Manufacturers Hatch GP will likely be one Ricky Collard will always remember, for he might lastly be a British Touring Automotive Championship victor.
Nonetheless, he faces a nervous wait whereas his enchantment processes – after being handed a five-second penalty for a security automobile infringement.
Beginning on pole for the reverse-grid Race 3 after ending P9 in Race 2, Dexter Patterson led the sector away from the off.
However, it was not lengthy earlier than chaos took maintain in 2026’s finale. 4 vehicles had been misplaced on the opening enterprise down Paddock Hill – together with Tom Chilton bowing as he stepped out of his Hyundai within the gravel.
The melee additionally included Tom Ingram, with Sam Osborne the perpetrator, Nick Halstead joined them as he tried to keep away from, and Lewis Selby went off additional down the bend. Dan Rowbottom additionally suffered, dropping to P19 earlier than the security automobile was deployed.
On the entrance, Collard managed to take the lead from Patterson, having had a begin so good he bumped him and his foe all the way down to the primary nook, as Dan Cammish jumped into P3.
After a prolonged break in green-flag working because the stranded Paddock Hill-ians had been recovered, racing resumed on lap seven, with three added to the brand new whole of 18.
Having waited till the final attainable second to pin the throttle, Collard ran away by Paddock Hill and Druids to retain his lead, whereas Ash Sutton shortly dispatched Cammish and Patterson to pop himself into P2.
Having been feisty with one another the entire weekend, Sutton’s progress ensured that he would be capable to scrap with Collard one final time. By lap 9, he had already discovered himself proper on the again bumper of Collard by Druids.
Although, the struggle wouldn’t final for lengthy. Sutton discovered himself moved to the acute inside at Westfield with Collard shifting throughout quickly to try to hold his lead. The five-time Drivers’ Champion skidded throughout the grass and rejoined in P9, earlier than enhancing again as much as P7 a lap later.
The battle noticed Patterson have a sniff at Collard, earlier than as soon as once more falling behind Cammish because the NAPA man turned the newest challenger to Collard’s lead.
Lap 12 noticed Dan Rowbottom’s CPRL Mercedes pull to the within of Paddock Hill bend, together with his glowing entrance brakes setting on hearth as he exited the race and spawned the security automobile. Reunited together with his flash button this weekend, even the security automobile couldn’t escape Collard’s button-spamming throughout the second pause of the race.
Resuming on lap 15, Collard as soon as once more led the sector away with a late dash that precipitated some stress behind him. Recovering from his off, Sutton grabbed P4 and P3 whereas Árón Taylor-Smith had one in every of his personal after shifting throughout Charles Rainford – managing to pull his crabbing Corolla to the pits.
On the ultimate lap, Sutton accomplished a positive transfer on Cammish with nice danger at Paddock Hill, however contact noticed him determine to present the place again to his teammate – with that order holding till the flag.
And on the flag, it was Collard – the person with essentially the most BTCC podiums with out victory – who lastly took a victory within the collection to the season-ending fireworks.
Cammish and Sutton adopted to finish the rostrum, with Patterson, Moffat, Adam Morgan, Josh Cook dinner, Dan Lloyd, Gordon Shedden, and Mikey Doble rounding out the factors.
Rainford completed P11, with Chris Smiley, Daryl De Leon, Osborne, and Ryan Bensley scoring the ultimate factors.
As of 19:30 BST: Ricky Collard has been handed a five-second penalty, which drops him to P8. The classification is but to be up to date, and Group VERTU have appealed.
View the BTCC Manufacturers Hatch Race 3 outcomes right here!
Full classification coming quickly…
READ MORE: Mikey Doble wins Independents’ as Tom Ingram claims Race 2 at BTCC Manufacturers Hatch
