The fourth meeting of the relatively lively BTCC season took place at the UK’s fastest race circuit, Thruxton. Defending champion, Ash Sutton, topped the championship standings after nine races, despite not having a victory in the opening nine races. He was being chased down by the usual protagonists of Colin Turkington, Tom Ingram and Snetterton double winner, Jake Hill. 

Qualifying

There were no weather issues for this meeting’s Saturday’s Quick Six session and the timesheets were topped by Ingram with a superb lap. He was joined by Dan Cammish on the front row, before Hill, Sutton and Dan Rowbottom completed three NAPA Fords in the top five. Tom Chilton rounded out the top six, with Turkington down in 10th.

Race One, 2.5/10 – Jake Hill, Dan Cammish, Ash Sutton 

• In what was a poor race, Hill immediately zoomed into the lead as the lights went out and after a poor start, Ingram fell behind the three NAPA cars, although he did manage to recover to 4th. 
• A short safety car period was needed at the end of lap 2, to remove the tyre stack that was knocked into the middle of the track by Andrew Watson at the chicane. 
• When the racing restarted, Ingram was close to the back of Sutton with the help of hybrid, but couldn’t find a way by. 
• Hill had a relatively comfortable lead at the front by BTCC standards, although the top four all raced closely together.

Race Two, 3.5/10 – Tom Ingram*, Jake Hill, Dan Cammish

• Hill made another good start off the line, but Sutton passed his teammate Cammish and although Ingram did too, it was only momentarily for him. 
• Watson wasn’t enjoying lap 2 of the day’s races as this time, he retired on the grass with a damaged Toyota. 
• At the front, Hill had Sutton, Ingram and Cammish all over the back of him, but after a couple of laps, a damaged front end of Sutton proved enough for him to lose out to Ingram and then later Cammish and Rowbottom as well. 
• Ingram used his hybrid to full effect on the exit of Church and overtook Hill as he scampered off to cross the line first. However, post-race he was demoted two places after cutting the chicane earlier in the race to pass Cammish. As a result, Hill inherited the victory and in each of the season’s meetings the race one winner has now won the second race. 

Race Three, 7/10 – Ash Sutton, Dan Cammish, Tom Ingram

• Ingram promoted Adam Morgan to reverse grid pole by drawing ball eight out of the bowl. He was joined on the front row by teammate Turkington with Josh Cook, Sutton, Rowbottom and Cammish completing the top six.
• The top three got away well from the line, but Rowbottom was soon in the barriers after cutting across the front of Turkington, and although he continued, he was well down the pack. Meanwhile, Turkington lost a couple of positions to Cook and Cammish and on the next lap, to Sutton as well. 
• On lap 5, the top five were all close as Morgan appeared to be holding up those behind him. A couple of laps later, Sutton became his main challenger after a move on Cook and with the door left open, Cammish made his way through too. The duo repeated the trick on lap 9 as Morgan fell to 3rd. 
• The safety car was required for a few laps to recover a smouldering car of Chilton and when racing resumed, Ingram made his way to 4th with a move on Turkington. The Northern Irishman then fell further down the field as the race concluded, with Hill and Cook notably overtaking him. 
• With a lap to go, contact between Ingram and Morgan resulted in Ingram missing the chicane, but as he was ahead to start with, Ingram kept the 3rd place post race. 
• Sutton was the first man to see the chequered flag with Cammish backing him up. However, a very battered car of Nick Halstead did not, although what happened to him appeared to be a mystery.

Thankfully, the final race of the day provided more entertainment than the opening two races combined, although it was still far from a classic. Without doubt, the high speed nature of Thruxton and seeing cars on the limit with drivers pushing every last ounce of performance is fantastic and a thrill, but in providing amazing races, it lacks. 

This year, especially after race one, several drivers complained that the aerodynamics of their cars were awful if they were following closely behind another car. This isn’t a principle BTCC bases itself on and is more accustomed to something from a Formula One race. BTCC is about the close racing. At least we don’t have to endure two meetings here [Thankfully! – Editor], as has happened on a couple of occasions following the disappearance of Rockingham from the schedule. 

Sutton retained his position at the top of the standings at the end of the meeting with the added confidence of winning his first race of the season. Sutton has been Mr Consistent this season with an astonishing nine podiums in twelve races. In comparison, Sutton had won six of the twelve races this time last year, but with one podium less. He is the man to beat.

And, oh, how Hill is trying. For the consecutive meeting he has won the first and second race. Hill’s six race victories last season all came after the first twelve races, so if he was to repeat history, what a battle we are going to have for this season’s championship. 

Of course, we cannot discount Ingram either, although he hasn’t won a race since he secured an opening round double. The three drivers are driving impeccably well and it is going to be a pleasure to see how the season develops from here. 

Turkington has had two relatively poor weekends since his great weekend at Brands Hatch Indy. He is now over thirty points away from the top spot, but I’m sure he won’t be panicking yet, especially as he will now get more hybrid boost given that he has dropped to fourth in the standings. 

The effect of hybrid will undoubtedly still have a huge effect on this season’s championship. The next meeting at Oulton Park has often proved tricky for overtaking, so with qualifying as important as ever, every little bit of hybrid boost will be essential.

2024 BTCC Championship standings after 12 rounds:

1.	Ashley Sutton	169 points
2.	Jake Hill	164
3.	Tom Ingram	155
4.	Colin Turkington	136
5.	Dan Cammish	129
6.	Josh Cook	115