Restart Racing produced its strongest qualifying performance of the 2026 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season as Chris Smiley secured fourth in the Race to Pole at Knockhill.
Introduced for the 2026 season, the Saturday format continues to see the conventional qualifying session determine the starting order for a 17-lap Race to Pole, with the finishing positions from that contest setting the grid for Sunday’s opening race.
Conditions at the Scottish circuit were considerably cooler than those experienced at Thruxton, while light rain during the Race to Pole created a further challenge for the drivers. However, the drizzle was not heavy enough to require wet tyres.
Saturday began with the weekend’s only free practice session. Chris demonstrated encouraging pace to finish sixth, while James Dorlin placed 19th as the team worked to improve his car ahead of qualifying.
The team made a significant step forward during the qualifying session. Chris finished second in his group, placing him fourth on the Race to Pole grid under the odds-and-evens format, while James secured ninth. It represented the team’s strongest qualifying performance of the season so far.
All cars started the Race to Pole on the soft tyre. Chris dropped to fifth after Charles Rainford passed him at Duffus Dip, but successfully resisted pressure from the other fast-starting BMW of Daryl De Leon.
James maintained ninth during the opening exchanges before the Safety Car was deployed following an incident involving Josh Cook.
Racing resumed at the end of lap six as light rain began to fall over the circuit. James immediately went on the attack, producing an excellent move around the outside of Mikey Doble at Duffus Dip to take eighth.
Chris was also making progress. He launched an attack on Charles Rainford at Taylor’s Hairpin before completing the pass into Duffus Dip on the following lap to reclaim fourth.
Despite the increasingly slippery conditions, both drivers continued to show strong pace. Chris settled into fourth and began closing the gap to the leading group during the closing laps.
James came under increasing pressure in the closely contested midfield. Mikey Doble reclaimed the position on lap 13 before Tom Ingram and Dan Cammish also , forcibly found a way through.
After being forced wide on the following lap, James lost further ground to Ashley Sutton, Dexter Patterson and Árón Taylor-Smith. He fought back to regain one position before taking the chequered flag in 15th.
Chris completed an impressive and controlled drive in fourth, securing Restart Racing’s best starting position of the season for Sunday’s opening race.
The team will now turn its attention to Sunday’s three contests, with Chris starting Race One from fourth and James lining up 15th. Both drivers must use the soft tyre twice and the medium compound once across the three races.
Chris said:
“That’s Saturday finished here at Knockhill, and it’s been a really good day. Everything we did today was done well and the team worked really well.“The car felt on point in FP1 this morning, and we made another step forward for qualifying. We ended up second in our group, which put us fourth on the grid under the odds-and-evens format, and then we finished fourth in the Race to Pole.
“The car felt good. I think we’re lacking a little in one area, but we know how to improve that. The race pace felt strong and, over the final few laps, we were actually catching the leaders again.
“It’s a positive way to finish Saturday. Qualifying fourth puts us in a great position for Race One tomorrow morning.”
James said:
“We’ve just finished the qualifying race here at Knockhill. It was a tough one, although it started really well. I managed to get into the top eight and the car felt really, really good.“Then I was pushed wide and, around here, if you’re caught on the outside and take a hit, you just can’t get back in. I dropped right down to 16th, but managed to claw one place back and finish 15th.
“It’s very frustrating because we had the pace and racecraft to be right up there in the top eight, or potentially even seventh. It’s disappointing, but we’ve got everything to fight for tomorrow. We know we have a good car, as Chris showed by finishing fourth, so I’m really looking forward to Sunday.”
