BTCC 2012 - Silverstone

[Julie B]

Practice

Jason Plato set the pace in this morning’s wet opening Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship practice session at Silverstone.

Plato, who needs to pull points back on Honda pair Gordon Shedden and Matt Neal this weekend, set a best lap of 1m04.819s in his KX Momentum Racing MG6. He was the only driver to dip beneath the 1m05s barrier.

Next up on 1m05.035s was Mat Jackson in his Redstone Racing Ford Focus while Frank Wrathall, in his Dynojet Toyota Avensis, was third on 1m05.182s.

Notably Plato was fastest in both sectors around the lap with Jackson’s Focus untouchable through the two speed traps.(133.2mph along the Wellington Straight and 124mph across the start-finish line).

Three S2000-spec cars completed the top six, namely Aron Smith’s Redstone Ford Focus and then the two eBay Motors BMWs of Robert Collard and Tom Onslow-Cole, this trio covered by just 0.071s.

Of the Hondas, Andrew Jordan’s Pirtek Racing Civic was seventh and Neal’s factory Yuasa-backed version eighth. Shedden, who leads Neal in the title race by three points, was a lowly 14th after only briefly venturing out on track.

Elsewhere, Rob Austin set a time good enough for ninth before his RAR Audi A4 ground to a halt in the pit lane with alternator failure. Team-mate Will Bratt was 11th but he was one of two drivers – the other Team ES Racing.com’s Chris James – to receive a black flag and ticking off from officials for persistently exceeding the track’s limits at Copse Corner.

Meanwhile James’s team-mate, fancied front-runner Dave Newsham was in difficulties at the tail-end of the timesheets because of problems with his Vauxhall Vectra.

There was another impressive performance from Howard Fuller, 13th overall in only his second outing in team HARD.’s Honda Civic.

Re-appearing for the first time since Croft in June, Redstone’s Liam Griffin was a decent 15th and series returnee Chris Stockton 20th in his first run in Thorney Motorsport’s Vauxhall Insignia despite a quick spin at Becketts Corner.



Daniel Welch’s Proton Persona surprisingly headed Silverstone’s second Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship practice session with the fastest lap of the day so far.

On a drying line Welch’s family-run Welch Motorsport machine set a best lap of 59.165s to pip Jason Plato’s KX Momentum Racing MG6, which had set the pace in the morning session, by just 0.029s.

Fleet’s Welch commented: “It’s a very positive sign but the pace will get quicker in qualifying this afternoon. We’ve got a little bit in reserve – my car’s tracking was actually slightly out in that session – but it’ll easily go into the 58-seconds bracket.”

Oxford’s Plato, who survived several moments including a spin, commented: “Our car seems quite nervous and there’s not the feel through the power steering that I’d like… Brooklands is proving a bit tricky.”

Aron Smith and Mat Jackson were third and fourth in their Redstone Racing Ford Focus. However, Jackson suffered a scare when his NGTC-spec car’s suspension broke as he rounded Brooklands Corner and span into a barrier. He managed to limp back to the pit lane but his session was over. His incident also caused a brief red flag as debris from his car was cleared from the track.

Dave Newsham, fastest here in pre-season testing, was fifth in his Team ES Racing.com Vauxhall Vectra ahead of eBay Motors BMW duo Tom Onslow-Cole and Robert Collard. Frank Wrathall (Dynojet Toyota Avensis), Nick Foster (eBay Motors BMW) and Howard Fuller (Team HARD. Honda Civic) completed the top ten, all inside the existing race lap record.

Notably Fuller was the highest-placed of the five Honda drivers. Factory Yuasa Honda Racing Team team-mates Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden were back in 12th and 15th and Pirtek Racing pair Andrew Jordan and Jeff Smith 16th and 21st.

Significantly Shedden, the championship leader, plus Will Bratt (RAR Audi A4) and Ollie Jackson (AmD Racing.com VW Golf) all received black flags and exclusion from the session for persistently exceeding the track’s limits at Copse Corner.

