The BTCC Podcast: Drivers’ Take on 2026 | Testing, Teams & Qualifying Race

We’re at Donington Park for Episode 2 of the BTCC Podcast, joined by Josh Cook, Nic Hamilton and Charles Rainford.

In this episode, the drivers reflect on their off-season preparations and testing programmes, and what it took to get ready for the start of the 2026 campaign. They also discuss the challenges of moving teams, including the work that goes on behind the scenes with sponsorship and adapting to a new environment.

The trio share their thoughts on the brand-new Qualifying Race format, already shaking up race weekends, with honest insight.

There’s also a look back at their earliest BTCC memories, from first races to what sparked their passion for the championship, alongside their views on the season ahead and opinions on the best (and toughest) tracks on the calendar.

Follow for more BTCC exclusives and new podcast episodes coming soon!

#BTCC #BritishTouringCarChampionship #DoningtonPark #TomIngram #UKMotorsport

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:00

All I came in to do was to win the championship. I was just fuming that we were P6. I remember Kane and Alan Guy came and shook my hand and I'm like, for P6 that I just don't understand.

SPEAKER_02 0:08

And Tom said, I want you to be a part of the team. And I said, Well, I can't afford it, Tom, unfortunately. And he said, Well, try.

SPEAKER_05 0:14

The car is certainly going to be quicker than where we were last year. Yeah, let's get stuck in. I'm gonna punch Ash button. Okay, I'm only kidding.

SPEAKER_02 0:21

To be brutally honest, in my whole career in touring cars, I haven't been in the best equipment. I never really knew whether I was any good. Trying to get a disabled person into a brand new car is really tough. To feel it was like, wow, this is this is what a touring car really should feel like. Charles, if you weren't in motorsport, what would you be doing?

SPEAKER_03 0:37

Ah, bore them dancing. Some of the stories we've heard, I'd probably go and do that as well. You've got a twin brother. Yeah. I thought you were just doing outfit changes all day.

SPEAKER_05 0:44

I'd probably then go over the top, as we found out as Neston. Um I kind of fired you and you got your own back. I would never do such a thing. Came here and I got beaten up. It was fun that. It was a real fun day that.

SPEAKER_04 0:56

Actually, no, you weren't involved, I don't think. Okay.

SPEAKER_07 0:59

The poor kid has been getting so much abuse after saying that he could take on a gorilla, a realistic animal. Josh, I could fight a badger. The 2026 champion is gonna be welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the second BTCC podcast of the 2026 season, and we're joined by three totally random drivers. Um I'm happy to introduce Josh Cook from Corolla Speedworks Racing. Charles Rainford. No, no, Speedworks Corolla Racing. Yeah. I should know this, but you should, yeah. It's early in the season, and um I am grateful actually. We've got three team names which aren't as bad as some of the others to remember. Charles Rainford Perfect, WSR, the easiest one, and Nick here from Team Virtue. Thanks for joining us, lads. Um, we're gonna talk a little bit about pre-season, some of your history in the sport, and getting to this point, and obviously looking ahead to the to the season. Um, Josh, one thing we touched on in our previous podcast is the the off-season battles. People don't often realise what goes into it. They kind of we all get asked the same question, almost like have you had six months off? Of course, you haven't. Um tell us a little bit about not just fitness, keeping your eye in as a driver, but the commercial side um for yourself, a relationship with one motorsport that lasted a few years, and you've been looking at moving forward.

SPEAKER_03 2:32

Um so yeah, I mean, I don't really know what you're talking about. The last six months have been a total dream. I just waited for a movement schedule and then rocked up for round one. Fantastic. Um, it's been as always, there's there's a lot of elements to making this work. Uh you know, not only the the commercial side, but also the conflicting commercial partners that you might have with the team's partners, and also as as racing drivers, we want to be in a a package that's competitive and that can win. Like none of us are here just to make up the numbers. And first of all, you have to sort of identify a seat that you think could be one of those championship contenders or or a quick car to give you the results that you're after, but then you've got to try and find a way to make it work. So you know, me moving to to Speedworks for for this year, obviously last year was was a tough one. You know, we started off well, um, ended up having a bit of a break for mid-season, but jumped back in with Speedworks for the last couple of rounds, and I think you know, jumping in that car for the last few gave me the um the confidence with the work that they'd done on that car from from when I finished with it in 24. Uh and it was clearly a you know very competitive uh piece of kit. And again, the extra work that they did over the winter uh leading into this season has just given me huge confidence that that was a car that I needed to be in. So I worked really hard with Toyota, with Speedworks, with Danny, Christian and Amy, and we've managed to manage to make it work.

SPEAKER_07 3:55

And commercial stuff aside, were you pretty set in your mind at the end of last season that this is where I want to be moving forward?

SPEAKER_03 4:02

Uh to be honest, it was an odd odd season for me last year, as I said, not it was the first time I think in in my whole racing career from when I started karting at the age of age of sort of 11 years old, that you know I didn't do the full season campaign in something that I'd that I'd set out to. So, you know, that on one hand, very lucky that I've had that record of of doing every single race. Um but on the other hand, it gave me a very different feel to the season and how I felt going into the winter period, you know, and to finish sort of brands hatch at the end of last year, having had a couple of races off, but then finishing the brands with a race win and a very competitive weekend. Normally you go into that winter period thinking I'm glad that's over, need a bit of a rest. But for me, I think because I'd had that bit of a break in the middle, I was not ready for it to end. And it sort of sent me into the off-season really, really driven to find something to make sure that I could not only stay in the seat for the full season and have a good uh a good run at it, but be in a really competitive car. So it's difficult to say, like I didn't finish the season thinking I desperately you know need to be in that car or I desperately want to be in that car or anything like that. A lot of it's not only the commercial side, not only the uh the technical side of what's happening with the car, but it's also how well you fit in with the team of people that you've got around you, and um, you know, of course, I feel yeah, as comfortable as ever at uh at Speedworks.

