Mikey Doble digs deep on challenging Snetterton weekend

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Mikey Doble remains the driver to beat in the Independents Trophy after tallying his fourth win of the season at Thruxton on what was a fast and furious weekend in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship. Returning to action following the series’ mid-season break, the LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing driver punched in an ultra-consistent performance to extend his advantage at the top of the Drivers’ standings to 23 points. Arriving at the Hampshire circuit having clocked valuable mileage in his Audi A3 Saloon during a recent test at Pembrey, the 27-year-old wasted no time in hitting the ground running on Saturday as he set the fourth fastest time in practice. Come the Qualifying Race later that afternoon, the two-time race winner found himself in the thick of the action as he went wheel-to-wheel with a number of drivers before taking the chequered flag in ninth place. Starting on the fifth row of the grid for the first of Sunday’s three races around the 2.36-mile circuit, the former Jack Sears Trophy title winner went on to wow the crowds with a captivating battle with the Restart Racing Hyundai of James Dorlin. Getting the better of Dorlin in the opening exchanges, Doble then covered him off in the remaining laps with a wheel-perfect display that crucially secured him a fourth Independent win of the season. With the field so tightly bunched together, Doble spent the remaining two races in the midst of the midfield battle, clinching a brace of top tens. Crucially, these translated into second and fourth place finishes when it came to the Independents Trophy. In addition to extending his own lead in the Independents Drivers’ Championship over the course of the weekend, Doble also ensured that LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing remain out front in the Independents Teams’ too. Mikey Doble: “It’s been one of those weekend’s where we’ve ticked all the boxes in terms of scoring an Independent win and extending our lead in the championship, yet I’m leaving having wanted a little more. “We had a really good two-day test at Pembrey and the work that we carried out there left me feeling pretty confident that we could win some races this weekend. Sadly that didn’t materialise as we didn’t quite have the balance we wanted in the car. “Saturday was strong, and that set us up for a solid Sunday where we chipped away. Getting that Independents win in race one was a great way to start the day and we then just tried to keep our nose clean and make as much progress as possible in the remaining two races. “Obviously I’d have liked a little more results-wise but to come away having stretched our lead is something we can’t turn our nose up at. I’m unsure how we’ll fare at Knockhill but I know the team will pull out all the stops to ensure we have as strong a car as possible.” The 2026 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season continues in less than two weeks time as the series makes its annual trip north of the border to Knockhill on August 8-9.

Mikey Doble enjoyed a return to form in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at Oulton Park this past weekend (June 6-7) as he tallied points in all three races and extended his lead in the Independent Drivers’ standings. The LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing driver had extra reason to celebrate at the Cheshire circuit too as race three marked his 100th start in the UK’s premier motorsport series Heading into the fourth event of the season looking to bounce back from a challenging outing at Snetterton, where searing temperatures hampered the team’s new-for-2026 Audi A3 Saloons, the 27-year-old welcomed the cooler conditions as he looked to fight for front-running honours. Saturday saw the two-time race winner enjoy a strong start to proceedings as he set the fourth fastest time in practice before he then went on to secure sixth place in a frantic Qualifying Race later that afternoon. Opting to run the soft tyre in race one on Sunday, the former Jack Sears Trophy champion wowed the crowds as he and team-mate Aiden Moffat played their part a thrilling battle - one which culminated in Doble taking the chequered flag in sixth. The Surrey racer went one better in race two as he again revelled in another wheel-to-wheel duel on the soft tyre. This time it was Aron Taylor-Smith that Doble diced with and after hounding the Toyota for a majority of the contest, he finally got the better of him to clinch fifth overall. Doble closed out his weekend with a measured drive in an action-packed reverse grid finale - which was also his 100th in the BTCC. Forced to run the less favourable hard tyre, Doble kept his nose clean to bank valuable points in 11th. As a result of his strong showing, Doble heads into the series’ annual summer break with a five-point lead at the top of the Independent Drivers’ Championship and sitting seventh in the overall Drivers’ Championship. Mikey Doble: “It’s been a good return to form after what was a tricky Snetterton. Oulton Park always throws up close racing and this year was no different so to be walking away with a strong haul of points is great. “We rolled the car out on Saturday in a good place and I was pleased with my performance in the Qualifying Race to clinch sixth. Then the battles I had with Aiden and Aron in races one and two were really enjoyable; it was hard yet fair touring car racing. “Obviously we banked on it raining for race three, hence why we left the hard tyre until then, but it sadly never came. We made the best of it and now head into the summer break in a great place. And what’s exciting is that there is much more to come from the car. “Finally, to have achieved 100 races in the BTCC is fantastic achievement and the fact that every one of them has been with Power Maxed Racing makes it even more special. Thank you to them, my partners and family for all their support and here’s to the next 100!” The 2026 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season continues on July 25-26 at Thruxton.

