Electric Cars

The concluding DTM qualifying event at Hockenheim unfolded with considerable excitement and unforeseen developments, largely influenced by a sudden shift in weather. This unpredictable rain disrupted team strategies, paving the way for Porsche's rookie, Bastian Buus, to clinch the top starting spot. However, championship frontrunner Thomas Preining found himself in a less advantageous seventh position, adding an intriguing dynamic to the impending title decider. His closest competitor, Maro Engel, positioned himself favorably in third, intensifying the battle for the championship.

The young Danish driver, Bastian Buus, expressed his astonishment at securing his inaugural DTM pole position. He remarked on the roller-coaster nature of the season, highlighting the team's success in perfectly aligning their car's setup for this crucial qualifying round. His impressive time of 1:36.923 narrowly edged out his fellow Porsche driver, Ricardo Feller, by a mere six-thousandths of a second, underscoring the fierce competition.

Conversely, championship hopeful Thomas Preining's performance placed him 0.306 seconds behind the leader, landing him in seventh. This result has significantly tightened the championship contest. Maro Engel, driving for Winward Mercedes, secured the third position, earning a vital point that brings him within 21 points of Preining. Engel's teammate, Jules Gounon, followed closely in fourth, just 0.139 seconds adrift of pole.

Engel conveyed satisfaction with his qualifying effort, acknowledging the strength of his car. While lamenting the narrow miss for a front-row start, he recognized the solid foundation his third-place grid position provides. The 41-year-old driver is acutely aware that claiming victory in the upcoming race is paramount to challenging Preining for the championship. He affirmed his aggressive approach, stating his intention to attack the race with full force and reassess his standing afterward.

Despite his seventh-place finish, Preining maintained a positive outlook. He disclosed a minor issue with the car during warm-up and suboptimal tire performance, but emphasized the manageability of his starting position. He also noted the reduced pressure he feels, albeit conceding that no race in DTM is ever truly relaxed. He stressed the importance of a clean race without errors to successfully reach the finish line. The third row of the grid features Emil Frey Ferrari teammates Matteo Cairoli and Thierry Vermeulen, who also outperformed Preining. Marco Mapelli, an Abt Lamborghini driver, will start from eighth, competing without his teammate Luca Engstler, who was involved in an accident the previous day.

Marco Wittmann of Schubert BMW experienced a particularly challenging qualifying, securing only the 16th position, 0.863 seconds behind the leader. He voiced his strong dissatisfaction, stating his car was uncompetitive and that their lack of pace was evident in Saturday's race. Trailing Preining by 20 points in the championship, Wittmann must now rely on an extraordinary performance in the afternoon race to revive his title aspirations. However, the current indicators strongly favor Thomas Preining of Manthey Porsche to claim his second championship title.

In summary, the final DTM qualifying at Hockenheim delivered an electrifying session marked by dramatic weather-induced shifts. While rookie Bastian Buus celebrated an unexpected pole for Porsche, championship leader Thomas Preining's seventh-place finish has set the stage for a tense season finale. Maro Engel's strong performance positions him as a significant contender, promising an enthralling race as the battle for the DTM title reaches its climax.

In a thrilling display of strategic driving and raw talent, Tom Ingram, the reigning British Touring Car champion, secured a decisive victory in the inaugural race of the final Brands Hatch round. His masterful pass on Aiden Moffat showcased both precision and foresight, setting the tone for a dramatic conclusion to the championship.

The race at Brands Hatch unfolded with intense anticipation, particularly regarding tire strategy and the judicious use of TOCA Turbo Boost (TTB). Only Ingram's Excelr8 Motorsport Hyundai i30 N Fastback and Aiden Moffat's polesitting Power Maxed Racing Audi A3 Saloon opted for the soft-compound tires, while the rest of the field relied on medium Goodyears. Ingram, starting second in the championship standings, had limited access to TTB with only two laps available for the 15-lap race, a stark contrast to Moffat's maximum ten laps.

The race began with Ingram seizing an early advantage, surging past Moffat into Paddock Hill Bend. However, Moffat quickly retaliated, activating his TTB on the second lap and reclaiming the lead with a skillful inside pass into Westfield bend. The contest became a tactical dance, with Moffat utilizing his TTB to create small gaps, which Ingram consistently closed when Moffat refrained from using his boost.

The pivotal moment arrived on the eleventh lap. Ingram, sensing his opportunity, maneuvered his Hyundai around Moffat on the Grand Prix loop. With a breathtaking outside pass at Clearways, Ingram made his move. Although it seemed Moffat might still hold the lead onto the pit straight, Ingram unleashed his TTB for the first time, completing a spectacular overtake that secured his position at the front.

Following Ingram's audacious move, his primary focus shifted to maintaining his lead against Moffat's TTB. This challenge was soon mitigated when Moffat received a five-second penalty for exceeding track limits. Meanwhile, Josh Cook in the Speedworks Motorsport Toyota Corolla GR Sport, running on medium tires and with only five TTB laps, impressively closed in on the leaders. His consistent pace earned him the fastest lap, and with Moffat's penalty, Cook was elevated to a well-deserved second place, finishing 3.269 seconds behind Ingram.

Ingram, reflecting on his triumph, described the race as enjoyable, acknowledging Moffat's superb driving which made the battle challenging. He highlighted the strategic importance of managing TTB and choosing the right moments to attack, especially with Cook rapidly advancing on medium tires. Ingram revealed he used only about six seconds of his twenty-second TTB allocation for the decisive overtake, making Moffat's subsequent penalty a welcome relief.

Ricky Collard, Ingram's Excelr8 Hyundai teammate, also had a strong performance. Starting eleventh, he skillfully navigated the pack to fourth place. Thanks to Moffat's penalty, Collard ultimately secured third position, narrowly beating Moffat by less than 0.1 seconds. Five-time champion Ash Sutton, starting from eleventh, made a remarkable ascent to sixth place in his Alliance Racing NAPA Ford Focus Titanium on the first lap. Despite having only one TTB lap available, Sutton managed to pass Daryl De Leon's West Surrey Racing BMW 330i M Sport on lap six, finishing fifth. Mikey Doble, another PMR Audi driver, overcame a poor start to finish sixth, extending his lead in the Independents championship. Other notable finishes included De Leon in seventh, Dan Cammish in eighth, Adam Morgan in ninth, and Dexter Patterson in tenth. The race also saw some early retirements due to incidents, including Gordon Shedden and Charles Rainford.

Tom Ingram's remarkable victory at Brands Hatch not only extended his winning streak but also underscored his strategic prowess and ability to perform under pressure. The race was a testament to the competitive nature of the BTCC, where driver skill, team strategy, and car performance converge to create electrifying motorsport moments. Ingram's disciplined use of TTB and his perfectly timed overtake provided a memorable highlight in the final round of the championship, solidifying his status as a formidable contender.