AS BTCC RESUMES AT OULTON PARK
One of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship’s most spectacular and picturesque venues, Oulton Park Island Circuit in Cheshire, hosts the fourth event of the 2016 season next weekend, 4th/5th June, where Handy Motorsport is aiming for yet another best-ever result.
During each of the three race meetings contested so far, the Swindon team has moved further and further forward with race-winning driver Rob Austin despite having to overcome a range of dramas in qualifying at Brands Hatch, Donington Park and, last time out, at Thruxton.
During the previous event at the ultra-fast Hampshire venue, 34-year-old Austin achieved the squad’s best-yet finish of seventh position in round nine and, notably, lapped within just 0.2 seconds of race winning pace to confirm the potential of the No.11 Toyota Avensis.
“Every event so far this season we’ve achieved a best ever result as a team, so nobody can say we’re not moving forward!”, said Handy Motorsport team principal Simon Belcher, “If we start the first Oulton Park race somewhere inside the top 10, there’s no question Rob can deliver some big results from there. We’re all really looking forward to being back in action.”
Oulton Park, which regularly attracts one of the biggest crowds of the BTCC season, is always a favourite venue for the drivers as it provides one of the most unique challenges on the calendar with a lot of undulation and serious commitment required to produce ultra-quick laps.
Austin, of course, is renowned as one of the championship’s most determined and gritty racers, as well as one of the quickest, and Handy boss Belcher is confident the Pershore driver’s quality will be a difference maker next weekend in leafy Cheshire.
“Oulton is a real drivers’ track and I know Rob’s looking forward to the weekend as much as we all are”, Belcher added, “It’s the kind of track which allows a driver to shine, so we’ve got high hopes as we all know what a fantastic racer Rob is.
“We need to sort out qualifying, especially as overtaking at Oulton is trickier than at a lot of the circuits we visit. So far this season our race weekends have tended to start disappointingly but then end with a pleasing result – for Oulton we intend for the whole weekend to be good from the start!”
Ahead of rounds 10, 11 and 12 of the season, Handy Motorsport holds sixth position in the BTCC Independents Team Trophy and a top 10 placing in the overall HiQ Teams Championship. Austin, meanwhile, is fifth in the Independents Trophy and 14th in the outright BTCC title race.
Following the usual pair of free practice sessions, qualifying at Oulton Park will get underway at 15.20 on Saturday, 4th June, and will be streamed live online HERE
On Sunday, 5th June, round 10 will begin at around 12.15, round 11 will follow at 14.45 and round 12 is scheduled to commence at approximately 16.55. All three contests will be streamed online and screened live on ITV4.
2016 BTCC Drivers Championship Standings:14th Rob Austin, 38pts
2016 Independents Trophy Standings:5th Rob Austin, 85pts
2016 HiQ Teams Championship Standings:10th Handy Motorsport, 39pts
2016 Independents Team Trophy Standings:6th Handy Motorsport, 92pts
