Ash Sutton on top overall in Snetterton tyre testing

NAPA Racing UK’s Ashley Sutton ended this week’s British Touring Car Championship tyre testing at Snetterton on top of the times, with the reigning champion putting in the quickest lap over the two days on Wednesday morning.

Sutton had been just 16^th overall at the conclusion of Tuesday’s testing in Norfolk, over a second off the pace set by Gordon Shedden, but the Motorbase driver then went 0.015 seconds faster than anyone else in Wednesday morning’s session, when lap times were significantly quicker than on the previous day.

The Ford driver pointed out that his quick lap had come at the conclusion of a run in which tyre supplier Goodyear had asked him to try out a different tyre, with team-mate Dan Cammish having been the driver he beat to the top time overall.

“We were selected to do some Goodyear tyre testing,” said Sutton, who with 155 laps completed more tours of the circuit than anyone else.

“So pretty much our whole day was based around testing out the option tyre and a few other things. I kind of took the limelight away from Dan who had raw pace on the right tyre if I’m honest. We were just running a completely different programme, as requested by Goodyear.

“We still made good progress with the car over the two days. We feel like we’ve had a lot of potential and that potential seemed to be showing in Dan’s pace too, but I’m pleased with the two-day tyre test and am looking forward to going to Knockhill and trying out some of the things we’ve learnt.”

In the afternoon session, Sutton was fifth overall as MB Motorsport’s Jake Hill ended the two-day test with the final top time, a lap of 1:55.912.

In the overall classification, Sutton and Cammish came out on top, ahead of Hill in third, thanks to his Wednesday morning effort which was sixth tenths quicker than his session-topping afternoon lap.

In fact, 22 of the 30 drivers ended up posting their best lap of the two-day test on Wednesday morning, when the air temperature was generally in the low 20s, as opposed to the high 20s of a day previous.

Excelr8 Motorsport’s Tom Ingram was fourth, three and a half tenths off the pace, with Team Dynamics’ Gordon Shedden – who had topped both sessions on Tuesday – ending up in fifth as the best of the Hondas.

BTCC newcomers Nick Tandy and Dan Zelos continued testing into Wednesday, although BTCC returnee Jack Mitchell did not take part in track activity on the second day.

Drivers completed over 14 hours of testing, 2,500 laps and 7,200 miles, with Goodyear also involving teams in particular programmes in preparation for 2023.

“Snetterton gives us all we need,” said Goodyear Motorsport Event Manager Mickey Butler. “It’s a mixture of corners, low speed, high speed and great visibility around the track.

“We can understand where we currently are from previous years’ testing and the data we’ve built up. It works really well for us.

“Obviously, we’re in the new hybrid world and we’re still developing our understanding of that, like everybody else, and then also adapt a new tyre for 2023 to make the racing even more exciting.”

