A qualifying fastest lap is the quickest single lap time set during the qualifying session. In BTCC, it’s a strong indicator of outright pace, but race results also depend on tire management, strategy, and how the car performs in traffic.
The Ford Focus is the model of car being raced in BTCC. They’re saying the Focus tends to do well at Donington and was fast enough to take pole in 2025.
A “saloon” is basically a sedan-style car body. In racing, changing the body shape can change how the car cuts through the air and how it behaves around corners.
“New chassis” implies teams have introduced updated race car structures, which can affect stiffness, weight distribution, and suspension geometry. In BTCC, chassis changes can be a major reason why performance trends from last year don’t carry over cleanly.
Pre-season testing performance can be misleading because driver skill, confidence, and setup feedback strongly affect lap times. The transcript also notes teams can “sandbag,” meaning they may intentionally run slower to hide true pace.
“Top of the times” means the team was setting very quick lap times in testing or practice sessions. In a preview context, it’s used as evidence that the car’s pace has improved.
Brands Hatch (often shortened to “Brands”) is a major BTCC venue with a reputation for close racing and strong car/driver fundamentals. Mentioning pace at Brands is meaningful because it’s a track where setup and consistency matter.
The “off season” is the period between racing campaigns when teams develop upgrades, revise setups, and address weaknesses found during the previous year. Improvements made in the off season often show up first in early testing and pre-season pace.
Being “new to the car” means the drivers haven’t fully developed their understanding of the car’s behavior, setup preferences, and limits. In touring cars, that learning curve can affect lap times and consistency early in the season.
“Restart racing” is referenced as a team on the BTCC grid, described here in terms of its ownership/structure and how it relates to the car platform. In BTCC, team identity and technical partnerships can strongly influence competitiveness.
In touring car racing, “customer teams” are outfits that buy cars, technical support, or parts from a manufacturer or leading team rather than running a full works program. The speaker suggests more customer teams could raise the overall competitiveness of the grid.
They’re mentioning BMW because it’s a car brand that has been involved in touring car racing before. The point is about how often big-brand cars show up on the grid.
A tyre blowout is when the tire suddenly fails and loses pressure. The key point here is that it’s considered damage, so teams may be allowed to replace the affected wheel/tire.
The segment links rain probability to both qualifying and the sprint race, highlighting how track conditions influence performance across the weekend. Wet or drying conditions can change who has the advantage in both sessions.
This references a prior Donington Park race weekend where heavy rain disrupted the usual running order and strategies. Weather volatility is a key variable in BTCC because it can force teams to adapt quickly mid-session.
BTCC is the British Touring Car Championship—touring cars racing in a way where things can change fast. That’s why it’s hard to predict exactly who’ll win.
They mean the team will tweak the car and the driving plan during the weekend as they learn what works. In BTCC, being able to adjust quickly can help you win.
They’re saying the team changed the engine recently. That can make the car feel different and can affect how fast it is and how well it works over a race weekend.
The Jack Sears Trophy is designed to recognize rookie performance in BTCC. Because it’s separate from the overall race winner, it can be easy for fans to focus only on outright results until the trophy standings tighten late in the season.
The “first round of the season” is described as especially hard to predict because teams and drivers have less confirmed information. Early-season uncertainty often comes from new regulations, evolving car setups, and limited real race data beyond testing.
“Lead the championship” means being highest in the points standings at the end of the weekend. The speakers are making a bold prediction about who will (or won’t) be top in the overall points after these races.
LIVE
No wacky intro needed is Donnington Park 2026.
Hello and welcome back to the British Touring Car podcast. The 2026 season is here is
first race weekend Donnington Park National. That is and we are going we are going to bring
you everything that you kind of need to know going into the weekend, bring you our predictions
as well. If you are new and you haven't subscribed yet, do go and subscribe down below, get the
bell on everything like that. But how are you?
I'm well. I was going to say as well, if you're old and have subscribed, what's your excuse?
