Brands Hatch bonanza as BTCC and Superbikes offer end-of-season spectaculars

Britain’s two premier motor sport series put on thrilling 2024 title deciders on the majestic Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit in October, as both the British Touring Car and British Superbike championships went right down to the wire.

HILL PIPS INGRAM TO BTCC CROWN

Local hero Jake Hill claimed his first BTCC title at the end of an enthralling three-race end-of-term battle with 2022 champion Tom Ingram.

Tunbridge Wells-born Hill, 30, and Ingram, 31, arrived at the finale dead level on points. After qualifying Excelr8 Hyundai driver Ingram held the upper hand, only to be delayed by a collision in race one at Druids. Hill then rose from fifth to second, then was gifted victory  by West Surrey Racing BMW team-mate Colin Turkington.

Ingram hit back to win race two, his Hyundai showing a clear performance advantage in the dry. But with just a point separating the title protagonists, wet conditions for the finale played into Hill’s hands, the BMW driver finding grip out of Surtees to pass Ingram and finish second to Ash Sutton, leaving him with an eight-point title-winning margin.

“To pass Tom for the championship around the outside at Surtees pleased me most,” Hill told Motor Sport. “Funnily enough, when Tom won the title in 2022 he pulled the exact same move on me. So it was a perfect way to get it done.”

RYDE’S RIDE OF A LIFETIME

A week later, the British Superbikes put on one of the great finales. A mesmerising fairing-to-fairing battle for race victory and the title between Honda’s reigning champion Tommy Bridewell and Yamaha’s Kyle Ryde played out.

Ryde made the crucial pass at Hawthorns, then held on out of Clearways to become champion for the first time – by a point. Damon Hill, a former two-wheeled champion of Brands, said the spectacle gave him “goosebumps”. “Thrilling is not a strong enough word,” he said on X. “It’s beautiful to watch. Such commitment and skill, not to mention humongous cojones!”