SPEAKER_07 5:33

Charles, I guess a similar question for you. Second season with WSR, but it's not quite as textbook as that, is it? It was quite a late announcement, so you were still assessing things over the winter yourself.

SPEAKER_05 5:43

Yeah, certainly. I mean, obviously, it's it's no shock to anyone how difficult it is with the current economic climate and other things that are going on in the world that is out of our control. Um, and certainly my sponsors have felt that, and that's one of the reasons why the deal was so late. Um, obviously, I did all the testing, which was great. We we developed the car a lot, which was fabulous. Um, but obviously, we're in independence this year, it's it's hard for everyone. Um, and I said before, many times it's the the biggest and toughest race actually starts in October um to try and get back to the grid to it to be back again, which is which is fabulous. You know, I'm looking forward to it. The car is certainly going to be quicker than when we were last year uh and a better balance as well. So um, yeah, all eyes forward, really.

SPEAKER_07 6:25

And Nick, um, I spoke to you after your first test in this car. Was it Snetdon, is that right? A few weeks ago. Yep. Saw the smile on your face when I first saw you at Brand Tatch. Um, congratulations on the deal, but also yeah, talk us through what it's like to move from one team to, well, effectively the reigning champions.

SPEAKER_02 6:42

Yeah, I mean, um, I didn't know it was gonna happen, to be honest. Um, at the end of every season, I never know whether I'm gonna be back. Um, you know, finding the budget just like these guys is is not um easy. Uh, and I think most of the work is in the offseason. Um, and obviously I did race three, race three went really well for me um at Brands Hatch, which was obviously the last round. Um, and I got a call um from Tom Chilton, and he was basically like, What are you doing for next year? And and at the time the plan was to if if Unlimited were to continue, I would probably stay with them because you know, finding the budget to go elsewhere was is is tough. And Tom said, Um, well, I want you to to be a part of the team. And I said, Well, I can't afford it, Tom, unfortunately. Um, and he said, Well, try, is what he said.

SPEAKER_07 7:32

Good advice from Tom as ever.

SPEAKER_02 7:34

And you know what, that's what I did. So I knuckled down, went really, really hard at it, um, you know, for a good four months, really. And um, yeah, really fortunate to have the continued support from my partners. Um, you know, we're all really excited to to be a part of Accelerate. And obviously it's thanks to to Justina and Anthony as well, who have put this all together for me. Um, and it's just the first time in my touring car career um that I would say I'm I'm in a piece of equipment that can do the job. Um, but you look up and down the grid now, and there's no um, you know, car that is is uh not that strong anymore. You know, every car on the grid is strong. Um, and I think it's gonna be super, super competitive. So I'm just grateful to be here in the first place.

SPEAKER_07 8:19

And did you have a moment, it's one for all of you, Josh? We're gonna have to go quite quite a way back for you. But was there a moment in this championship where you felt I know racing drivers ultra confident you have to be to do the job that you do, but a moment where you really felt you belonged. Obviously, you had an unbelievable result um when your brother was here at that time. Um, is there a moment that really stands out for you where you were like, This is this is where I want to be and this is where I belong?

SPEAKER_02 8:41

Yeah, I mean, um, to be brutally honest, you know, I I in my whole career in touring cars, I haven't been in the best equipment. I've been in, you know, less than ideal equipment. And I was just struggling to hold on, really. You know, the car was tough, the car was difficult. I loved the team, you know, great people. And um, but we just didn't have the budget that we needed to compete with these guys. So I always I never really knew whether I was any good or not. You know, can I drive? Can I drive fast? I don't know. Yes, I do a good enough job with my disability, you know, I'm obviously at a physical disadvantage. Um, so I do well to be as competitive as I am already. Um, and obviously 2023, um here at Donington Park, you know, getting my P6 result proved to me in that moment that when the pressure's on and I get that opportunity, and I'm not necessarily trying to hang on to everybody, I can I can do it, I can do the job and I can be you know as quick as anybody else. Um, but it's just getting there that's the hardest part, getting the equipment, getting the right um right stuff. And and then you go back to to last year, 2025, you know, in race three, um, you know, where I was I was battling hard, working hard, you know, and and and competing with you know race winners and ended up going around the outside of Dan Lloyd. And that sort of racecraft, um, clearly that I have that I I didn't really know, you know, I had um has really spurred me on, being like, yeah, when I'm not just struggling in my piece of equipment that I had, if I'm in a piece of equipment that makes me feel confident and I can actually attack, um I might be able to do all right. But we don't know, you know. So this year is going to be really interesting. And uh at the end of the day, it's about giving myself the opportunity to see whether I'm good or I'm not that great. And I don't know yet. So we'll see.