Come on. Yes, I am. Well, yes, very excited that we are fully into race week and you know,
the the dawn of the 2026 season is upon us. Lots to come. I've got a feeling I know which
way it's going to go. But the great thing about this sport is that if you've watched
us over the years, when we get our predictions, we don't score particularly highly because
the sport is so difficult to call in the main, which is going to mean, of course, we have
for the first time this weekend, the new qualifying format, which for political reasons, we're
both very excited about. And we will give a fair chance before absolutely slating on
the review pod come next week. Well, for those who are new, do do a review pod. This week's
review pod, just to put the warning out there, won't be as good as usual work because some
moron decided to book a holiday the week after. So selfish. So selfish. We will try. We've
got work rounds in place. There will be a review pod. But if you're our first time listener,
I promise you that the brand's hatch review will be a lot better and a lot more comprehensive
than next week's will be. So that's the negatives out the way. And if you haven't done
already, we have done our season preview this week. So you can see all the runners and riders,
the teams that they're in and the cars that they will be driving. So bring yourself up
to date with that if you haven't already. And we'll talk about their prospects for the
weekend ahead. And of course, on that note, we have, of course, done our season predictions
as well. A slight change in the format this year. We've done them early. We've documented
them from the start. So you can laugh at us as the season progresses to how far off we
were on those. But if you want to have a little bit of hot takes, that is the next video for
you to watch if you haven't already. All that free admin out of the way. Shall we go to
Donington Park? We'll do what you usually do, which is the quiz that shows if you've
done your research or not. Hence, we all know the answer. So Donington Park, then 10 corners
debuted in 1977 for the British touring cars and just under two miles at 1.98. As you've
alluded to is the national circuit. So it hasn't got the little Starkey's hairpin plugged
on. We go there later in the year. Would you like to hazard a guess without Googling who
has the qualifying fastest lap at the circuit? Now, I'm intimating to last season, we saw
a lot of quick time set last season throughout the year. So I'm going to go for last year.
Okay. And I'm going to go for Tom Ingram, because that car was stellar quick.
It was. Your logic is impeccably, but wrong, right? Because it was Ash Sutton in 2023. So
two years ago, and he set a one minute seven five. Would you like to guess the fastest lap
in the race trim? I'll go for Ash Sutton. That is better. Yes. Yes. 2023 again. No,
you'll be right with your first bit of logic. It was 2025. That was a 181. Yes, Ingram's car
was very quick last year, but viewers might remember at the summer break, we're called
Sutton to win the championship. That car had a much stronger start to the year and faded away
as the season went on. So in terms of 2025, Dan Kamish took pole in the Ford Focus. It was
the hatchback. Very promising for him at that stage, didn't it? It did, but race one didn't go
his way. The top three finishing being Sutton, Ingram and Rowbottom. Race two, the brand new
Tyrells, which maybe we can get repeat winners or repeat podium saw Sutton, Ingram and Kamish
on the podium. And then race three, where the reverse grid comes into place, we don't see repeat
people on the podium saw children, Ingram and Sutton. So yeah, those two set the standard early,
but the Ford is and has always been quick ground here. It has, it has. And I'm kind of expecting
it to be quite competitive this weekend, although they've got a little bit more learning to do.
Obviously, they've changed their shape this year basically and gone for more of a saloon rather
than the hatchback that they ran last year. Hopefully it's going to be a bit more slippery
in a straight line. And with that long back straight at Donington, we could see some more
overtaking opportunities coming down into the final chicane. Yeah, it'd be cool in some ways
that they could pick what circuits would be a saloon out because they might have wanted to
keep the hatchback here because they were quicker last season. In terms of the independence last
year, Mikey Doble took overall victory and Dexter Patterson took overall jacks here. So both of
those will be aiming to repeat the feats this weekend as they are both eligible in those championships.
And teammates this year in a brand new Audi that we all see for the first time in race
during this weekend, we will. And that brings me to my first sort of question really is,
I think for the first time in a long time, this really is a season of unknowns. And in so far as
we have three new chassis to the grid, we've got big moves for various drivers. We've got
rookies and good teams. We've got a car that finished last season. Well, let's be honest,
completely unbeatable in the Hyundai starting the season presumably on top, but we don't know.
