Ash Sutton managed to fend off a charging Jake Hill to claim victory in the opening Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship race of the weekend at Snetterton this morning (Sunday). The three-time champion crossed the line first after controlling much of the race from the front before holding off Hill’s late bid for victory.

Sutton’s NAPA Racing UK Ford Focus ST led from the off as the pole-sitter made a strong start from the front row of the grid. Reigning champion Tom Ingram, who started alongside Sutton in his Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 Hyundai, didn’t make such a clean getaway and immediately lost out to the BMWs of Colin Turkington and Hill which started third and fourth.

Ingram eventually ended the opening lap down in sixth, whilst Sutton reappeared on the start/finish straight over two seconds clear of his rivals. Turkington was second from Hill as the leading group completed its opening tour, with Ricky Collard’s Toyota fourth and Adam Morgan’s BMW fifth ahead of Ingram.

Ingram began a strong fight back towards the head of the order on the second lap as he passed Morgan with a solid move on the outside as the duo arrived at Agostini on the 300 circuit’s infield section. This was followed a lap later with a sweeping pass on Collard at Riches, shortly before the factory Toyota driver was forced to retire with a technical issue.

A sequence of rapid laps in the middle stages of the race brought Ingram back into the fight for the podium whilst the BMWs of Turkington and Hill fought ahead.

The boldest overtaking move of the race came on lap nine when Hill drew alongside Turkington on the Bentley Straight. The duo arrived at Brundle door to door with Hill hanging on around the outside to secure the better line at Nelson and move into second. The move allowed Hill’s BMW 330e M Sport to move clear of its sister car whilst four-time champion Turkington was forced to defend from Ingram.

For much of the race, it seemed as though Sutton had enough of a margin to leave his rivals behind, but Hill chipped away as the contest entered its final laps. By the time the duo started their final lap of the 2.97 mile circuit, Hill was less than a second in arrears and visibly quicker in several areas. Despite this, the BMW driver was unable to replicate his move on Turkington and ran out of time to pass Sutton before the race ended.

Sutton crossed the line just 0.270s ahead of Hill, whilst Turkington held on to complete the podium as Ingram settled for fourth. Behind that, Morgan and Stephen Jelley finished fifth and six to ensure that all four of the WSR-prepared BMWs finished towards the sharp end of the field. Daniel Rowbottom, Josh Cook, Rory Butcher and Aron Taylor-Smith completed the top-10.

Dan Cammish, who led the series standings heading into the event, finished 11th. It was a fighting performance from the NAPA Racing UK driver after he started down the order following an incident in Saturday qualifying.

Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, Snetterton, Race 1

1. Ash Sutton, NAPA Racing UK, Ford Focus ST
2. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport, BMW 330e M Sport, +0.270s
3. Colin Turkington, Team BMW, BMW 330e M Sport, +3.553s
4. Tom Ingram, Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8, Hyundai i30N, +4.541s
5. Adam Morgan, Team BMW, BMW 330e M Sport, +12.961s
6. Stephen Jelley, Team BMW, BMW 330e M Sport, +13.177s
7. Daniel Rowbottom, NAPA Racing UK, Ford Focus ST, +24.648s
8. Josh Cook, One Motorsport with Starline Racing, Honda Civic Type R, +29.285s
9. Rory Butcher, Toyota Gazoo Racing UK, Toyota Corolla GR Sport, +32.283s
10. Aron Taylor-Smith, CarStore Power Maxed Racing, Vauxhall Astra, +32.562s

Click here for full timings from this weekend's event.