Andy Priaulx is poised to reaffirm his position at the pinnacle of British motorsport, as he heads to Macau just one point off the FIA World Touring Car Championship lead this weekend.
It was at the famous Chinese street circuit, last year, that
Priaulx, from Guernsey, clinched the inaugural title – one of only three FIA World Championships.
Now, the 32-year-old is determined to cement his dominance in the
combative category with back-to-back titles after a season which has seen him win an unmatched four races to date.
“I just like driving really
quickly and very close to the barriers and the walls," said the BMW driver, who also won the European Touring Car Championship in 2004
before it evolved into the WTCC. "The fast and sweeping corners at Macau ask a lot of commitment from the drivers. The challenge brings
out the best in me.”
Priaulx
has suffered a run of unfortunate luck at recent
meetings, scoring only one point from the last four races and allowing
Alfa Romeo challenger, Augusto Farfus Junior, to sneak into the lead
for the
last round. But in WTCC, bad results have the welcome consequence of
less success ballast*, and at Macau Priaulx will be the lightest he has
been
since the year's second round in France.
“The lighter you are the better you will
be,” Priaulx said. “I’m nicely placed with my 45kg this time.
“I’ve not got a set
strategy for the race, as I don’t think that’s useful around Macau. I will do my best – and we will see if this will be
enough to win the title.”
Priaulx
is one of two British drivers still in with
a chance of winning the title, the other being Harrogate’s James
Thompson. The two-times British Touring Car Champion is in seventh
place, 11th points behind Farfus.
“I enjoyed Macau last
year,” said the 32-year-old. “Even though it was my first time there. If I’m honest, I reckon my
chances of winning the drivers’ title are slim, but there is potential if it’s another lottery like last
year.”
|