Mikey Doble maintained his strong start to the 2026 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season at Brands Hatch this past weekend (9-10 May) as he charged to an overall podium and a brace of Independent wins. On what proved to be a frenetic and at times unpredictable race day at the Kent circuit, the LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing driver kept his cool to elevate himself up to third in the Drivers’ Championship and to the summit of the Independent Drivers’ Championship. Following on from a memorable season-opener that saw him score a debut victory for the team’s new Audi A3 Saloon, Doble arrived at his home circuit optimistic of challenging for more silverware, having shown plenty of promise around the Indy layout during pre-season testing. Performing well during Saturday’s practice session, the Surrey-based driver went on to enjoy a relatively sedate afternoon as he started and finished the series’ Qualifying Race in seventh place; which in-turn was his starting position for Sunday’s opening encounter. Challenging weather conditions proved to be one of the biggest battles on race day as ever-intensifying rain - all while remaining on slick tyres - created captivating entertainment across races one and two. Remarkably, while others around him endured their own travails, the 27-year-old was able to keep out of trouble and in a frenetic opener he tallied a sublime victory in the Independents’ Class after finishing seventh overall. Doble went one better in an even more remarkable second bout as he again kept his nose clean to cross the line in sixth, which in-turn secured him third on the grid for the reverse grid finale a few hours later. Saving his best until last, Doble made the most of the now dry conditions and the soft tyre to fight his way up to second, before then embarking on a thrilling wheel to-wheel battle with four-time champion Ash Sutton. Keeping the Ford Focus driver behind him for a number of laps, Doble eventually relinquished the position late on but with a comfortable buffer to the chasing pack, he cruised home to clinch a well-deserved overall podium as the lead Independent. Mikey Doble: “Going into the weekend I had the target of three top ten finishes and a podium in my mind and here we are at the end of race day having achieved just that. It’s been another brilliant weekend and huge credit has to go to the entire team for all of their efforts. “Brands Hatch Indy isn’t probably one of our strongest tracks on the calendar but we made the best of the car over the two days. Qualifying inside the top ten set us up for a strong race day and given the amount that was happening around me, I was really happy with races one and two. “Those conditions, especially in race two, were so difficult and while we may not have had the ultimate pace, we were able to keep it on the circuit and pick up on the mistakes of others. That obviously then gave us a third place start for race three. “I said I wanted to be a bit more feisty in that last one and I definitely was as we managed to take the fight to Ash for much of the race. I could see the BMW was coming so when Ash made the move I thought it best to sit tight and follow him to the flag. “To be heading home with another podium and two Independent wins, as well as sitting third overall in the standings is pretty cool. The aim now is to maintain this form when we head to Snetterton in a couple of weeks’ time.”