They didn't really impress in testing. Yes, the caveat being testing is only as good as the drivers
make it and you can sandbag and you don't want to give away too much too early. But they weren't,
they certainly didn't blow me away during the testing period. And it would be interesting
therefore to see whether teams of newer cars have caught up and caught on to the fact that the
current regs seem to suit saloon cars best, or whether they're going to just, you know,
pop it on one two and wave into the sunset and say, yep, cheers, we'll have it now.
Yeah, well, there's only one hatchback on the grid for this year. And that is the Toyota.
And we know their fortune has changed as they came towards the end of last season,
we put in Tocca engine in. So I'm expecting a much better start from them this season and
especially at Donington because historically they've gone okay here. So I would expect them to do
a little bit better than that with that that Tocca engine in there. But yeah, it does look like
the saloon is the style to have this season. And I think we could see some really close
fights between all teams throughout the grid, especially with two new cars coming in in the
form of the Mercedes and the Audi. Those two, I think we're going to be fighting between each
other this weekend as to who's going to be the best of those new teams or new cars, should I say.
And then we've got a brand new team in play to racing. Obviously, we know the pedigree that
comes with that name, but whether they can hit ground running as well. Yeah, that's going to
be interesting to see. I think as well, we've got there's a lot of drivers with a bit to prove this
year, I think as well. And they have all potentially got the equipment to do it. So I'm
thinking straight up the way of Ricky Carge will presumably be aiming for a podium quickly,
perhaps not this weekend, but I think he was quite a late announcement. But I do think that
that will be something he'll be aiming for as the season progresses. Moffat in a new team with a car
that looked quick during testing. But I think the big thing I'm looking forward to and most
interested in is seeing how BMW go because slow start to 2025, they didn't really perform at
We all wrote them off and then they came back at Brandt's Hatcher one or three races, which
you know, naturally. And of course, this year, they are under the independent banner. They are,
of course, in a saloon. They have been in that three series for a while now. It'll be interesting
to see with the new regulations and stuff like that and how they can get their balance because
last year they seem to struggle for balance, what we've having the hybrid system taken out.
We know from looking under the bonnet as you walk through the pit lane that the engine is in a
slightly different position to others perfectly legally before anybody starts
getting funny about it. But there's a little bit more bumper or a little more space,
shall we say, between the front bumper where the engine is mounted, certainly to the naked eye.
So it'll be interesting to see whether they've got things right in the off season. Obviously,
during testing, they seem to have found some pace at times, but it's going to be a question to
whether they can unlock that for the season. Yeah, our sources have told us that they were
struggling possibly with a little bit of heat issues last season, and they weren't getting the
the most amount of performance out of the engine that they possibly could. It looks like they may
have well have refined that going into this season, especially with top of the times at Croft and also
at Brands. It was Brands, yeah, my bad. We went to Brands. We went to Brands, yeah. And yeah,
we've both got burnt. Yeah, and the carriage made with the happy days. Yeah, yeah. So yeah,
it does look like they made some improvements in the off season and they're going to be a young
and hungry outfit with those two drivers that are there this season in Rainford and De Leon.
They know the car well. They know what they know what they can expect to the car and where they
can push it as well. I think they could be a little underdogs for the season that you're
going to have to keep an eye out on. And especially when we get to Brands at the second round,
we know that they go quickly. Yeah, absolutely. And I think it's also important to just pick up
on the point you made there. At last season, they were both new to the car. Obviously,
one was brand new to the championship, one had only been in for a season and a bit. So yeah,
I'm not saying this is the breakout year, the two or die year, but I think that they are going to
be in a lot stronger position as a team with the car, with everything around them this year.
Even understanding and Charles alluded to it in our interview from me today and also on the limit,
that you've got to get used to the B2C paddock. People want to come up to you, have your photo
taken, have your autograph, all that kind of stuff. You've got to get used to that as much
you have the driving. And I think that they've both got those seasons behind them now to build on.
