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Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport continues to gather momentum as the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship returns to action at Snetterton this weekend [23-24 May].
Mark Blundell’s outfit makes the journey to the 2.97-mile Norfolk circuit in buoyant form after scoring a first victory of the 2026 season last time out at Brands Hatch, courtesy of fan favourite Árón Taylor-Smith.
The Irishman delivered a masterclass in the second race of the weekend, extracting grip from the slick Goodyear tyres despite rainfall to storm through the field from 13th on the grid to the top step of the podium, and secure his first win in the BTCC in a decade.
The race pace of the team’s Corolla GR Sport challengers was reinforced by three-time champion Gordon Shedden on the other side of the garage, as “Flash” recovered from contact that ended his chances earlier in the day to drive through the field in Race 3.
Starting on the back row, the 53-time race winner put every ounce of his experience and racecraft to good effect, rising through the field to take the chequered flag on the cusp of the top six, fuelling optimism for this weekend’s triple header of action-packed contests.
Results at Brands Hatch have put Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport in the top three of both the Overall and Independent Teams Championships, with Taylor-Smith and Shedden making a similar impression in the Drivers’ stakes.
Further inroads in each championship are the objective for this weekend, as the team continues to develop and make progress with the performance of its striking blue and chrome, Laser Tools-backed Corolla challengers.
An ever-present on the BTCC schedule for over 50 years, Snetterton offers something of an all-round challenge for the teams and drivers, with high-speed straights and slower, more technical infield sections.
It’s a circuit that holds plenty of fond memories across the team, for between Shedden, Taylor-Smith and Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport, Snetterton has yielded a total of 9 BTCC race wins and a further 12 podium finishes over the years.
Following an extended, one-hour practice session (Sat, 10:40), the all-important Qualifying Groups (Sat, 14:00) and Qualifying Race (Sat, 15:05) will set the grid for Sunday’s action, in front of an expected capacity trackside crowd, plus millions more at home on ITV4.
Sunday’s races are scheduled for 11:30, 14:30 and 17:20, respectively.
Árón Taylor-Smith (#50) said:
“Our tails are most definitely up heading to Snetterton, after such a positive result at Brands Hatch. If I’m honest, it still hasn’t entirely sunk in yet, but to have a win so early in the season has been a massive boost for the whole team.
“Snetterton’s been a happy hunting ground for me in the past, with a win and a few podiums. I know it suits my driving style, so the crucial element is to get the car in a window to allow me to go out and maximise everything.
“It’s a circuit where you can make quite a bit of difference as a driver, so it’s a good thing we’re arriving in good form, with confidence up, and we can have a real crack at it.”
Gordon Shedden (#52) said:
“I’m excited to get going at Snetterton, off the back of a real rollercoaster at Brands; I think we had enough bad luck to last a season, so I’m looking forward to a new weekend, fresh slate and the opportunity to go out and show what the Corolla can do, as we did in Race 3.
“Snetterton’s a very different challenge - the long straights can be a bit punishing, but the technical sections really play to the car’s strengths, so we should be in the mix and able to bring back another decent haul of points.
“The team definitely has a bit of momentum at the moment, so we’ll be looking to keep that going, and see where we end up.”
Mark Blundell, Sporting Director at Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport, said:
“It’s been great to see the lift in team morale since Brands Hatch. Everyone’s had a just reward for their hard work and efforts so far, but we know we have a way to go in developing the Corolla to its full potential, so we can’t afford to ease up.
“Snetterton is an altogether different challenge to Brands; we perhaps don’t quite have the straightline speed of some of the other cars, but we have an excellent chassis, and this is a circuit where the driver can make a real difference, so we’re well-placed with the second most-experienced pairing on the grid in our garage.
“The important thing is to demonstrate we are still making steps in the right direction, and that should put us in the mix to score another good haul of points this weekend.”
