Motorbase Performance won its first championship in the BTCC and duly backed it up with another in the same season. The Kent-based squad took the Independents Teams' title while Andrew Jordan claimed the Independents Drivers' championship for the third time in his career.
We caught up with Team boss David Bartrum, as well as Jordan and team-mate Mat Jackson, who won the final BTCC race of the season...
MG Racing RCIB Insurance driver Ashley Sutton clinched the Jack Sears Trophy at Brands Hatch after a hugely impressive maiden season in the BTCC. We caught up with the rookie champion at the famous Kent venue...
Halfords Yuasa Racing star Gordon Shedden has dramatically defended the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at the conclusion of an action-packed day of racing at Brands Hatch.
The Scotsman needed to overcome a two point deficit to standings leader Sam Tordoff heading into the final race of the season, and the now triple champion made the all-important move by his rival on lap seven.
The duo were tussling over third place with Mat Jackson and Aiden Moffat already up the road, but it was all eyes of the title fight. The huge 45,000-strong crowd held its collective breath as Shedden hauled his Honda Civic Type R down the inside of Tordoff’s Team JCT600 with GardX machine on the run down to Clearways, before completing the move on the exit of Clark Curve.
Shedden fended off further attacks and even a late safety car period to maintain third position, superbly securing the title in the process. The Honda man had been fighting back throughout the year, following a challenging start to his title defence, and the 37-year-old finally returned the championship summit as the chequered flag fell on the last race of the season. Shedden’s success was all the more impressive as he became the first driver to win back-to-back titles since Fabrizio Giovanardi in 2007 and 2008.
Mat Jackson took a brilliant win for Motorbase Performance in the final contest, ahead of a stunning standout drive to second spot from Laser Tools Racing’s Aiden Moffat, whilst Adam Morgan’s Mercedes eventually finished ahead of the unfortunate Tordoff.
The day's earlier races at the legendary Kent circuit had been won by Silverline Subaru BMR Racing’s Colin Turkington, with Rob Austin and Josh Cook scoring impressive podium positions in the opener. Plato and Shedden followed the Ulsterman home in the second bout.
Despite Tordoff narrowly missing out on the Drivers’ crown, West Surrey Racing secured the Manufacturers’/Constructors’ championship for BMW while Team JCT600 with GardX won the Teams’ titles.
Andrew Jordan took the Independents Drivers’ trophy and Motorbase Performance won Independents Teams’ honours.
After a season long battle with Michael Epps, the Jack Sears Trophy eventually went to Ashley Sutton, with the MG Racing RCIB Insurance driver starring throughout his maiden BTCC campaign.
When the dust settled on an unforgettable occasion, it was Shedden celebrating winning the most coveted prize in British motor sport for the third time in his career, pipping Tordoff by just two points.
Jackson claimed third overall ahead of Turkington, whilst Collard and Matt Neal rounded out the standings top six. Triple champion Neal was forced to miss the final race of the season after a heavy accident in the second encounter left him suffering with slight concussion.
Today’s action brought down the curtain on another record breaking season in the BTCC, which included 12 different race winners for the first time ever and an unprecedented eight title contenders going into the final weekend of the season.
The calendar for the 2017 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship is already set, again comprising of 30 races across ten events at nine venues around the UK. The season will commence at Brands Hatch in April and conclude on the iconic Grand Prix circuit at the same venue in October.
Gordon Shedden said: “It’s unbelievable – an incredible feeling. I’ve felt really relaxed all weekend, but even going into race three, I thought it was going to be really difficult – and it was! In terms of entertainment, the BTCC has once again delivered in spades as the title battle went all the way down to the last race – and what a storming race it was! It was a shame Matt (Neal) couldn’t join in – it would have been good to have him up there pushing for the title too, because he has had really good pace today.
"All year, I’ve really stuck my neck on the line and made some bold, heart-in-the-mouth moves that were on the edge more often than not. After Croft back in June, it looked like we were down-and-out, but we stuck to our guns, kept plugging away and gave it absolutely everything to claw our way back. It just goes to show that every single point really does count in this championship.
