The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship kicked off with a bang at Brands Hatch earlier this month and with Donington Park just around the corner, the breathless high speed action is sure to continue for rounds four, five and six of the championship.
Although too much shouldn’t be read into championship positions so early in the season, Speedworks Motorsport driver Tom Ingram was still pleased to be leaving Brands Hatch heading both the overall and independent drivers standings. Considering how well set-up the Toyota Avensis has been this early in the season, it will be difficult not to imagine Tingram at the sharp end of the field during the three races at Donington. Even with ballast on board.
Following the first pole position and win of the 2018 season, Jack Goff in his WIX Racing with Eurotech Honda Civic Type R will be brimming with confidence following his best start to a BTCC season yet. Three solid points finishes at Brands sees the 27 year old second in the drivers standings behind Ingram and you can believe he will possibly have a stronger weekend at Donington. Barring any technical issues or getting caught up in other drivers incidents.
Credit: btcc.net
Third in the standings heading to Donington is the Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport Mercedes-Benz A-Class of Adam Morgan. A surprise in this position but well deserved considering the second place in the final race of the day at Brands Hatch. Often quick in the Mercedes, Morgan will be hoping for more of the same next time out, plus with a Mercedes winning one of the races last year at Donington, he’ll know this car can do the business at the circuit.
With showers forecast for Saturday and a chance of the same on Sunday, a result as seen in round two of the championship could be a possibility, although don’t bank on it. Top teams would have ensured a contingency plan to prevent a shock result taking place again.
Despite this, Senna Proctor, Jake Hill and Ollie Jackson still revelling their first podiums in the BTCC will head to Donington with a fresh impetus to either keep up a roll of points scoring rounds or maybe aim for a podium finish again.
Credit: btcc.net
Following a baptism of fire at Brands, Dan Cammish will be hoping the lessons learnt during his first ever BTCC weekend will translate for a better time at Donington. A scorching provisional pole position time in his Halfords Yuasa Racing Civic Type R was snatched away following a pitlane infringement in his first qualifying session. However, if you consider his race performance it would have probably ended with the same results.
Ashley Sutton in the Subaru Levorg GT driving for Adrian Flux Subaru Racing set the fastest time at the Thruxton test a couple of weeks ago. This secures the racing legacy of the Levorgs in the BTCC where they tend to have a poor season opener before getting their act together. Meanwhile, Jason Plato will also be banking on this trend continuing following a rather anonymous opening weekend. Despite the polarising opinions that Plato creates amongst fans, it is a shame to see one of the best drivers to ever compete in the championship languish at the back of the field.
Brands Hatch proved once and for all that the British Touring Car Championship is unpredictable. Despite this, we know that Donington Park will throw up the usual drama we come to expect from this series.
The BTCC returns this weekend 28/29 April at Donington Park where qualifying will be live at itv.com/btcc on Saturday and all three races shown live on ITV4 on the Sunday.