[Rob]

Welch moves to the top
Daniel Welch’s Proton Persona surprisingly headed Silverstone’s second Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship practice session with the fastest lap of the day so far.

On a drying line Welch’s family-run Welch Motorsport machine set a best lap of 59.165s to pip Jason Plato’s KX Momentum Racing MG6, which had set the pace in the morning session, by just 0.029s.

Fleet’s Welch commented: “It’s a very positive sign but the pace will get quicker in qualifying this afternoon. We’ve got a little bit in reserve – my car’s tracking was actually slightly out in that session – but it’ll easily go into the 58-seconds bracket.”

Oxford’s Plato, who survived several moments including a spin, commented: “Our car seems quite nervous and there’s not the feel through the power steering that I’d like… Brooklands is proving a bit tricky.”

Aron Smith and Mat Jackson were third and fourth in their Redstone Racing Ford Focus. However, Jackson suffered a scare when his NGTC-spec car’s suspension broke as he rounded Brooklands Corner and span into a barrier. He managed to limp back to the pit lane but his session was over. His incident also caused a brief red flag as debris from his car was cleared from the track.

Dave Newsham, fastest here in pre-season testing, was fifth in his Team ES Racing.com Vauxhall Vectra ahead of eBay Motors BMW duo Tom Onslow-Cole and Robert Collard. Frank Wrathall (Dynojet Toyota Avensis), Nick Foster (eBay Motors BMW) and Howard Fuller (Team HARD. Honda Civic) completed the top ten, all inside the existing race lap record.

Notably Fuller was the highest-placed of the five Honda drivers. Factory Yuasa Honda Racing Team team-mates Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden were back in 12th and 15th and Pirtek Racing pair Andrew Jordan and Jeff Smith 16th and 21st.

Significantly Shedden, the championship leader, plus Will Bratt (RAR Audi A4) and Ollie Jackson (AmD Racing.com VW Golf) all received black flags and exclusion from the session for persistently exceeding the track’s limits at Copse Corner.

[Rob]

Be a good day of racing tomorrow, F1 finish and then BTCC time.

[Rob]

Honda Racing BTCC ‏@hondaracingbtcc
10 minutes remain: Plato, Newsham, M Jackson, Wrathall, Collard, Welch, Smith, Onslowe-Cole, Matt, Jordan

[Julie B]

Qualifying order is Plato, Newsh, M.Jacks, Wrathall, Coll, Welch, A.Smith, TO-C, Morg, Neal, Jord, Neate, Aust, Fost, James, Griff

[Julie B]

Qualifying

Jason Plato dominated the British Touring Car qualifying session at Silverstone on Saturday to take his fifth pole position of 2012.

Plato's works MG6 set a time of 58.838 seconds early in the session to move to the top of the timesheets. He went on to record eight times good enough for pole, the fastest of which was 58.717s.

"I can't go any quicker than 58.7s," said the double champion. "We're getting every last bit from the car.

"It's a potent weapon in the dry now."

The scrap for second was close. Dave Newsham took the spot early on, but could not improve on his 58.969s for the rest of the session.

That allowed the NGTC Ford Focus of Mat Jackson (Motorbase) to close in, and he ended up missing out beating the ES Racing Vauxhall Vectra's mark by just 0.001s.

That was until Newsham lost his lap for not respecting the track limits, dropping him to fifth and putting Jackson on the front row for Sunday's first race.

Frank Wrathall's Dynojet Toyota Avensis was the best of the cars not to break the 59s barrier, beating the WSR BMW of Rob Collard to third.

Dan Welch's Proton continued its fine Silverstone form by completing the top six, while Aron Smith made it two Motorbase Fords in the first seven with his S2000 Focus.

The NGTC Honda Civics continued to struggle. Reigning champion Matt Neal took 10th with 36kg of success ballast, more than half a second away from Plato.

Points leader Gordon Shedden suffered even more with his 45kg of ballast and had a couple of moments on his way to 19th, nearly a second away from pole.

BTCC returnee Chris Stockton was 21st in the field of 24, driving Thorney Motorsport's Vauxhall Insignia.

