Hill, who started from fourth on the grid in his West Surrey Racing BMW 330e M Sport, was running in third place as polesitting team-mate Stephen Jelley and third-starting Josh Cook in his One Motorsport Honda Civic Type R battled for the lead.
Cook’s engine temperature was climbing alarmingly due to grass in his radiator, and Jelley had already exchanged the lead with him on a few occasions before trying to repass the Honda with a speculative move on the outside of the high-speed Westfield.
