Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com will seek to retain its position as the team to beat when the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship resumes at Knockhill this weekend, and the squad’s four drivers and Team Owner have been giving their thoughts ahead of the trip…
Tom Chilton, #3, said:
"I’m going into Knockhill and the second half of the season feeling confident on the back of my most competitive weekend of the year at Croft before the summer break. The three top ten finishes there were just what I needed and showed we are taking steps in the right direction, and the goal this weekend is to build on that progress and continue to work our way forwards.
"The two day test at Snetterton was also important because there were a lot of things that we were able to try out, and with the things we were able to learn, I’m excited to see what we can achieve at one of my favourite circuits on the calendar.
"The fact we have maximum hybrid is something that I think will be beneficial when it comes to qualifying given the nature of the circuit, and hopefully we can put in a strong showing on Saturday to set us up for a good haul of points on Sunday."
Tom Ingram, #80, said:
"Knockhill is a circuit where I’ve enjoyed strong results in the past, including last season, so I’m going there feeling confident about our chances. There are various things that we were able to learn in the test at Snetterton that mean we head to Scotland in good shape, although I’m sure there will be other people who will say the same thing.
"The impact of the hybrid hasn’t been as a big as the impact of ballast in qualifying, which has allowed us to pick up some strong results on Saturday which then translates into strong results on Sunday. Hopefully the same will be true this weekend given how tight and twisty Knockhill is, but the weather is something that could play a part in how things pan out.
"Currently, it looks like it could be raining which would bring extra risks, but whether it is wet or dry, I’m confident we will be quick. I’m 100 per cent sure we can win for the second year in a row, but the focus is on maximising the weekend as a whole and putting as many points on the board as we can for the championship."
Jack Butel, #96, said:
"There is no doubting the fact that it’s been a tough year for me so far, but I’m putting the first half of 2022 behind me and looking at Knockhill as a fresh start. The focus from now on is to finish the year as strongly as possible, and three solid results this weekend would be a good way to start that.
"Knockhill is a circuit that seems to suit my driving style and it was where we had one of our strongest race performances last year, so I know I’m going there with a good package underneath me.
"Having not taken part in the Snetterton test, it’s been a while since I was in the car but I’m hopeful of hitting the ground running when we head out for practice on Saturday. I really want to try and my first points of the year on the board, and will be working hard with the team to reach that goal."
Daniel Lloyd, #123, said:
"My confidence is on a real high after the results we picked up at Croft prior to the summer break, which was the ideal way to bounce back from the drama of Oulton Park. Although I only took part in a single day of the test at Snetterton and we had a few issues to contend with, we were also able to complete some very positive work that I think will benefit us going forwards as I look to climb up the points.
"Obviously it would be great if we could go out on track this weekend and repeat the results from Croft, but I have to be realistic and know that it won’t be an easy thing to do when the field is as strong as it is this season.
"However, the car was a winner at Knockhill last season, so I’m confident that we’ll be right up at the sharp end from the start of the weekend and can look to fight for strong results on race day."
Justina Williams, Team Owner, said:
"We’ve had a brilliant season so far, and after a brief opportunity to recharge the batteries during the summer break, we’re ready to come out fighting this weekend at Knockhill.
"It’s a circuit where we performed well last season, and that gives us a lot of confidence when you look at how the Hyundai has improved at the circuits we have visited so far. It’s also a circuit where all four drivers have showed strong form in the past and with the benefit of the Snetterton test and the information we were able to collect there, I’m optimistic that we can kick off the second half of 2022 on a high."