Pos Driver Team/Car Time Gap
1. Jason Plato MG 58.717s
2. Mat Jackson Motorbase Ford 58.970s + 0.253s
3. Frank Wrathall Dynojet Toyota 59.059s + 0.342s
4. Rob Collard WSR BMW 59.121s + 0.404s
5. Dave Newsham ES Vauxhall 59.132s + 0.415s
6. Daniel Welch Welch Proton 59.155s + 0.438s
7. Aron Smith Motorbase Ford 59.225s + 0.508s
8. Tom Onslow-Cole WSR BMW 59.267s + 0.550s
9. Adam Morgan Speedworks Toyota 59.267s + 0.550s
10. Matt Neal Honda 59.283s + 0.566s
11. Andrew Jordan Eurotech Honda 59.306s + 0.589s
12. Andy Neate MG 59.326s + 0.609s
13. Nick Foster WSR BMW 59.350s + 0.633s
14. Chris James ES Vauxhall 59.455s + 0.738s
15. Howard Fuller Gilham Honda 59.489s + 0.772s
16. Liam Griffin Motorbase Ford 59.527s + 0.810s
17. Rob Austin Austin Audi 59.609s + 0.892s
18. Lea Wood Wood Vauxhall 59.629s + 0.912s
19. Gordon Shedden Honda 59.682s + 0.965s
20. Jeff Smith Eurotech Honda 59.733s + 1.016s
21. Chris Stockton Thorney Vauxhall 59.931s + 1.214s
22. Will Bratt Austin Audi 1m00.044s + 1.327s
23. Tony Hughes Speedworks Toyota 1m00.422s + 1.705s
24. Ollie Jackson AmD Volkswagen 1m00.856s + 2.139s

[Rob]

Oh well, after Suzuka and low from Fernando going out, but hi from Felipes pace, now BTCC to cheer me up and hope for some cracking racing.

[Sianellen]

Oh well, after Suzuka and low from Fernando going out, but hi from Felipes pace, now BTCC to cheer me up and hope for some cracking racing.

Woo!! Well said!!

[Rob]

oh no Matt Jackson, gutted for him.

[Sianellen]

oh no Matt Jackson, gutted for him.

I think all my team drivers DNF'd Sorry for Jackson

[Rob]

Oh no mate, that aint good. Had 1 of mine didnt, Andrew Jordan. Got Plato and Aron Smith, changed last minute Friday.

[Sianellen]

Oh no mate, that aint good. Had 1 of mine didnt, Andrew Jordan. Got Plato and Aron Smith, changed last minute Friday.

I had Neal, Jordan and Jackson I think

[Rob]

blimey another fire for Honda

[Sianellen]

blimey another fire for Honda

That was mad!

[Rob]

I know, and now Plato gone!!!!!

[Sianellen]

I know, and now Plato gone!!!!!

Who do you want to win the championship?

[Julie B]

Race 1 - Results

Jason Plato has won the first of today’s three Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship races at Silverstone but only after Mat Jackson cruelly retired from the lead with just a few laps to go.

These two dominated the race with Plato’s KX Momentum Racing MG6 leading until lap 11 when Jackson’s Redstone Racing Ford Focus moved in front into Brooklands Corner.

In the closing stages, Jackson, with a new lap record to his name, looked to have the win in the bag only for his car to suddenly stop with throttle failure exiting Becketts Corner. Jackson’s retirement also means he can no longer win the drivers’ title…

Meanwhile Plato, who’d started from pole position, was left clear for his fifth win of the season ahead of the battling Dave Newsham’s Team ES Racing.com Vauxhall Vectra and Redstone’s Aron Smith who, thanks to team-mate Jackson’s retirement, achieved the first podium result of his BTCC career.

Championship leader Gordon Shedden salvaged seventh place after starting only 19th in his Honda Yuasa Racing Team Civic while team-mate Matt Neal retired with turbo boost problems.

Shedden continues to lead the standings by the increased margin of 12 points from Neal but Plato is now only a further seven adrift having started the race some 32 behind the Scot.