"Winning the championship for the first time felt phenomenal, last year was a real rollercoaster ride and this year it was just a huge release of emotion. I might allow myself a few cups of tea and a Tunnock’s Teacake to celebrate tonight…
"Sam (Tordoff) has driven well all year. I’ve enjoyed clean racing all season, and even in that last race he was very fair. His time will come – and it won’t be far away.”
Sam Tordoff said: “It was obviously a shame not to win the title after leading for so long, but we gave it our all and didn’t do anything wrong. I don’t think we had a bad day today at all – we scored three strong results, but Gordon had a better one and ultimately the best man won. Still, looking at the season overall, we’ve stepped up to the next level and firmly established ourselves as championship contenders. I’m incredibly proud of myself, of the job done by everyone at WSR and the support we’ve had from BMW, JCT600 and GardX all season. We’ve ended the season as constructors’ and teams’ champions and honestly I couldn’t have asked for much more.”
Andrew Jordan said: “It’s nice to win a BTCC title again, even if it’s not the overall one, which was obviously what we were aiming for. After what happened in race one, it ended up pretty tight points-wise in the final Independents’ battle, and I’m sure I’ll feel a little bit sore in the morning! The guys did a great job to get the car fixed in time for race two, which was probably one of the best drives I’ve had as we came through the pack – and then it was all about securing the crown in race three. With a season in the Focus under my belt now, we have a very solid foundation to build upon in 2017. I’m very proud to have given Motorbase its first title in my first year with the team – but next year, we’ll definitely be aiming for the big one!”
Ashley Sutton said: “It’s been an absolutely unreal season, and I honestly can’t thank MG, RCIB Insurance and Triple Eight enough – without them, none of this would have been possible. My goal back at the start of the year was to win the Jack Sears Trophy, and with Jack’s sad passing, it now means even more. It’s just a shame he couldn’t be here today to present it to me – I’m actually feeling a bit emotional about it all. I’ve loved every minute of my first BTCC season.”
Alan Gow, Series Director, said: “It’s been a fantastic year and to go down to the final race once again is incredible. Both Sam Tordoff and Gordon Shedden have driven superbly throughout the season, but someone has to win it, and my congratulations go to Gordon and all the other winners. The format we have in the BTCC works and to have 12 different race winners and this exciting season climax tells you everything you need to know about the championship. We never rest on our laurels and the plan is always to come back bigger and better next season.”
2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 28 – Brands Hatch GP:
1 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing 25m56.267s (90.06 mph)
2 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) Handy Motorsport +4.570s
3 Josh COOK (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +5.314s
4 Jason PLATO (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +5.903s
5 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +10.750s
6 Adam MORGAN (GBR) WIX Racing +11.130s
7 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +11.620s
8 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +17.894s
9 Ash SUTTON (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +18.077s
10 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +19.564s
2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 29 – Brands Hatch GP:
1 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing 28m52.932s (85.93 mph)
2 Jason PLATO (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +1.128s
3 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +1.535s
4 Josh COOK (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +1.827s
5 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +2.431s
6 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +2.931s
7 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance +3.046s
8 Adam MORGAN (GBR) WIX Racing +3.336s
9 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +3.626s
10 Robert COLLARD (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +3.963s
2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 30 – Brands Hatch GP:
1 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance 30m42.447s (85.58 mph)
2 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +1.016s
3 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +1.454s
4 Adam MORGAN (GBR) WIX Racing +1.660s
5 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +2.600s
