BTCC: Back and at its Best at Brands

The British Touring Car Championship returned to Brands Hatch six months after Colin Turkington secured his third drivers’ title, for the opening round of a 2019 season which is being regarded as one of the most open in the series’ history. And the first three races of the year certainly didn’t disappoint.

Three winners from three race and a variety of unexpected faces at the sharp end did nothing for establishing the season running order. Fog affected the circuit on early Sunday, with a damp or wet track being the standard for most of the day. Though despite this, the weekend would not see a single safety car.

2017 Champion Ash Sutton (BMR) took the years first pole position in a rain and red flag affected qualifying session, as rear-wheel drive took four of the top five positions, with only the Vauxhall of Jason Plato (PMR), starting second.

RACE 1

Winner: Josh Cook – BTC Racing – Honda

Plato, from second, would have been hoping for a return to form, but it was a disaster from the get go for the 2-time champion as he was struck with a drive-through penalty for a starting infringement.

This was only the start of a manic opening race of the year as fog and light drizzle during the morning meant a tricky decision on tyres. Those at the front all went safe with the wets, not knowing how either tyre would react but BTC Racing’s Josh Cook was the first qualifier on slicks.

After a poor start, Cook surged past the wet-shod cars and drove into the distance to claim victory with more chocks behind him. The weather had surprised more than most, with the top positions all being dominated by the drivers on wets.

Much like the second round of 2018, Jake Hill was the bridesmaid in a crazy wet/dry race as he made good use of his slicks to claim P2 with Tom Chilton third for Motorbase. Aiden Moffat, Adam Morgan and Bobby Thompson were fourth through sixth with Stephen Jelley seventh after being disqualified from his eighth placed qualifying due to a ride height infringement.

Behind them, Matt Neal passed Sutton on the final lap to be the first of the slick runners in eighth as defending champion Turkington could only manage 19th.

RACE 2

Winner: Andrew Jordan – West Surrey Racing – BMW

Cook led away from pole position but behind him were two charging rear-wheel drive cars looking to make amends for race one. First Sutton made his way past at Graham Hill Bend on lap three with Andrew Jordan following him through.

Jordan then set about overhauling Sutton. Doing so easily with an alarmingly large difference in speed on the straight, that meant AJ could drive straight by, leaving Sutton helpless. That’s how it finished at the front… just.

Sutton’s pace dropped off towards the end of the race and he was hounded by a gaggle of cars for second place, none were able to make a move stick with Adam Morgan taking third ahead of Jake Hill, Tom Ingram and Stephen Jelley.

Jelley had been on course for fourth, but with Sutton struggling towards the end, he made a lunge on the compromised Morgan, only to lose track position on all the cars. As for Cook, his extra weight ballast dropped him to seventh ahead of Rory Butcher.

RACE 3

Winner: Rory Butcher – AmD RCIB Insurance – Honda

Halfords Yuasa Racing’s Neal was drawn on pole for the final race after his 11th placed finish in race two but he was unable to keep the lead into the first corner as Senna Proctor’s Subaru pulled ahead from second and Jelley made a storming start to take P2 from sixth on the grid. Proctor was then forced wide by Jelley at druids and then spun coming out of Graham Hill Bend, dropping to the back of the pack.

Both Neal and Chilton were able to pass Jelley before the latter was able to get past the veteran into the lead. Neal’s now very worn soft tyres were beginning to fade when Jelley tried a lunge up the inside only to collide with the Honda causing a half spin which let Rory Butcher through into second. Neal then suffered damage on the final lap which saw him drop to eighth at the line.

Chilton crossed the line as the winner but was later given a five-second penalty for an incident with Neal which meant he swapped positions with Butcher who inherited his first BTCC win. Jelley completed a strong weekend to take third from Josh Cook, Colin Turkington and Tom Oliphant in his first race weekend for WSR.

Elsewhere, Tom Ingram had spent the majority of the race holding off every car on the grid, which of course ensured the racing was too close for comfort behind. Hill would hit Sutton during their battle for fifth, spinning the 2017 champion into the tyres at Graham Hill bend, while the Audi retired two laps later.

Going into the second round of the season at Donington Park in three weeks’ time it’s Josh Cook who leads the championship from Chilton by four points, with Jelley third in the standings.