Marc Hynes: “I never expected it to be easy”

Marc Hynes was full of praise for the British fans and the BTCC after his first motor racing weekend for six years, but admitted he needs to work hard to get to the front.

The 1999 Formula 3 champion’s last competitive outing was in V8 Supercars in 2008, and while he was not on the outright pace at an incredibly tight Brands Hatch meeting, the laptimes didn’t tell the whole story.

A power steering issue put pay to his first race in the Triple Eight MG6 before it had even started, before he was excluded from the second race for contact with Eurotech Racing’s Martin Depper after starting at the back.

Hynes brought the car home 18th in the final race, after more contact with Depper, this time a racing incident.

Speaking to TouringCarTimes, Hynes said: “It certainly hasn’t been an easy start. We had a tough day on Saturday with engine problems, when I could have really done with the track time.

“Quali was the first one for a long time and I was definitely rusty. I ended up four-and-a-bit tenths off which was 16th, and not quick enough, ultimately.

“The first race we had a power steering issue which causes the thing to work the opposite way. I was struggling to get around the lap, let alone try to race.

“Then obviously starting from the back for the second, I overtook a few and was learning some lessons. Unfortunately I got chucked to the back for contact with Martin Depper, so a tough weekend!

“I never expected it to be easy – motor racing is not easy!”

Despite the testing start, Hynes was clearly delighted to be back racing again, on a weekend when he would have otherwise been in Malaysia, working on his day job for the Marussia Formula One team.

He said: “It is fantastic – just to see this kind of support and interest in British motorsport is great. BTCC is top of the ladder in the UK, and the fans have always been great. They are very knowledgeable, and know more about motor racing than I do.

“It’s just a brilliant formula to be involved with. Great TV, great crowds – I just need to start getting on the pace.”