SPEAKER_07 10:31

Oh, you absolutely do belong in this championship. And it's the same question to to the other guys. Charles, obviously, only one year. I guess it was a strange year to come into W. So having just won the championship, I think had a challenging first weekend as a team, but then Brian Tatch was pretty wild as you went from kind of challenging to winning all three races.

SPEAKER_05 10:50

100%. Yeah. I mean, as you say, like when the weights came out of the cars, we thought we'd still be really quite competitive. But as it turns out that in 24, really the BMW just handled the weight of all of that really, really well. Um, obviously, I never had the pleasure of driving it because I was in Carrera Cup at the time, but um, certainly watching from afar, it looked pretty dominant. So then when I got the opportunity and the call from Dick Bennett to join the team, obviously I was ecstatic to be jumping in that car. And throughout testing, I was matching Jake, and I think Colin jumped in for one test, and I was at the same pace as Colin as well, and was very, very happy. Uh, came here and I got beaten up. It was a real hard work when you were doing it.

SPEAKER_04 11:30

Yeah, sure. Actually, you weren't involved, I don't think.

unknown 11:33

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 11:34

It's part of the BCC initiation, isn't it? Yeah, and it was a rude awakening. So to then go to Brands Hatch, uh, certainly, and then get my first win and you know, be on the front row and be right on the pace was really good. We didn't know that you know, this the last sector being resurfaced certainly made it a lot easier. Um, but then I think I was there or thereabouts for the rest of the year. Um, obviously, knockhill was another strong, strong result for us, and our car was very quick around there. Um, but generally I was in around the top ten, and I think that was quite good. I mean, my obviously benchmark was Jake. Of course it was. Um, and now he's left. It's kind of down this pre-season, it's been uh down to me to kind of help drive the development forward. So that's been another new thing to get used to, but I've thoroughly enjoyed that part.

SPEAKER_07 12:17

That's fantastic. And did you did you leave here after that first round and have a moment where you're like, what have I done here? Like, what have I got myself into?

SPEAKER_05 12:25

No, I kind of just like wanted to roll my roll roll my socks up and get stuck in, you know. Um, it was one of those things where I've watched this championship for so long. Like, you know, I've watched Nick, I've watched Josh, I've watched Tom, I've watched Ash, you know, and it's I used to watch it with my dad as I was kind of coming through, and then used to watch it always with when I was in the Porsches and then in the paddock. So if I'm honest, it was a bit of a strange feeling. Like you know you're in it, of course you do. But it only really hit home what I was doing when we were literally, I was on the grid for round one, looking around, going, oh, okay. It almost felt like a video game and it didn't feel real. And you watch loads of races, you watch loads of onboards of race starts, but nothing prepares you for just the carnage that happens at the start. And it's great fun, but it takes a long time to get used to. I mean, I knew to start with I would be a bit too passive, and then I'd probably then go over the top by trying to figure out where the limit is, as we found out at Sneston. Um, and I think up there about, I think I understand it. So we'll find out through the rest of the season. But um the little person, yeah, no, it's fine. I mean, I kind of fired you and you got your own back. So I think it was it ended up fair when I was neutral and do such a thing. Revenge isn't my style. I just got you out of the way. You're annoying. I was a bit slow, obviously. Um, but yeah, no, I mean my first season was fabulous, you know. I learned so much um, just you know, of everything in terms of racecraft, in terms of dealing with the whole kind of fan side of it. Like we have a fantastic fan base, but that, you know, you get a very, very small part of that in Crera Cup, and nothing like what you experience when you get to here. Um, and then there's obviously on the online side as well. So I basically don't look at social media anymore. And it's just stuff like that. Like quite quite quickly, the keyboard warriors can get in your head, so it's just better just not to look. Um, but yeah, in general, like I had so much to learn. Now coming back for year two, with everything I have learnt, I'm hoping that it's gonna be quite a strong season.

SPEAKER_07 14:22

Yeah. Moving over to Joshua, I might have to go back to the black and white days here because you're you're the old guy, really, in this panel. Um he looks it as well. He does actually, he is getting on a bit. Eh?

SPEAKER_03 14:35

Speak up. Sorry.

SPEAKER_07 14:37

So, yeah, your moment. You did you have a moment in a in your first season, or you again, ultra confident, I'm sure, coming into it, but you still you must have whether self-doubt's the right word, but you have a moment where you look left, you look right, and you're kind of getting beaten up in that first race or whatever it might be. Was there a moment for you where you kind of felt this is my career and this is where I belong?

SPEAKER_06 14:59

No.

SPEAKER_07 14:59

I knew you were gonna say that. Absolutely knew.

SPEAKER_03 15:05

I couldn't tell myself, I could see the look on your face.

SPEAKER_07 15:10

I was extending the question, I just kept going because I knew what was gonna come, but thanks, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 15:14

