WSR head to Knockhill this weekend ready to mark a milestone weekend in the British Touring Car Championship for home hero Aiden Moffat.
Sunday’s second race is set to be the LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR driver’s 350th BTCC start and will fittingly come at the same circuit where he made his series debut in 2013.
Not only that, but the 28-year-old is a local favourite, hailing from nearby Dalkeith, Edinburgh, and so can expect a rapturous local support cheering him on to what he hopes will be a repeat of his maiden BTCC podium finish there 10 years ago.
His team-mate Charles Rainford is anything but a local, being based in Sussex near England’s south coast.
This will be the Brands Hatch winner’s first time racing in the BTCC north of the border, but the Croft Jack Sears Trophy top-scorer has fond memories of Knockhill after taking victory in the Carrera Cup GB last year.
WSR stablemate Daryl DeLeon heads the Jack Sears Trophy standings from Charles after an overall podium finish last time out at Croft, and made it to the Q2 section of qualifying last year at Knockhill.
The Cambridgeshire racer, who is also now chasing a top-10 spot in the outright championship, is keen to continue his new-found momentum since the summer break.
Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport’s Jake Hill unfortunately missed the previous round at Croft after being ruled out through illness after Saturday’s opening practice session.
Now fully recovered, the reigning champion is back and is eager to use the BMW 330i M Sport’s upturn in form to propel him to the head of the field.
Jake has won in each of the past three seasons at the 1.4-mile Fife circuit and has taken five of his 21 career wins at the venue; the BMW’s superb traction out of the uphill hairpin being of particular benefit in recent years.
WSR have the best record of any current BTCC team at Knockhill with 17 race wins including a pole position and double success last year for Colin Turkington and Jake Hill.
HOW TO WATCH…
While all races will be broadcast in HD on ITV4 from 1045 on Sunday, a major new agreement means that fans outside the UK and North America will be able to watch every BTCC race live on the BTCC YouTube channel. Qualifying will be broadcast on the ITV Sport YouTube channel without geographic restrictions.
NEED TO KNOW…
In 2025, entrants in the BTCC use a 100 per cent sustainable fuel for the first time. This replaces the hybrid power unit that was used from 2022-24; the removal of which means that all cars are 55kg lighter than last year.
To aid overtaking, drivers can access the series’ TOCA Turbo Boost during qualifying and racing, meaning up to a 60bhp increase against cars not using boost.
Because of his championship position, Jake will be allowed to use hybrid boost for 13 seconds on each lap of qualifying and for 11 laps of Race One. Boost will be available to Jake once he is doing 125kph.
Aiden, Charles and Daryl can access their Boost from 115kph, will be able to use it for 15s per lap in qualifying and for 12 laps in Race One. Boost allocations will be re-set based on the Race One finishing order.
At Knockhill the soft-compound Goodyear will be the standard tyre while the medium must also be used during one of Sunday’s three races.
WHAT THEY SAID…
Aiden Moffat, LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR, said: “It’s great to be racing at my home track. The Knockhill event is the highlight of the year and I always have fantastic support from the locals. It’s hard to imagine that this will be my 350th BTCC start. It really doesn’t feel that long ago that I made my debut here, but it’s 12 years so I guess that makes me a veteran! The pace we showed at Croft gives me a lot of confidence that the team can keep climbing this time. I was so close to a podium last time before somebody hit me, so there’s no reason why we can’t make good on that potential this weekend.”
Charles Rainford, LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR, said: “I remember the first time I came to Knockhill. I’d been told ‘it’s on the side of a mountain’ and I didn’t really believe it, but it really is! The sensation of going through the dips and climbs… and the chicane… And you can see the fans so close to the track and really filling the banks. As a team I expect we’ll have great support because it’s Aiden’s home event, but I think we can both do well this weekend as I try to keep closing on Daryl in the battle for the Jack Sears Trophy.”
Daryl DeLeon, WSR, said: “Knockhill’s a fantastic racetrack and one where I think the BMW should go well, after the improvements we made at Croft. The team have worked so hard to get my car ready after the damage we suffered in the last race at Croft and I’d like to give them a couple of great results to say thank you. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t be targeting the overall podium and more Jack Sears Trophy wins, so let’s go get ‘em.”
Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport, said: “After being ruled out of the last round with illness, I am more determined than ever to get back behind the wheel of the BMW at Knockhill. It was difficult to watch from the sidelines, but the support of all our partners trackside was fantastic to see. Knockhill is a firm favourite of mine, with plenty of fond memories going back all the way to 2019. We will be giving it everything as a team to get back to the front of the pack and fighting for the victories and podiums we deserve.”
Dick Bennetts, Team Principal, said: “Firstly it was fantastic to get the news that Jake is back to full health and will be in the #1 BMW this weekend. He’s been the stand-out driver at Knockhill since he came to WSR with four wins and six podiums in nine races so we’re definitely a stronger force with him back. He’ll be pushed hard by Daryl, Charles and Aiden, who all showed what they were capable of at Croft and have a great chance to go even better this weekend thanks to some of the refinements we’ve made to the BMW’s set-up. Aiden should have huge home support ahead of his 350th BTCC race and I think all four drivers are capable of finishing on the podium.”
