“Blessing and a curse”: The reality of taking on Sutton from within his own team

To outline ‘enigmatic’ within the context of the British Touring Automotive Championship, look no additional than Dan Cammish. Not, you perceive, due to the person himself; he’s a refreshingly open, sincere, self-analytical chap. It’s extra his outcomes.

In 2023, when Ash Sutton swept to the title within the lead NAPA-liveried Ford Focus ST, Cammish took the sister automobile to sixth within the standings. Final yr, when the Alliance Racing squad’s equipment had been eclipsed by West Surrey Racing’s BMWs and Excelr8 Motorsport’s Hyundais, Sutton slipped to 3rd, whereas Cammish rose to equal the factors tally of fourth-placed Colin Turkington. He was simply 19 factors adrift of Sutton, with 93 greater than in 2023, and even outscored his 2019 season within the Group Dynamics Honda, when he got here inside a lap and a half of the title.

After all, a part of Cammish’s earlier deficits to Sutton was all the way down to his ‘you couldn’t make this up’ luck – the fireplace at Donington Park in 2022; the brake failure and big shunt on the identical place the next season.

“We had issues that crept in and actually spoiled our momentum,” he displays. “I’m not saying it could have modified the end result of the championship a lot, nevertheless it actually internally derailed us barely after we have been making an attempt to get some momentum going. Then ’24 was an entire lot extra optimistic. As a group we’ve actually progressed.

“What I’ll say is that in ’23, I do know it’s straightforward to say that we had the strongest package deal, however solely one in all us did actually and that was Ash. The remainder of us [including team-mates Dan Rowbottom and Sam Osborne] couldn’t do what he might do at the moment, not by some margin to be sincere. That was equally powerful since you are in contrast whenever you’ve acquired the identical gear, nevertheless it was simply not doable for us to get that efficiency.”

Cammish proclaims pleasure that “we got here such a great distance ahead in 2024”, however how did it occur?

He and Sutton arrived collectively on the group, then often known as Motorbase, for 2022, when many of the work carried out on the automobile was to implement the brand new hybrid system. For 2023, Sutton’s long-time engineer Tony Carrozza led a no-stone-unturned redevelopment of the Focus. Like different nice champions, Sutton has a driving fashion that calls for a set-up others wrestle with. Maybe, then, the window inside which the automobile can function successfully was widened for 2024…

Put that to Cammish, and he replies: “You understand what? I want I might offer you a straight reply, however I’m probably not conscious of precisely how issues got here to be in some methods. From the second we hit the observe in 2024, we [Cammish and engineer James Mundy] went in a barely completely different route into among the set-up.

“Initially we thought that what we’d executed had actually helped me when it comes to my driving fashion, however as time went on I feel we realised that truly was most likely negligible. We simply occurred to be in fairly window with the automobile. I appeared to have the ability to get extra out of it than I had been in a position to the final couple of years, and positively extra out of it when it comes to Ash’s performances got here again in the direction of me.

“It hurts me elsewhere, however no less than it implies that the entry section of the nook I can actually commit and carry the velocity in, which has helped me to maneuver ahead I feel”
Dan Cammish

“Ash might now not do what he might do the yr earlier than. We had very comparable qualifying performances – we have been five-all final yr – and we raced him and beat him on observe on quite a few events which we might by no means have executed the yr earlier than! And I don’t know why that’s in some methods.”

So what motivated that completely different route on set-up?

“It doesn’t have an effect on the velocity of the automobile as such, it simply adjustments the way in which it reacts and the way in which it feels below your bum as a result of that’s all we’re ever speaking about anyway, isn’t it?” states Cammish. “Driver to driver, we do all need a barely completely different feeling.

“To place it in simplified phrases, the Focus I really feel has all the time been fairly pointy, particularly since 2023 [Carrozza’s redevelopment] onwards. You flip the wheel and it actually does dive into the nook, typically a bit an excessive amount of for my style. I really feel that the rear can’t sustain with it, so I find yourself steering out of the nook as I’m steering into it.

“We made some adjustments to form of enhance that. It hurts me elsewhere, however no less than it implies that the entry section of the nook I can actually commit and carry the velocity in, which has helped me to maneuver ahead I feel.

Cammish believes set-up tweaks makes the Focus simpler to decide to attacking nook entries

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“The automobile has all the time been a little bit bit nervous, and I feel Dan [Rowbottom] nonetheless finds it a little bit bit nervous. I’ve tried to get him to attempt what I’ve executed. He did it as soon as and dismissed it, however perhaps that’s one thing he’ll take a look at once more if he has an identical feeling. Simply to principally sluggish the response of the automobile down, to present your self a little bit bit extra time on entry to let the automobile take a set and carry a little bit bit extra velocity in.”

Each Cammish’s and Rowbottom’s BTCC reference level earlier than arriving on the group was the Dynamics Honda Civic Sort R FK8, which the Yorkshireman factors out “seems to be longer and decrease when it comes to its profile than what we drive now. It drives prefer it too, a little bit extra like a GT automobile in that respect.

“It’s a little bit bit extra steady in high-speed and permits you to flip the wheel a bit extra. When you take a look at these higher-speed corners… Riches at Snetterton is an efficient instance, it’s a fifth-gear nook, however it may be on three wheels virtually from the second you flip in.

