Colin Turkington claimed his first victory of the 2023 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship with a controlled drive from the front on the Brands Hatch Indy circuit this afternoon (Sunday).
The Northern Irishman was forced to take the lead from second not once, but twice during a race which was temporarily halted following a lengthy red flag stoppage on the opening lap. The four-time champion used his Team BMW machine’s rear-wheel-drive grunt to jump pole-sitter Dan Cammish off the line, but all progress was interrupted following a multi-car incident.
Turkington’s teammates Stephen Jelley and Adam Morgan were amongst those involved in a collision with Andrew Watson’s Vauxhall Astra and Daniel Rowbottom’s Ford Focus ST as the field swept back onto the Brabham Straight for the first time. Following a clear up of the on-circuit debris, the grid was reset with series leader Cammish granted a second opportunity to make the most of the premier grid slot.
Turkington once again emerged in front, with Jake Hill in the Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport BMW 330e following him past Cammish along with the latter’s NAPA Racing UK teammate Ash Sutton. Three-time BTCC title winner Sutton promptly made short work of passing Hill with a move which started at Clearways on lap one of the restarted race and was sealed in the braking zone for Paddock Hill Bend.
Cammish opportunistically followed Sutton through to ensure that two of the locally prepared Fords ran in the top three, as the frontrunners settled into a rhythm at the head of the field. Behind the leading trio Hill remained in fourth with Toyota Gazoo Racing UK’s Rory Butcher completing the top five with reigning champion Tom Ingram hot on his heels.
From here Butcher and Ingram began a tense duel which was to run for much of the race. Ingram’s Hyundai first passed the Scotsman at Paddock Hill on lap eight, but the Toyota Corolla fought back on the approach to Druids and Ingram once again fell in line behind his rival.
Right at the front, Turkington was able to manage proceedings comfortably as he pulled gradually away untroubled. The two Fords were unable to make any firm ground up on the experienced race leader as he smoothly guided his BMW towards the chequered flag and the top step of the podium.
Sutton and Cammish ran in close proximity right until the final lap with Cammish sizing up a potential move as the race entered its final corners. There was no true opening though as the duo crossed the line nose to tail to secure second and third.
Things were much more dramatic in the lower part of the top five, with Butcher finally ceding position to Ingram just a handful of laps from the end of the race. Whilst Hill and Ingram crossed the line fourth and fifth there was to be more drama involving Butcher as he was passed again by Bobby Thompson on the penultimate tour.
Behind that, Josh Cook, Ricky Collard and Daniel Lloyd completed the top ten, whilst Tom Chilton rounded out the points further back in 15th after completing a spirited drive from the pit lane.
Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, Race 1, Brands Hatch
- Colin Turkington, Team BMW, BMW 330e M Sport
- Ash Sutton, NAPA Racing UK, Ford Focus ST, +1.335s
- Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK, Ford Focus ST, +1.716s
- Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport, BMW 330e M Sport, +5.712s
- Tom Ingram, Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8, Hyundai i30N, +9.592s
- Bobby Thompson, Autobrite Direct with Millers Oils, Cupra Leon, +11.010s
- Rory Butcher, Toyota Gazoo Racing UK, Toyota Corolla GR Sport, +11.779s
- Josh Cook, One Motorsport with Starline Racing, Honda Civic Type R, +14.125s
- Ricky Collard, Toyota Gazoo Racing UK, Toyota Corolla GR Sport, +14.634s
- Daniel Lloyd, Autobrite Direct with Millers Oils, Cupra Leon, +16.652s
Click here for full results from this weekend's event.