattered,
24:37the Hyundai didn't quite hook up
24:39leaving Ingram third.
24:41The last, you know, call,
24:42Spenny says,
24:43right, you've got just under a minute to go.
24:45No track limits, no mistakes.
24:47OK, you're asking a lot for me here,
24:48but, um, so yeah,
24:50I'm pleased with where we are.
24:53Ash Sutton looked as though pole was his.
24:55The four-time champion
24:56sitting atop the times until the very end
24:58when Dan Kamish went 11,000th of a second faster.
25:03Sutton was happy to be at the front
25:04but disappointed to have missed out.
25:06Really good for the team,
25:08obviously in Operation UK 1-2
25:09locking up front row out,
25:10which is phenomenal.
25:11Yeah, well done to Dan,
25:12obviously getting the pole.
25:13Fair play for him.
25:14Left a little bit on the table
25:16which was frustrating from outside.
25:18Kamish was a very happy man
25:19after snatching pole,
25:20finally having some good luck
25:22at Donington.
25:23Really happy with the lap.
25:25It means, you know,
25:25when the guys,
25:26I've had radio problems all day
25:27so I can only hear them in this stretch.
25:29So it was silent,
25:30the whole lap
25:31and obviously I knew it was checkered
25:32because I'd taken the checkered flag
25:33and I was,
25:34they waited all the way
25:35to almost the pit lane
25:35like, can you hear me?
25:36I was like, yeah.
25:37Like, I was like, how do we do?
25:38They're like, pretty good.
25:39You're on pole.
25:39And I was like, oh.
25:41The top ten then
25:42is Kamish ahead of Sutton
25:43with Ingram third.
25:45Robotson, Pearson and Chilton
25:46rounding out the top six
25:47ahead of Cook, Hill,
25:49Taylor Smith
25:49and Mikey Tobel.
25:51It's a fascinating line-up.
25:55Well done, Dan Kamish
25:56and well done, Napa Racing.
25:57What's the overall message
25:59that you get from qualifying yesterday?
26:01Well, remember,
26:02it's the only qualifying session
26:03where everyone has
26:04the same amount of boost.
26:05So it's a crucial session
26:06for estimating everybody's actual speed,
26:09never mind the testing.
26:11And it tells us
26:11that the Napa Racing Fords
26:13and the Team Virtu Hyundais
26:15are probably the class
26:17of the field
26:17just at the moment.
26:18It was a very close session.
26:20The top three only covered
26:21by three hundredths
26:22of a second.
26:23So it was a revealing session.
26:25Some didn't do as well
26:26as they hoped
26:27but the rest of the pack
26:28are really closely bunched
26:29as well.
26:29It also told us
26:30that despite all the regulation
26:31changes and so on,
26:33issues over track limits
26:34are still with us.
26:35Yeah, I mean,
26:36they were given
26:36a bit of leeway
26:38in free practice one and two
26:39with no tyre stacks
26:40and then they were
26:41quickly replaced again
26:42because in track limits
26:43with us as drivers
26:44you give us an inch
26:45we want to take a mile
26:46and, you know,
26:47they tried it
26:48but they didn't look after it
26:50and they got the tyre stacks back
26:51but track limits
26:52is always going to play a part.
26:53I mean, I saw Dan Kamish
26:54every time I saw him on TSL
26:56it was lap removed,
26:57lap removed,
26:58lap removed.
26:58Next minute
26:58he's on pole position
26:59so we'll see
27:01how his consistency
27:02is in this race.
27:03Obviously we know
27:03he's got that one lap pace
27:04but can he do those track limits
27:06you know,
27:07lap after lap
27:08hopefully he's reined it in a little bit
27:10and can keep that consistency.
27:11Adam Morgan was an early victim
27:12of track limits as well.
27:13Yeah, exactly.
27:14It promised so much, didn't it?
27:15Free practice was good for him.
27:17It's a shame
27:17there's a few people
27:18at the back and the middle
27:20that really can come through.
27:21Tom Chilton was another one
27:22with a problem.
27:23He looked quick
27:24most of yesterday.