Mikey Doble enjoyed a fairytale start to the 2026 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season at Donington Park this past weekend (April 18-19) as he charged to a spectacular second career victory. On what proved to be a dream debut for the all-new Audi S3 Saloon, the LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing driver delivered a wheel-perfect performance in the opening round to triumph in front of a capacity trackside crowd. Leading the BTCC Drivers’ Championship for the first-ever time at one stage too, Doble also added two further battling drives to cap off a memorable outing in the UK’s premier motorsport series. Entering the weekend having shown promising front-running pace throughout pre-season testing, Doble arrived at the opening meeting of the season with a quiet confidence; all of which was reinforced as he enjoyed a sublime Saturday at the Leicestershire venue. Securing eighth on the grid for the BTCC’s first-ever Qualifying Race, Doble underlined his credentials as one of the series’ leading lights as he hustled his front-wheel-drive machine onto the fringes of the top three. Producing a number of standout overtakes in the early stages of what turned out to be a frenetic 13-lap contest, the former Jack Sears Trophy winner battled his way up to fourth at the chequered flag - which is where he would then start the first of Sunday’s three races. Opting to run the soft tyre for race one, the 27-year-old underlined his status as being one to watch this year as he produced a virtuoso performance live on ITV4. Keeping out of trouble in the opening exchanges, the Surrey-based racer soon came alive as he firstly found a way past Charles Rainford for third before then dispatching Dan Rowbottom for second. Doble would spend the remaining laps chipping away at the gap to race leader Tom Ingram however he would ultimately be unable to overturn the deficit, crossing the line in second place overall and as the lead Independents’ entry. Shortly after the race it would be confirmed that Ingram had been disqualified from the result due to a technical issue, which therefore promoted Doble up to first to claim what was a hugely popular win. Riding a wave of momentum from his earlier victory, the Audi ace endured a bruising second race as a lack of TOCA Turbo Boost and the less favourable medium tyre saw him tumble back to the 14th at the chequered flag. Doble’s weekend then came to a close as he found himself getting caught up in a multi-car incident, all of which resulted in him having to take avoiding action across the grass and then a trip into the pit lane to scoop out the aforementioned grass in his radiator. Mikey Doble, LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing: “What an absolutely incredible way to start the season. Winning the first race of the year is perhaps one of the best to win as it is the race where everyone is at the exact same level in terms of boost, etc. “Obviously my first win last year was very special but this is just as incredible given what the team have been through during the past year and that they’ve had to build three brand-new cars. To take a win straight out of the box is phenomenal. “We knew we had really strong pace from the Qualifying Race and on the soft tyre, the car came alive. I had great pace and although we didn’t win on the road, I don’t think anybody could deny us that result. It’s a great reward for the whole team. “The lack of boost and the medium tyre hampered us a little bit in race two and then we just found ourselves in the wrong place at the wrong time in race three. We used that more as an extended test session to gather data. “It’s been an incredible start to the season, not just for me but also for my team-mates Aiden [Moffat] and Dexter [Patterson], so hopefully we can go to Brands Hatch next month and maintain this strong start.” The 2026 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship continues in less than three weeks’ time at Brands Hatch on 9-10 May.

Mikey Doble has his sights set on Independents’ title glory in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship this year after re-signing with Power Maxed Racing for a fourth successive season. The 27-year-old - who is the team’s longest-serving driver - will contest the UK’s premier motorsport series in a brand-new Audi S3 Saloon under the LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing banner. Set to reap the benefits of competing in not only a new car, but with new team-mates in the shape of Aiden Moffat and Dexter Patterson, Doble heads into the 2026 campaign brimming with confidence and with unfinished business to settle. Coming off the back of stellar 2024 campaign which saw him clinch the Jack Sears Trophy title, Doble was one of the series’ leading lights last year and at Snetterton, he claimed a richly-deserved maiden win. Despite having to contend to with a change of car following the fire that devastated the team during the second half of the season, the Surrey racer remained in contention for the Independent Drivers’ crown right the way throughout the year - only to ultimately lose out by four points. Keen to go one better this term, Doble is relishing the prospect of contending for title honours once again, all while steering the Audi S3 programme towards the sharp end of the grid. Mikey Doble: “I’m really happy to be back with Power Maxed Racing this year. This will be my fourth season with the team and I’m as motivated as ever to play a big role in driving them forward into what is a new era. “The work that has been taking place back at base has been nothing short of incredible. The Audi name has a rich pedigree in the BTCC and to have the opportunity to add to that is exciting; from what I’ve seen so far the S3 really looks the business. “Having Aiden and Dexter join me is only going to be a benefit too. We can cover ground a lot quicker in terms of getting the cars dialled in and of course we’re all going to push each other to the maximum. “To be affiliated with a brand such as LKQ Euro Car Parts is brilliant too. They’re the latest in a long line of new partners that I’m proud to represent this season and I’m looking forward to announcing more in the coming weeks. “In terms of goals for the season; I want to be contending for wins, podiums and the Independent Drivers’ Championship. We came oh-so close to clinching that last year so I’ll be going all-out this time round. It’s going to be a learning year but I’m confident we can be in the mix for big results.” Donington Park provides the setting for the opening rounds of the 2026 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season on April 18-19.

