Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport began the 2026 British Touring Car Championship in fine fashion, with a podium and an Independents victory at Donington Park last weekend [18-19 April].
Gearing up for another assault on the biggest prize in UK motorsport, Mark Blundell’s outfit - now expanded to two cars, and with three-time champion Gordon Shedden and multiple race-winner Árón Taylor-Smith behind the wheel - arrived at the 1.98-mile Leicestershire circuit keen to begin a bumper 40-race calendar on the front foot.
Saturday’s format has been completely revised for the 2026 campaign and, after successfully navigating the new-for-2026 Qualifying Race, Shedden and Taylor-Smith secured fifth and sixth row starting slots respectively for Sunday’s action, in front of a capacity trackside crowd and millions more watching live at home on ITV4.
The pair made steady progress through the field in Race 1, with Shedden keeping his cool in a chaotic opening few laps, before scaling the order to finish fifth. Taylor-Smith emphasized the Corolla’s race pace, similarly moving through the field to claim eighth, and a double top-ten finish first time out for the new-look team.
Capitalising on his momentum, “Flash” opted to use the quicker, soft compound Goodyear tyre in Race 2, a decision that paid dividends as the Scot charged through to third, and the final spot on the podium, despite having to use all of the experience, race craft and tactical nous amassed over 400+ race starts to hold off the chasing pack in the closing stages.
It marked a first trip to the rostrum for Shedden in the iconic blue of title partner Laser Tools, many of whom joined the team trackside at the East Midlands venue as part of their 50th Anniversary celebrations this year. The result also secured the team’s first Independents race victory of the campaign. Taylor-Smith, still on the Medium tyres, banked yet more valuable points in 11th.
Both cars were forced to get their elbows out in a typically hard-fought, reverse-grid Race 3, but Shedden and Taylor-Smith brought the cars home in 12th and 14th to make it a 100% points-scoring run across the weekend’s action.
Leaving Donington Park, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport sit third in the Independent Teams’ Championship, and fourth overall. Shedden is third among the Independent Drivers, with Taylor-Smith seventh; the pair are fifth and 11th outright.
The next three rounds take place on Brands Hatch’s Indy configuration, over the weekend of 9-10 May.
Árón Taylor-Smith (#50) said:
“Coming away with three points finishes from my first weekend with Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport is certainly something I’m happy about.
“We made significant with the Corolla over the winter, but didn’t quite find the sweet spot on my side of the garage this weekend.
“As a team, though, I think we performed really well, and now we’re going to a track that we’ve tested at in pre-season testing, and plays to the car’s strengths a little bit more.
“We’ll do a little bit of homework between now and then, and come out swinging at Brands Hatch.”
Gordon Shedden (#52) said:
“It’s always a great feeling to start the new season with some silverware; the first round of the year hasn’t always been the kindest to me in the past, so hopefully this is a sign of good things to come this year with Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport.”
“We definitely had to dig in deep at times over the weekend and hustle a bit, but to leave with a podium, an Independent win, three points finishes and no damage is a good day’s work, and it’s given us plenty of avenues to go down when it comes to preparing for next time out at Brands Hatch.”
Mark Blundell, Sporting Director, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport said:
“Overall, it’s a good start to the season; both Gordon and Árón drove well, kept their noses clean and brought home some silverware, and a decent of points between them, which has set us up nicely as a starting point for the rest of the year.
“Getting that first podium under our belts is definitely the highlight. Gordon on the podium and the iconic blue of Laser Tools Racing are probably two of the images most synonymous with the BTCC over the last decade, so to see them together up there was a fantastic moment, especially with so many of our partners there to share in it.
“But we’re hungry for more as a team, so naturally the focus now is on taking the positives, but equally challenging those areas we feel we need to improve upon to make that a more regular occurence.”