Um so I've obviously yeah, I've been in the championship a long time now. Uh and for me, uh all I came in to do was to win the championship. You know, that's that's I think why we're all here. You know, for me, I had a really good first season. Um I think I had a podium with with Power Max and that Chevrolet cruise that I drove. You know, I had a really good second round. You know, I what I could never really understand is I raced in in Cleo Cut before we had a really successful season. I narrowly missed out on the championship, but it was a real successful season in 2014. And we came into uh into touring cars with a great opportunity. Um and the first race weekend, it all came together very late. The car was built late, we had a few teething issues, the qualifying was a bit of a mess, you know. It was it was a tough weekend, and I was a bit like, well, that was that was strange, you know, it wasn't what I expected. And we and we came to we came to Donington for round two at the time, and um into qualifying, I qualified P6, and I think there was 30 something cars on the grid. And I came in and I was I was just fuming that we were P6. I'm like, really wanted to be higher up, and and I had no idea that actually at the time that was a pretty decent qualifying for that car, you know, with the team. And I remember came in, Alan Gary came, shook my hand, and I'm like, for P6, I just don't understand. Like we were allowed to have a photograph in front of the car, and then you know, we went into that race day and had a good cup first couple of races, and I started on on the front row for race three, um, my second ever race weekend, and I think I had Rob Collard next to me, which is always terrifying. And uh, you know, I was leading that race for quite a long time into a safety car, and then there was a massive mayhem down at the old hairpin. And I remember after that, you know, I was obviously gutted that we didn't win the race. I was pretty um pretty annoyed it panned out that way. Uh but at that time I was like, yeah, this is this is for me. This um this sort of battle hard wheel-to-wheel racing is uh is what I enjoy.

SPEAKER_07 17:13

We will run that uh high those highlight clips again, actually, because that was a mega race. I do remember it, and it was carnage down at the cranes at one stage. Um so looking ahead to this season, we've had um a couple of official test days, and I know you guys have done some some of the unofficial ones as well. I guess we'll start with Charles for this one because WSR have topped both of the official ones. Um yeah. I know it's difficult to look too much into because everyone's running different strategies, etc., but must be pretty excited by that.

SPEAKER_05 17:42

Yeah, 100%. Like obviously, from my side, topping the times on me today was was very good. I know that comes with the caveat of the fact that uh the red flag came out with seven minutes to go. So I think we probably would have seen some people go a bit quicker, having done another soft run. Um, but we were running through our own plan that day, uh running through medium runs and working on damper settings and stuff like that throughout the uh the start of the morning. Um, and that carried on through to the afternoon because we just weren't quite happy yet. Um, then we put on a set of uh kind of medium kilometre soft tires, and I think they'd gone a bit hard because they were a little bit old. Uh so we then decided to put the new ones on and just baseline the car, and it it was quick. So did that one push lap, which was which was nice. Um, and then the plan was to box while the tire was still okay, have a to have a couple of minutes of think about it, do some changes and then go back out. Unfortunately, the red flag came out. So, yeah, of course, it was it was great going top of times. Everyone was working on their on their own stuff, and yeah, whether the red flag wouldn't have come out, whether we would have stayed there, and of course I'm a racing driver, I'm gonna say, yeah, of course we would, but um certainly it wouldn't have been three tenths, it would have been a lot less than that. So um, yeah, obviously very happy. I say the car feels good, you know. After a test day, if we all we always sit down the truck and Dick always says, Right, what do you want from the car? And actually, that day there wasn't a lot more we could really add. So um that's a good place to start. Um obviously we know that some other circuits that we uh we go to this season, we tend to struggle at. So we haven't gone to those really. Obviously, we know that brands is really good, we know SNET's good, and we know that Croft's good, and those are the ones we've been to so far. So, especially when we get to a Donington Park or a circuit like that where you or a Silver Stone, where you've got much kind of higher speed corners, um, or a Truxdom. Certainly, then I think that'll be the test to see really how much we've developed the car over the winter.

SPEAKER_07 19:32

And Nick, for our fans, just to explain, a lot of people feel you know, much of the cars, there's a similarity amongst the amongst the grid, but you compared a previous car, some of the previous cars you drove to that first run in the Hyundai, and you were uh, as I said earlier, you were kind of beaming from ear to ear about how how this car felt.

SPEAKER_02 19:50

Um yeah, I was I wasn't I wasn't shocked because I was expecting um you know a jump in performance. Um, but to to to feel it was like wow, this is this is what a touring car really should feel like. Um just everything felt so connected and and together. Um the structure of the team is incredible. Um, you know, Swindon Powertrain do such a great job with with their engine. Um and it was just, I don't know, everything just felt so smooth. Just gearbox felt really nice. And I even had like something really small, which is like a um heated front windscreen. Never had one before. I couldn't believe it, you know. And I was like, no way, you guys have got a heated front windscreen. Because when I when I got my sixth place here, um I had no window wipers and I was steaming up, you know, so I couldn't see anything in the in the wet. So, you know, just little things, but but really um the car was great. And and obviously trying to get a disabled person into a brand new car is really tough. And I don't think the team, you know, expected it to be so tough to get a disability into a into a touring car. So that's taken us a while, and obviously I've got my adaptions and different modifications in the car, which has has given us um you know a couple of teething issues, and it continued into media day with brake issues and stuff, and that's all down to the disability. Um, but I feel like we're in a really good place, and I think the car's gonna get the best out of me. I think I'm just gonna develop with the car as the year goes on. Um, and so I'm really, really excited.

