MINI UK VIP CUSTOMER TEAM RACER SMITH AIMING FOR SEASON-BEST AS CHAMPIONSHIP RESUMES AT SILVERSTONE
Silverstone in Northamptonshire, home of the British Grand Prix, will host the third event of the MINI Challenge season next weekend, 28th/29th May, where Rob Smith aims to add to the maiden 2016 podium he achieved last time out at Brands Hatch and continue his rise up the championship.
Fifth in the standings going into rounds five, six and seven, the MINI UK VIP Customer Team racer is relishing being back at the home of British motorsport where he has a good record in MINI racing having claimed his first category race win there – albeit on the longer Grand Prix track – in 2014.
Unfortunate car issues did hamper the Telford driver’s start to the current campaign in April at Donington Park National Circuit, costing almost guaranteed podium success, but he hit back with his first silverware of the year earlier this month at Brands in round four.
Leading the race early on, only power steering pump problems meant Rob wasn’t able to challenge for his first victory of the season. However, the Evergreen Tyres, GroupTyre and BMTR-backed racer still held onto a podium placing and showed excellent pace across the weekend.
“At Donington we had some genuine niggles with the car, then at Brands we had some issues with the conditions really, but even with the problems we’ve still scored consistently and that’s the important thing”, said Rob, who celebrates his 24th birthday tomorrow.
“I’m confident everything will be good for Silverstone, we’ve got a lot of ideas with things we can try with the car, and my driving, and it has been a happy hunting ground for me. I’m also looking forward to welcoming along guests from the Midlands distributors of my primary sponsor Evergreen Tyres next weekend.”
Rob, who away from the track works for Crewe-based Bentley Cars as a graduate Body and Trim Engineer, last raced on the short National Circuit at Silverstone back in 2012 when he was participating in his first season in saloon cars in the Renault UK Clio Cup and produced an impressive performance to take a highly competitive ninth place finish, just five seconds shy of the podium.
On his return to the fast and furious National Circuit, a track tailor-made for one-make saloon car racing, Rob is confident of taking more MINI Challenge silverware and will undoubtedly be in the mix for race victories if qualifying goes according to plan.
“I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t go to Silverstone aiming for wins, the car should be fast and I’ve done hundreds of laps around the National Circuit in the past in Formula Ford and the Clios as well”, he added, “We should be in for some great racing, lots of slipstreaming and overtaking, and hopefully we’ll be up there fighting for the podium.”
Qualifying at Silverstone National Circuit will begin at 11.15 on Saturday, 28th May, with the first race of the weekend following at 16.10. On Sunday, 29th May, round six will commence at 12.30 with round seven getting underway at 15.55.
Provisional 2016 MINI Challenge Driver Standings (after Rd4):5th Rob Smith, 139pts