Significantly Andrew Jordan was another high-profile retirement, his Pirtek Racing Honda spinning off the track after contact with Plato’s team-mate Andy Neate. The incident has severely affected Jordan’s outright championship chances (he remains fourth overall) and has halted his charge to the Independent drivers’ crown as well.

Oxford’s Plato commented: “Mat drove a great race and there was no point fighting him when he made his move – I wanted us to get away from the rest and then sort it out later. In the end it was gifted to me but nevertheless it’s a great result.”

Newsham, from Inverness, added: “I had no answer to Jackson and Plato so played for third but Aron gave me a real battle to the line. It means a lot of ballast in the car for race two which we’ve not run with in the dry before.”

And said ecstatic Dubliner Smith: “It’s a great shame my first podium result has come at the expense of my team-mate but it’s also overdue. It’s also a bit of a monkey off my back. It feels great.”

Elsewhere Robert Collard finished fourth in his eBay Motors BMW having initially challenged Plato for the lead before falling away. Completing the top six and finishing nose-to-tail were Rob Austin (RAR Audi A4) and Collard’s team-mate Nick Foster. Shedden was seventh after surviving a robust attack from Howard Fuller’s Team HARD. Honda and then fending off Lea Wood whose BINZ Racing Vectra eventually took ninth behind Jeff Smith’s Pirtek Civic. Tom Onslow-Cole was tenth - a great recovery drive after his eBay Motors team had speedily replaced a broken driveshaft on his BMW in the pit lane which had forced him to start from the pit lane in last...

In addition to Jackson, Neal and Jordan another five drivers failed to finish. Dynojet’s Frank Wrathall stopped in the pit lane after his and Speedworks Motorsport driver Adam Morgan’s two Toyota Avensis collided at Brooklands while fighting over sixth. Joining him was Daniel Welch whose Welch Motorsport Proton Persona developed mechanical problems while looking good for a top six finish.

Newsham’s team-mate Chris James stopped his Vectra at the side of the track with suspension damage after colliding with Fuller – this requiring a safety car period to retrieve his stricken car. Tony Gilham spun Thorney Motorsport’s Vauxhall Insignia off the track while trying to make up lost ground after serving a pit lane drive-through penalty for jumping the start. Liam Griffin’s Redstone Focus was out after a lap after a scrape with Wood’s Vectra.

Pos Driver Team/Car Time/Gap
1. Jason Plato MG 27m03.052s
2. Dave Newsham ES Vauxhall + 2.434s
3. Aron Smith Motorbase Ford + 3.292s
4. Rob Collard WSR BMW + 4.127s
5. Rob Austin Austin Audi + 15.472s
6. Nick Foster WSR BMW + 15.795s
7. Gordon Shedden Honda + 17.167s
8. Jeff Smith Eurotech Honda + 18.020s
9. Lea Wood Wood Vauxhall + 18.956s
10. Tom Onslow-Cole WSR BMW + 19.184s
11. Howard Fuller Gilham Honda + 21.062s
12. Andy Neate MG + 22.035s
13. Will Bratt Austin Audi + 23.907s
14. Ollie Jackson AmD Volkswagen + 42.205s
15. Tony Hughes Speedworks Toyota + 42.367s
16. Adam Morgan Speedworks Toyota + 1 lap

Retirements:

Mat Jackson Motorbase Ford 21 laps
Frank Wrathall Dynojet Toyota 20 laps
Daniel Welch Welch Proton 13 laps
Matt Neal Honda 13 laps
Tony Gilham Thorney Vauxhall 2 laps
Andrew Jordan Eurotech Honda 1 lap
Chris James ES Vauxhall 1 lap
Liam Griffin Motorbase Ford 1 lap

[Julie B]

Race 2 - Results

Mat Jackson took a remarkable victory in the second British Touring Car race at Silverstone to give the NGTC Ford Focus its first success.

After suffering a throttle problem while leading race one, Jackson had to start the second encounter from row nine.

While the Motorbase driver made his way though the field, race one winner Jason Plato led in his Triple Eight-run works MG6.

