BTCC Donington Park: Ingram leads Cook and Plato Mercedes pair in practice; 2027 calendar revealed

Reigning champion Tom Ingram beat Josh Cook and the Plato Racing Mercedes pair to top free practice for the British Touring Car Championship opener at Donington Park.

Cook sat atop the times of the sole 40-minute session at the wheel of his Speedworks Motorsport-run Toyota Corolla GR Sport with a 1m08.120s as the half-hour mark approached.

Then Ingram, who had not yet set a flying lap amid a series of installation tours with his Excelr8 Motorsport Hyundai i30 N Fastback, leapt straight to the top on his first effort with a 1m08.083s. On his next lap, he went quicker still to move the goalposts to 1m07.842s.

Cook subsequently improved to 1m08.048s to finish the session as runner-up.

Next up was the brace of brand-new Plato Racing Mercedes A35 Saloons. Adam Morgan was the best for some time, and even sat at the top of the leaderboard for a few seconds, before a late effort from Dan Rowbottom vaulted him into third.

Tom Chilton in the second of the Excelr8 Hyundais was fifth ahead of the best of the new, Alliance Racing-run NAPA Ford Focus Titanium saloons in the hands of Dan Cammish.

The top 10 was rounded out by Aiden Moffat (Power Maxed Racing Audi A3 Saloon), Ash Sutton (Alliance Ford), Charles Rainford (West Surrey Racing BMW 330i M Sport) and Mikey Doble’s PMR Audi.

Although most competitors scrubbed in their sole set of soft-compound Goodyear option tyres, which they will use in one of Sunday’s races, all the quick times were set on medium rubber.

The session was incident-free, with no stoppages.

Race start

BTCC announces 2027 calendar

The BTCC has already confirmed its schedule for the 2027 season.

For 2026, the series shifted its calendar in order to accommodate live broadcast partner ITV’s coverage of the football World Cup, with six events after the summer break instead of the normal five.

Next year will have the same split, but the Scottish Knockhill and North Yorkshire Croft rounds have been wedded together on back-to-back weekends.

The Donington Park GP round has been moved back to September, while Silverstone’s late-September penultimate round does not have yet a circuit configuration nominated, although traditionally this event takes place on the National layout.

As usual, the series begins at Donington’s National Circuit and finishes on the Brands Hatch GP track in October.

“Agreeing our dates so early with our partners at ITV ensures we have locked in the primary slots for our continued all-day-live and free television coverage on ITV4,” said series boss Alan Gow. “It also benefits the wider British motorsport community, as other organisers can continue scheduling their own events.

“Furthermore, locking in our plans so soon for 2027 enables us to look even further ahead to 2028 for what I am sure will provide several unforgettable celebrations for the BTCC’s 70th anniversary.

“I’m told we are probably the first major championship in the world to have already announced next year’s schedule and, if true, then I’m delighted to do so!”

2027 BTCC calendar