Carl Boardley secures the TCR UK title in Brands Hatch

Alex Ley and Jac Constable won the final two races of TCR UK at Brands Hatch, while Carl Boardley was able to secure the title in his first season.

Race 1 - Jenson Brickley had taken his second consecutive pole, qualifying within a tenth of a second ahead of Callum Newsham, Alex Ley and outgoing champion Chris Smiley. Brickley was unable to take up his position after a gear actuator issue, which meant he had to start from the pit lane, and this handed Newsham the pole. At the start, both Newsham and Ley were passed by Smiley, who dived around the outside into Paddock Hill bend, while Ley moved up to second ahead of Newsham, and Boardley passed title rival Adam Shepherd for fourth. Boardley dropped behind Shepherd on lap 2, then the safety car was called as Mark Smith buried his CUPRA in the gravel trap at Paddock Hill. Smiley continued to hold the lead ahead of Ley who was battling to hold back Newsham. On lap 11, there was an incident between Scott Sumpton and Andy Wilmot, with both heading into the pit lane. Sumpton retired, while Wilmot went back out on track right in front of the leaders, temporarily holding up Smiley on the quickest line into Turn 1, which allowed Ley to drive around the outside and into the lead. Smiley’s race then came undone ten laps later as he slowed out of second with an electrical problem, promoting Newsham to second and Shepherd to third. Ley went on to win the race by three seconds over Newsham, with Shepherd third, while fourth was enough for Boardley to secure the drivers’ title.

Race 2 - Bradley Hutchison would start from pole position of the reversed grid ahead of Oliver Cottam. Hutchison led into Paddock Hill, while Bruce Winfield had made his way up from third to second ahead of Cottam, before passing Hutchison for the lead into Druids. There was carnage as Cottam slid wide into Druids, with Boardley and Constable heading down his inside; with cars three wide, Cottam made contact with the nose of Boardley’s car, was spun around and was collected by Matthew Wilson and Sumpton, with all three cars heavily damaged and the race red-flagged. At the restart, Hutchison was able to hold off Winfield, who effectively started second with Cottam’s car unable to take the restart. The race was soon held behind the safety car as Joe Marshall and Shepherd made contact at the exit of Paddock Hill, with Marshall’s car hitting the inside barrier. At the restart, Hutchison and Winfield battled at Druids; Winfield went wide and dropped behind Constable and Brickley. Constable however was able to make a run down the inside of Hutchison at Clearways, with Brickley and then Winfield following him through, with Ley also getting past on the following lap at Druids. Ley then passed his team-mate Winfield at Clearways on the same lap for third, and the race settled down, with Constable holding on to claim the win.

In the drivers’ championship, Boardley won the title on 403 points ahead of Ley on 351, with Brickley moving up to third on 347 points.

Brands Hatch – Race 1

1. Alex Ley (Area Motorsport, Hyundai i30 N), 28 laps

2. Callum Newsham (JH Racing, Hyundai i30 N), 3.113

3. Adam Shepherd (Area Motorsport, Hyundai i30 N), 8.398

Brands Hatch – Race 2

1. Jac Constable (Rob Boston Racing, Audi RS 3 LMS II), 20 laps

2. Jenson Brickley (J. Brickley Racing, CUPRA Leon Competición), 0.609

3. Alex Ley (Area Motorsport, Hyundai i30 N), 2.510

Championship points

1. C. Boardley, 403 pts; 2. A. Ley, 351; 3. J. Brickley 347

Picture: Phil Laughton