04/10/2024 09:48
The EXCELR8-run team goes into the event embroiled in a huge fight for the championship crown, with driver Tom Ingram sitting level on points with rival Jake Hill at the top, and a further four drivers retaining a mathematical chance of the title.
Ingram is a six-time winner at Brands Hatch during his career, with two of those wins coming on the longer Grand Prix layout back in 2022, when he secured the championship title for the first time.
The 31-year-old has been one of the drivers to beat around the GP loop in recent seasons, and over the past four campaigns, has finished on the podium in eight of the twelve races.
With the championship on the line, Ingram heads into the weekend in fighting mood and with his focus solely on the end goal of trying to score as many points as possible to wrap up a second BTCC crown.
Experienced team-mate Tom Chilton will celebrate his 500th BTCC start in the opening race of the weekend and heads into the finale looking to secure a top ten championship finish for the first time since the 2020 campaign.
Chilton has already scored more points this season than in his previous two years at the wheel of the Hyundai i30 Fastback N and is chasing what would be a first win around the Grand Prix layout in his quest to end the year on a high.
Nick Halstead will bring the curtain down on his second full season in the series looking to maintain the strong form he has shown since the summer break, having produced a series of increasingly competitive displays in recent meetings.
Halstead has picked up two points finishes this season and will seek to add to that tally during the final three races of the campaign as a circuit where he has competed on numerous occasions in the past during his time in championships such as British GT.
Dan Zelos meanwhile will hope to replicate the Jack Sears Trophy-winning performance he put on at Silverstone after the confirmation that he will continue in the line-up for a third successive weekend.
Tom Chilton, #3 Team Bristol Street Motors Hyundai i30 Fastback N, said:
“Brands Hatch is my home circuit, and the GP layout in particular is one of my favourites as it’s really ‘old school’ with no margin for error – so it’s a great place to celebrate my 500th BTCC start!
“Going into the finale, this has already been my best season for a number of years and I want to try and make sure that I finish it on a high. Having picked up a podium finish on the Indy layout back in May, it would be fantastic if I could replicate that and fight my way up into the top ten in the championship.
“Saying that, the big focus this weekend is the title, and with Tom in such a tight battle at the top, I’ll be doing all that I can to help him try and wrap things up.”
Nick Halstead, #22 Team Bristol Street Motors Hyundai i30 Fastback N, said:
“Overall this has been a positive season for me in terms of the progress that I’ve made in a highly competitive field, and I’m hoping to carry that progress into Brands Hatch this weekend.
“For me, racing in the BTCC is all about having fun and pushing myself to see how I match up against some of the best touring car drivers around. Particularly over the second half of the year, I think my pace has improved and I’ve been more competitive than ever.
“The GP layout is one where I’ve done plenty of laps in the past and going into the season finale, I’d love to be able to bring home some points to round out the campaign.”
Dan Zelos, #45 Team Bristol Street Motors Hyundai i30 Fastback N, said:
"I didn't expect to be racing the Hyundai for a third weekend, so I'm pretty much lost for words at being out on track again at Brands Hatch.
"I feel I've shown what I can do in the two rounds so far, and my target is to try and build on the performances at Donington Park and Silverstone to end what has been the most amazing season on a real high."
Tom Ingram, #80 Team Bristol Street Motors Hyundai i30 Fastback N, said:
“It literally couldn’t be any closer going into the weekend and whilst a lot of the focus will be on me and Jake given the fact we are level on points, we have to be mindful of the fact that this isn’t just a two way fight.
“As I’ve said all season, the important thing is that we need to focus on ourselves as we can’t control what the other teams and drivers are doing. Historically, Brands Hatch GP has been a good circuit for us and we are going there this weekend with a car that is better than it has ever been, which leaves me feeling really confident about what we can achieve.
“I’ve been in this position before and know what is required to come out on top, so we head to Brands Hatch in a really strong place. It promises to be an exciting weekend for everyone and I see no reason why we can’t go there and get the job done.”
Justina Williams, Team Owner, said:
“It’s been a fantastic battle at the top between Tom, Jake and the others all season, and we’re now in a position where Brands Hatch is almost a ‘mini championship’ where winner takes all.
“From our perspective, the GP layout is one where we have gone well in the past, most notably back in 2022 when we won all three races – and we know who emerged on top in the standings then...
“Regardless of the end outcome, we’ll be giving everything as a team to try and secure the title, and are more than ready for the challenge ahead.”