The testing session at Donington Park saw four-time title winner Ash Sutton dominate the track in his NAPA-liveried Alliance Racing Ford Focus ST. Setting a lap time 0.098 seconds faster than his teammate Dan Cammish, Sutton showcased his skill and speed behind the wheel. Despite the afternoon session being cut short by a thunderstorm, Sutton managed to make the most of the track time available and expressed satisfaction with the progress made on the car. However, he humbly admitted that the lap times were not the focus, as they were simply going through a testing program to make adjustments to the car.
2022 BTCC champion Tom Ingram put in an impressive performance during the morning session, topping the timesheets in his Excelr8 Motorsport Hyundai i30 N Fastback. His teammate, Tom Chilton, also showed his mettle by finishing ahead of Ingram in the afternoon session, securing the third-fastest time of the day. The Excelr8 Motorsport duo demonstrated their competitiveness and potential for the upcoming races.
Dan Rowbottom in the third Alliance Ford and Jake Hill in the West Surrey Racing BMW 330e M Sport also put in solid performances, finishing within the top five on the day. Rob Huff, the 2012 World Touring Car champion, impressed by setting the best lap time for the Speedworks Motorsport-run Toyota Corolla GR Sports in the morning session. Colin Turkington and Andrew Watson also showcased their skills throughout the testing day, finishing in the top ten overall.
Team Updates and Entry List
In addition to the on-track action, the BTCC also saw some team updates and announcements during the testing session. Team Hard has been rebranded as Unlimited Motorsport under new ownership, with Tony Gilham still involved in the one-car Cupra Leon effort. WSR has entered its fourth BMW without nominating a driver yet, indicating ongoing negotiations to finalize their lineup. Power Maxed Racing confirmed a reduction in the number of Vauxhall Astras to two for the season due to budget constraints.
The testing session at Donington Park provided a glimpse into the competitive landscape of the BTCC for the upcoming season. With established champions like Ash Sutton and Tom Ingram setting the pace, and other drivers showing promising performances, fans can expect an exciting and closely contested series of races. The team updates and entry list announcements add an additional layer of intrigue and anticipation as the season opener at Donington approaches.
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