Ash Sutton: From the Gravel to Glory
What a way to kick off 2026. Ash Sutton went from burying his car in the gravel during Saturday's qualifying race to winning both Sunday races and walking away from Donington Park leading the championship. His 300th BTCC race start couldn't have gone much better. In Round 2 he led from the front after out-dragging Mikey Doble off the line and in Round 3 he carved through from eighth on the reverse grid like a man possessed. Four titles and he still looks hungrier than anyone on the grid. If you're picking your 2026 champion right now, good luck looking past him.
Ingram's Nightmare Double Whammy
Spare a thought for Tom Ingram. The reigning champion crossed the line first in the qualifying race and Round 1 on Sunday but kept neither victory. A five-second penalty in the qualifying race for his Hyundai running out of compliance handed Dan Rowbottom the win. Then a full disqualification from Round 1 for a significant overboost infringement stripped him of that result too. That's brutal. To his credit, Ingram responded with an absolutely stonking drive in Round 3, slicing from 21st on the grid all the way to second. That kind of recovery tells you everything about the bloke's quality. But losing two wins in a single weekend? That will sting for a while.
Doble and the Audi Make a Statement
Mikey Doble inherited the Round 1 victory after Ingram's exclusion, but don't let the word "inherited" fool you. He was right there on merit and his outright win in another race confirmed the new Audi S3 Saloon is no joke. Power Maxed Racing have clearly done serious work over the winter. Doble has always had the speed and now he has machinery that matches it. The fact that all three brand-new cars on the grid took victories across the weekend tells you the technical shake-up has delivered exactly what TOCA wanted. More competition, more variety and more unpredictability.
Rowbottom, Plato Racing and a Slice of History
Can we talk about Cataclean Plato Racing for a moment? Jason Plato's return to the BTCC as a team boss brought plenty of hype over the winter and Dan Rowbottom delivered immediately. Winning the first ever BTCC Qualifying Race in the team's debut weekend is a proper fairy tale. The Mercedes A35 Saloon looked competitive all day and Rowbottom drove with composure beyond what you'd expect from a brand-new outfit. Early days, obviously. But the signs are very encouraging.
Rainford and WSR Mean Business
Charles Rainford quietly put together one of the most consistent weekends of anyone. A podium finish and two further top-six results leave him sitting second in the championship standings behind Sutton. WSR's BMW 330i M Sport looked planted all weekend and team-mate Daryl De Leon showed decent pace too. These two young drivers are making the 18-time title-winning squad look smart for backing them. Rainford topped the final pre-season test at Brands Hatch and he's carried that form straight into the live rounds. Keep an eye on him.
The Bigger Picture and What's Coming
The new qualifying race format worked well. It added jeopardy to Saturday without overshadowing Sunday's main events. Having it as a half-points race feels about right and the reverse grid draw for Round 3 continues to produce spectacular racing. TOCA also announced the 2027 calendar before the 2026 season had even properly started, which is refreshingly organised. On the fan side of things, plenty of chatter about attending Snetterton next month and collectors hunting down models of this season's new cars. If you're heading to Snetterton with kids, the paddock access on Saturday is the place to be for autographs and the atmosphere is generally more relaxed than Brands or Donington.
Fan Verdict
Honestly, if every round is half as dramatic as Donington we are in for a season to remember. Sutton looked imperious. Ingram looked fast but unlucky. The new cars delivered. The championship picture is already spicy and we've only had one weekend. Roll on the next one.