The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship’s 2022 campaign got underway at Donington Park earlier today, with MPA Creative once again providing PR and Media support for Britain’s premier motorsport series.
Catch up with how the first qualifying session of the year went below…
Hill’s the Hybrid hero at Donington Park
ROKiT MB Motorsport man secures historic first-ever BTCC pole position
Jake Hill sensationally kicked off the BTCC Hybrid era with the first pole position of his Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship career at Donington Park earlier today (23 April).
With the introduction of hybrid power already making the opening qualifying session an historic moment for the UK’s biggest and best motorsport championship, a titanic tussle to grab the all-important pole position ensued.
The session started in dramatic fashion as Dan Cammish scrambled out of his #9 NAPA Racing UK Ford Focus with a suspected fuel fire, immediately ending the Yorkshireman’s challenge.
BMW became the dominant force following the restart – the Bavarian marque occupying the top five positions at one stage – as a flurry of fast laps lit up the timing screens.
Eventually, it became a head-to-head between two West Surrey Racing-run machines as Hill edged out his four-time champion stablemate Colin Turkington by just 0.018s.
NAPA Racing UK was provided with some joy as reigning champion Ash Sutton claimed third, ahead of the Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com Hyundai of Tom Ingram.
Just 0.063s separated the top four drivers in the final classification, highlighting the early competitiveness in this new era of touring car racing.
Debutant George Gamble proved to be a superstar on his maiden run as the Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport driver impressively took fifth, securing a third-row starting berth alongside Halfords Racing with Cataclean’s Gordon Shedden for tomorrow’s opener.
Stephen Jelley (Team BMW) and Adam Morgan (Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport) ensured it was five BMWs in the top eight, whilst the Hondas of Daniel Rowbottom (Halfords Racing with Cataclean) and Jason Plato (Rich Energy BTC Racing) rounded out the top ten.