If anyone else was dissapointed with the very dull start to the WTCC this year, it was a great relief to see that BTCC appears to be returning to the form it was a decade ago.The three Brands Hatch races that started off the season were hugely action-packed and there were some suprise entrants right up the with the professionals.
Plato won the first two races as predicted, but Matt Neal won the third in the new Civic, a car with nearly no testing done.
Other drivers that suprised were...
Matt Jackson. Came from nowhere but in his first ever BTCC race, was brilliant and had a very consistent weekend. Came third twice, but was sadly disqualified for the first one for ignoring flags, something he blames on a radio fault. He's driving the ex-Andy Priaulx BMW. A definate dark horse for the overall championship.
Adam Jones. Got nowhere last year in his Lexus, but was excellent in the A.C.E Seat Toledo.
Team Halfords. This Civic is certainly a rapid beast. A car that was tipped by it's team to struggle to win a race this year was consistantly at the front of the pack, and as Matt Neal proved, very fast off the line. Despite a delayed build and nearly no testing, already a racewinner.
Rick Kerry. The diesel widebody 1-series had teething troubles. Needs work, but could prove very fast in the future.
It was fantastic to see the super-close, contact racing we used to always get from the BTCC. Bravo, I'm hooked again after all these years!
Plato won the first two races as predicted, but Matt Neal won the third in the new Civic, a car with nearly no testing done.
Other drivers that suprised were...
Matt Jackson. Came from nowhere but in his first ever BTCC race, was brilliant and had a very consistent weekend. Came third twice, but was sadly disqualified for the first one for ignoring flags, something he blames on a radio fault. He's driving the ex-Andy Priaulx BMW. A definate dark horse for the overall championship.
Adam Jones. Got nowhere last year in his Lexus, but was excellent in the A.C.E Seat Toledo.
Team Halfords. This Civic is certainly a rapid beast. A car that was tipped by it's team to struggle to win a race this year was consistantly at the front of the pack, and as Matt Neal proved, very fast off the line. Despite a delayed build and nearly no testing, already a racewinner.
Rick Kerry. The diesel widebody 1-series had teething troubles. Needs work, but could prove very fast in the future.
It was fantastic to see the super-close, contact racing we used to always get from the BTCC. Bravo, I'm hooked again after all these years!
