Steve Laidlaw dominates final TCR UK race at Thruxton

Area Motorsport’s Steve Laidlaw claimed victory in the final TCR UK race of the weekend at Thruxton.

The Cupra León Competición TCR driver started from the effective front row of the grid after Callum Newsham was unable to take the start following his crash at the start of the second race.

He then made the most of yet more mechanical issues for Adam Shepherd to seize the lead, which he maintained throughout.

Carl Boardley missed out on a chance to wrap up the title after an off-track moment filled his radiator with grass early on. His Cupra was never the same after and finished 10th.

Despite getting a slower start than fellow front-row starter Steve Laidlaw, Shepherd held the advantage into turn one for the first time, with Hutchison settling into third place at the Complex.

Behind, Boardley also stayed out of trouble and challenged the back of Hutchison around the outside of Church before securing third place on the run into the final corner.

As Shepherd skipped away at the front, Boardley dropped a bunch of places after running onto the grass on the second lap, allowing Hutchison and Lewis through.

Frustratingly true to form, Shepherd’s Cupra last a full two laps as his car slowed in the same place as it did in both races one and two; his fuel pressure issue rearing its ugly head yet again.

Boardley was then embroiled in a lively scrap with Darron Lewis, with the pair swapping places twice in the same lap, but their battle was shortlived as Boardley had to pit to remove grass from the radiator of his Cupra following his off-track moment.

That dropped Boardley to the rear of the field as Hutchison began to close right in onto the back of Laidlaw for the lead of the race with 10 minutes remaining.

Laidlaw resisted the assault well and even began to stretch his advantage in the closing stages, eking out a margin of over two seconds as Hutchison fell into the clutches of Lewis.

Hutchison did eventually cling on to claim second at the line, as Laidlaw extended his lead to over four seconds to take the win, with Lewis completing the podium in third.

Sam Laidalw, after being disqualified from race two, finished fourth, with Rick Kerry bringing his Gen1 Cupra home fifth.