“I need the automobile on three wheels, after all we have now to do this, however let’s transfer it round to the purpose the place I really wish to choose the wheel up, not the place it needs to do it by itself. I need that stability so I can assault the entry section.”

Cammish does admit that “I feel in a while within the yr we might have taken that change again and doubtless not suffered. We did it to attempt to repair different issues at a sure time. However , it really works with you and also you run with it. That’s the factor in touring vehicles – you get so little time to check throughout the season, when you’re locked in with what you’ve acquired after these preliminary days in testing, it’s tough to deviate.”

A lot was made from Cammish swapping garages with Rowbottom for 2024 in order that he was now not alongside Sutton, however as a substitute with Osborne, son of group proprietor Pete. Requested whether or not this alleviated some strain, Cammish responds: “That’s query. I’m certain there is a component of that.

“It wasn’t executed for that motive initially; it was executed as a result of the group felt it was good to rotate issues round. We’re a group of 4 complete crews, so it was good to let folks work with completely different folks. However there’s little doubt for me personally it got here at a extremely good time.

“In the end you might be in contrast towards two of the perfect folks in British motorsport – one in Ash and one in Tony – and that carries throughout from each race to each follow to each debrief. This yr me and James actually hit the reset button and went about it a barely completely different manner, and I feel it paid dividends.

Cammish says the reset he and engineer Mundy launched into in 2024 paid dividends

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“On the whole, being alongside Sam and perhaps having a bit extra of our personal area to function I feel actually helped. So yeah, you may put it that manner!”

Partnering Sutton, one of many best drivers in BTCC historical past, did come as an eye-opener to Cammish. Solely in 2017, his single season in Porsche Supercup, had he trailed team-mates – and his fourth place within the factors alongside Michael Ammermuller and Dennis Olsen at Lechner Racing on his debut worldwide season hinted at nice issues to come back.

“I feel what occurred in ’22-’23 was clearly a shock to the system when it comes to not simply that Ash might beat me, however the quantity that he might beat me,” he admits. “That was tough, and I feel it’s fairly apparent to anybody that it could take its toll. However I’ve acquired some good folks round me, from Libby my spouse to my household and the group, who’ve actually rallied round me. Pete Osborne actually believes in me and has continued to present me a possibility, and I feel 2024 confirmed them why.”

“[Sutton is] exceptionally proficient, however he’s extremely exhausting working, which I feel folks don’t realise”
Dan Cammish

Certainly, Cammish – as is Sutton – is locked in at Alliance till the tip of 2026: “Pete Osborne’s been nice and he’s somebody I actually look as much as and respect. Particularly when the seat I’ve is so hotly contested – it’s actually one or the prime seats in British motorsport. It’s one thing I’m very happy with.

“We’ve acquired an excellent group of individuals, it’s a really family-orientated surroundings from Pete, Steve Richardson of NAPA… That filters down from the highest and, whether or not it’s day or a foul day, it’s actually a pleasure to be a part of it.”

And it means two extra years of working with – and the inevitable comparability with – the pressure of nature that’s Sutton. “He’s exceptionally proficient, however he’s extremely exhausting working, which I feel folks don’t realise,” admires Cammish. “Folks most likely suppose Ash is all pure expertise and don’t get me unsuitable, he’s acquired a great deal of it, however he does work exhausting as effectively. He research the info as a lot as anybody if no more. He’s acquired an actual work ethic, and he and Tony have gotten an actual understanding of that, which solely makes him higher.

“Working alongside him has been each a blessing and a curse in some methods. I’ve learnt a lot, seeing how they function as a unit, what makes them so robust, and it’s the two of them mixed – they suppose as one in lots of respects. And that’s one thing all of us attempt to replicate.

Cammish has discovered an enormous quantity from working intently with Sutton

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“You’ve set to work at it, undergo peaks and troughs, and that’s what me and James have executed in some ways. Now what you’re seeing is we get it proper greater than we get it unsuitable, and that’ll solely get higher. One factor with Ash is he form of solely ever has one velocity, which is flat-out – he doesn’t sandbag. As a barometer, the place you’re at with him. That’s good, as a result of that in case you’re close to him, which means you’re most likely someplace close to the entrance!”

In order we method what seems to be set to be the final season with the Focus earlier than a brand new weapon emerges from Alliance’s Northampton premises for 2026, maybe Cammish is much less the enigma of the BTCC than the sleeper within the pack. Being the earthy Leeds man (albeit dwelling in Berkshire) that he’s, you gained’t get any daring proclamations of impending domination, however there’s motive to be quietly optimistic.

“A driver who’s been in it so long as I’ve, I don’t are likely to get higher or worse,” he muses. “Weekend to weekend, yr to yr, I’m fairly certain that my potential’s fairly static by this level. But when you may make small, incremental will increase in different areas, you’ll drive it quicker. It’s simply pure.

“It’s like leaping from a medium tyre to a mushy – you don’t do something, you simply really feel grip and go faster. My job now and the group’s and James’s is to verify this isn’t the height of our studying curve. We’ve acquired to maintain ascending the mountain, as a result of there’s nonetheless a good technique to go if we wish a shot at this championship.”

Will this be the yr Cammish turns into BTCC champion for the primary time?

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