Ash Sutton retains title lead after rollercoaster weekend

Ash Sutton insisted he was pleased to retain his lead in the BTCC standings after a rollercoaster weekend for the championship lead at Brands Hatch.

The Laser Tools Racing driver came into the weekend with maximum ballast on his Infiniti Q50 but managed to qualify in a solid seventh place for the opening race, where he then finished ahead of closest rival Tom Ingram to extend his lead in the standings.

Whilst Ingram then won race two to edge ahead in the points, Sutton managed to follow him home in second after a last corner move on Tom Oliphant, whilst race three saw the defending champion fight hard to take eighth.

With Ingram down in twelfth, it ensured Sutton retook the points lead heading into the next round at Oulton Park in late July.

“It’s early doors yet and we know how things can turn around,” he said. “P7 in qualifying with the weight was a good start and we have worked hard across the races to pick up places where we could, and the podium in race two was a bonus for us. It’s been close with Tom on the points throughout, and it is the consistency this weekend that has kept us on top.

“Colin [Turkington] has had a bad weekend here so we have been able to take points off him and we have to make sure we do that when things haven’t gone to plan for our rivals. There’s still a long way to go, but it’s good to have the points on the board.”