![Ashley Sutton, NAPA Racing UK [Motorbase Performance], Ford Focus ST](https://www.touringcars.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Ashley-Sutton-NAPA-Racing.jpg "Photo: Pat Cranham")
Ash Sutton has high confidence heading into this weekend’s British Touring Car Championship season opener at Donington Park, where the NAPA Racing UK driver starts his challenge for a record-equalling fourth outright title.
Sutton, who became a father for the first time on Tuesday when his fiancée gave birth to their son, will line up in a Motorbase Performance-run Ford Focus ST for the second successive season.
The 2022 runner-up recently lapped just 0.048 seconds shy of reigning champion Tom Ingram in the official pre-season test at Brands Hatch.
He heads to Donington Park in Leicestershire this weekend where he has only won once before – in Infiniti machinery in 2020 – but having stood on the podium there last year in his first weekend back in front-wheel drive tin-top machinery.
The 29-year-old is once again team-mates with Dan Cammish and Sam Osborne, whilst Daniel Rowbottom joins the now four-strong NAPA Racing outfit.
Motorbase has been testing at various circuits during the off-season, and Sutton is in an optimistic mood for this weekend’s races.
“I’m really looking forward to being able to kick things off at Donington Park this weekend,” said Sutton. “I’d go on record as saying that this is probably the best I have ever felt – both in and out of the car – ahead of a new season.
“We’ve got a year under our belt with the Focus and the winter has been all about making lots of little improvements to the car; the team have done a mega job.
“We’ve really focused on trying to ensure we have a car that is consistently closer to that sweet spot that we’re always craving.
“Testing has been very productive, although realistically the wet weather has limited us a little as we’ve perhaps not tried everything we wanted to. Between us though we’ve really pushed the car in the right direction I feel.
“Tweaks to the hybrid deployment and the re-introduction of the option tyre is going to spice things up this year so I really think it’s going to be about boxing clever and picking the points up where you can as there will be at times where strategy isn’t going to go your way.
“Heading into this weekend, if we can leave Donington Park sitting in the top five and with a car that is capable of being the mix at the sharp end of the grid then I’ll be happy.”