Wednesday morning results

POS	NO	NAT	DRIVER	ENTRANT	CAR	LAPS	TIME	GAP
1	1		Ashley SUTTON	NAPA Racing UK	Ford Focus ST	54	1:55.121	–
2	9		Dan CAMMISH	NAPA Racing UK	Ford Focus ST	28	1:55.136	0.015
3	24		Jake HILL	ROKiT MB Motorsport	BMW 330e M Sport	41	1:55.391	0.270
4	80		Tom INGRAM	Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com	Hyundai i30 Fastback N	21	1:55.485	0.364
5	52		Gordon SHEDDEN	Halfords Racing with Cataclean	Honda Civic Type R	24	1:55.515	0.394
6	21		Ricky COLLARD	Toyota GAZOO Racing UK	Toyota Corolla GR Sport	34	1:55.698	0.577
7	777		Michael CREES	CarStore Power Maxed Racing	Vauxhall Astra	29	1:55.849	0.728
8	11		Jason PLATO	Rich Energy BTC Racing	Honda Civic Type R	35	1:56.018	0.897
9	32		Daniel ROWBOTTOM	Halfords Racing with Cataclean	Honda Civic Type R	5	1:56.078	0.957
10	12		Stephen JELLEY	Team BMW	BMW 330e M Sport	14	1:56.079	0.958
11	19		Bobby THOMPSON	Autobrite Direct with JourneyHero	CUPRA Leon	34	1:56.084	0.963
12	33		Adam MORGAN	Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport	BMW 330e M Sport	40	1:56.200	1.079
13	97		Ash HAND	CarStore Power Maxed Racing	Vauxhall Astra	31	1:56.392	1.271
14	50		Colin TURKINGTON	Team BMW	BMW 330e M Sport	41	1:56.577	1.456
15	77		Nick TANDY 2	Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan	Ford Focus ST	22	1:56.621	1.500
16	6		Rory BUTCHER	Toyota GAZOO Racing UK	Toyota Corolla GR Sport	14	1:56.734	1.613
17	3		Tom CHILTON	Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com	Hyundai i30 Fastback N	26	1:56.942	1.821
18	16		Aiden MOFFAT	Laser Tools Racing	Infiniti Q50	25	1:57.031	1.910
19	40		Árón TAYLOR-SMITH	Yazoo with Safuu.com Racing	CUPRA Leon	40	1:57.064	1.943
20	45		Dan ZELOS	Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com	Hyundai i30 Fastback N	28	1:57.073	1.952
21	17		Dexter PATTERSON	Laser Tools Racing	Infiniti Q50	12	1:57.527	2.406
22	48		Ollie JACKSON	Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan	Ford Focus ST	27	1:58.021	2.900
23	20		Will POWELL	Autobrite Direct with JourneyHero	CUPRA Leon	25	1:58.079	2.958
24	77		Sam OSBORNE	Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan	Ford Focus ST	13	1:58.214	3.093
25	42		George GAMBLE	Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport	BMW 330e M Sport	5	1:58.242	3.121
26	28		Nicolas HAMILTON	Yazoo with Safuu.com Racing	CUPRA Leon	23	1:58.282	3.161
27	123		Daniel LLOYD	Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com	Hyundai i30 Fastback N	1	No time	N/A

Wednesday afternoon results

POS	NO	NAT	DRIVER	ENTRANT	CAR	LAPS	TIME	GAP
1	24		Jake HILL	ROKiT MB Motorsport	BMW 330e M Sport	28	1:55.912	–
2	32		Daniel ROWBOTTOM	Halfords Racing with Cataclean	Honda Civic Type R	15	1:55.918	0.006
3	9		Dan CAMMISH	NAPA Racing UK	Ford Focus ST	20	1:56.217	0.305
4	80		Tom INGRAM	Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com	Hyundai i30 Fastback N	22	1:56.257	0.345
5	1		Ashley SUTTON	NAPA Racing UK	Ford Focus ST	44	1:56.311	0.399
6	123		Daniel LLOYD	Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com	Hyundai i30 Fastback N	30	1:56.406	0.494
7	77		Nick TANDY 2	Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan	Ford Focus ST	18	1:56.473	0.561
8	19		Bobby THOMPSON	Autobrite Direct with JourneyHero	CUPRA Leon	13	1:56.478	0.566
9	12		Stephen JELLEY	Team BMW	BMW 330e M Sport	25	1:56.495	0.583
10	66		Josh COOK	Rich Energy BTC Racing	Honda Civic Type R	15	1:56.613	0.701
11	21		Ricky COLLARD	Toyota GAZOO Racing UK	Toyota Corolla GR Sport	23	1:56.614	0.702
12	52		Gordon SHEDDEN	Halfords Racing with Cataclean	Honda Civic Type R	36	1:56.727	0.815
13	33		Adam MORGAN	Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport	BMW 330e M Sport	39	1:56.928	1.016
14	6		Rory BUTCHER	Toyota GAZOO Racing UK	Toyota Corolla GR Sport	15	1:56.948	1.036
15	50		Colin TURKINGTON	Team BMW	BMW 330e M Sport	24	1:57.283	1.371
16	48		Ollie JACKSON	Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan	Ford Focus ST	22	1:57.371	1.459
17	40		Árón TAYLOR-SMITH	Yazoo with Safuu.com Racing	CUPRA Leon	11	1:57.464	1.552
18	3		Tom CHILTON	Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com	Hyundai i30 Fastback N	32	1:57.652	1.740
19	16		Aiden MOFFAT	Laser Tools Racing	Infiniti Q50	23	1:57.694	1.782
20	45		Dan ZELOS	Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com	Hyundai i30 Fastback N	23	1:57.999	2.087
21	17		Dexter PATTERSON	Laser Tools Racing	Infiniti Q50	18	1:58.125	2.213
22	77		Sam OSBORNE	Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan	Ford Focus ST	10	1:58.288	2.376
23	11		Jason PLATO	Rich Energy BTC Racing	Honda Civic Type R	11	1:58.330	2.418
24	97		Ash HAND	CarStore Power Maxed Racing	Vauxhall Astra	8	1:58.478	2.566
25	28		Nicolas HAMILTON	Yazoo with Safuu.com Racing	CUPRA Leon	10	2:00.922	5.010