6 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +2.734s
7 Josh COOK (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +3.046s
8 Jake HILL (GBR) RCIB Insurance Racing +4.093s
9 Robert COLLARD (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +4.188s
10 Jason PLATO (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +5.937s
Drivers’ Championship
Gordon Shedden, Halfords Yuasa Racing, 308
Sam Tordoff, Team JCT600 with GardX, 306
Mat Jackson, Motorbase Performance, 292
Colin Turkington, Silverline Subaru BMR Racing, 289*
Rob Collard, Team JCT600 with GardX, 278
Matt Neal, Halfords Yuasa Racing, 275
Manufacturers’/Constructors’ Championship
WSR, 790
Honda/Dynamics, 737
Subaru/Team BMR, 722
MG/888, 571
Teams’ Championship
Team JCT600 with GardX, 574
Halfords Yuasa Racing, 557*
Motorbase Performance, 538
Silverline Subaru BMR Racing, 531
MG Racing RCIB Insurance, 332
WIX Racing, 234
Independents’ Drivers’ Championship
Andrew Jordan, Pirtek Racing, 415
Mat Jackson, Motorbase Performance, 412
Adam Morgan, WIX Racing, 361
Tom Ingram, Speedworks Motorsport, 338
Aiden Moffat, Laser Tools Racing, 278
Rob Austin, Handy Motorsport, 272*
Independents’ Teams’ Championship
Motorbase Performance, 541
WIX Racing, 380
Speedworks Motorsport, 354**
Laser Tools Racing, 308
RCIB Insurance Racing, 299
Eurotech Racing, 296
Jack Sears Trophy
Ashley Sutton, 442
Michael Epps, 424
Matt Simpson, 345
The remaining three BTCC title contenders – Sam Tordoff, Gordon Shedden and Colin Turkington – have spoken to btcc.net ahead of the final race of the season...
Colin Turkington's dream of becoming a three-time Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Champion could still become a reality later today as the Silverline Subaru BMR Racing driver doubled up at Brands Hatch.
The Ulsterman made an even better start in the second contest and immediately ripped away from the rest of the field.
There was drama for one of the title contenders as Matt Neal’s hopes spiralled into the tyre barrier on lap three. The Halfords Yuasa Racing driver had just set the fastest lap of the race, but his Honda engine stuttered out of Paddock Hill Bend before contact was made with Ash Sutton’s MG on the run down to Graham Hill. The incident speared the Honda Civic Type R into the tyre wall and out of contention.
A lengthy stoppage followed in order for the BTCC Medical Team to attend to the shaken Neal, and the triple champion was later diagnosed with slight concussion. Subsequently he will not contest the final race of the season later today.
Victory looked secure for Turkington during the opening half of the race, but everything changed when his team-mate Jason Plato and Honda’s Gordon Shedden eventually muscled their way past Rob Austin’s Toyota.
Plato scythed into Turkington’s advantage and was on the sister Levorg’s tail on lap ten. The stablemates battled for a number of laps with Plato incredibly pressuring Turkington at this critical stage of the season. Eventually the call came from the team and Plato relented, backing up the chasing pack in the process and allowing Turkington to take victory.
"It’s fantastic stuff," beamed Turkington. "I didn’t see it coming before the weekend, I really didn’t think we could win here once never mind twice. Sometimes things go your way and the team have given me a good car. The effects of the 75kgs were playing out and I could see Jason (Plato) right behind me. I wasn’t going to waste my energy on the team radio but thanks to them it made my job a bit easier. I was relieved when I saw him back off. I could see Gordon (Shedden) behind and you can easily go from first to fourth to fifth."
Josh Cook and Sam Tordoff dive-bombed by Austin’s Handy Motorsport machine, and the Laser Tools Mercedes of Aiden Moffat immediately followed suit. Austin retired shortly after with what looked like a mechanical issue.
Mat Jackson took seventh – and with it the reverse grid pole for race three – although his championship chances are now over.
Adam Morgan claimed eighth for WIX Racing, ahead of Tom Ingram, with the latter having fought back from the rear of the grid at the start of the day.
Rob Collard completed the top ten order but he too is now out of the running to become the 2016 BTCC champion.
Tordoff now leads by just two points from Shedden, while Turkington is a further eight back. Neal remained in mathematical contention, but his withdrawal on safety grounds ends his challenge for this year.
"It was good to finish ahead of Sam (Tordoff) but the gain was quite small," said Shedden. "He starts ahead so it's going to be tough, but as we all know anything can happen in last race of the season. We’re closing in and we’ll keep pushing until the end."
