Jake Hill Battles On: Determined Drive Salvages Points from Tough Snetterton Weekend
Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport faced an uphill battle at Snetterton, but Jake Hill once again showed his trademark grit, salvaging vital championship points and setting his sights firmly on a return to form at Thruxton.
Rolling into Norfolk fresh off a pole, win and podium at Brands Hatch, expectations were high for the WSR-run squad. And things started brightly — very brightly. In soaking FP1 conditions, Hill topped the session, putting the #1 BMW 330i M Sport right at the sharp end. FP2 also brought promise, with a solid P6.
Qualifying, though, threw a spanner in the works; carrying the weight of his Toca Turbo Boost (TTB) success penalty, Jake couldn’t make it out of Q1, landing an uncharacteristic P20 grid slot for Race 1.
But Jake doesn’t back down from a challenge — and he launched into Sunday like a man on a mission. A lightning start in Race 1 saw him gain five positions in the opening corners alone, but his charge was abruptly halted by a reckless dive from a rival that left his BMW wounded with suspension damage. The team sprang into action to get him back out on track to ensure he could take the chequered flag. Although he crossed the line in 22nd, Jake was not classified in the results, but his return to the track allowed him to start Race 2 from the penultimate row of the grid.
And fight he did. Starting deep in the pack, Hill carved through the midfield like a pro, racking up 11 clean overtakes and bagging P11 at the flag. He kept that momentum going into Race 3, where he battled into the top 10 and crossed the line P9, collecting valuable points after a weekend where many would’ve walked away empty-handed.
With two points finishes from the three races, it marked the first time since Oulton Park in 2022 that Jake and the team failed to secure a top-five result across a race day.
With three rounds down, Jake Hill remains a solid third in the championship standings. The next stop? The high-speed blast of Thruxton on June 7–8 — a track where bold moves and big comebacks are the norm.
Jake commented: "It’s been one of the more trying weekends of my touring car career and certainly one of the most challenging I can remember in recent times. We’ve still learned a lot, which is good for progress with both the car and the team, but it’s been difficult with my best result being ninth. That said, we’re already focused on Thruxton — and we’re going there with fire in our bellies."
This wasn’t the weekend the team wanted — but it might just be the one that sets up the fightback. Thruxton, get ready.
Photos: Jakob Ebrey
