Tales from Brands Hatch

AUTOSPORT's Marcus Simmons reports on life inside the TOCA paddock, which features the British Touring Car Championship and its regular package of support series

Everyone was delighted to be back at the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit. Owing to track-usage restrictions, it was the first time the British Touring Car Championship and its support package had tasted the legendary ribbon of asphalt through ancient Kentish woodland since 2005. The spectator banks were crammed (ironically on the Indy circuit section) and the fast, sweeping GP circuit bends contributed to the best BTCC action of the season.

For many of the drivers on the support package it was their first race on the longer Brands layout. Quite a few took advantage of a recent track day to do a cheeky recce. Among them was Formula Renault UK runner-up James Calado, who had great fun scaring some of the Fortec Motorsport crew by giving passenger rides in a KTM X-Bow.

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