The climax to this incredible season will come down to the 30th and final round at 17:05, with tens of thousands of fans taking in the atmosphere at Brands Hatch and many, many more watching the action on ITV4.
2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Race Two – Brands Hatch GP:
1 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing 28m52.932s (85.93 mph)
2 Jason PLATO (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +1.128s
3 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +1.535s
4 Josh COOK (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +1.827s
5 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +2.431s
6 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +2.931s
7 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance +3.046s
8 Adam MORGAN (GBR) WIX Racing +3.336s
9 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +3.626s
10 Robert COLLARD (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +3.963s
11 Jeff SMITH (GBR) Eurotech Racing +4.650s
12 Jake HILL (GBR) RCIB Insurance Racing +5.697s
13 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) Motorbase Performance +7.043s
14 Aron SMITH (IRL) BKR +10.510s
15 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD Tuning.com +13.455s
16 Michael EPPS (GBR) RCIB Insurance Racing +14.421s
17 Hunter ABBOTT (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +14.914s
18 Martin DEPPER (GBR) Eurotech Racing +15.214s
19 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +16.729s
20 Jack GOFF (GBR) Team IHG Rewards Club +16.743s
21 James COLE (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +16.808s
22 Alex MARTIN (GBR) Dextra Racing +19.672s
23 Warren SCOTT (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +20.541s
24 Kelvin FLETCHER (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +20.888s
25 Stewart LINES (GBR) Maximum Motorsport +25.510s
26 Mark HOWARD (GBR) BKR +36.284s
27 Dan WELCH (GBR) Goodestone Racing +44.694s
28 Tony GILHAM (GBR) TLC/RCIB Insurance Racing +14 laps
DNF Rob AUSTIN (GBR) Handy Motorsport +3 laps
DNF Ash SUTTON (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +8 laps
DNF Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +14 laps
The opening Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship race at Brands Hatch saw Colin Turkington, Rob Austin and Josh Cook take the podium positions - we caught up with the trio after the race...
Silverline Subaru BMR Racing driver Colin Turkington kept his championship chances alive by producing a sublime lights-to-flag victory in the BTCC opener at Brands Hatch.
The double champion was in dominant form during qualifying yesterday and he duly backed up that showing with a commanding display from pole position. The Subaru Levorg made a steady getaway off the line and gradually pulled clear of the chasing pack, as Turkington set fastest lap for good measure on his way to a fourth victory of the season.
"It’s too early in the day to think about the title but all of these little bonus points definitely help," he said. "Before the racing today it was 37 points, and on any other weekend you’d rule it out but the final at Brands is always quite freaky. My goal was to give myself the best chance I could. Qualifying on pole did that job and so has the race one win. To be an outside contender for the title at this stage is a real credit to the guys."
The best of the rest was led by Handy Motorsport's Rob Austin, who fended off the attentions from Jason Plato and Josh Cook for the duration of the contest.
"Unfortunately, we didn’t have the pace to go with Colin (Turkington) but we had enough to hold off Jason (Plato)," claimed Austin. "I folded my mirror when I was fighting with Colin on the opening lap so I couldn’t tell where JP was for the rest of the race, it made things really difficult. There was a lot of pressure on and it wasn’t my best drive – I was quite tense – but it’s a huge thing for me and for Handy Motorsport to get that second place in the end."
While Plato's Subaru hassled Austin's Toyota throughout he was never close enough to make a move, and worse followed for the BTCC's most successful driver when he was passed on the last corner of the last lap. MG Racing RCIB Insurance driver Cook eyed his opportunity and nudged his way by through Clearways to claim the final podium position.
"I kept the pressure on Jason (Plato) throughout, and then he made a mistake into Stirlings, which gave me the run on the outside into Clearways and I managed to stop early to get the cutback on the exit," said Cook. "A podium certainly isn’t a bad way to start the day – it’s been a real effort from all the team and mechanics today and I’m thrilled for the guys, and for MG."
