Brands Hatch GP, The Closing Chapter
The 2026 BTCC Championship reaches its closing weekend at Brands Hatch on the 10th and 11th October, with Team VERTU EXCELR8 being led by 2025 champion Tom Ingram who (at 336 points) is in the battle for second position.
Last year the Brands Hatch GP circuit was the location where Tom Ingram became a two-time BTCC Champion, with EXCELR8 taking home the manufacturers/constructors title for the first time too.
As we get ready for the final round of the 2026 championship we look back at the season so far.
2026: The competitive year of the BTCC
EXCELR8 has enjoyed a highly competitive 2026 British Touring Car Championship to date, consistently showing the pace and race-winning potential of our Hyundai i30 Fastback N package. The season began strongly at Donington Park with a double podium, before the team celebrated its first victory of the year at Brands Hatch, where Tom Ingram and Ricky Collard helped Team VERTU reach the landmark of 100 BTCC podiums.
Snetterton then delivered, what most would call, the most emotional and memorable moment of the 2026 season – Nicolas Hamilton claiming his first Jack Sears Trophy victory, with his fellow BTCC drivers cheering from the crowd.
A Summer of Silverware
The second half of the season continued to underline the strength and depth within the squad. Thruxton saw Ingram claim Team VERTU’s second race victory of the season, with the team also making significant technical progress that strengthened its performance for the remainder of the campaign.
Knockhill produced another landmark result as Tom Chilton took his first victory of the season, alongside a sixth podium of the year for Ricky Collard, while Ingram’s charge from the back of the grid demonstrated the team’s ability to fight through the field.
At Croft, the squad added three more podiums – another highlight for Ingram winning the opening race on the road and Chilton taking second in the finale, while Collard continued his impressive consistency with another podium.
Overall, the season to date has showcased a Team VERTU operation that continues to deliver front-running pace, multiple race victories and silverware across all four drivers.
Ingram remains a central figure in the championship fight, while Chilton has added a victory to his season tally and Hamilton has made clear progress, highlighted by his Jack Sears Trophy success and a growing collection of points finishes.
Back to Brands Hatch
Brands Hatch hosts the second and the final round of the season, with the GP circuit being used for the closing round of the British Touring Car Championship.
The historic Kent circuit has seen some spectacular BTCC moments over the years, from Tom Ingram’s win earlier this year to his championship win last season.
The final chapter of the 2026 season
Last year round 10 brought a double victory for Team VERTU and EXCELR8, with Tom Ingram winning the drivers’ championship for a second time and EXCELR8 taking the manufactures/constructors title for the first time.
With the battle for second well under way, we are excited to return to Brands Hatch for the closing weekend of the 2026 BTCC championship.