|
Adam Jones is upbeat about his chances of better results in Rockingham’s HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship rounds this Sunday after managing two points finishes in a hastily-completed car at Brands Hatch two weeks ago.
Jones’s Team Air Cool squad only finished off his SEAT Leon the day before the Brands fixture after its transportation from Spain was delayed – he effectively spent the two-day event using it as a test session.
But the 27-year-old, a revelation last season in an older SEAT Toledo, still snuck into the top ten in the first two races. There could have been more in race three had it not been for a clash with Gordon Shedden’s Team Halfords Honda which forced him to pit for repairs.
And Jones has been quick to respond to criticism from Shedden about the incident (see separate story).
The Solihull driver told BTCC.net: “I was not going too quickly for the corner – Gordon left the door wide open. Simple as that. If I’d gone in too quickly then wouldn’t he have ended up off in the gravel in the same place as (Darren) Turner did when Gordon shoved him off on lap one?
“In fact, we actually ran right round the corner side by side. It was on the exit he went off after a bit of rubbing which he knows better than most is part and parcel of the BTCC. The ITV coverage shows that.
“It ruined my race as well because I had to pit with a punctured tyre. I’m actually sorry he didn’t finish the race. I’m not a deliberately malicious driver and I certainly don’t go using people as battering rams.”
Jones believes he can be right in the thick of the leading group at Rockingham, although admits it will be harder to stay there as the level of competition in this year’s BTCC has intensified another level.
He added: “The two practice sessions, qualifying and three races were effectively six tests for us – we brought the car on so much in those two days. There were various niggles – for example, the steering wheel was too big for me to see over in first practice which we’ve sorted!
“But if you take the fastest laps I was two tenths of a second up on (Jason) Plato’s best from 2007 in what was effectively the same car run by the factory SEAT team. That’s a great start.
“Now we’re looking to improve on our position at Rockingham. Finishing in the top ten last year was great, but this year is harder. There are more car/driver combinations that are competitive than there are places available in the points.
“We are the underdogs and on the backfoot. We knew we would be. But Turner in the other SEAT was on pole at Rockingham last year so we have to make the most of the car’s advantage which will be on the twisty infield section.
“Down the straights we lose out. The BMWs take the mickey in a straight line but look at the new diesel Leons of Plato and Turner at Brands – they took the mickey out of the BMWs!
“I want to win every time out but it’s important to be realistic as well. There are three Vauxhalls, five very strong BMWs now, the two factory SEATs, the two Halfords Hondas. And a few more… that’s easily 16 cars all capable of winning and genuinely with the pace to be in the points. There’s not room for us all.”
|