The shake-up leaves Plato out of title contention, whilst Andrew Jordan's hopes hang by a thread after he was caught up in an incident on lap two. Matt Neal's Honda looked to have tapped the slow-starting Power Maxed Racing Chevrolet of Hunter Abbott into a spin at Druids, and the unsighted Jordan had nowhere to go - contact ending his race on the spot.
Reigning champion Gordon Shedden scrapped to a fifth place finish after he saw off Jack Goff's BMW in an early battle. The Scotsman is now just six points off the standings summit as he clawed into Sam Tordoff's lead.
Adam Morgan wedged his WIX Racing Mercedes in-between the two Hondas as Matt Neal also made ground in his quest for a record equalling fourth BTCC title.
Aiden Moffat and Ashley Sutton were next in the order, with the latter making a number of eye catching passes. The MG man sliced by Mat Jackson and Jack Goff in one move on the run up to Druids to take tenth on lap seven, and he went one better with a slick pass by Tordoff's Team JCT600 with GardX BMW.
It was damage limitation for Tordoff, who still produced a good drive carrying maximum ballast. His slender advantage, however, is down to just six points with both Shedden and Neal clipping at his heels. Rob Collard maintained fourth in the standings, but he's just a point ahead of Turkington, who in turn is two ahead of Jackson. As noted, Jordan's chances are fading fast while Plato's hopes have been completely extinguished.
2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Race One – Brands Hatch GP:
1 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing 25m56.267s (90.06 mph)
2 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) Handy Motorsport +4.570s
3 Josh COOK (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +5.314s
4 Jason PLATO (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +5.903s
5 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +10.750s
6 Adam MORGAN (GBR) WIX Racing +11.130s
7 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +11.620s
8 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +17.894s
9 Ash SUTTON (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +18.077s
10 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +19.564s
11 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance +20.195s
12 Robert COLLARD (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +21.177s
13 Jack GOFF (GBR) Team IHG Rewards Club +25.068s
14 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +29.982s
15 Jake HILL (GBR) RCIB Insurance Racing +31.106s
16 Michael EPPS (GBR) RCIB Insurance Racing +31.180s
17 Martin DEPPER (GBR) Eurotech Racing +31.329s
18 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD Tuning.com +31.600s
19 Jeff SMITH (GBR) Eurotech Racing +33.005s
20 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +33.731s
21 Alex MARTIN (GBR) Dextra Racing +35.181s
22 Dan WELCH (GBR) Goodestone Racing +40.330s
23 James COLE (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +40.845s
24 Kelvin FLETCHER (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +54.660s
25 Stewart LINES (GBR) Maximum Motorsport +1m00.182s
DNF Mark HOWARD (GBR) BKR +1 lap
DNF Aron SMITH (IRL) BKR +4 laps
DNF Warren SCOTT (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +4 laps
DNF Tony GILHAM (GBR) TLC/RCIB Insurance Racing +14 laps
DNF Hunter ABBOTT (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +15 laps
DNF Andrew JORDAN (GBR) Motorbase Performance +15 laps
Power Maxed Racing's Hunter Abbott fired his Chevrolet to a net fourth spot on the grid for Sunday's Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship finale from Brands Hatch – the best of the season for the team and a best-ever for Abbott himself.
The PMR man spoke to btcc.net following that impressive Saturday showing on his chances for the rest of the weekend ahead.
Handy Motorsport's Rob Austin continued his rich vein of form with a best-ever qualifying result for the team on Saturday at Brands Hatch – a net second spot following Tom Ingram's demotion for technical infringements.
Since Snetterton, the squad, in their first Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season, have turned their form around. Another third-placed finish for the team back at Silverstone hammered home this upturn and Austin is hoping to go one better in the final trio of races this year after a positive qualifying session at the famous Kent circuit.
Colin Turkington claimed pole position in the final Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship qualifying session of the season, after the Silverline Subaru BMR Racing driver produced an incredible effort at Brands Hatch.
The 30-minute session was punctuated by a rain shower and a stoppage following a dramatic accident involving Aron Smith’s VW, but it was double champion Turkington who starred as the chequered flag fell.
