The Latest Breaking News from Colin Turkington

Sutton equalled the record of four titles held by Andy Rouse and Colin Turkington, and became the first driver in history to scoop the BTCC crown in rear and front-wheel-drive machinery.

Sutton was supreme throughout the half-hour in his Alliance Racing (nee Motorbase) Ford Focus ST as he bids for a fourth title.

The win, remarkably Sutton’s first of his BTCC career at the Northamptonshire circuit, came after long-time leader Jake Hill suffered a misfire just as the race restarted following a half-distance safety-car interlude.

Despite steady morning drizzle, Hill was the only driver among the top nine to take the start on wet-weather Goodyears and had qualified his West Surrey Racing BMW 330e M Sport in fourth position. 

The reigning Ginetta GT5 and BMW Compact Cup champion, driving a Power Maxed Racing Vauxhall Astra, ended the pole monopoly for 2023 of the Motorbase Performance Ford Focus ST squad, which had stretched to eight out of eight.

It’s around 10am on Saturday 22 April at Donington Park. The first British Touring Car Championship free practice session of the season is nearing its end. The rhythm of rasping BTCC cars bombing downhill through the Craner Curves to the Old Hairpin is becoming almost hypnotic. Suddenly, a blue-and-yellow projectile…

Lloyd had started his Team Hard Cupra Leon from pole position and led the Excelr8 Motorsport Hyundai i30 N of Tom Chilton, who was soon given a five-second penalty for an out-of-position start.

Ingram worked his Excelr8 Motorsport Hyundai i30 N ahead of the Motorbase Performance Ford Focus ST of Sutton on the fourth lap of 14, and stayed in front until the end of the race.

The three-time champion worked his Motorbase Performance Ford Focus ST around the Excelr8 Motorsport Hyundai i30 N of reigning title holder Tom Ingram on the second lap, and disappeared into the distance.

But this time Sutton had to fend off a stern challenge from reigning champion Tom Ingram, who ran him extremely close but could not prevent the Motorbase Performance Ford Focus ST squad from extending its 2023 pole wipeout to eight from eight.

The three-time champion wrung everything out of himself and his Motorbase Performance-run Ford Focus ST in the Q2 top-10 shootout to pip the One Motorsport Honda Civic Type R of Josh Cook by 0.006 seconds.