SPEAKER_07 21:23

And just to touch on that, um, you it's not just a cut and paste, is it? Like moving the way you you drove the previous car with the disability, putting that into a new car. It must be almost a bit like starting again and repositioning everything and yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:35

I mean, fortunately, I I'm able to take my pedals, for example, and and put them into a a new car because it's an AP pedal box just with um adaptations on them. Um, but obviously, because each um car is is different and you sit differently in every in every car, you know, um the high end eye is a lot more central and a lot further back now. Um and so you have to modify the pedals as As they are, and then and then um it's all how my body sits in the car. Um, everything is like a domino effect. So if I don't feel comfortable with my right leg, it affects how I accelerate. And then um, if I don't have enough gap and width between um the bottom of the steering wheel and my knee, um, you know, that can get in in the way, and so there's loads of different things, and it's all about trying to get the the brake pressure that's needed to brake effectively, and that is all dependent on how um I sit and how my legs sit in the car. So you make one change with the seat insert and it affects everything else. Um so you know, I've got to a point now where you know I can physically drive the car well, which is good. Um, and through testing, we were still struggling with like movement from the from the shoulders, um, you know, and then it affects the pelvis and then it pops the ribs and all that sort of stuff. So there's so much that goes into it. Um and so it's been a bit stressful. Um, but we all knew, or I knew, um, that this is how it was going to be when you get into a new car, and once you've done it and and um once you feel comfortable, I don't need to make any other changes afterwards.

SPEAKER_03 23:06

I feel like a right diva from my seat fits now. Yeah, listening to that. That's that's pretty intense. I'm I complained about this more than that.

SPEAKER_07 23:12

When you said you were fuming when you were sick and you've been fuming ever since, basically, and then Nick says that, I think you should stop moaning, really, shouldn't you?

SPEAKER_02 23:20

No, it it's all I know. You know, I don't know any different. Um, I wish it wasn't like that. Um, and I wish it was easy just to jump in and not have to worry about it. And it's a bit of a pain in the bum as well, because the team have to do so much, they have to take the seat, the seat out, go up, go down, go in, go out, all those sort of things. And and then they it takes them you know 20 minutes to change the seat or move the pedals, then I get in, and then I'm like, I need to change it again. And that's just being static. So when you're sitting static, sorry, I'm it's a long answer, but no, no, it's just when you're when you're sitting static, you feel comfortable, and but I have to go to a circuit to actually feel whether it works or it doesn't. And I've made mistakes in the past where I've gone to an airfield and I've um you know gone down in a straight line and come back and you know turned at the end and thought, oh yeah, it feels great. Um then gone to a circuit, and when you're under load and under G and everything, it's really far out. Um so that's what sort of happened. We got to SNET for our first day, and even though it felt good when I was static, we were miles away when I was actually driving the thing. So we lost you know half a day to a day pretty much on our first day, just going up and down and in and out and all this sort of rubbish. So it just it is what it is. I I I dislike it, I wish it was just simple, but it's part of my package, unfortunately.

SPEAKER_07 24:41

It is part of your story, and uh it's a very inspirational one, Nick. So um full full credit to you and and the team, of course. As you say, I'm sure you want to give them a lot of things.

SPEAKER_02 24:50

Yeah, they work so hard, they work so hard, and I'm really grateful for for their hard work. Um you know, and and eventually I'd love to to to give them some some results and give them a reason to realize that it was it was all worth the the hard work and the late nights.

SPEAKER_07 25:06

Um, so yeah, I'm sure it will be. Um, Joshua, a few good test days for yourself. Um do we know where anybody stands at this stage of a of a season, a campaign?

SPEAKER_03 25:17

Yeah, I mean we were all giving it 110%, and the BM was still massively up the road, so I think we need to turn them down immediately.

SPEAKER_07 25:25

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um is that what you're willing to say? I think you had you you had solid days, good times. Um, I spoke to you, I think, at Croft, and again, like everyone says, you're focusing on your own program, usual textbook, boring answers from your racing drivers.

SPEAKER_03 25:39

But I was just watching TSL too where we were weren't focusing on any programs.

SPEAKER_07 25:43

But do you feel uh does everybody feel ready and you kind of have an idea, or is it genuinely a case of no idea until you know qualifying begins or or even after a couple of rounds? Because as Charles says, there's some circuits that maybe BMW are not expected to go well at, and others that they will be.

SPEAKER_03 26:02

Guarantee that everybody, no matter which team or which driver, was looking at it, going, was that driver using the TTB button, or was this driver, you know, what tire were they on? You know, we're all you can do a lap at 95% push, and the car feels absolutely amazing, and you can be a couple of tenths off the pace, and you're like, This is we are on the money here, and then somebody pops a lap in that's you know, that few tenths quicker, and you're like, right, I need to find a bit now. You push on, the car's out the window, it's difficult to drive. So we're all looking at what each other are doing, and you're trying to decipher whether or not it's a legit time are they you know running a quality weight for for this season or were they running no fuel and a light last year, you know, quality quality weight because the regs have changed. Um, so we're all looking at what each other are doing, but no doubt. So anybody that says we weren't is just lying. Um I've got a sense of where we are. I think we're you know we're competitive, we're we're decent. The the car is very good. Uh the team around me is really good. I'm you know comfortable with with everything on that side. Uh I'm you know, we're really prepared. So now's a sort of the best time for us really to have a shot at this overall title. But um, you know, it's it's a long season. Okay. Uh we just need to make sure that we don't have any own goals and we keep trying to score points here weekend in and out.

SPEAKER_07 27:21

So let's get on to this overall title. Um, a pretty big major shift for the championship is the introduction of the qualifying race. Um, but also it is a hundred points on offer across the season. That is a fairly significant shift in what might make the change in this championship. How do you feel overall this qualifying race? We'll stay with you, Josh. How do you feel it's gonna play out? The risk and reward, there might only be one point difference between fifth and sixth or whatever, and only one grid position. Is that worth the risk on a Saturday afternoon or is it gonna be case by case?