Tuesday and Wednesday combined results

POS	NO	NAT	DRIVER	ENTRANT	CAR	LAPS	TIME	GAP
1	1		Ashley SUTTON	NAPA Racing UK	Ford Focus ST	155	1:55.121	–
2	9		Dan CAMMISH	NAPA Racing UK	Ford Focus ST	99	1:55.136	0.015
3	24		Jake HILL	ROKiT MB Motorsport	BMW 330e M Sport	107	1:55.391	0.270
4	80		Tom INGRAM	Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com	Hyundai i30 Fastback N	92	1:55.485	0.364
5	52		Gordon SHEDDEN	Halfords Racing with Cataclean	Honda Civic Type R	102	1:55.515	0.394
6	21		Ricky COLLARD	Toyota GAZOO Racing UK	Toyota Corolla GR Sport	108	1:55.698	0.577
7	777		Michael CREES	CarStore Power Maxed Racing	Vauxhall Astra	70	1:55.849	0.728
8	32		Daniel ROWBOTTOM	Halfords Racing with Cataclean	Honda Civic Type R	62	1:55.918	0.797
9	11		Jason PLATO	Rich Energy BTC Racing	Honda Civic Type R	93	1:56.018	0.897
10	12		Stephen JELLEY	Team BMW	BMW 330e M Sport	94	1:56.079	0.958
11	19		Bobby THOMPSON	Autobrite Direct with JourneyHero	CUPRA Leon	72	1:56.084	0.963
12	33		Adam MORGAN	Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport	BMW 330e M Sport	79	1:56.200	1.079
13	97		Ash HAND	CarStore Power Maxed Racing	Vauxhall Astra	89	1:56.392	1.271
14	123		Daniel LLOYD	Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com	Hyundai i30 Fastback N	31	1:56.406	1.285
15	77		Nick TANDY 2	Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan	Ford Focus ST	50	1:56.473	1.352
16	50		Colin TURKINGTON	Team BMW	BMW 330e M Sport	97	1:56.577	1.456
17	66		Josh COOK	Rich Energy BTC Racing	Honda Civic Type R	61	1:56.613	1.492
18	6		Rory BUTCHER	Toyota GAZOO Racing UK	Toyota Corolla GR Sport	90	1:56.734	1.613
19	3		Tom CHILTON	Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com	Hyundai i30 Fastback N	115	1:56.942	1.821
20	16		Aiden MOFFAT	Laser Tools Racing	Infiniti Q50	82	1:57.031	1.910
21	40		Árón TAYLOR-SMITH	Yazoo with Safuu.com Racing	CUPRA Leon	69	1:57.064	1.943
22	45		Dan ZELOS	Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com	Hyundai i30 Fastback N	105	1:57.073	1.952
23	48		Ollie JACKSON	Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan	Ford Focus ST	98	1:57.371	2.250
24	128		Nick TANDY 1	NAPA Racing UK	Ford Focus ST	22	1:57.487	2.366
25	42		George GAMBLE	Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport	BMW 330e M Sport	60	1:57.526	2.405
26	17		Dexter PATTERSON	Laser Tools Racing	Infiniti Q50	48	1:57.527	2.406
27	20		Will POWELL	Autobrite Direct with JourneyHero	CUPRA Leon	74	1:58.079	2.958
28	77		Sam OSBORNE	Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan	Ford Focus ST	57	1:58.214	3.093
29	28		Nicolas HAMILTON	Yazoo with Safuu.com Racing	CUPRA Leon	80	1:58.282	3.161
30	27		Jack MITCHELL	NAPA Racing UK	Ford Focus ST	19	1:59.522	4.401
31	62		Rick PARFITT JR	Uptonsteel with Euro Car Parts Racing	Infiniti Q50	56	1:59.543	4.422