Tom Ingram led the way early on, before Smith’s incident interrupted proceedings. The Irishman’s machine looked to suffer from a tyre issue before sliding into the gravel and rolling onto its roof at the exit of Hawthorns. Smith was unharmed in the relatively slow-speed accident, but the lengthy delay to retrieve his stricken car also brought about further rain from the dark clouds in Kent.
A vigorous attempt to dry the track surface followed, with car after car clocking up the laps as conditions improved. Times gradually edged towards Ingram’s benchmark, before Turkington’s Subaru Levorg eventually broke free by more than a second.
Ingram made one final attempt to retake pole position but the Speedworks Motorsport driver fell short by just 0.006s, whilst Rob Austin’s Toyota and Jason Plato’s Subaru looked to have completed the second row. Those positions changed post-qualifying, however, when Ingram’s Toyota failed ride-height checks and he will start tomorrow’s opener from the back of the grid. Subsequently, Austin and Plato will now line up in second and third respectively.
Hunter Abbott’s rich vein of qualifying form continued as the Power Maxed Racing driver took fourth following Ingram’s penalty, whilst Josh Cook – pace-setter during both practice sessions – had to settle for fifth in his MG6.
Team IHG Rewards Club’s Jack Goff was sixth, ahead of reigning champion Gordon Shedden – critically the Halfords Yuasa Racing star finishing in front of his five closest championship contenders.
The Mercedes duo of Aiden Moffat and Adam Morgan were next up, but it was the following quartet of runners that provided further focus on the championship picture.
Standings leader Sam Tordoff was tenth, immediately ahead of title rivals Matt Neal, Rob Collard and Andrew Jordan. The second Motorbase Ford of Mat Jackson struggled down in 19th – the lowest of the eight remaining championship protagonists.
An unprecedented number of drivers are still in the reckoning to win the 2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, which will be decided during tomorrow’s triple-header showdown around the legendary Grand Prix circuit.
West Surrey Racing’s Tordoff currently leads the way by 11 points from Shedden, with Neal just two points further adrift in third – and both Honda men have clinched the crown before. Like Tordoff, team-mate Collard is similarly gunning for a maiden title, whilst Motorbase Performance’s combination of Jackson and Jordan and Subaru duo Turkington and Plato remain firmly in the frame.
So Brands Hatch is set to play host to three unmissable races, which will determine the outcome to one of the hardest-fought championships in history. A huge crowd is expected to descend upon the hallowed Kent venue, with many, many more watching every second live and exclusively on ITV4.
Sam Tordoff (Championship, 1st; Qualifying, 10th) said: “It was a very difficult qualifying in mixed conditions, but I think we did a very solid job and we were quick enough when it mattered – although I actually had no idea where we were until the team told me over the radio at the end! It was the kind of session where everything went against us, and rear-wheel drive is never at its happiest in the wet but we ended up right in amongst our main rivals, so we can be satisfied with that. The plan for tomorrow is to stay out of trouble, collect points – and go and win this championship!”
Gordon Shedden (Championship, 2nd; Qualifying, 7th) said: “That was certainly a bit of a random session. Once the rain began to fall, I didn’t think there was any chance it was going to dry up – and then with eight minutes left on the track, it all started happening! It was the kind of scenario when you could have been on pole or could just as easily have ended up 25th, so whilst it would obviously have been nice to be a bit further up the grid, I’ll certainly take seventh position with 66kg on-board – we can certainly go racing from there!”
Matt Neal (Championship, 3rd; Qualifying, 11th) said: “I’m keeping my glass half full so while it could have been a bit better, it could also have been a lot worse! We’re still firmly in the mix and most of the championship protagonists are in close proximity. We had a fully dry set-up on the car but it was still quite damp out the back of the lap, which made it too loose and tail-happy through the quick stuff. I was struggling to hold onto it a bit and I was wary of putting it in the wall, so I didn’t push flat-out. That said, the Honda Civic Type R should be strong in the dry tomorrow, so it’s game on.”
