Ashley Sutton Claims First Pole Position Since 2023 Season Finale at Thruxton
In a rain-soaked qualifying session at Thruxton, four-time British Touring Car Championship title winner Ashley Sutton took his first pole position since the 2023 season finale. The 2025 championship leader proved to be the master of extremely wet conditions at the wheel of his Alliance Racing-run NAPA Ford Focus ST, setting the pace in each of the three rounds of qualifying.
According to Autosport, Sutton’s eventual margin over the Excelr8 Motorsport Hyundai i30 N Fastback was 0.294 seconds. The soaking track negated the disadvantage carried by Sutton of being allowed just one second per lap of TOCA Turbo Boost as the points topper. Tom Ingram, the 2022 champion and current points runner-up, joined him on the front row on three seconds of TTB.
“It’s Thruxton in the wet, which is a completely new level,” Sutton said, as quoted in the Autosport report. “The team gave me a great car from the get-go; the thing was on rails. If anything, I thought there was more time to come, but it’s how much of a brave pill you want to take. As always, ‘Tingers’ kept me honest but I’m pleased with that.”
Ingram felt that most, if not all, of his time was bled as he sped out of the chicane at the end of the lap – the Hyundai aquaplaned, and Ingram was on the grass just before he crossed the timing line. As usual, Sutton’s Alliance Ford team-mate Dan Cammish took a step forward when it mattered to end up third, just 0.020s adrift of Ingram.
Through Q1 and Q2, the only driver to get within a second of Sutton or Ingram was Mikey Doble, and the Power Maxed Racing Vauxhall Astra hotshoe – a first-time winner last time out at Snetterton – continued that good form to place fourth, just 0.5s away from pole. BTCC rookie James Dorlin did an excellent job to make Q3 for the first time, and planted his Speedworks Motorsport Toyota Corolla GR Sport fifth on the grid.
Another to impress was Senna Proctor, the Excelr8 Hyundai driver having his first BTCC outing since 2021 and making it into the Quick Six shootout, only to cause the red flag when a power loss stranded him on the circuit. Dorlin’s late Q2 effort knocked reigning champion Jake Hill out of the Quick Six, and the West Surrey Racing BMW 330i M Sport driver was also subsequently eclipsed by Tom Chilton’s Excelr8 Hyundai for seventh spot.
Completing the top 10 in Q2 were Gordon Shedden (Speedworks Toyota) and Dan Rowbottom (Alliance Ford). Q1 was interrupted by a heavy accident for Josh Cook, who ran wide in his One Motorsport Honda Civic Type R at the ultra-fast Village sweeper and, his pace unabated across the wet grass, slammed into the barriers with the right-front of the car.
The incident left Cook limping away from the Honda, with what was reported to be a sore ankle. The session was a testament to Sutton’s skill and the capabilities of his NAPA Ford Focus ST, which allowed him to take the top spot on the grid.
In a session marked by challenging conditions, Sutton’s performance was a standout. As reported by Autosport, the driver was able to navigate the treacherous track with ease, ultimately securing his first pole position since the 2023 season finale. The performance sets him up well for the upcoming races at Thruxton.
The Autosport report also noted that Sutton was just five seconds off the qualifying lap record, a remarkable achievement given the wet conditions. The grippiness of the Goodyear wet-weather tyres played a significant role in this, allowing Sutton to push his car to the limit.
The qualifying session was a closely contested one, with several drivers impressing in the challenging conditions. As reported by Autosport, the top 10 grid positions were closely contested, with several drivers pushing for a spot at the front of the grid. Ultimately, it was Sutton who emerged on top, securing his first pole position of the season.
The results of the qualifying session are a clear indication of Sutton’s skill and experience. As the 2025 championship leader, he is looking to make a strong impression and secure a win at Thruxton. With his first pole position since the 2023 season finale, he is well-placed to achieve his goal.
In conclusion, Ashley Sutton’s pole position at Thruxton is a testament to his skill and the capabilities of his NAPA Ford Focus ST. The challenging conditions made for a closely contested qualifying session, but ultimately, it was Sutton who emerged on top. As reported by Autosport, the session was marked by impressive performances from several drivers, but Sutton’s was the standout performance of the day.
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