Ash Sutton became the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship’s youngest ever four-time title champion following victory in the opening race of the weekend at Brands Hatch this afternoon (Sunday). The win was the NAPA Racing UK driver’s 11th during an exemplary 2023 campaign, during which he’s joined Andy Rouse and Colin Turkington as one of the series’ only three four-time title winners.

Sutton started the race from pole position after topping the qualifying times for the sixth time this season on Saturday and was never headed after yet another impressive on-track display. The Ford Focus ST driver fended off an initial attack from fellow front row starter Rory Butcher as the race began, holding firm on the inside to maintain the lead at Paddock Hill Bend.

With Butcher left to the outside, this created an opening for reigning champion Tom Ingram to slip up the inside and take second. This left the only two remaining title protagonists to duke it out at the front, with Sutton leading Ingram as the field streamed out of Druids for the first time.

Ingram immediately attacked, knowing that he had to finish in front of Sutton for there to be any chance of retaining the title. The Hyundai driver produced a strong run down the Cooper straight to apply pressure into Surtees, but the move was never truly on, allowing Sutton to stay ahead, and control proceedings.

It might have been a simple run to the chequered flag from there, with Sutton building his lead ahead of Ingram to over a second. But an off-track impact for Mikey Doble at Stirlings led to the safety car being deployed and the race being extended from 15 to 18 laps.

Action resumed on lap 17 with Sutton ahead of Ingram who simply refused to give up, with both drivers visibly running right at the limit. Sutton was able to hold on though, crossing the line first to extend his series lead to 51 points with only 44 remaining on the table.

Behind that, the podium was completed by Bobby Thompson who produced a strong drive in one of the Team HARD prepared Cupra Leons. Thompson ran fourth during the early stages of the race behind Butcher, with the Cupra appearing to have a slight edge over the works Toyota driver. Thompson first passed Butcher at Surtees on lap five but the Scotsmans fought back with a side by side duel around the Grand Prix circuit. He only held position for a further three laps however, after leaving the circuit with a puncture, allowing Thompson to rise into a top-three position he’d hold until the end of the race.

Colin Turkington emerged at the head of a lively scrap for the upper midfield positions, taking fourth ahead of Dan Cammish who rounded out the top-five. Dan Rowbottom eventually came home seventh after leading the squabble for fourth for much of the race, one place behind Jake Hill who dropped behind Turkington and Cammish after an earlier attempt to move up the order didn’t quite come off. Stephen Jelley, Ricky Collard and Adam Morgan completed the top-ten.

Two more BTCC races are scheduled this afternoon at 2.40pm and 5.25pm.

Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, Brands Hatch, Race 1

1. Ash Sutton, NAPA Racing UK, Ford Focus ST
2. Tom Ingram, BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8, Hyundai i30N, +0.603s
3. Bobby Thompson, Go-Fix with Autoaid Breakdown, Cupra Leon, +2.236s
4. Colin Turkington, Team BMW, BMW 330e M Sport, +2.933s
5. Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK, Ford Focus ST, +4.569s
6. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport, BMW 330e M Sport, +4.839s
7. Daniel Rowbottom, NAPA Racing UK, Ford Focus ST, +6.428s
8. Stephen Jelley, Team BMW, BMW 330e M Sport, +6.617s
9. Ricky Collard, Toyota Racing Gazoo Racing UK, Toyota Corolla GR Sport, +6.783s
10. Adam Morgan, Team BMW, BMW 330e M Sport, +7.263s

Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, Standings

1. Ash Sutton, NAPA Racing UK, Ford Focus ST, 421
2. Tom Ingram, BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8, Hyundai i30N, 370
3. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport, BMW 330e M Sport, 340
4. Colin Turkington, Team BMW, BMW 330e M Sport, 306
5. Josh Cook, One Motorsport with Starline Racing, Honda Civic Type R, 241

Click here for full results from this race event.

This weekend's BTCC finale is supporting the Motor Neurone Disease Association and you can find out more about that here. You can also click here to view special items available to bid for in a silent online auction.