Team VERTU Bids To Maintain Rich Donington Park Form In BTCC Opener

24/04/2025 16:58 Share

Team VERTU Bids To Maintain Rich Donington Park Form In BTCC Opener

Team VERTU will look to maintain a rich run of form at the Donington Park National circuit when the 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship bursts into life this weekend in the East Midlands.

The EXCELR8-run team heads into the new campaign fully focused on trying to reclaim the championship title it won back in 2022, with a four-strong driver line-up once again chasing success in Britain’s premier racing series.

Tom Ingram, the man who won that 2022 title, embarks on his fifth season with the team amongst the title favourites having finished as runner-up in the points for the last two seasons, both of which saw him score more points than in his championship-winning campaign.

In two of the last three seasons, Ingram has scored the first win of the season at Donington Park - with a double victory twelve months ago coming after he had also put his car on pole position in qualifying. Having run at the sharp end throughout the recent season launch test at the circuit, he is now eyeing the top step of the podium once again this weekend to kickstart his title challenge in style.

Tom Chilton moves into his fourth year with the team on the back of a solid 2024 campaign that saw him break into the top ten in the championship standings for the first time since 2020.

Like Ingram, Chilton knows what is required to take victory at Donington Park, with his first victory for the team coming at the circuit during the 2023 season opener.

Chilton has worked hard over the winter to ensure he is in the best possible shape going into the season, and having started more races than any other driver on the grid, will be eager to make his experience count in the quest for silverware.

Two newcomers round out the line-up, with Adam Morgan making a return to front-wheel drive for the first time since 2020 following a winter switch from BMW.

Morgan has scored five podium finishes at Donington Park during his career to date, including a victory back in 2018, and showed strong pace in the season launch test to run inside the top ten throughout.

Clearly already feeling comfortable in the Team VERTU car, Morgan is also expected to be in amongst the fight for trophies during the weekend ahead, and will hope to put a strong haul of points on the board.

The line-up is completed by Michael Crees as he embarks on a half-season programme with the team that will see him contest the opening five rounds of the year.

Crees will be returning to BTCC action for the first time since the 2023 season finale and will be taking a step into the unknown with Saturday’s opening practice session being the first time he will have driven the Team VERTU car in anger given the late nature of his deal to join the team.

First practice will also provide a first opportunity for fans to see the striking livery that will adorn his car as a result of support from within the defence industry, with Crees going into the weekend aiming to learn as much as possible in preparation for his home event at Brands Hatch next month.

The three races this weekend mark the start of a new era for the BTCC, with the hybrid system seen in recent seasons having been removed from the cars, which will now run at a lower weight as a result.

Without the additional power from the hybrid system, drivers will instead be able to utilise a boost of extra power from the turbo instead, with the result of previous races determining how much of a boost each driver gets.

Tom Chilton, #3 Team VERTU i30 Fastback N said:
“You have to be careful to take pre-season testing with a pinch of salt as you never know exactly what everyone is doing, but I feel we are in a good place going into the opening rounds of the year. In fact, I’d say I feel in the best position I’ve been in at this stage for a number of seasons, and it leaves me feeling confident about what lies ahead.

“Donington Park is a good place for us to start, as we’ve won at the circuit for the past three seasons and go there on the back of a strong performance during the media day test. Removing the hybrid system from the car has obviously had a big impact on how it performs on track, but the hard work carried out by the team meant it was quicker than ever - and it was already pretty quick!

“You are never going to win a title at the opening round, but a poor start means you are immediately on the back front. With that in mind, it’s important to pick up a strong haul of points this weekend and my goal is to come away with at least one trophy from the three races.”

Adam Morgan, #33 Team VERTU i30 Fastback N said:
"I already feel at home within the team and I'm excited to now be preparing for the first weekend of the season. I think I've been able to get up to speed with the car relatively quickly and feel comfortable at the wheel, so it's now a case of trying to find the little bits that I'm still looking for technique wise to get the most out of it.

"The first goal for me will be in qualifying when I want to try and make it through to Q3, as that will put us in the mix for Sunday. I want to be able to display strong pace and fight for three solid results which is more than achievable, and my full focus is on doing the best job possible."

Tom Ingram, #80 Team VERTU i30 Fastback N said:
“I feel we’re in a strong position going into the new season on the back of a really positive testing programme. The changes to the regulations and the removal of the hybrid system - and the reduced weight we now run - means it’s been a busy period to ensure we are in the best shape possible, and we’ve been able to unlock more pace from what was already a very strong package.

“I’ve been around long enough to know that having a quick car isn’t enough in a series as competitive as the BTCC, and we have to make sure that we are consistently finishing towards the sharp end of the grid and scoring big points. It’s no exaggeration to say that half of the field could easily win a race this season and regularly scoring podium finishes is going to be key.

“We’ve gone well at Donington Park in recent seasons and I’m confident that we are going to be right in the mix again this time around. My only target this season is to reclaim the title, and a victory would be a great way to start.”

Michael Crees, #777 Team VERTU i30 Fastback N said:
"This is really going to be a test weekend for me, and my focus is on getting as many laps under my belt as possible and maximising my time in the car. Of course, I want to get my elbows out and go racing, but mileage is the most important thing so that I can really come out fighting at Brands Hatch with it being my home circuit.

"It's important to keep my expectations realistic because I've not had the time in the car that everyone else has, particularly with the hybrid being taken out over the winter and the impact that has. I think we can still look to get involved in the midfield battles and if we were able to break into the points then it would great."

Justina Williams, Team VERTU Team Owner, said:
“This promises to be another hugely exciting season with the regulation changes we have seen, and I feel we are in good shape after a busy winter developing the cars. Nobody stands still in this series, so it’s been vital to look at every possible way we can maximise the performance of our car, and the signs are all positive based on how winter testing has gone.

“Of course, Donington Park is where we’ll really see where we stand when the serious action gets underway but we are going there to fight for race wins and are keen to lay down an early marker in the championship race.”