The 2025 British Touring Car Championship is set to blast off this weekend at Donington Park – and few are more fired up than Birch’s very own Tom Chilton. With new rules, technical shakeups, and a fresh perspective from the commercial side of motorsport, Tom is more than ready to mix it at the sharp end.
“The cars are lighter, racier, and more nimble this year,” Tom explains. With the hybrid system gone, BTCC machinery has gone back to basics – but with a twist. “There’s a new tyre rule – if you finish in the top three in race one, you’re on the harder Goodyear tyre for race two.” Slower rubber plus reduced ‘turbo boost’ (in place of the previous hybrid boost) means the front runners could be going backwards fast, with reverse-grid tactics likely to play a bigger role than ever.
“Do you back off at the end of race one to avoid the penalty in race two?” Tom asks, laughing. “It could be just like when reverse grids first came in – everyone playing games at the end.” Add in unpredictable April weather and tyre strategy gets even more complex.
“If it rains, you might dodge the harder tyre altogether – we’ll be keeping one eye on the sky all weekend.”
This year also marks a big shift for Tom off the track with his role as Commercial Director and Head of Business Development at Birch, bringing real-world motorsport expertise to the storage arena.
“My car is stored properly at Birch – and a well-stored car is a fast car,” he grins. “I finished 10th in the championship last year. This year, I’m aiming higher – and Birch is a big part of that.”
Beyond BTCC, Tom is also keeping his historic racing calendar packed, having already competed in Barcelona and with Le Mans Classic on the horizon. But next up after Donington is something close to home – and the heart.
“Brands Hatch on May 11th – my home race, and Birch’s local track too. We were fastest there in testing, so I can’t wait to get back.”
And with that, Tom signs off with a shoutout to the supporters making it all happen:
“Big thanks to Team VERTU, EXCELR8 Motorsport, Zinzino, Diamondbrite, and of course everyone at Birch. It’s shaping up to be a mega year.”
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