"Sutton Shines, Chilton Triumphs, and Ingram Battles: BTCC 2025 Roars to Life in Sizzling Season Opener"

Race 1

The 2025 British Touring Car Championship got off to a strong start under clear skies and scorching sunshine—markedly different from last season’s damp and overcast opener. A huge crowd was in attendance to witness a competitive and action-packed first race.

Dan Cammish started from pole but quickly came under pressure from NAPA Racing UK teammate Ash Sutton. The pair went side-by-side through Redgate and down through Hollywood before Sutton edged ahead. Cammish then lost second place to Team Vurtu’s Tom Ingram a few laps later, before a puncture dashed his hopes of a podium finish.

Sutton, running the soft compound tyre, and Ingram on the medium, began to pull away from the rest of the pack as the race settled. The fight for the remaining top positions, however, remained fierce.

There were incidents further down the order, with contact between Tom Chilton and Josh Cook in the closing laps. Cook also traded paint with Mikey Doble during this period. The incident with Chilton sent Cook’s Honda into the tyre stack, and Chilton was handed a five-second post-race penalty as a result.

This reshuffle meant that Dan Rowbottom, who had been quietly consistent throughout the race, was promoted to third to complete the podium. Doble, the leading independent runner, was rewarded with fifth place after the penalties were applied. Cook settled for sixth, while Chilton dropped to seventh.

Elsewhere, Ronan Pearson received a 10-second penalty for a false start, and Dexter Patterson took home the Jack Sears Trophy for an impressive performance during the race.

Race 1 – Final Top 10 Results:

Ash Sutton
Tom Ingram
Dan Rowbottom
Jake Hill
Mikey Doble (Independent Winner)
Josh Cook
Tom Chilton
Dan Cammish
Aiden Moffat
Chris Smiley

Race 2

Ash Sutton made it two wins from two at the season-opening weekend of the 2025 British Touring Car Championship, holding off a determined Tom Ingram to take victory in Race 2 under continued sunny skies.

Ingram, starting second after his runner-up finish in Race 1, put pressure on Sutton early in the race. His best opportunity came during the opening laps, but Sutton defended well and managed his limited boost strategically. The four-time champion saved his remaining bursts until the final lap, where he sealed the win with his fastest time of the race.

Jake Hill, on the soft tyre compound, led the chasing pack early on in the Laser Tools Racing BMW. However, as the race progressed, Hill started to fade and was eventually passed by Dan Cammish, who made a strong recovery from eighth on the grid. Cammish’s charge was capped off with a bold move at Coppice on the penultimate lap, earning him the final podium spot.

Josh Cook looked set to make progress but was halted by a puncture that ended his chances. Further down the field, Dexter Patterson continued to impress, bringing his ROKiT Racing x Un-Limited Cupra home in ninth place — another strong drive that builds on his Race 1 performance.

Tom Chilton, who received a penalty in the earlier race, had something to cheer as he was drawn for pole position in the reverse grid for Race 3.

Race 2 – Final Top 10 Results:

Ash Sutton
Tom Ingram
Dan Cammish
Jake Hill
Dan Rowbottom
Tom Chilton
Aiden Moffat
Chris Smiley
Dexter Patterson
Adam Morgan

Race 3

Tom Chilton capitalised on his reverse grid pole to take a well-earned win in Race 3 of the opening BTCC weekend, leading home Team Vurtu teammate Tom Ingram and double race winner Ash Sutton to cap off a strong day for the squad.

Chilton got off the line cleanly and held the lead into the first corners, with Dan Rowbottom slotting in behind in second in his NAPA Racing UK Ford Focus. Behind them, a battle was already brewing as Jake Hill came under pressure from both Ingram and Sutton.

Hill briefly moved up into third after passing Sutton, but the 2024 champion responded quickly. Ingram was the first to make a move on Rowbottom, cutting by in his Hyundai i30N before Sutton followed suit.

Despite the pressure, it wasn’t enough to unseat Chilton, who stayed composed throughout and crossed the line first to secure his and Team Vurtu’s maiden win of the season. The final podium was completed by Ingram and Sutton, who both secured a full set of podiums from the opening round.

Dan Cammish brought his NAPA Ford home in fourth, with Adam Morgan finishing a solid fifth. Rowbottom, after his early podium challenge, had to settle for sixth.