Podium hat-trick moves Ash Sutton into championship lead

Ash Sutton claimed a second successive podium clean sweep of the season at Brands Hatch to move to the summit of the British Touring Car Championship.

Hot on the heels of finishing on the rostrum in all three races at Donington Park, the NAPA Racing UK driver bagged a hat-trick of third place finishes at the Kent venue to secure a two-point lead in the standings over Colin Turkington.

“It’s been a good weekend,” said Sutton. “Coming into Brands Hatch I didn’t really have any expectations because of the differing levels of hybrid and the varying tyre compounds so to come away with three podiums and the championship lead can’t be sniffed at.

“The car has felt mega all weekend and I feel like we maximised everything. Had it not been for the safety car in race two then I reckon we’d have been on for second place but Tom managed to get by at Paddock. Still, I’m going home happy with what we’ve achieved.

“Going to Snetterton as the championship leader is going to have its drawbacks in terms of hybrid so we’ll need to deliver a good race car, which I know the team will do. It’s been a good start to the year but there is a long way to go!”