Whilst ‘twists’, ‘turns’ and ‘upset’ have become every day terms in British Touring Car Championship vocabulary, ‘bizarre’ is a word seldom put to use; but then how often do we see a first time pole-sitter give up their rightful place by failing to stop on the grid for the start?
To be fair to Mikey Doble, it was an understandable error on his part; the instruction for two green flag laps was made as cars were rolled out of their garages, but in the BTCC, there are two sets of green flag laps – the lap(s) to form up ahead of the grid walk, and then the lap(s) prior to the start. On short circuits (Knockhill and Brands Hatch Indy), cars are automatically given an extra lap to allow them to build tyre and brake temperature, but if the track has changed substantially from qualifying, they’re also given an extra lap to allow drivers the opportunity to assess conditions prior to assembling in front of hospitality guests and media. Doble has led many races from pole (in Ginetta GT5 and BMW Compact Cup), but these have always been straight from the assembly area to the grid, and then the green flag lap(s) ahead of the start. He just got it wrong, as did his team by appearing to give no clear instructions over the radio as he made his way around.
So Doble, who the previous day had ended NAPA’s run of eight straight poles, was left to continue and line-up at the back. But this was only the start of the day’s dramas. At the front, Colin Turkington, Tom Ingram, Ash Sutton and Tom Chilton had all opted to use slick tyres. From the first three rows, only Jake Hill in P4 had seen the need for wets, and as the cars struggled off the line, his Laser Tools Racing BMW headed straight into the lead, opening a sizeable gap by the time the others had managed to slide their way through Copse. Andrew Watson and Dan Rowbottom (both also shod with wets) were soon able to break free and set off in pursuit but further back, title hopefuls Ingram and Sutton, having made one wrong tyre choice then decided to make another by pitting.
It seemed crazy in the extreme. By the end of lap 2, the wet-tyred cars were lapping at 1:03 – 1:04; Ingram and Sutton were four seconds a lap slower. However, stopping to change tyres here costs over a minute, and already, in places, the track appeared to be drying. If they’d braved it out, both would have collected good points. By lap 8, the slick runners (like Doble) were just a second off the pace, and as the clock counted down, the order in the midfield was starting to change. Hill’s advantage meant that he was able to look after his rubber but as others fought for position, grip became ever more precious and places were traded, those on Goodyear’s yellow-banded tyres ever more able to outpace the fading wets.
By the time of the flag, Doble had salvaged his pride by rising to P11; Hill eased to his fifth win of the year, Rory Butcher (who started on slicks and persevered) made three places to finish in P6, and both Ingram and Sutton were a lap behind and pointless.
Despite Hill’s win, and one for teammate Turkington (in the final race of the day), neither was able to collect the points necessary to sustain their championship challenge. And so for the first time, in seemingly a very long time, the Brands Hatch decider will see a straightforward duel for drivers’ crown. Ash Sutton’s 45-point lead should see him ease towards a record-equalling title number four, whereas reigning champion Ingram must still be rueing his disqualification at Knockhill (for a ride-height infringement), costing him then at least one win, possibly two, together with the potential additional points for fastest laps and leading. The deficit of 45, could, so easily, have been just 7 or 8.
‘Twists’ and ‘turns’ are likely to continue in the finale, but ‘upsets’, I don’t think so.
Here are twenty of our favourite images from Rounds 25-27:
Images by Steve Hindle and Mike Inkley
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