BRANDS HATCH BECKONS FOR ONE MOTORSPORT
One Motorsport heads to Brands Hatch for the second instalment of the 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship this weekend (May 10-11) with a focus on converting the promise that was shown at last month’s season-opener into a strong haul of results.
Making a determined return to the UK’s premier motor racing series after a year away at Donington Park, the Honda Civic Type R squad endured a challenging visit to the Leicestershire venue as both Josh Cook and Stephen Jelley found themselves firmly in the thick of the action.
For multiple race-winner Cook it was a case of his pace ultimately going unrewarded as contact while running inside the top-six hampered him in race one before a near-certain podium finish slipped through his fingers in race two after he sustained a puncture while comfortably sitting in third place.
Despite that misfortune, Cook showed his fighting spirit in race three as he charged from the back of the grid to the fringes of the top ten; and it is that kind of performance that has the 33-year-old in a buoyant mood ahead of what is a milestone weekend for him in Kent.
A decade on since he made his debut in the series, race one around the 1.208-mile Indy circuit on Sunday will be Cook’s 300th in BTCC.
On the other side of the garage, Jelley will be aiming to build on the lessons that were learnt across the Donington Park triple-header as he continues to become acquainted with his front-wheel-drive machine.
Fighting his way forward to put a point on the board less than two weeks’ ago, the 42-year-old is targeting three consistent drives in the points-paying positions to kick on as events come thick and fast over the coming weeks.
Stephen Jelley: “I’m going into the weekend optimistic that we can really build on the learnings of Donington Park. While it wasn’t the smoothest of race days, both I and the team learnt an incredible amount – all of which can allow us to continue progressing. The Civic Type R has pedigree around the Indy circuit which is a positive and it is a track that I’ve always gone well at too. If we can stay out of trouble and come away with three finishes inside the points then it will be a job well done.”
Josh Cook: “To reach 300 races in the BTCC is quite the milestone and it’s something that I’m proud of. There have been plenty of highlights along the way so hopefully we can celebrate the occasion this weekend with some silverware. We were a little unlucky at Donington Park but on the whole I left the event feeling confident that we’re going in the right direction with the car. Qualifying is going to be key on Saturday so if we can make it into the Quick Six that will set us up for what will hopefully be a strong race day.”
Steve Dudman, Team Owner: “Donington Park allowed us to get right back in the groove of the hard-fought competition that is the BTCC so heading to Brands Hatch we’re really looking to make our mark and showcase what we’re capable of. The circuit has been a happy hunting ground for us down the years and given the developments we’ve brought to the cars this season, we’re optimistic that we can be in the mix – especially given how the allowances on turbo boost are going to make much more of an impact for both cars.”
Qualifying at Brands Hatch will be broadcast on the ITV Sport YouTube channel on Saturday from 15:10 before all three races are aired LIVE on ITV4 and ITVX on Sunday. Race one is scheduled to begin at 11:30 ahead of race two at 14:05 and race three at 17:25.