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Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport heads to Kent this weekend (10–11 October) for the final three races of the 2026 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit, with silverware still very much on the table. Gordon Shedden arrives second in the Independents Trophy, while the team sits second in the Independent Teams' Championship with one weekend left to fight for championship honours.
Gordon goes into the finale on 348 Independents Trophy points, 25 behind class leader Mikey Doble, having cut the gap from 33 points with a strong run at Silverstone. With 60 Independents points available across the weekend's three races, the three-time BTCC champion needs to outscore Doble by 26 points to take the title outright.
Gordon has five Independent class wins to his name this season, alongside an outright victory at Snetterton in Round 9 and four further podium finishes. In the overall Drivers' standings, he is eighth on 241 points.
In the Independent Teams' Championship, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport arrives second on 425 points, 33 behind LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing. Overhauling the leaders will take a big weekend and in the overall Teams' Championship, the squad is fifth on 382 points.
Árón Taylor-Smith returns to Brands Hatch, the scene of his race win earlier this season on the Indy circuit in Round 5. Árón heads into the finale seventh in the Independents Trophy on 291 points and 14th overall on 170, after four consecutive top-ten finishes at Silverstone. His points will be crucial to both of the team's championship fights.
Following Saturday morning's opening 50-minute Free Practice session (10:10), the all-important Qualifying Groups (13:50) and 10-lap Qualifying Race (14:50) will determine the grid spots for Sunday's three races.
Sunday's races are scheduled for 11:25, 14:35 and 17:15, with all three broadcast live on ITV4 and ITVX.
Árón Taylor-Smith (#50) said:
"Brands Hatch has been good to me this year, with our win on the Indy circuit earlier in the season, and the GP circuit is one of the best tracks anywhere. We still have two championships live as a team, so my job is simple: bring home as many points as possible and give the team the best chance of finishing the season with silverware. We had a positive weekend at Silverstone last time out, with top-ten finishes in all the races, so we need to keep that momentum rolling into Brands Hatch this weekend."
Gordon Shedden (#52) said:
"It's all still to play for in the fight for the Independents title. Twenty-five points is quite a lot to claw back in three races, but we closed the gap at Silverstone and our form since the summer break has been strong. Brands Hatch GP is an amazing circuit that rewards commitment and should suit our car, so we'll go there hoping to battle at the front and see where that leaves us."
Mark Blundell, Sporting Director, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport, said:
"At the start of the year, our goal was to fight for Independents honours, and we go into the final weekend with the two championships still to play for, so we are where we want to be. We know what we need to do, and we know it won't be easy. The focus is on getting the basics right, giving both drivers the tools to fight at the front of the field, and ending the year on a high to reward the whole team and our partners for their commitment and support throughout the season."
