The Latest Breaking News from West Surrey Racing

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. 

One of four drivers in contention for the title, Hill set the fastest time in the early-morning session aboard his West Surrey Racing BMW 330e M Sport.

With rear-wheel-drive traction from his West Surrey Racing-run BMW 330e M Sport, it was no surprise that Hill got the jump on Sutton’s Motorbase Performance Ford Focus ST at the start.

Once he had got the jump on the Motorbase Performance Ford Focus ST of poleman Sutton at the start, it was imperative for Hill to keep the 2023 points leader at bay while the tyres on his rear-wheel-drive West Surrey Racing-run BMW 330e M Sport got up to temperature.

Despite running the medium ‘prime’ tyre, Sutton’s Motorbase Performance Ford Focus ST cruised away from the soft-shod West Surrey Racing BMW 330e M Sports of Colin Turkington and Hill in the opening stages.

Hill has become a championship challenger in the BTCC having joined West Surrey Racing in 2022 before going on to finish third in the standings, while he currently sits fifth in this year’s order after two rounds.

Turkington, with the soft option tyres fitted to his West Surrey Racing BMW 330e M Sport, got the launch from second on the grid, but the problem was he had to do it twice.

As the seconds ticked down in a soggy top-10 Q2 shootout, it appeared that Colin Turkington would secure pole position in his West Surrey Racing-run BMW 330e M Sport.

Hill was one of a raft of late improvements in the opening session, which took place amid light drizzle, and steered his West Surrey Racing-run BMW 330e M Sport around the Indy Circuit 0.097 seconds quicker than the Motorbase Performance Ford Focus ST of three-time champion Ash Sutton.