BTCC Title Battle Heats Up as Donington Delivers Three Different Winners

Chilton Breaks 14-Year Pole Drought with Commanding Donington GP Triumph

Tom Chilton rolled back the clock at Donington Park’s Grand Prix circuit, as the Team VERTU driver converted his first pole position in 14 years into a flawless lights-to-flag victory in Race 1 — his second win of the 2025 BTCC campaign.

The veteran made a perfect getaway and immediately settled into a smooth, controlled rhythm at the head of the field. Teammate and points leader Tom Ingram slotted in behind, the pair quickly pulling clear of the pack in the early laps. Ingram briefly moved to the front to bag the valuable championship point for leading a lap, before sensibly relinquishing the position back to Chilton, who looked determined to finally turn a long-awaited pole into victory.

While the VERTU Hyundai duo dictated the pace up front, the fight for the final podium spot delivered plenty of drama. Restart Racing’s Chris Smiley produced a superb opening phase, making the most of his turbo boost to fend off a train of NAPA Racing UK Fords. For a moment, it looked as though Smiley might pull off a shock podium, but relentless pressure eventually told. Daniel Rowbottom found a way through, with teammates Ash Sutton and Dan Cammish swiftly following to claim third, fourth and fifth places.

Smiley’s early charge began to unravel as the race progressed, and he was gradually caught by defending champion Jake Hill. The Laser Tools BMW driver completed a clean pass, with Adam Morgan and Senna Proctor also working their way past in quick succession, leaving Smiley to hang on to ninth at the chequered flag.

Capping off the top ten was Árón Taylor-Smith, who delivered one of the standout recovery drives of the race. After track-limit violations compromised his qualifying and left him 14th on the grid, the Irishman carved his way through the midfield to grab the final points-paying position.

But at the front, the spotlight was firmly on Chilton, who took the flag for a hugely popular and well-earned victory — a fitting reward for his persistence and experience throughout a long BTCC career.

Race 1 – Final Top 10:

Tom Chilton
Tom Ingram
Daniel Rowbottom
Ash Sutton
Dan Cammish
Jake Hill
Adam Morgan
Senna Proctor
Chris Smiley
Árón Taylor-Smith

Cammish Celebrates 200th BTCC Start with Sensational Donington GP Win

Dan Cammish marked his 200th British Touring Car Championship start in unforgettable fashion, navigating the treacherous and ever-changing Donington GP weather to claim a stunning Race 2 victory.

The NAPA Racing UK star wasted no time moving to the front, muscling past Team VERTU’s Tom Ingram in the opening laps. But the contest was thrown into disarray shortly after when a sudden downpour drenched the circuit. The intense burst of rain caught many drivers off guard, sending Cammish skating across the soaked surface and into the gravel. He was far from alone — a flurry of cars slithered off in sympathy, creating spray-filled chaos across multiple corners.

Just as quickly as it arrived, the rain eased, sparking a frantic scramble to rejoin the race. Remarkably, Cammish kept his Ford Focus under control through the drama and retained his lead. Behind him, Adam Morgan put on a masterclass in car control to move into second place, while fan favourite Gordon Shedden capitalised on the conditions to secure third.

The intensity ramped up when title contenders Daniel Rowbottom and Ash Sutton clashed while dicing for position, sending both tumbling down the order in what could prove to be a pivotal championship moment. The collision reshuffled the pack and dealt Sutton’s title defence a significant blow.

Once the safety car was deployed to restore order, the field closed up, but Cammish kept his composure at the restart. He didn’t put a wheel wrong over the remaining laps, crossing the line to take an emotional and well-deserved victory on his milestone appearance. Morgan followed him home in second, with Shedden completing the podium after one of the season’s most unpredictable races.

Ingram recovered to fourth to collect crucial championship points, while WSR’s Daryl DeLeon continued his impressive form with another standout drive to fifth. Toyota man Josh Cook claimed sixth, just ahead of the ever-consistent Árón Taylor-Smith in seventh.

Despite the earlier contact, Sutton clawed his way back through the field to finish eighth — a potentially vital result in the title race. Chris Smiley initially took ninth and earned the reverse-grid pole for Race 3, but post-race checks saw his car excluded for a ride-height infringement. The disqualification handed Sutton pole for the finale, setting the stage for a high-stakes conclusion to the weekend.

Race 2 – Final Top 10:

Dan Cammish
Adam Morgan
Gordon Shedden
Tom Ingram
Daryl DeLeon
Josh Cook
Árón Taylor-Smith
Ash Sutton
Chris Smiley (DSQ – ride height failure)

Ingram Clinches Fifth Win of 2025 in Thrilling Donington GP Showdown

Tom Ingram strengthened his grip on the 2025 BTCC title race with a superb victory in the Donington Park GP finale, overcoming championship rival Ash Sutton in a tense and tactical head-to-head to claim his fifth win of the season.

Lining up fifth on the grid, the Team VERTU driver made rapid early progress, slicing through the pack to latch onto the rear of pole-sitter Sutton. With Sutton opting for the harder compound, a defensive masterclass was always on the cards from the four-time champion — and he didn’t disappoint, soaking up relentless pressure in the opening stages.

What followed was a captivating duel between the two title protagonists, with light contact and aggressive positioning keeping fans on the edge of their seats. Ingram constantly probed for an opening, and the decisive moment came at Melbourne Hairpin, where he launched a perfectly judged move down the inside to take the lead.

Even a late-race safety car couldn’t unsettle him. Ingram nailed the restart and edged clear over the final laps to secure a pivotal victory — one that stretches his championship advantage over Sutton to 32 points as the season moves into its second half.

Behind them, Dan Rowbottom delivered one of the standout performances of the weekend. Starting from 12th, the NAPA Racing UK driver charged through the field to snatch third and complete the podium with a superb recovery drive.

Árón Taylor-Smith continued his purple patch with another strong showing in fourth, followed by Jake Hill in fifth and Tom Chilton, who added a solid sixth-place finish to his weekend tally.

Toyota’s Gordon Shedden delighted the home crowd by bringing his Corolla home in seventh, while Dan Lloyd impressed with eighth place for Restart Racing, also collecting the top Independent honours.

Young WSR talent Daryl DeLeon once again made his mark, finishing ninth and securing the Jack Sears Trophy to round off a stellar weekend. Teammate Charles Rainford completed the top ten.

It was a fittingly dramatic conclusion to the Donington weekend, with Ingram once again rising to the occasion to underline his status as the man to beat — while Sutton was left to ponder a race that slipped away.

Race 3 – Final Top 10: