GRR

Andrew Jordan: BTCC 2017, Thruxton – "A frustrating weekend after costly, self-induced error"

08th May 2017
btcc_2017_brands_02102017_18.jpg Andrew Jordan

Coming into the third round of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at Thruxton we had slight concerns that we’d struggle with one-lap pace in the rear-wheel-drive BMW, compared with our front-wheel-drive rivals. 

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It’s easier to make corrections with the throttle in the FWD cars around Thruxton, where the cars really move about in the fast stuff. 

We’d tested at the track – one of my absolute favourites and where our pace has always been good – before the race weekend and were pretty pleased with the set-up options we’d come up with. There’s always more to learn as we get to grips with RWD, of course, but we were confident of a good showing.

The opening free-practice session threw in a bit of a curveball as I was fourth quickest. The car was a bit of a handful, but not too bad. There was a bit more oversteer than we’d had at the test, which made it a bit snappy. I knew the FWD boys would up their pace as the meeting progressed. And that was proved in FP2, when I was seventh, and qualifying, in which I ended up 16th, albeit only 0.8s shy of pole position.

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The beauty of the BTCC, though, is there is so much going on and endless opportunities to make progress, whether it’s with a better race-day set-up than the guys in front or the misfortune of others, so I woke up on Sunday morning ready to get stuck in.

And then I spoilt it for myself! I spun at the Complex towards the end of race one while battling with a group just outside the top-10. It was totally my fault; I ran a bit wide onto the dirt and it got away from me. I fell to almost last with only a few laps left.

And that misdemeanour spoilt race two for me, too, as you start that one from your race-one finishing position. I was on a bit of a hiding to nothing down in 28th but I still gave it my all. It was a shame that after the long delay to repair the Armco after a shunt, it was finally called off early after another smash. I’m pretty sure a top-10 result was on, but it was good to get some points after starting so far back. 

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Race three at the end of the day was a strange one. There wasn’t much pace in the car at all. I started 14th – when you’re outside the top 10 in race two you’re not in the mix for any reversed-grid opportunities that may present themselves for the finale – and made up one place, to scoop three points, which is better than none at all, of course!

It’s been very interesting to see how the new-for-2017 Dunlop tyre has been working. It used to be that the FWD cars would wreck their front-lefts around Thruxton, but that’s not the case anymore. The durability is much better, which puts them at less of a disadvantage when tyre life is crucial.

Another great circuit, Oulton Park, is next, and I’m raring to go. It’s a track that suits the RWD cars and I won’t be carrying any ballast there. The Cheshire track has got to be the place where my Championship challenge kicks in… 

Images courtesy of btcc.net

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