So it'll be interesting to see how they can go. The other thing I wanted to quickly touch on before
we go into predictions and layout of the weekend, et cetera, is restart racing. So of course, they
are effectively the only custom team on the grid as far as that they have bought home days off of
Virtue. I think Virtue basically created the chassis and the shell and restart racing to the
rest. Kept Chris Smiley, who fell off a little bit towards the end of last season, a little bit
disappointingly so. And of course, the new hot shot in James Dorlin, who competed half the season
last year in the Toyota is back this year for a real crack at Jack Sears independence and overall
championship. I think it's quite a big year for restart racing and also for potentials we move
forward, whether we see more customer teams in the touring cars. How do you think of that?
I think they've got a couple of different avenues to concentrate on this season. Obviously, coming
in as reigning independent drivers and independent teams champion, they've now got two big competitors
coming into that championship that are really going to push them to the limit. Yeah, three even.
So you've got to look at WSR now being independent and two drivers that are there.
You've got the laser tool side of Toyota that is now independent with two hugely experienced
drivers that are going to push them to the real limit this season. And PMR, who are not a team
to mess with you. They know what they're doing. And they've expanded their outfit in the winter,
obviously, bringing that new Audi chassis to the grid as well. Two really strong drives in
Moffat and Doeball as well with a prospect in decks as well. So yeah, we saw how Dorlin was
able to perform almost above the level of where the Toyota was in the early season of last year.
And we thought he was unlucky to miss out on or miss out on the second half of the season.
Obviously, now we know that was down to more sponsorship issues. And he didn't want to let
the team down. He's going to be a really interesting fit in that team for me because he's young. He's
hungry. He wants to impress. He wants to get the absolute most out of it and make the most of his
time in touring cars. While he can still be there, he's alluded to how difficult it is to get onto
the grid. Whereas Chris Smiley, yes, okay, he's a decently experienced driver. But I think he
needs to kick on that little bit more, start looking at taking more race wins and not just race
three wins, but overall well earned race wins. That doesn't sound brilliant. But sort of like
when you get a reverse grid pole and you can go off and you can control the race, it is much
different to taking a race win in race one or race two. Yeah, I would agree with that. Although I
would also say it's very difficult to take a race win when you have such an anger on the grid,
who don't really share out many of them. No, no, they certainly didn't last season.
But I do take your point. I do think that at the very least, there needs to be more top eight running
from particularly Smiley this season, because it all fell away a little bit last year, which is
disappointing because the midpoint of the season, Alton Park where we're there, I think he took
podium in race one, if memory serves me right, or certainly was running in and around the podium
places and you could pair it to where the season ended. And also added to that on the other side
of the garage, Don Lloyd was starting to really extract the best out of the car and took a race
win. Yep, I knew you were going to mention that. So yeah, it's a good year. I think it's a big year
for restart. And I think it's a big year for, look, I mean, the grid is small. We won't have
that debate here. But in terms of what I would say, although the grid is small, it is a good
quality of driver. It is a good quality of driver. I agree with you on that. What I was going to say
is that if this model can work, we may potentially see a wider grid in the future if we can get more
independent teams taking customer cars. Because this really is sort of the first time I can remember
really since Team Parker Racing had BMW shells or maybe I think boardily ran an old BMW on point,
but I can't remember. And it probably shows my lack of ability or anything else when
we had a car that was still currently being run by a top team or by a constructor, sorry,
being run also by an independent who bought the car for it. It might have been Jelly's
one series, but I can't remember the top of the head. Yeah, let us know down in the comments if you
do know when that last was. And thank you to the previous comment on another video when
number one was last not run in a season, despite there being a champion on the grid.
Which was Gordon Shedden in 2017. I think I read the comment properly. There you go.