SPEAKER_03 27:57

So I no matter what, everybody's gonna be trying to do well in that race. You know, there's points to be scored no matter how big or or small there's points. But what I do sort of like about the new regulations is once the qualifying starts, we're in part firme conditions, which means we can't go doing any big setup changes or anything like that. So you have to be a little bit mindful that we'll be doing sort of Q1 with with a lot of weight in the car in fuel, because we have to be fueled up for that for that race later on. Um and you also have to be mindful that you can often set a car up to put a one-lap punch in, but it will destroy the tires in the process. And we see people historically in qualifying pushing pushing the envelope, pushing the boundaries with that, but now you can't really do that because you need to make sure that you can throw it straight into a sort of a half distance race and make the car last and make it quick over that full race distance. Okay, it's a shorter race, but it's still a lot more for the car to do than a one or two lap punch. So it's gonna be interesting. I quite like it. Um, I also think the change in free practice is going to maybe play into the more experienced drivers' hands because you don't get that free practice one and then a free practice two to keep developing the car. We get one shot at it, and if you have any issues in that first session, it's gonna hinder your day. So I do like it. I think it's interesting that we've changed away from what was the normal, uh, the normal format. But um I think we're gonna see drivers going for it.

SPEAKER_07 29:30

It's almost almost a little smile from Josh because it sounds like extra carnage, doesn't it?

SPEAKER_03 29:35

It'd be amazing.

SPEAKER_07 29:36

It does, but we don't necessarily need extra carnage. But yeah, okay. Um yeah, I mean uh it it's gonna be interesting. Do you think it will take a few rounds to sort of see how everyone because obviously titles have come down to one or two points, and you can't leave points on the table, can you? I know you can sit there and say, okay, don't want to risk everything for this one position, but it's not just one place on the grid, it could be a point or two, couldn't it?

SPEAKER_05 30:01

Yeah, exactly. I mean, I think we'll see on the first one, won't we, really? It's either going to be the most boring race in BTCC history or be under safety car the whole time. So I don't think there's gonna be much of a middle ground as drivers kind of find is it worth pushing, is it not? I mean, I've got my own plan of what I think might happen and what I think I'm gonna go and try and do.

SPEAKER_02 30:19

But what is that plan?

SPEAKER_05 30:20

Uh well you'll find out, I'm sure. Um that'd be the secret for the safety car then watch this voice on my beard. Um, but no, I mean, it's gonna be interesting, certainly. Um, as you say, there there's there's there's points on offer, and that means it's gonna be it's gonna be interesting, it's gonna be tight. Um, but I mean, I just kind of echoing what what Josh has said, really, that in terms of you know, it's great that you can't just have that one lap pace anymore. We're gonna be running heavy, and then you've got to make the ties last. And I think that's gonna be very interesting. I think you're gonna then see the very clever engineers and driver combinations really coming to the front in in that case.

SPEAKER_07 30:57

I had actually forgotten that we're not really gonna get ultra fast qualifying laps, are we? Because it's gonna be how how much slower, say Donnington GP, like if you if you're running heavy, what's uh how much slower are you gonna run if you were running old school qualifying? We're staying there.

SPEAKER_05 31:16

Yeah, it's about three and a half, four tenths, I would imagine. Um, we'll see what happens on the first weekend, um, because obviously we've got data from previous years anyway, but um, from bits of testing that we've done around croft and highly high and low fuel running, it seems to be about three and a half to four tenths, uh, just in terms of braking and generally having a whole load of fuel sloshing around, really. So um, yeah, it's interesting. Um, and we'll we'll see how it goes, really.

SPEAKER_07 31:42

And Nick, is it uh an opportunity for someone like yourself? Do you see it as a moving forward as the day progresses? Because you kind of got, yeah, all right, we used to have our qualifying segments, but if you didn't get through, you didn't get through.

SPEAKER_02 31:54

Whereas now you've got a kind of race where you can make further places up to be there for Sunday, or yeah, and I I would say I'm um uh historically, you know, not a great qualifier. Um, and especially with the way the um the format is now, you know, for the last couple of years, it's it's you've got to get the the time done on your first lap, pretty much. Um, and I've been trying to work on that on the offseason. I've I've done a better job, but um I I personally feel yeah, it's good to to get a good result in qualifying, but you also get a another stab at it almost, you know, for qualifying race. Um, and we don't know how anyone's gonna you know handle that, whether they're gonna take risks or not. Um with the race, especially um you know, in this car so far, with my race runs that I've done, I've been pretty, pretty competitive. So I feel I feel like in race trim, I'll be, I'll be there thereabouts. And um to start with, you know, I'm just here to to learn, learn the car, learn everything, and and try and pick up places as I go along. Um, hopefully I'm gonna be competitive and and able to to attack people. Um and yeah, it might play into drivers like myself, where because people at the front have you know taken risks and made mistakes or whatever, and my my race pace has got stronger, I might be starting a lot higher up for race one on Sunday than I ever would be in if I just had a standard qualifying session. So I don't know. Uh um your guess is as good as mine, and I'm just gonna drive the race ahead of me and see how I get on.

