The Latest Breaking News from Aron TaylorSmith

The win, remarkably Sutton’s first of his BTCC career at the Northamptonshire circuit, came after long-time leader Jake Hill suffered a misfire just as the race restarted following a half-distance safety-car interlude.

One of four drivers in contention for the title, Hill set the fastest time in the early-morning session aboard his West Surrey Racing BMW 330e M Sport.

Hill whisked his West Surrey Racing-run BMW 330e M Sport around the short Scottish circuit 0.169 seconds quicker than the closest opposition during the slightly less wet second session.

Once he had got the jump on the Motorbase Performance Ford Focus ST of poleman Sutton at the start, it was imperative for Hill to keep the 2023 points leader at bay while the tyres on his rear-wheel-drive West Surrey Racing-run BMW 330e M Sport got up to temperature.

Ingram set the fastest lap of the early-morning FP1 period in his Excelr8 Motorsport Hyundai i30 N, 0.022 seconds clear of the Motorbase Performance-run Ford Focus ST of championship leader Ash Sutton.

The three-time champion led from start to finish in his Motorbase Performance-run Ford Focus ST, and never came under serious threat. 

The three-time champion led from start to finish in his Motorbase Performance-run Ford Focus ST, and never came under serious threat. 

The three-time champion demolished his opposition at the wheel of his Motorbase Performance-run Ford Focus ST to lead a team 1-2 from Dan Cammish by 0.666 seconds.

The Northern Irishman eclipsed the quickest time of the opening session set by Ash Sutton, which had been a gargantuan 0.476 seconds clear of closest pursuer Turkington and had seemed to send out an ominous warning that the three-time title winner and the Motorbase Performance Ford Focus squad will be…