Right, so we'll go on to the actual format for the day then. So this year there is a reason more
than just being as uber nerd to watch the Saturday stuff. So the qualifying session takes place between
two and 25 to three. So it's a 35 minute session. It should be technology on YouTube and I believe
ITVX, but I'm certainly on YouTube as I understand it. Then there is literally no real gap. So that
qualifying will finish at 25 to three. The race will then sprint race will then begin at five past
three. So but bearing in mind, they'll have to be on the grid and all that kind of stuff. I think
there'll be a roughly about a 15 minute window for repairs and stuff like that. It is worth pointing
out that they cannot make setup tweaks. They are in park firma conditions. So if they make a setup
tweak, they are then disqualified from the session will be starting Sunday from the back.
If for whatever reason they do suffer any sort of damage in qualifying and they're able to
replace that before the race starts, that has to be a standard part basically in a like for like
replacement. So a good example would be a puncture if or or a tyre blowout or even just
damage the wheel. They could buckle an alloy going around a corner. They can take that off and put a
new wheel tyre on. There's no problem about that. That's not a setup issue. What they can't do when
they put that on is raise the ride height a couple of notches because that would then be breaching
park firma. How are they going to police that? I have absolutely no idea because...
Well, I think the time limit that they have between if a car does suffer damage, you're always going
to have a toker official there going, okay, what's the part that you're going to be putting on and
checking that. I don't think we'll see too many instances of it. If someone's going to go off
in qualifying, it's going to be very unlikely that they'll probably actually make the start for
the qualifying race or sprint race. Although, and I agree with you, but if the toker engineers are
down there watching the park being replaced, there's no dip the other end of where you just tweak
the rear spoiler a couple of notches. That's what I'm saying. I don't know how they're necessarily
going to police that, but that is how we understand the rules would be. The sprint race will be
starting at five past three. A reminder, that sprint race will set the grid for Sunday's action
and we will see how it goes before commenting further. Yeah, and there are points given for
that sprint race on Saturday as well. We'll see how that develops and pans out through the season.
Towards the end of the season, it could be quite crucial and critical as to the points that are
scored in that race as to where the championship will end up. Agreed. Then on Sunday, the dates
and times you need to be aware of. Race one is at 11.30 and that would be 18 laps. Race two is at
14.40 and that is also 18 laps. Race three is at Huppers five, which is also 18 laps. If you are
going to the circuit like we are and you want to get your autographs, etc., etc., the autograph
session is scheduled and all times are due to change between quarter past one and 22. So,
you have about a 25-minute window. No, a 35-minute window. No, a 25-minute window.
25. Maths, a 25-minute window to try and get your driver's autographs, etc. If you're going
as a group, I would recommend splitting up to go to different tables because it gets busy.
Yeah, it does. So, just to catch you up on the weather we're possibly expecting for this weekend.
Now, we are recording this on Wednesday. It is all subject to change because the British
weather is the British weather and it does what it likes. But for now, on Saturday, around about
two o'clock, we do have a small percentage chance of rain, which means it's going to be 45 degrees.
All the way through till about five o'clock, where there's about a 30% chance that we could
see a sprinkling and a shower. This would make it very interesting for the qualifying and the
sprint race. It would indeed. And to watch. And then on Sunday, it is looking a lot clearer.
We're expecting sunny spells with clouds, around about 13 degrees and dry all day.
And now for the news for you. So, yeah, we'll see how that pans out. Obviously,
Donnington had a huge rain shower last year, which completely shook everything up.
But we might not get to see that this year. Right. Shall we crack on with some predictions
then closing thoughts? So, if you are new, each week we will do predictions. These include
overall race winners, etc. And then some general predictions too. We'll start with the specific
race predictions. So, poll, and this means the qualifying poll, not the sprint winner,
the qualifying poll, I've gone for Sutton. I've gone for Tom Ingram. Yep. I mean,
the thing is, two sides of the same coin and all that. Yeah. Yes. There's going to be a little
like boost mechanism that they have. They're all going to be completely equal at the start of the
year. So, I think you're going to see the quality shine out and it could be either one of those
two completely agree for the sprint race win. Ingram. So, I think that this would be quite
a processional race whilst drivers get used to how it's all going to work. I think that
in all fairness, and I think you've probably got the vibe that I'm not overly keen on this,
but I think it will probably improve as the season goes on. I think that this will be quite
a drab one, but I could be wrong. Yeah. But I do think it would be lights to flag.
