BTCC: Goodyear nominates soft and medium tyre to ignite excitement at Knockhill

As the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) charges through the second half of the season, Goodyear is once again set to inject excitement into the championship, bringing the soft and medium slick tyre compounds to round seven at Knockhill Circuit this weekend.

Nestled within the Scottish countryside about six miles north of Dunfermline, Knockhill is Scotland's national motorsport centre and is known for its demanding 1.27-mile layout. It is the only FIA-approved circuit in Scotland.

Off the back of all three tyre compounds in action at Croft, it's the soft and 'option' medium tyres that have been allocated for Knockhill. The option tyre is mandatory in one of the three Sunday races, with the usage of the soft mandatory for the entire grid in qualifying. Drivers will need to use the increased grip of the option tyre strategically to achieve the best race results.

Goodyear's classic sidewall colours - white for the soft compound and yellow for the medium - will guide fans trackside and viewers tuned into ITV4's live coverage, adding a visual dimension to the strategic battles unfolding on the track.

Knockhill is one of five circuits on the calendar which has adopted the ‘Top Ten Showdown’ qualifying format, first introduced in 2020. As part of this, all drivers will take part in the normal 30-minute qualifying session to record their lap times, but following a short five-minute break, the fastest ten competitors will progress to a ten-minute pole position ‘Top Ten Showdown’ session to determine the top ten places on the grid.

Ash Sutton, driving for NAPA Racing UK, remains at the top of the championship, with Excelr8 Motorsport driver and reigning BTCC champion Tom Ingram sitting just six points behind him with four rounds left to go, including Knockhill.

In conversation with Ingram at Croft, he asserted his determination to solidify his position atop the leaderboard: “We have [our eyes on the championship]; we’d be foolish to look away from it. It’s tough this year, but we will just keep doing what we’re doing: keeping our head down, focusing on ourselves, controlling the controllables. There is no point worrying about what everyone else is doing; you just need to focus on your own game and make sure it is as strong as it can be. Fundamentally, anyone who says they don’t come here to win would be lying.”

Michael Butler, Goodyear’s BTCC Event Leader, anticipates an electrifying seventh round of the season: “The upcoming Knockhill round promises a captivating showcase of racing prowess. The flow of this track is a relentless examiner of drivers' skills, challenging them on every lap. The circuit has also undergone several upgrades, including kerbs that the drivers will need to be mindful of.

“What adds another layer of intrigue is having the option tyre. The choices that the drivers and their teams make will be integral in shaping the very landscape of the championship itself, especially as we edge towards the end of the season."