Turning pace into prizes: Tom’s Donington goal

Fresh from a gritty weekend at Knockhill, Birch Commercial Director Tom Chilton heads into the next round of the BTCC determined to convert strong pace into silverware.

Back to DoningtonThe 2025 BTCC season now returns to Donington Park, but this time to the GP layout. It’s a circuit that has already played its part in Chilton’s campaign: the National loop hosted April’s opening rounds, where Team VERTU took its first win of the year.

“Donington is incredibly tough on the brakes, which is why we’ll be running the medium compound rather than soft,” Chilton explains. “It puts a lot of heat through the car—but if we get it right, the rewards are big. I’ve already won here this season, so the target is to repeat it on the GP layout.

Championship picture

‍Chilton currently sits seventh in the standings, just one point behind teammate Adam Morgan. The mid-pack battle is close, with several drivers covered by only a handful of points. At a stage of the season where momentum can make or break campaigns, Donington carries added weight.

The current ruleset continues to shape strategies. Turbo boost is allocated based on championship position, meaning drivers lower in the table carry more deployment opportunities in qualifying. For Chilton, that brings a useful advantage.

“Being seventh gives me a decent amount of boost,” he says. “At a place like Donington GP, that can really help nail a lap in qualifying. The aim is to start at the front, maximise race one, survive race two on the harder tyre, and then push for a reverse-grid trophy in race three.”

Steady progress at Knockhill

‍The previous round at Knockhill underlined both the highs and frustrations of the BTCC. Chilton’s opening race ended with disqualification after a technical issue spiked the ECU during push-to-pass use.

“Every time I pressed it, instead of a surge of power I felt like I was dragging the handbrake,” he recalls. “It was brutal.”

That setback dropped him to the back of the grid for race two, yet he fought through 14 cars in one of the most competitive fields on the calendar. “The car felt brilliant, I was overtaking everywhere, and it reminded me why we push so hard on setup. It was a big lift after the disappointment of race one.”

All eyes on Donington GP

‍Now, attention turns firmly to Donington GP. Strategy, tyre management and qualifying pace will all be critical, but Chilton is bullish about his prospects.

“The car’s quick, the team is firing, and we’ve been close to more trophies all season. If everything comes together, Donington is the perfect place to get them.”

For Birch, where preparation, precision and performance define everything we do, Chilton’s approach is a natural reflection of our own values. Just as he leaves nothing to chance in chasing results, our clients know their vehicles are stored with the same level of care and focus.