Restart Racing returned to Silverstone for the season’s only visit to the home of British motorsport, where a weekend of unpredictable weather and intense racing awaited them. The team tackled Silverstone’s National circuit, renowned for its lack of corners and three long straights, during the ninth round of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship.
The weather was a defining factor throughout the weekend, starting with dry practice sessions and shifting to a wet-dry qualifying. Race day presented the drivers with a deluge, turning the first race into a battle against the elements before a brief respite allowed a partially dry race two although wet tyres were still the tyre of choice for all the runners. The weekend concluded with a washout in race three, with a red flag and eventual restart some 30 minutes later than planned.
Chris Smiley, starting from an adjusted 12th position after qualifying penalties reshuffled the grid, looked to lean on all his experience and wet weather prowess on race day. Scott Sumpton, promoted to 15th, aimed to capitalise on the tricky conditions to score more valuable points.
The first race saw Chris maintaining his starting position initially, before engaging in battles with Daryl DeLeon and Rob Huff in the works Toyota during the opening exchanges. However, as the race settled down, Chris found himself engaged in a tussle with fellow independent rival Aron Taylor-Smith and later Dan Zelos, eventually settling for 13th at the flag after repassing Huff on the final lap. Scott managed to finish where he started in 15th after successfully navigating a soaked Silverstone.
As the track began to dry for the second race, Chris used all his experience to make a strong start, quickly moving into the top ten and eventually on lap six got himself into 6th after passing the Napa Racing UK Fords of Sam Osborne and 3-time champion Ash Sutton. The race settled down after this and it was not until the final few laps that Chris needed to defend his position fiercely, holding off Adam Morgan in the closing laps to finish in 6th and securing an independent win for the team. Scott, navigating the tricky conditions and a misaligned car due to early contact and finished in 16th.
The final race saw Restart Racing take its first pole position in the BTCC thanks to the reverse grid format. The race was also marked by treacherous conditions that led to a red flag and a delayed restart due to the weather. Chris initially got away well, and whilst he lost the lead on the opening lap, he was comfortably in 2nd before, on lap two, getting caught out by the severe weather, leading to him aquaplaning off the track and falling to the back of the pack. The red flag came out shortly after. After the race was eventually given the green light to restart by the stewards, the team missed out on points after Chris picked up damage early in the race. Scott ended the race in 17th and just missed out on another points finish.
Chris Smiley commented on the weekend: “We had a positive weekend at Silverstone despite a challenging start. Qualifying didn’t go our way, and we were positioned outside the top ten when we definitely had the pace to be higher up.
“In Race 1 this morning, we managed to finish 13th, earning some valuable points. We made adjustments to the car ahead of Race 2, which resulted in one of our best performances of the year—finishing P6 and winning the independent category, which was a great confidence boost for the whole team. That result also secured us pole position for Race 3.
“In Race 3, we started strong, holding second place before the weather took a dramatic turn. I’ve never seen anything like it—cars were spinning off everywhere due to the sudden downpour. Unfortunately, at the third corner Becketts, the car aquaplaned off the track, much like others did a lap before.
“Despite the frustrations of race 3, we’re heading home with a lot of positivity. We know there’s still more pace to find in both myself and the car. I’m really excited for the final round at Brands Hatch GP in a few weeks’ time and can’t wait to get back out there.”
Scott Sumpton shared his perspective: “It was a tough day at Silverstone, especially with the track being so tight, which kept everyone bunched up. In Race 1, we started 15th and finished 15th, battling hard and getting stuck in the pack. Race 2 was particularly challenging; I had some contact at the start, which knocked the front left out of alignment, making it difficult to handle through the right-hand corners and get back on the power. Race 3 was something else—scary doesn’t even begin to describe it. Visibility was almost zero; you couldn’t see the cars ahead down the straights, and aquaplaning was everywhere. The race was red-flagged halfway through, and we waited in the pits, but it was eventually restarted after the rain eased off, we got going again but conditions were still awful.
“Despite the challenges, it was an enjoyable day, and battling alongside Chris was a highlight. Overall, it was a really positive weekend, and now we’re looking forward to the finale at Brands Hatch.”
Ben Taylor, Team Principal, reflected on the weekend’s achievements: “It was a great weekend for the team, all things considered. I think we managed the unpredictable conditions exceptionally well, and Chris’s performance in Race 2 really brought the car to life. That’s the Chris I know—his drive was outstanding, moving up from 13th to 6th in such challenging conditions. Securing our third Independents win of the season was particularly special because this time, we were genuinely on pace with the front runners, and I couldn’t be prouder.
Seeing the car on pole position for the final race of the day was fantastic and highlights just how far we’ve come this season. It’s easy to forget that this is our first year in the series, yet we’ve shown we can compete at the highest level. With just one more meeting to go, we have three more opportunities to add to our silverware, and we’re excited to see what we can achieve.”
As Restart Racing looks ahead to the final round at Brands Hatch, they carry with them the lessons and successes from Silverstone and are looking to finish the season on a high.