And we've got the three races on Sunday. Yeah. And these could be in any order. So,
just because we say the first winner, that doesn't mean it has to attach itself to race one because
we tried that for a couple of seasons and it was basically impossible. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Anything can happen in the BTCC, which is why we spread our predictions wide.
Indeed. Yes. So, I've gone for Ingram to win a race on Sunday along with Kamish and also
Josh Cook. So, that's interesting because we've gone for the same three cars just slightly
differently round. So, I've also gone for Ingram because I think you'd be daft not too
whilst you're at this stage of the season. Yeah. As you say, everyone's got the same
booster ratio to begin with. Yep. I've then gone for certain to win a race. I think he will. I
think he's he'll take to the car hopefully quite quickly. We'll see. Yeah. I'm not sure whether
there will be a little bit of adaption this weekend from the Napa team as a whole.
And then I've gone for Shedden. I think the Toyota will pick up a race three victory
personally. I think they'll be solid throughout races one and two and pick up a race three victory.
I think Shedden was quite close second to victory in the second race here at the end of last
season when they changed the engine. I think he got on the podium. Remember he serves me right. So,
yeah, I think, yeah, Toyota would go pretty well here. Then we also go for our Jack Sears
winner. And this is across the weekend. So, the highest point scoring Jack Sears driver
across all four races now. Yeah. The reason we do this and we don't do the independent one is that
the Jack Sears is a trophy that around rookies. And I think it gets overlooked quite a lot until
the end of the season when, yeah, suddenly you care because there's a trophy on the line.
But actually, you know, the whole point for these rookies are often in their first or
their first few years in the sport is that the most exposure they can get really does help them
stay in the touring cars. And it's sponsors and etc will be looking at their performances in the
Jack Sears because that's what you're up against of a rookies. And if you want to get a deal over
the line, they are the best people to be in. So, that's why we go for the Jack Sears. And I've
gone for James Dallin. I think he will win this weekend in the Hyundai. I've gone for Paterson
this weekend just because of how quick the Audi has looked in testing. I kind of understand that.
And yeah, it's going to be close. There are five drivers in the Jack Sears this year,
as you may or may not have seen from our season preview. And I think the winds are going to get
scattered around a little bit. Yep, I could pick the agree if you I think it's a dip.
Predictions on the first round of the season are the hardest to do because we do not know. We are
blind. We do not know anything about the cars apart from what we've seen in testing. And
we may as well pick balls out of a hat and go, oh, that's the prediction I've gone for, is it?
Sealed ones or ones we can see? Yeah, okay. Yeah, full gate. Right, we'll then move on to our general
predictions now. We have ditched the general one this year because we have basically run out of
ideas. If you want to see a return of a general prediction for each round, we need you to put
it in the comments on YouTube or on our Facebook pages because basically after seven seasons,
we've pretty much exhausted anything we can think of. But we're hoping up to you and your collective
brain. So if you want to see that come back, make sure you comment. Yeah, we'll also mention it in
the review as well for the next coming weekend of touring car racing. So yeah, do let us know.
But the opening three general predictions. I have gone for the Toms. So this is Ingram and
Chilton to outscore WSR this weekend. Okay. Yeah, okay. So two cars versus two cars BMW versus
Hyundai. I think that might be a closer match up than some might expect.
Okay, going against everything I said in the previous one, because I'd like to keep the
as you said, we've got you've got a spread your exit. You've got to do it. You've got to go for
it. I've gone for the sprint race winner doesn't win a race on Sunday. Whoever wins the sprint
race on Saturday to set the grid for race one will not pick up a win on the Sunday. Okay, fair
enough. My second one is I'm going to go for an Audi to have a top six finish this weekend.