SPEAKER_07 33:30

Perfect. Right, we're gonna end with a couple of um a few old school ones, first of all, and then some quick fire questions to end, which I still need to read definitely on the WhatsApp that you've sent me. Um what I'm gonna go with, start with you, Josh. First memory of BTCC as a kid, um, and also if there was a car in BTCC history that you would love to drive, what would it be?

SPEAKER_03 33:53

We'll go backwards because it's easy. I want to drive an E30 M3. That's the great choice. That's the one I would like. And then my first memory of touring cars, I can't really remember, to be honest.

SPEAKER_07 34:04

I remember can't remember a memory. Yeah, that's good, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 34:08

Because you know, obviously being on the toker package, you're you're often when you're like in Clio Cup or something, you you're really focused on what you're doing rather than watching the touring car races. But I must say I do remember the Rockingham Matt Neal Jason Play-to-scuffle. Like that was amazing.

SPEAKER_07 34:26

Ready for some more of that this season? Yeah. You might have to replace Matt Neal with somebody else.

SPEAKER_03 34:30

Yeah, let's get stuck in. I'm gonna punch Ash Hutton. Okay, I'm only kidding. I'm not saw, we did it.

SPEAKER_07 34:37

Only slightly kidding. Um, your first memory of the championship and oh god.

SPEAKER_05 34:44

Um obviously, we remember that one at Rockingham. That was great. Um, really, I mean, when I first started watching it properly, it was 2009 with Colin Turkington in the R.A. C BW. Um, that was, you know, some of my earliest memories properly of watching British touring cars with my dad and at that point, wanting to do Jeanesse juniors, but we just didn't have the money to be able for me to be able to do it. Um, but certainly like it was almost full circle then when I then went into West So racing and had Colin coaching me last season, you know, I was pivoting myself against him in some test days, and yeah, it was really that was a really, really cool experience. Um, and that's yeah, that's my earliest memory of breach trimming cars, really.

SPEAKER_07 35:20

And would it be that ROC car that you'd like to drive if you could drive more? We had that as well.

SPEAKER_05 35:25

I mean, I was going to say an E30 as well, because that's really, really cool. Um I know you had you had a bit. I'll go the 318i Super Tour, because that was really cool.

SPEAKER_07 35:33

Knew he was gonna stay on brand, wouldn't wouldn't move at all.

SPEAKER_03 35:35

Oh, it's got to be real drivers, isn't it, for me? Oh no, forgot to stay on brand, didn't I? Terrible. Um the Chris Hodgts Murder Sport Corolla. Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 35:45

Good answer. 1.6, 62 and a half. Hold on. Rapid. And Nick, yourself.

SPEAKER_02 35:49

Um, so so I I never really watched British touring cars when I was I don't blame you. Yeah, I really didn't love changing. You know, I was I was busy, I was busy following Lewis and watching Formula One and watching single seaters and all that sort of stuff. And it was my friend actually, that was a huge touring car fan. So in the 90s, he was watching all the um season previews and reviews and all that sort of stuff. Um, you know, and I I never thought I would ever be racing, so I was just watching it, thinking, oh, this is cool. And there was like Anthony Reid, and he was in the he was in uh the MG, which was like black with like a gr um with the green stripe over the top, West Side car. Yeah, it was West Side, yeah, it was. And that's all I can remember as a kid. That's my first um thought of it, um, and first memory. And then, yeah, who would have thought I would actually be, you know, in British touring cars, you know, in my position with my disability, you know, racing. So it's pretty cool. Um, and then when I really got into you know touring cars, it was it was the the Halfords cars of of you know UASA racing and and um you know Matt Neal. Um and so I would say those are the cars that I would I would probably want to you know have a go with and drive um you know in that era, in that moment at that time, um, you know, when they were doing doing an amazing job. So um so yeah, it's been pretty crazy. Um yeah, had no idea uh about British touring cars, and and now it's a massive part of my life.

SPEAKER_07 37:18

Fantastic. Right, we're gonna end with some of these quick fire ones. We have been debating whether this is like the Dexter Patterson section.

SPEAKER_05 37:25

Oh, I can't take on a gorilla, man.

SPEAKER_07 37:26

The poor kid has been getting so much abuse after saying he could take on a gorilla. So whilst I'm looking at these perfectly crafted uh quick questions, we have been told that we want to get this answer in. Uh, a realistic animal that you could take on, Josh? That isn't a gorilla? Or can you take on a gorilla? Are you with Dexter? He has now actually backtracked, hasn't he? Finally. Because he was being completely serious on the podcast.

SPEAKER_00 37:55

But I still regret my comment. No, um, I've got I've got too much hassle for about you, maybe not a real one.

SPEAKER_03 38:00

Um I could fight a badger. They're aggressive.

SPEAKER_00 38:05

They are, that's what you mean.

SPEAKER_03 38:06

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 38:08

A badger.

SPEAKER_02 38:09

Yeah, I'd fight a badger, yeah. Uh realistically, we have to do realistic here.

SPEAKER_06 38:12

Yeah, cool. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 38:13

All right.

SPEAKER_07 38:14

It's not very fun, is it really? If you do it realistic. And it's to be fair to him, he he gave a good answer. It created some Didn't you give him an option though?

SPEAKER_03 38:21

You you said No. He didn't just say I could fight a gorilla, did he? Yeah, no, no. No, no. The question was like somebody tell me a hundred something.

