Jake Hill became 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Champion following an impressive drive under pressure on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit, whilst Ash Sutton claimed victory in the final race of the year.

Hill started the race from sixth in his Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport BMW, one place ahead of title rival Tom Ingram, but immediately lost ground as the latter moved ahead during the opening exchanges. By lap two, Ingram had managed to put a car between himself and Hill with a move on Dan Cammish, and it appeared the Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS Hyundai might have the edge.

But Hill wasn’t going to give up, and quickly set about passing Cammish, and thereafter began to start hunting Ingram down. After rising to fifth, the first decisive moment came as Hill sized up a move on Ingram around the outside at Surtees on lap five. The BMW drew alongside and powered through on the inside at Hawthorn, with Hill just holding a slide to secure his place ahead of Ingram.

A lap later, Sutton made what would prove to be a race winning move with a bold pass on Josh Cook at Graham Hill Bend. Aron Taylor-Smith lost a little momentum just behind them as a result and Hill opportunistically slid by to gain another place. Ingram followed Hill past the Vauxhall shortly afterwards, but by this point he was three seconds in arrears and continuing to lose ground.

Hill continued to gain ground and made yet another pass on Cook to take second on the ninth lap. And he charged on towards the end of the race from there with Ingram unable to quite respond. The loss of a place to Cammish just two laps from home put another car between Ingram and Hill, with the latter driving home to a comfortable second behind runaway leader Sutton.

That was enough to hand the title to the Kent driver by just eight points. And by securing the title, Hill became the first driver from the county to win the title at Brands Hatch since ‘Doc’ Shepherd all the way back in 1960.

Cook completed the final podium of the season in third ahead of Cammish, whilst Colin Turkington also passed Ingram to take fifth. Ingram ended the season in sixth, with Sam Osborne, Andrew Watson, Aiden Moffat and Adam Morgan completing the top-10.

Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, Brands Hatch, Race 3

1. Ash Sutton, NAPA RACING UK, Ford Focus ST
2. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport, BMW 330e M Sport, +10.269s
3. Josh Cook, LKQ Car Parts with SYNETIQ, Toyota Corolla GR Sport, +11.730s
4. Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK, Ford Focus ST, +17.148s
5. Colin Turkington, Team BMW, BMW 330e M Sport, +18.339s
6. Tom Ingram, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS, Hyundai i30N, +21.707s
7. Sam Osborne, NAPA Racing UK, Ford Focus ST, +23.001s
8. Andrew Watson, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK, Toyota Corolla GR Sport, +23.945s
9. Aiden Moffat, LKQ Car Parts with SYNETIQ, Toyota Corolla GR Sport, +24.360s
10. Adam Morgan, Team BMW, BMW 330e M Sport, +26.688s

Standings

1. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport, BMW 330e M Sport, 421
2. Tom Ingram, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS, Hyundai i30N, 413
3. Ash Sutton, NAPA Racing UK, Ford Focus ST, 365
4. Colin Turkington, Team BMW, BMW 330e M Sport, 346
5. Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK, Ford Focus ST, 346
6. Josh Cook, LKQ Car Parts with SYNETIQ, Toyota Corolla GR Sport, 327

Click here to view full timings from this weekend's Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship event.