The British Touring Car Championship returned to action at Donington Park for the opening meeting of the 2025 season, with large crowds enjoying sunny skies, dry conditions and a full afternoon of touring car action around one of the UK's most iconic circuits.
Race One
Dan Cammish led the field into the opening corner, but his advantage lasted only as far as the Craner Curves, where Ash Sutton found a way through to take control of the race. Sutton immediately began to establish himself at the front, while Tom Ingram remained firmly in the fight and on Lap 8 made his move on Cammish for second, once again using the Craner Curves to complete the pass.
The race began to unravel for several drivers as the laps progressed. Adam Morgan was forced out on Lap 11 after contact with another car left him with a puncture, while Cammish suffered another puncture in his NAPA Racing machine as the soft tyres began to struggle with the demands of the circuit. With the field becoming increasingly affected by tyre problems, the Safety Car was deployed on Lap 12 to bring the pack back together.
Cook then made contact with the tyres in the chicane before the green flags finally returned on Lap 15. The race was extended from its scheduled 18 laps to 21, setting up a tense finish. Dorlin found the gravel at Redgate as the final laps unfolded, while at the front Sutton and Ingram ran bumper to bumper all the way to the chequered flag.
Sutton held on to take the opening victory of the 2025 season, with Ingram finishing second and Dan Rowbottom completing the podium for NAPA Racing.
Race Two
Sutton was back at the front for Race Two and led the field into the opening corner, with Ingram immediately behind and Jake Hill making a strong start in his BMW. The battle for position remained intense as the race developed, with the two NAPA Racing cars of Rowbottom and Cammish swapping places on Lap 10 as Cammish continued his progress through the field.
Josh Cook was the next driver to suffer tyre trouble, picking up a puncture and limping back towards the pits, while Rainford was also forced to pull off the circuit after encountering his own tyre problems. At the front, Cammish continued his charge and eventually made his move on Hill down the back straight, taking third place and putting himself onto the final step of the podium.
There was no catching Sutton, however, as the NAPA Racing driver controlled the closing stages to claim his second victory of the day. Ingram followed him home in second, with Cammish completing the podium after another determined recovery drive.
Race Three
Tom Chilton started Race Three from pole position and led the field towards Redgate, with Dan Rowbottom and Jake Hill following closely behind. The opening lap immediately produced drama when Hamilton ventured onto the gravel at the first corner, but the action continued unabated as the field settled into another hard-fought race.
Rainford made an aggressive move on his team-mate Hill into the chicane at the end of Lap 4, while Gordon Shedden found himself sideways at the same section of the circuit. Shedden managed to control the car and continue, while further back Moffat and Morgan became locked in a battle down the back straight.
At the front, Chilton was putting together a near-perfect drive. Starting from pole, he controlled the race from the lead and managed his soft tyres throughout the distance to deliver a pole-to-flag victory and round off a highly competitive opening meeting.
Behind him, Ingram and Sutton fought right to the final few metres, with Ingram eventually securing second place and Sutton completing the podium in third.
After three races at Donington Park, Sutton emerged as the clear early headline-maker of the 2025 BTCC season, taking two victories and a third-place finish as the championship got underway in front of a packed and enthusiastic crowd.