Rob Collard (Championship, 4th; Qualifying, 12th) said: “We don’t seem to be making the job very easy for ourselves at the moment! We had a gear linkage problem at the start of qualifying which was an early blow, so we never got a run on new tyres before the rain came down. At that stage, I really thought it was all over and even when we went back out following the stoppage, it still didn’t look particularly promising because the rain was still falling. The car was very strong but we just had too many laps on the tyres by the end of the session when conditions were at their best. Still, it was a good recovery and whilst 13th might be unlucky for some, hopefully it will be a lucky number for me tomorrow.”
Mat Jackson (Championship, 5th; Qualifying, 19th) said: “We had a differential problem on the car from the word ‘go’, and it was just too big a job to fix in the time available so we were fighting a lost cause throughout. We’ve obviously made our life a lot harder for tomorrow, but it’s a different day and we all know that anything can happen in the BTCC. We’ve got a big hill to climb, but I fully intend to put my overtaking head on and see what we can do. This isn’t over yet!”
Andrew Jordan (Championship, 6th; Qualifying, 13th) said: “It was a difficult session. In hindsight, we probably should have gone out a bit sooner. The car itself felt good, but we weren’t able to generate sufficient tyre temperature or grip. That’s just the way it goes sometimes, and with most of the title contenders in similar mid-grid positions, the scene is certainly set for an exciting finals day. Let’s see what we can do!”
Colin Turkington (Championship, 7th; Qualifying, 1st) said: “I didn’t know I was quickest. I was out there running by myself and midway through I was 18th. It was raining and I thought I was in big trouble. I went out early after the red flag to try and build up temperatures on the slicks and we put everything on the line for the guys – I had everything to gain. It’s now 36 points to Sam Tordoff, not 37. I won’t give up. Thirty-six points is a big gap over six other drivers. I’ll do my best and my goal is to move up the leaderboard. To win it might be a bit unrealistic but I’ll certainly give it a try!"
Jason Plato (Championship, 8th; Qualifying, 3rd) said: "It was really tricky because the conditions kept changing and it was difficult to read the circuit. In the beginning I was right on the button but then I just couldn't get a clean lap when the conditions were at their best. I did make a slight mistake on my fastest lap but I'm delighted with the effort from everyone. I'm very confident for race day, I've got a good race car and I'm looking forward to tomorrow. My job is to win some races and put on a good show – I plan to end the season on a high."
2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Qualifying – Brands Hatch GP:
1 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing 1m31.838s
2 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) Handy Motorsport +0.214s
3 Jason PLATO (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +0.221s
4 Hunter ABBOTT (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +0.228s
5 Josh COOK (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +0.258s
6 Jack GOFF (GBR) Team IHG Rewards Club +0.366s
7 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.482s
8 Adam MORGAN (GBR) WIX Racing +0.553s
9 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.743s
10 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +0.849s
11 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +1.019s
12 Robert COLLARD (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +1.142s
13 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) Motorbase Performance +1.247s
14 Michael EPPS (GBR) RCIB Insurance Racing +1.257s
15 Ash SUTTON (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +1.261s
16 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD Tuning.com +1.541s
17 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +1.563s
18 Martin DEPPER (GBR) Eurotech Racing +1.578s
19 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance +1.725s
20 Jake HILL (GBR) RCIB Insurance Racing +2.065s
21 James COLE (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +2.247s
22 Warren SCOTT (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +2.726s
23 Aron SMITH (IRL) BKR +2.900s
24 Alex MARTIN (GBR) Dextra Racing +2.955s
25 Kelvin FLETCHER (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +3.130s
26 Tony GILHAM (GBR) TLC/RCIB Insurance Racing +3.984s
27 Dan WELCH (GBR) Goodestone Racing +4.041s
28 Mark HOWARD (GBR) BKR +5.050s
29 Jeff SMITH (GBR) Eurotech Racing +5.691s
30 Stewart LINES (GBR) Maximum Motorsport +6.428s
EXCL Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport NO TIME