Mat Jackson secured Motorbase’s first victory with the new NGTC Ford Focus in style. The Ford driver started 17th but fought his way to the lead in the second race at Silverstone.
“It’s been a good weekend as whole. Obviously qualifying was good getting P2, it was a great start and race one looked like it was going to be the dream come true. It wasn’t to be, and in hindsight getting the first win from P17 was a bigger achievement than taking it from P2 – although we would’ve liked both!” said Jackson.
Jackson says that they came to Silverstone with a new approach to the setup work with the car, but that they are still far behind the MG and Honda.
“We came here this weekend with another new approach and it seems to work so we’re really happy. We’re still a long way behind MG and Honda in terms of time with the NGTC car but we’ve got the right guys in place to move the car forward and it’s looking very, very positive for us,” said Jackson.
There was not only success for the new NGTC Focus as team mate Árón Smith secured his first ever BTCC podium in the older S2000 Ford Focus.
“Definitely the best weekend of my year. It kind of all clicked into place this weekend and it was an unbelievable feeling to get my first podium. Everything’s been coming together for the last few rounds and I just feel that I’ve clicked with the car and the team; we’ve become a much stronger unit and come on leaps and bounds. Pretty much since the start of the second half of the season we’ve been challenging for top five so it was on the cards, so to finally get it, is a great, great feeling – I’m chuffed!” said Smith.
Jackson’s overall victory in race two and the two independents’ victories from Silverstone means that the Ford driver is just 18 points from Rob Collard in second of the independents’ championship, with Motorbase being just ten points from the lead of the independent teams’ trophy.