Plato had pulled three seconds clear of Rob Collard's fast-starting WSR BMW when title rival Matt Neal's Honda caught fire around half-distance and brought out the safety car.

By then, Jackson had made it up to fifth and he quickly demoted team-mate Aron Smith (S2000 Focus) at the restart.

The NGTC Focus then dived by Dave Newsham's ES Racing Vauxhall Vectra for third at Brooklands with seven laps to go.

Jackson was just lining up Collard for second when an electrical problem struck Plato. Collard swept by the MG, but was almost immediately overtaken by Jackson, who then pulled away to take his third win of 2012.

Collard, Newsham and Smith were next, with Rob Austin's Audi A4 completing the top five.

There was a huge battle behind. After chasing his WSR team-mate Nick Foster for several laps, Tom Onslow-Cole found a way by at Becketts on the penultimate tour to finish sixth.

Gordon Shedden's works Honda also got a run on the struggling BMW out of Copse on the final lap, and Foster was further demoted by Dan Welch - who had impressively charged up from row 10 in his Proton - and Andrew Jordan's Eurotech Honda Civic.

With Neal and Plato both retiring, Shedden's seventh means he has now extended his championship lead to 21 points with just the Silverstone reversed-grid race and Brands Hatch meeting still to go.

[Sianellen]

Mat Jackson did a brilliant job in race 2.

[Rob]

Think Plato be in with good shout, would like to see Flash win it.

[Sianellen]

Think Plato be in with good shout, would like to see Flash win it.

I want Flash to win too He's too sweet.

[Julie B]

Race 3 - Results

Jason Plato sensationally came through from 20th on the grid to win Silverstone’s third Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship race and cut the gap to points leader Gordon Shedden.

Nick Foster led until half distance in his eBay Motors BMW until being caught and passed by Plato’s KX Momentum Racing MG6 which had been forced to start near the back after retiring from the second race.

Plato’s stunning drive, which also netted him a bonus point for setting the fastest lap, gave him his sixth win of the season and could prove critical – he leaves Silverstone now just 15 points adrift of Honda Yuasa Racing Team ace Shedden as the championship prepares for its title showdown at Brands Hatch in a fortnight (20/21 October).

Meanwhile Shedden’s team-mate Matt Neal has dropped to third in the table after contact with Lea Wood’s BINZ Racing Vauxhall Vectra sent his Honda Civic spinning into the barriers exiting Brooklands Corner. Neal has not scored a single point all day…

Oxford’s Plato commented: “I put everything on the line in that one – after the retirement in race two I had to if I was going to still have any sort of chance going to Brands. It was great fun and it’s a great win but it underlines just how fantastic our MG6 is.”

Plato crossed the line ahead of Mat Jackson’s Redstone Racing Ford Focus which, having won the day’s second race, had moved up from tenth on the grid with the maximum 45kgs of success ballast on board.

Robert Collard led home eBay Motors team-mates Tom Onslow-Cole and Foster as they finished in third, fourth and fifth places with Shedden close behind in sixth. Andrew Jordan clung on to finish seventh in his Pirtek Racing Honda Civic – crucial as it means he still has an outside chance of the title in Brands Hatch’s finale – while Adam Morgan achieved a career-best result of eighth in his Speedworks Motorsport Toyota Avensis.

Two drivers left ruing what might have been were Rob Austin and Daniel Welch. They had been battling for second position early on when a collision between their RAR Audi A4 and Welch Motorsport Proton Persona at Copse Corner cost them time and places. Incredibly they tangled again later at Luffield Corner – Austin continuing to finish ninth while Welch spun down to 15th.

Dave Newsham and Frank Wrathall were also eliminated while battling among the top ten. Newsham’s Team ES Racing.com Vauxhall Vectra was tapped into a spin at Luffield and Wrathall’s Dynojet Toyota crashed while trying to avoid him.

[Greig]

I want Flash to win too He's too sweet.

Me too, but not cause he is sweet, well maybe just a little

[Sianellen]

Plato on twitter at the moment retweeting many jokes about Matt Neal's fires.

[458 Italia]

Plato!

I hope he can get that 3rd Championship!