Fife driver Rory Butcher on course to match best British Touring Car Championship finishes yet

This year’s drivers’ standings top spot is now mathematically out of reach for the 35-year-old as he’s 72 points behind front-runner Ash Sutton with only 67 left to compete for.

He’s bang on course to at least match his previous best finish of fifth place, achieved in both 2019 and 2020, however, as he’s sitting fifth at the moment on 273 points, 45 behind fourth-placed Colin Turkington and nine ahead of sixth-placed Josh Cook.

If he does manage to stay in the top five come next weekend, that’ll be his best showing yet for Toyota Gazoo Racing UK as he ended up seventh in his debut season for them last time round.

Looking back at last weekend’s meeting at Silverstone in Northamptonshire, having finished first, for the tenth time in his BTCC career, in one race at the 1.64-mile national circuit, second in another and third in the third, he said: “After a double victory last year, I’ll take three podiums, so that’s made up for it.

“I’ve had my ups and downs at Silverstone over the years, but most recently it’s a circuit that’s been very kind to me and my Toyota Gazoo Racing team.

“In 2021, we scored a pole position and a double victory. Weekends like this don’t come along very often in the BTCC, so whilst feeling confident heading into our return to Silverstone last weekend, I was also keeping my feet firmly on the ground.

“We were competitive from the outset with Ricky Collard and I both firmly in the top six in each practice session.

“It was going to take a lot to beat the BMWs to the front row, but we worked away. I studied Ricky’s data and on-boards as he was quicker than me through Brooklands corner and the team made tiny tweaks to perfect the set-up.

“Into qualifying we went and I had nothing to lose. Remembering Ricky’s technique here, I put it into practice and it felt right.

“Sunday was now looking very promising, but the hard work was still in front of us.

“Having won twice here in 2021, I knew what it took to lead from the front. Sunday’s races were epic and we went on to score our most successful weekend ever.

“Holding off Jake Hill to win race one, battling with Jake and my brother-in-law Gordon Shedden to finish second in race two before carving through from seventh on the grid to finish third in race three – pole position, first, second and third – that’s the royal flush of the BTCC, as coined by Toyota Gazoo Racing team manager John Gilbert.

“I have been more consistent in 2022 than any other season. It’s been a conscious choice to focus on this area and it seems to be working, having the longest points-scoring streak of any BTCC driver, with 26 races and counting.

“Consistency has been my focus, but instinctively I still chase the feeling of scoring pole positions and race wins.”

Prior to the BTCC season’s finale next weekend, Butcher is competing abroad this weekend at Spa-Francorchamps.

“Now for a change of scene as I return to classic racing,” he said.

“This weekend I jump aboard Williams’ green 1965 Jaguar E-type semi-lightweight for the Spa Six Hours in Belgium.

“This has been a big focus of mine and Williams after competing at the Belgian circuit twice in the last 12 months, so we are aiming for a strong result overall.

“It’s a challenging race not helped by the rain that’s forecast, but we will give it our all.”