[BTCC] Ash Sutton

[Craner Curves]

This guy, in my opinion, is the biggest young touring car talent who has come from the UK in years. He's got aggression as well as racecraft and he's got ambition to further himself too. He could be a massively successful driver in the next couple of decades due to his versatility. The other under 30s in the btcc don't compare, he had the right opportunity and grabbed it right away and performed almost instantly. He's the complete package and I'm glad to be witnessing this.

[S griffin]

We are watching a great talent not for the future, but right now. He is excellent in the wet and is one of the best drivers when attacking from behind. He could be successful in any tin top series tbh

[850Estate]

Agreed 100%. He's as entertaining a driver to watch as I've seen in years. Clean and without a big ego too - which always helps.

[touringlegend]

I was thinking this yesterday. His performances at Knockhill in the wet were something else. I don’t think his car could be classed as illegal enough in R2 to give him an advantage either.

I truly believe if he’d kept the win, we would have seen Ash win all three races.

I’m not even sure who I would compare him with, perhaps Andy Rouse as Ash is one of these guys I could see jumping in to different cars each year and winning.

Sadly, I don’t think we’ll hold on to him that long. I think we’ll lose him to Aussie V8s pretty soon

[Alfisti]

Can't agree more. The lad has real talent, he showed it from day 1 in the MG. His ability to run competitively in FWD and RWD is a rare talent too. His ability to create overtaking opportunities is second to none, he's clean with it too - I can honestly say I've not witnessed the push to pass that many of his peers use.

Even given the exclusion at Knockhill I think he is in with a chance of this years title: I'd say it's Colin Turkingtons title to lose and Ash Suttons to win.

Will he be in BTCC next year? That I wonder, my gut says yes if Warren Scott has the financial ability and will to continue. I say this as loyalty is another Ash Sutton quality; I don't see him running for another BTCC team, but I could see him in WTCR, especially if BMR manage to enter that championship. As had been suggested before, he would sit well in Aussie Supercars, possibly a dabble as co-driver at Bathurst next year?

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Sutton certainly has been impressive to say the least, if he makes it 2 in a row (I don't have a fave for the title)....

[Mark0994]

I would love him to race in WTCR next year, or to guest in TCR Europe this year, I beat he will destroy those guys in TCR Europe.

[Koenigsegg]

I used to race against him on Forza Motorsport on the Xbox years ago, he was already amazingly quick back then.

[TR4racer]

Originally Posted by Mark0994

I would love him to race in WTCR next year, or to guest in TCR Europe this year, I beat he will destroy those guys in TCR Europe.

Depends which car he was driving - Audi DSG?

[Matt K]

Honestly I'd rather see him stay in BTCC for long years + some guest races in TCR (Europe or World) and co-drive in Supercars. WTCR may be the World Cup but it's not as exciting as I had thought (my opinion though) while BTCC needs some big and fascinating names after all these Platos, Neals, Collards retire (which I hope will happen soon). Supercars drive would be a dream come true for Ash but no European driver was able to succeed there and I can't really see him getting a full-drive at least for now.

[S griffin]

Well didn’t he test a supercar pre season?

[GT6]

unfortunately for BTCC there are much better paying drives out there and as said i am sure he will get offers else where soon, perhaps in WEC which could enable him to do another championship series as well.

[Jiiiiiiim]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Well didn’t he test a supercar pre season?

Yes he did and impressed a lot of people in only a handful of laps!

[Rob877]

I totally agree with everything above and have thought this of Ash for quite a while already.

I was at Knockhill at the weekend and stood between Scotsman and Butchers for the first race. His driving absolutley blew me away compared to everyone else. He was so obviously right on the limit right from the start and was one of the only drivers to use Scotsman as an overtaking place. The attitude of his car compared to Plato's was just night and day. On exit of Scotsman you could see he was steering the car with the throttle right up to the chicane, it was stunning car control lap after lap. The same goes for race 3 where I stood on the exit of the chicane. He was right on the power with a controlled slide on the exit curb very lap. No one else was driving like that, including his double champion team mate (whom I don't believe is finished, just needs a FWD car) in the same car.

Obviously the Subaru is a bit special in the wet but he certainly was right in tune with it, and it didn't look easy to drive at all.

I felt extremely lucky to be able to witness that performance on Sunday. It blew me away.

[Cinghio44]

Originally Posted by Matt K

Honestly I'd rather see him stay in BTCC for long years + some guest races in TCR (Europe or World) and co-drive in Supercars. WTCR may be the World Cup but it's not as exciting as I had thought (my opinion though) while BTCC needs some big and fascinating names after all these Platos, Neals, Collards retire (which I hope will happen soon). Supercars drive would be a dream come true for Ash but no European driver was able to succeed there and I can't really see him getting a full-drive at least for now.

Yes WTCR was almost not exciting this year but this was down to the poor circuits on the calendar in my opinion. But WTCR could be a great opportunity to continue the professional career, see Shedden

If he want to continue in the BTCC he deserve to be an official driver. V8 Supercars is still a very difficult category for the european racers. See also Stanaway, he's struggling despite being a former great co driver in V8SC.

Anyway, Sutton is a massive talent, a Turkington 2.0 for me. He and Tom Ingram the greatest talent at the moment and they deserve a lot for their professional careers

[Evantra]

Was also unlucky not to win the St Mary's trophy race at Goodwood this weekend in the (now rather secondhand) Cortina - beating the likes of Huff, Priaulx, Neal, Pirro, Dumas, etc. and retiring a couple laps from home due to a car problem. Nethertheless one of the best races I've ever watched.

[S griffin]

Certainly he starred in that race. One of the best modern tin top drivers

[porsche962fan]

is he by any chance related to James Sutton ?

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

is he by any chance related to James Sutton ?

No.