Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport and Jake Hill enjoyed a fine weekend at Snetterton, scoring pole position and a double race win to bounce back from the disappointments of Brands Hatch in perfect fashion. The heavy point-scoring weekend maintains Jake’s fourth-place in the Drivers’ Championship but reduces the deficit from thirty-six points to eleven.
Heading into the weekend in determined mood, Jake, engineer Craig Porley and the #24 WSR car crew got straight to work finishing in P1 and P3 respectively in Saturday’s free practice sessions. A dominant qualifying performance then saw Jake top each of his three qualifying groups on his way to recording his third BTCC career pole position - his first in Laser Tools Racing colours.
As Sunday rolled around, changeable weather conditions were the order of the day with tyre strategies and choices giving every team plenty to think about. Jake got his BMW 330e M Sport off to a great start in a wet, race one and controlled the race from start to finish, to claim his first race victory of the 2024 BTCC season.
Looking to double up in race two, Jake was given a ten-second penalty for a jump start off the line alongside fellow WSR stablemate and front-row sitter Bobby Thompson. Not to be perturbed, the Laser Tools Racing man got his head down to try and extend his lead with the field on a mix of wet and slick tyres as the rain continued to play games with the competitors.
With rain falling mid-race, it became clear it was going to be a straight shootout between the wet tyre runners with both Andrew Watson and Dan Cammish trying to keep themselves within a ten-second range of the leading BMW.
Having extended his lead to seven seconds by the midway point, against all odds, Jake had his sights set on a memorable victory. Setting consistently impressive lap times, the Kent-based driver did not put a foot wrong for the second race in succession and ultimately took the victory with ease - crossing the line some 16.260 seconds ahead of the rest of the field to give him a comfortable six-second win after his penalty was applied.
A mixed grid and tyre selections was once again the order of the day ahead of the final race of the day where Jake lined the grid in ninth position. A lightning start saw the #24 car hit the lead into the Bomb Hole before the end of the very first lap. With a rapidly drying first two sectors of the circuit, mixed with a wet third sector - Jake’s race would prove to be decided by how long his advantage in sector three would last.
The opening laps saw Jake drive into the distance extending his lead substantially before the slicks started to come into play. With no rain on the horizon and with the changeover between tyres taking place around mid-distance, Jake fought valiantly to hold onto the lead into the ninth lap of twelve as he chased a historic treble race victory.
Ultimately, now circling an all but dry circuit the remaining four laps became a case of damage limitation for the #24 car and its crew as Jake battled to cross the lion P9, picking up more valuable points in the process.
The memorable day at Snetterton saw Jake and the team catapult themselves back into the championship fight collecting 51 points, heading to Thruxton in two weeks’ time in fourth position in the Drivers Championship with the top four separated by just eleven points.
Jake Hill, #24 Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport:
“What can I say really?! It’s been an unbelievable weekend here at Snetterton - made even better by how the team and I have bounced back from Brands. My BMW has been on the button from the first time we rolled out the pitlane and I owe so much to Craig and my #24 WSR car crew for that. I am proud of how I have performed too - that drive in race two was, I think, probably the best and most professional race of my life.
“To get my first pole position in the iconic Laser Tools Racing colours, to collect two victories and to put ourselves well and truly back in the fight is everything I could have asked for this weekend. I’ve had such amazing support around me this week both on and off the track and I can’t thank everyone involved enough.”
Mark Blundell, Sporting Director of Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport:
“I am so proud of what the team have delivered this weekend - led expertly by Jake and Craig [Porley]. There was a lot of soul searching between Brands and Snetterton so to come out fighting in the way we have shows what this team is all about. The WSR crew were faultless on the Laser Tools Racing BMW this weekend and we owe a lot to them.
“Confidence and momentum are big things in any season in motorsport, so I hope we can take that alongside the same determination into Thruxton and beyond.”
