BTCC rewind: Silverstone 2022
22 September 2023
The BTCC is a wildly unpredictable championship in its own right, so when Silverstone’s high-speed corners and long straights are added to the mix, it is all but guaranteed to produce fantastic racing. The series’ 2022 visit to the Northamptonshire circuit was no exception, throwing up plenty of surprise results, great overtaking and high drama everywhere you looked.
Race 1 Rory Butcher won the first race of the day from a well-earned pole position, but, as always with the BTCC, that only told part of the story. Second-place grid slot holder Jake Hill was challenged by Adam Morgan into Turn 1 but braved it out and hung onto second.
In the early stages, Butcher broke free of the chasing pack but further back, it was anyone’s game. Tom Ingram, Ricky Collard, Dan Cammish and Morgan all piled on the pressure for second place, but Hill held his nerve.
Chaos ensued behind with contact for Ingram and championship leader Colin Turkington in two separate incidents at Luffield, the latter retiring as a result.
By the time the chequered flag was waved, Hill and Morgan had closed onto the back of Butcher but the Toyota driver held on to take the Race 1 win.
Race 2It was another clean getaway for Butcher in Race 2 who arrived at Turn 1 untroubled. It wasn’t quite as eye-catching a start for Hill who slipped back behind Morgan.
Morgan, Hill and Gordon Shedden headed into Brooklands three abreast with Sutton looking to pick up the scraps. Shedden seized the initiative and moved up into second, but it wasn’t long before Hill re-took the position.
On the exit of Luffield, Hill astutely cut underneath Butcher and took the lead into Copse. Meanwhile, Sutton had to fend off the advances of Ingram multiple times into Brooklands. Eventually, it was Hill who took the win from Butcher and Shedden.
Race 3Josh Cook was on reverse grid pole alongside Cammish for the third and final race of the day. Both drivers were desperate to make a good getaway and as a result, made contact on the run down to Copse allowing Morgan into second. Morgan then went into the back of Cook at Becketts sending them both wide.
After just two corners, plenty of drama had already unfolded as is often the case in Race 3. Ever the opportunists, Ingram and Sutton capitalised to assume the first two positions as the pack filed onto the Wellington Straight. Further back Shedden and Hill made contact at Brooklands.
Cammish had a race to remember, battling fiercely with both Cook in the early phase of the race and a resurgent Hill in the latter half. In the end, Ingram took his fourth win of the season with Sutton second and Butcher third.