Mikey Doble closed out his 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season at Brands Hatch this past weekend (4-5 October) with a valiant performance that saw him clinch runner-up laurels in the Independent Drivers’ Championship. On a thrilling final day of the season around the famous Grand Prix circuit in Kent, the Motor Parts Direct with Power Maxed Racing driver took the title fight down to the wire however he ultimately fell agonisingly short of preventing Restart Racing’s Daniel Lloyd from lifting the crown. Despite missing out on the title, the 26-year-old had plenty to be proud of having endured a rollercoaster campaign that included taking his maiden BTCC win at Snetterton and having to adapt to a completely different car following the devastating fire at the team headquarters. In the end, the Surrey-based racer threw everything he had at the final day of the season but ultimately missed out on lifting his second title in as many years by just four points. Doble’s title-deciding weekend began on Saturday as he dialled in his front-wheel-drive machine across two practice sessions before then upping the ante to find the ragged edge as he valiantly battled to try and progress into Q2 during qualifying. Frustratingly, last year’s Jack Sears Trophy title winner would get blocked at the start of his final flying lap which resulted in him pushing into the last corner to make up for lost time and dropping a wheel onto the grass. Despite finishing up in 17th, he pivotally qualified around his title rivals. The final day of the season would see race one set the scene for Doble as he got his elbows out and became embroiled in a number of wheel-to-wheel scraps within the points-paying positions, clinching third place in the Independents’ category as well. Knowing that he needed to make serious in-roads into his title rivals if he was to have any shot at walking away as champion, Doble delivered yet another feisty performance in race two and crucially out-scoring Lloyd to set up a winner-takes-all final contest. With just a handful of points separating Lloyd, Doble and Chris Smiley in the standings, the Cupra driver pulled out all the stops to try and overturn the points deficit - including backing Lloyd up into other drivers - however his efforts would see him fall just short of the ultimate prize. Mikey Doble: “It’s obviously not the way any of us wanted to end the season however there is so much to feel proud about. Given what the team has been through this year, to even be in a title fight was a huge achievement - it’s just a bitter pill to take to have missed out at the final hurdle. “If I’m being honest we didn’t have the outright pace on Sunday and given how close we all were I knew that I needed to make something happen. We had a steady race one and then in race two I was very aggressive to make sure we finished ahead of Lloyd. “The Cupra had some battle scars from that contest and with one race to go we threw everything behind trying to make something happen. I tried my best to back Lloyd into the pack but we just didn’t have enough cars in play to swing the points my way. “While I’m a little disappointed at the moment, I’m sure in a day or so those feelings will change and I’ll take stock of the season with fond memories. I can now call myself a BTCC race winner and that alone motivates me to return stronger than ever next year to chase after more trophies.”

Mikey Doble will head into the final rounds of the 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season in contention for the Independent Drivers’ crown after producing a battling performance at Silverstone this past weekend (20-21 September). The Motor Parts Direct with Power Maxed Racing driver tallied his sixth win of the season in the category to ensure he heads to Brands Hatch next month sitting just five points off the lead - with a maximum of 60 still being up for grabs. Arriving at the Home of British Motor Racing having had the opportunity to conduct a pivotal test day at Snetterton following the previous round, the Cupra Leon driver was in a buoyant mood as he fine-tuned his car across Saturday’s two free practice sessions. Come qualifying later that afternoon, Doble produced a sublime lap in wet-dry conditions to make it out of Q1 however he was unable to go any further in Q2; instead settling for a starting spot of 11th for the first of Sunday’s three races. Sadly for Doble, his chances of moving forward were dealt an early blow as whilst battling for position in the midfield, he received multiple bouts of contact which forced him into the pit lane with damage that needed addressing. Tasked with starting from the back of the grid in race two, the reigning Jack Sears Trophy title holder bounced back in style on the soft tyre as he got his elbows out and muscled his way forward to take the chequered flag in 11th. That result put Doble in the mix for the reverse grid draw and with number 12 being selected, the Surrey-based racer lined up on the front row of the grid for the weekend’s finale. Despite making a good launch, Doble found himself in thick of the action during the early running and subsequently tumbled down the order. Importantly though, the 26-year-old remained in front of his rivals in the Independent Drivers’ Championship to clinch a sixth win of the season. Mikey Doble: “Coming into Silverstone I had one aim and that was to ensure that I would be going to Brands Hatch in October with a shot at winning the Independent Drivers’ Championship and I think we can say we’ve ticked that box. “In terms of overall results we haven’t done anything too spectacular but that’s alright because if I’m honest, I’m only focusing on two cars and those are the Restart Racing Hyundais of Dan Lloyd and Chris Smiley that I’m battling for the title. “Over the course of the weekend I feel like we made good progress with the car and had it not been for contact in race three we probably would have points in all three races. This Cupra is tricky to get in the window but everyone is working their socks off to move the car forward. “We now go to Brands Hatch just five points off the top so it’s all to play for. We’ll see if we can unlock more out of the Cupra and then it’ll be about throwing everything I’ve got at those final three races - we’ll be fighting until the very end that’s for sure.” The 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship campaign concludes in less than two weeks’ time as Rounds 28, 29 & 30 play out around the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit on the 4-5 October.