![Josh Cook, Toyota Gazoo Racing UK [Speedworks Motorsport], Toyota Corolla GR Sport NGTC](https://www.touringcars.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Josh-Cook-wins-Brands-Hatch-finale.jpg "Photo: Jakob Ebrey Photography")
Josh Cook was ‘properly chuffed’ to end the 2025 British Touring Car Championship with a win, after triumphing in the reverse-grid contest on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit.
Cook won his 21st BTCC race in the 30th race of the year, meaning he has now tasted victory in seven of his 11 seasons racing in the championship.
However, the Bristol-based racer had his work cut out, after a loss of oil pressure in qualifying meant he couldn’t post a competitive time, before the issue also necessitated an overnight engine change, sending Cook to the back of the race one grid.
However, Cook powered his way up to 11th in the opening race, before gaining further ground in race two to take the chequered flag in eighth.
Having then been drawn to start second on the reversed grid and with the faster soft-compound tyre on his Corolla, Cook initially lost second to Jake Hill’s BMW at the start.
However, he then regained the place on the following lap before closing in on early leader Aiden Moffat. Just before the safety car was called, Cook passed Moffat for the lead on the fourth lap, and didn’t look back thereafter to claim the win by over a second from Ash Sutton.
It also meant Cook ended the season 12th overall in the drivers’ standings, despite missing six races and receiving 30 points worth of engine change penalties, without which Cook would have been eighth.
“That was the best way to end the season,” said Cook. “After being so quick all weekend at Silverstone, we were quietly confident going to Brands but sadly, qualifying was over for us before it even really began.
“I felt like we had pole position-challenging pace, so to not even get a stab at it was tough but we knew we would be strong on race day and that we could still fight back.
“From there, our eyes were always on race three, and we just needed to make sure we stayed out of trouble and kept moving forward.
“The car was spot-on – the team did a great job of edging it in the right direction all weekend – and our pace on the medium tyre in the first two races was fantastic.
“We had a really good race one to gain 11 places, and while race two was a bit of a dogfight, the focus was on staying inside that little window for the reversed grid draw and luckily, that worked out in our favour.
“We played the game by saving the soft tyre for race three, and with a decent amount of boost as well, we had nothing to lose. Given the opportunity to win, I was always going to snatch it with both hands.
“As the old saying goes, you’re only as good as your last race – and we did pretty well!
“I’m properly chuffed for the whole team. The guys did a mega job – they worked so hard to replace my engine on Saturday night – and to end the season with a win was just reward for all of their efforts.”
Toyota Team Principal Christian Dick says the team’s strong results at the end of the season vindicated that its decision to switch from running Neil Brown Engineering-prepared engines to the TOCA M-Sport spec engine bad been the right move.
“Our performance and results at Brands Hatch serve to validate the decisions we’ve made throughout the year to get ourselves back on-track,” said Dick.
“It’s much harder to pull yourselves back up to be in a position to fight for race wins than it is to roll out-of-the-blocks strong in the first place, particularly in a series as tough as the BTCC, so immense credit must go to every single member of this team for working so hard and going above and beyond to help us to return to where we should be.
“Josh was obviously hugely unfortunate in qualifying, but he was similarly fast and incisive in all three races to keep gaining positions and, ultimately, a win.
“Yes, we benefitted from the reversed grid, but Ash Sutton and Jake Hill were up there with us and Josh had the measure of them both on the same tyre, so we can certainly hold our heads high.
“It’s been a fantastic end to the season, and with some winter testing and upgrades planned over the next few months, I have no doubt we can go into 2026 in really competitive shape.”