SPEAKER_07 38:29

No, no, it wasn't. It wasn't that that it wasn't that social media a hundred gorillas or a I'm sure it was. I promise you it wasn't. This has nothing to do with motorsport. What is the biggest animal you think you could take in a fight? A gorilla man. A what? A gorilla. A gorilla You think you could take a gorilla in a fight? Why not? This is meant to be quick fire. Yeah, you're right. Okay. All right, yeah, let's forget it. Let's let's forget it. I had a funny answer as well.

SPEAKER_05 38:53

I would say that maybe Steve Saper, because according to John Clenn, the man's an animal.

SPEAKER_07 38:58

This is good. Nice. He's a lovely guy in the back.

SPEAKER_05 39:00

I can never punch Steve. He's a lovely guy. What a pro. I thought I'd take after Josh Anash.

SPEAKER_07 39:07

Um, right, okay. This is mildew of your choice. Is this for you, Josh? What? A mildew of your choice. Never heard of one. Are you two parshed for a mildew? They do those in waitros. Oh my god. A main snack and a mail. What are you going for? A main snack and a drink.

SPEAKER_03 39:27

A main snack and a drink. If I was going to get a meal deal, I'd get a like a pasta salad, I'd get maybe some fruit and I don't know, a bottle of water because I'm boring.

unknown 39:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 39:39

Yeah, you you are, yeah. You're right. Um, Charles, if you weren't in motorsport, what would you be doing?

SPEAKER_05 39:44

Uh borroom dancing, definitely. I guess if we gave up professional borroom dancing to be in racing, and uh cool. Here I am. Whether it was a good choice or not, really.

SPEAKER_03 39:53

Yep.

SPEAKER_05 39:54

Yeah, I'd be boring dancing. That's so cool.

SPEAKER_03 39:57

Some of the stories we've heard, I'd probably go and do that as well. You can't say that one.

SPEAKER_05 40:03

Okay, sorry. Do you still dance? Uh occasionally, probably have a little boogie in the kitchen. Um, but my twin brother, you may have seen around, he still does it. He does go. Twin brother? Yeah. I thought you were just doing outfit changes all day. Yeah, I'm that guy.

SPEAKER_07 40:16

And would that have been around the world you'd have been doing that, or would it be the dumping?

SPEAKER_05 40:20

No, I did like European competitions. Um, I used to do a lot of shows. I did a show, uh a few couple of shows abroad, one in Gibraltar, that's quite cool. Um, but it was all like I'd mainly stay in the UK, do the competitions, and then because like motorsport, like borough dance, the UK is the home of borough dancing, especially in Blackpool. So the massive competitions were all in the UK, so it was quite convenient, really.

SPEAKER_07 40:40

Any sort of humming or singing whilst you're driving, like um the champ car driver in that old film. I'm not sure I made it.

SPEAKER_03 40:48

Jimmy Blight movie was that driven. Yeah, driven. Driven what? Oh, I've not seen it.

SPEAKER_07 40:53

He he would sort of sing to himself to make himself home.

SPEAKER_03 41:00

I mean that hummed or something. I don't know.

SPEAKER_07 41:01

Well, he's the actor, yeah. I mean, yeah, I don't know what his name was.

SPEAKER_03 41:05

He was that he was playing the part, yeah. But Jimmy Bly's the other guy that doesn't hum.

SPEAKER_07 41:10

Oh, oh, I see. Oh, we're so far. We've ruined this, we've ruined this. Anyway, watch driven is quite terrible, but it's fine. Um, Nick, would you like to answer your favourite circuit and your least favourite circuit on the calendar?

SPEAKER_02 41:24

Easy. Um favourite circuit is Alton Park, and my least favourite is Truxton.

SPEAKER_07 41:31

Okay, I'm not gonna elaborate because we might upset people. But I'm gonna ask you who you think's gonna win the championship. I might I might ban you from saying yourselves.

SPEAKER_03 41:42

Then what's the point in answering?

SPEAKER_07 41:44

Because you're all gonna you you're gonna say that's why we're here. Okay, fine. Joshua question. Joshua, who is going to win the 2026 QuickFit British Twining Cup Championship?

SPEAKER_03 41:52

Alan Gav.

SPEAKER_06 41:57

Okay. Is that the final answer?

SPEAKER_05 42:00

Or or me if yeah.

SPEAKER_06 42:02

Okay. One of us. Okay. Charles?

SPEAKER_05 42:04

Yeah, I mean, same as Josh, really. Like, it's kind of if we didn't if we didn't come into this championship to win, then there's almost no point being here. So uh yeah, I'm gonna win it.

SPEAKER_02 42:16

Um I like to be realistic. And am I on these guys' level? Um, no, not at the moment. Um, I'm in a new piece of equipment and I want to get to the best of it as I can. Um, my goal is different. Um, I want to come home with a trophy at some point, whether that is a podium trophy or a Jack Sears trophy race win or whatever it is. Um and if I go beyond that, then that's a bonus. Um, so I believe the 2026 champion is gonna be we know where it's straight away, didn't we? Straight away. He's virtually Tom Ingram. It's gonna be Tom Ingram. Who knew it?

SPEAKER_03 42:57

Called it, didn't we?

SPEAKER_07 42:59

Well, you're gonna have to tune in to find out. Um obviously, we've got 10 events, 30 rounds um to play out. So, yeah, gents, thanks for joining us and good luck for the rest of the season. Thank you very much.

SPEAKER_03 43:13

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SPEAKER_05 43:18

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SPEAKER_02 43:21

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