27:25So yeah,
27:26I'm really looking forward to it
27:27and like Jade said
27:28with the track limits issues
27:29me and Tim were speaking about it
27:30and hopefully Tim will back me up
27:32but we were saying
27:33get rid of the tyres
27:34let them do what they want
27:36and then just give them black flags.
27:37They'll soon learn,
27:38didn't they Tim?
27:39Yeah, they didn't learn though,
27:40did they?
27:40I don't.
27:41They're obviously
27:42Jade's generation
27:43that'll take a mile.
27:45Disappointing return
27:46to the championship
27:47for Gordon Shedden.
27:47He went out of the first stage
27:49of qualifying
27:49but he's got the experience
27:50to get things sorted
27:51I'm sure.
27:52He's had a quick weather
27:53with Louise.
27:55Yeah,
27:55a familiar face
27:56so it's very good
27:57to have back with us
27:58in the paddock.
27:59Gordon,
27:59an easy choice I guess.
28:01Yeah,
28:02from something that
28:02came together very quick
28:04a little bit lefty
28:05where I guess caught a lot of people
28:06off guard.
28:09Now we're starting
28:10to stand back here
28:11in the paddock
28:11and it feels like
28:12in many ways
28:12I've never been away
28:13still a lot of friendly faces
28:14and yeah,
28:15delighted to be back
28:16and see how we get on this year.
28:18Unfinished business for you as well
28:19because you never chose
28:20to leave in the first place
28:21it was circumstances
28:21really wasn't it?
28:23Yeah,
28:23circumstances
28:24way out with my control
28:25which stopped that programme
28:26at the end of 22
28:28and start of 23
28:28and sad times all around there
28:30but to be back here
28:31with Toyota
28:31with a different Japanese manufacturer
28:33this time
28:34and with the Corolla
28:35I'm really excited.
28:36I think
28:36what Christian and Amy
28:38and Danny
28:39at Speedworks
28:39are putting together
28:40is what I believe in
28:41and we'll chip away at it
28:43and hopefully we can help it all
28:44nurture itself
28:46as the year goes on
28:46and be a thorn
28:48in some people's sights.
28:49It's a good strong team
28:50you've got isn't it?
28:51As you say
28:51with some experience
28:52amongst the crew
28:52as well as in the drivers.
28:54Yeah,
28:54a lot of consistency
28:55you know
28:55all here for the right reasons
28:56very motivated
28:57to do a good job
28:58I know that we are the
29:00you know
29:00we're the underdogs
29:01and you know
29:02I relish that
29:03it's nice to be
29:04under the radar
29:05and a bit
29:05under
29:07you know
29:09under that radar
29:10as we start.
29:11Nice to have you back.
29:13Yeah,
29:14Gordon shedding towards
29:14the back of the grid
29:15but Jake Hill
29:16is belting into his car
29:18ready to lead him
29:19out onto the circuit
29:19and round one
29:21of the 2025
29:21Quick Fit British
29:22Touring Car Championship
29:23is just a few minutes away.
29:26They're on their way
29:27let's just let Jake
29:29lead them out.
29:33We'll give him space
29:34and the rest will follow.
29:36It is going to be
29:37a fantastic
29:37sun-blessed opening
29:39to this 2025
29:40Quick Fit British
29:41Touring Car Championship
29:42and we'll see the cars
29:43out on the grid
29:44we'll be out there
29:45with Louise
29:45when we return
29:46in a couple of minutes.
29:49We'll see you next time.
29:50We'll see you next time.
29:51We'll see you next time.
29:52We'll see you next time.
29:52We'll see you next time.
29:53We'll see you next time.
29:53We'll see you next time.
29:54We'll see you next time.
29:54We'll see you next time.
29:54We'll see you next time.
29:54We'll see you next time.
29:55We'll see you next time.
29:55We'll see you next time.
29:56We'll see you next time.
29:56We'll see you next time.
29:57We'll see you next time.
29:57We'll see you next time.
29:58We'll see you next time.
29:58We'll see you next time.
29:59We'll see you next time.
29:59We'll see you next time.
29:53
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