July 28, 2026

Shedden charges back as Laser Tools Racing bags Thruxton points

Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport returned to BTCC action after the summer break at Thruxton, banking another healthy haul of championship points despite a weekend that never quite reflected the pace of the two-car team.

Arriving in Hampshire with confidence high, the team had already enjoyed an encouraging start to 2026, with Gordon Shedden and Árón Taylor-Smith sharing two race wins, three podiums and four Independent victories across the opening four rounds. Thruxton, however, proved to be another classic BTCC weekend where every position had to be fought for.

A productive practice programme allowed the team to fine-tune both Toyotas ahead of qualifying, where Shedden secured 11th on the grid and Taylor-Smith 14th. Gordon looked set to start Sunday's opener from sixth after an impressive drive in the qualifying race, only for a post-race Safety Car penalty to drop him back to eighth. Árón also made forward progress, taking 11th after another determined performance.

Race 1

Race 1 brought mixed fortunes. Shedden's race unravelled after running wide onto the grass, forcing an unscheduled pit stop before recovering to finish 22nd. Taylor-Smith, meanwhile, kept out of trouble and worked his way into the points with a solid 10th-place finish.

Race 2

The pair bounced back in Race 2. Starting from the back, Shedden produced one of the recovery drives of the afternoon, charging through the field to claim 10th, while Taylor-Smith backed up his earlier result with another strong run to ninth.

Race 3

The final race summed up the unpredictable nature of BTCC racing. Taylor-Smith's challenge ended almost before it began when two cars collided directly ahead of him, leaving the Irishman with nowhere to go. Shedden, meanwhile, continued to make progress, bringing the Laser Tools Racing Toyota home in seventh to secure another valuable points finish.

After five rounds, Shedden sits ninth in the Drivers' Championship, with Taylor-Smith 12th. Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport remains fifth in the Teams' Championship and third in the Independents' Teams' Championship.

Árón Taylor-Smith (#50) said:

"Looking back at the weekend, I think there are plenty of positives to take from Thruxton. We made progress through the qualifying race and the opening two races, continuing to show strong race pace on Sunday, which is encouraging. We know this car is capable of running at the front, so if we can get qualifying nailed as we did at Oulton, it puts us in a great position to challenge. It was frustrating to end the final race through no fault of our own, but we’ll take the positives and move on to Knockhill."

Gordon Shedden (#52) said:

“An up-and-down weekend for me at Thruxton, but there are still plenty of positives to take away. The qualifying race was encouraging, and we finished higher than we started despite the penalty. Race One put us on the back foot, but from there we showed strong pace to fight back through the field. A huge thanks to the team for all their hard work throughout the weekend. Now we’re looking forward to Knockhill, my home race, and hopefully we can put on a strong showing in front of the Scottish fans."

Mark Blundell, Sporting Director, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport, said:

"Thruxton was a mixed weekend, securing more valuable championship points despite some challenging moments. The team showed good race pace throughout, and both drivers demonstrated their ability to move forward through the field. The qualifying race was a good example of that, with both cars gaining positions, as well as Gordon’s drive through the field from the very back in Race Two. We know we have to start further up the grid, so we’ll continue working hard in that area and head to Knockhill looking to build on the progress we’ve made. A huge thanks to the entire team for their continued hard work and commitment, and to all of our partners for their ongoing support throughout the season."