That is bold. I'd be amazing if it happens. I'm kind of hoping for a good shuffle up on
race three. And we could get one of those Audi's just pop into there.
I'm already seeing your face is going down the crane of curves. That's two off. And then
one's running his seventh and gets a puncture going up for the reclaims on the last lap or
something. Yeah, yeah, okay. It's track running breaks like what happens to Dan Lloyd in the
Cooper. Yeah, I've gone for the three different independent winners across the three races.
I really think that's going to be an exciting championship this year. There are some real
quality drivers in that pool when I think they will see three different winners across the weekend.
And then this is probably my boldest one actually. Neither Sutton or Ingram will lead the championship
at the end of the weekend. That is bold. Yeah, that's double diamond extra bold. I know it is.
Wow, your clothes are becoming extra white. Peter Crouch will be on the phone in a minute.
Wow, okay. That is bold. Yeah. Yeah, fair enough. See how it turns out. I've doubled down on my
shed and to win a race by having toys on the podium. So he doesn't win a race. There will be a
Toyota on the outright podium. No independence one here. It will be the that will be a Toyota
finishing in the top three outright across the weekend. That does not include the sprint. I'll
add to that. I'll make it even clearer that only includes just the Sunday races. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And include actually going back to the independent winners. That's just for the Sunday. So if an
independent takes the sprint win in on Saturday, that does not count towards my prediction. I'm
purely basing that on the Sunday. Okay, lovely. I'm going to really regret that now.
I can't wait for that. Yeah, I'll go agree with it. But we have to be clear because
we are both competitive and any loophole that can be found will be found. So what we do try to do
throughout the season is we try not to double up our predictions. Absolutely, we try and just use
that prediction once each throughout the season. So we do try and keep them varied and shaken up
only on the general as though we can't have different race winners throughout the season.
But yes, on those ones, we will always try and keep them fresh. And please do let us know down
in the comments what your predictions are for the season. It'll create a great amount of
humor laughter discussion in the comments down below. If you can let us know who you think
are going to take race wins across across the weekend, what are the general predictions you
may come up with? We'd love to hear them. Cool. So I think that pretty much sums up the Donnington
preview. Just a reminder that we are going. We have got stickers. We do say hello. We chat to
a fair few people on media day. So if you want to come up and cover conversation by all means,
do say make sure that you do take something that will protect you this weekend because it's
bound to be windy at Donnington. So I thought you could be like a suit of armor or something
so yeah, when you're going to a race weekend, do make sure you've got plenty of supplies and bits
and pieces with you drink plenty as well because you will always come back from the weekend dehydrated
or windburn or something. I love that you're giving PSA is given the fact that you never take
any of this advice and you always go home to be burned and always looking out for everyone else.
And the little child always points out that you look very red and laughs at you, which is great
news for me. But yeah, we'll bring you hopefully updates throughout the weekend if we can and
we'll bring you a review, although somewhat possibly shortened review for this opening weekend,
and we'll be back to some sort of normality next time out at Brands. I've got small
leaf dues if it worked, maybe I'll go away. Right, until then, enjoy the weekend if you're going,
enjoy the weekend if you're staying at home, watching on the sofa. We've got a great weekend
coming up, lots of touring car action, lots of good support packages, including the legends.
So yeah, enjoy it. The twenty three six season is a go. Let's have it.
About this episode
Donington Park kicks off the BTCC 2026 season, and the hosts lay out what to watch: a new qualifying format, a tight Saturday schedule, and Sunday races that could swing the championship early. They quiz each other on Donington’s recent fastest laps and winners, then dive into the big theme—2026 feels like “unknowns” with multiple new chassis, saloon-style advantages, and fresh cars from Mercedes and Audi. Key storylines include Toyota’s improved start with a new engine, BMW’s balance questions, and Restart Racing’s customer-team push. Predictions are split across qualifying, race wins, and Jack Sears rookie honours, with bold claims about the championship lead.
