Heading into the second half of the 2024 BTCC campaign leading the Drivers' Championship, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport will be looking to continue their sublime form as the series resumes at Croft Circuit for the sixth round of the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship.
A mainstay on the BTCC calendar since 1997, the North Yorkshire 2.13-mile circuit is renowned for its challenging, technical nature and is often regarded as the truest all-round test on the BTCC calendar. The circuit holds fond memories for MB Motorsport with Jake Hill scoring the team their first-ever victory in the BTCC in 2021 and has seen solid results being scored in the previous two trips there - with Jake Hill recording four top-five finishes in the previous six races at the venue.
As the BTCC returns from its annual mid-summer break, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport will be looking to build on their fantastic start to the campaign which sees Jake Hill sitting atop the championship standings at the halfway point. Five victories, eight podiums, two fastest laps, and a pole position highlight Jake and the team's best-ever start to a BTCC campaign - with the three previous rounds all seeing Jake reach the top step of the podium.
This weekend, Jake Hill, in his WSR-run BMW 330e M Sport, and the team will have to manage his hybrid deployment with his 1st place championship position meaning he will have just 1 Secs/Lap of hybrid in qualifying, deployed at a minimum speed of 135 KPH, with only one lap of hybrid to be used in the opening 15-lap race on Sunday.
All three races take place on Sunday, with live coverage available on TikTok, ITV4 and online at ITVX. Sunday’s triple header of races are scheduled to get underway at 12.05 (BST), 14.45 and 17.00 respectively. Live timing across the weekend is available here.
Jake Hill shared his thoughts ahead of this weekend:
"While it was nice to have some time off for the summer break after a busy start to the season, I'm very excited to be back in the car this week at Croft. We've had a fantastic first half of the season and now the challenge is to keep that momentum rolling into the final five rounds.
The team has been busy during the break ensuring that we can continue to perform at our best and I'm feeling confident that our BMW 330e M-Sport will be well-suited to the demands of Croft this weekend. The track has a bit of everything, with slow, medium, and high-speed corners so we'll need to maximise our time on track to get the car dialed in as quickly as possible. We were able to test here before the season so we have a good amount of data to refer back to which should give us a solid foundation to work from.
The hybrid allocation is a factor we'll need to manage effectively and getting through all stages of qualifying will be a challenge so we'll be pushing hard to get a good spot on the grid for race one on Sunday.
The Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport team has done an incredible this season so far, but we have to keep up that level of performance every time we hit the track. We've achieved excellent results this year, and I'm confident we can maintain this momentum."
Mark Blundell, Sporting Director of Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport, added:
"The season to date has been one to remember but now, as we enter the second half of the campaign, we need to maintain our high level of performance to stay at the front of the field and as the team to beat.
It's been a busy summer break for the team, ensuring we have the best package possible and we now enter Croft with even greater motivation to continue our winning momentum.
We are very proud of the team's performance so far this year. As we start the second half of the season, we must ensure there is no room for complacency or taking our recent success for granted. To be leading the standings at the halfway point is a testament to every team member's hard work but the championship is extremely tight and, with five rounds still left to contest, we must continue to excel in every department."
Croft Circuit
British Touring Car Championship | Round Six
Saturday 27 July
Free Practice 1: 09.30 – 10.05
Free Practice 2: 12.10 – 12.45
Qualifying: 15.00 – 15.55
Sunday 28 July
Race One: 12.05 (15 laps)
Race Two: 14.45 (15 laps)
Race Three: 17.00 (15 laps)
