Sam Tordoff “deflated” after trying weekend

A “deflated” Sam Tordoff said his opening weekend of the 2014 BTCC season did not pan out as he had hoped.

The Triple Eight driver qualified outside the top 10 for the first time in his touring car career, and couldn’t better a 10th placed finish achieved in the first race of the day.

The second and third races both yielded 12th placed finishes, with the consolation prize of a point for fastest lap in the former.

The Yorkshire youngster is more confident ahead of the next round at Donington Park, a circuit he believes will suit his MG6 GT. 

Tordoff said: “I’m a bit deflated, it was a frustrating weekend for me. It was meant to be the start of a good season and we’ve been on the back foot really.

“The positives; three points finishes, three good starts and some good pace in race two. I was also pleased with our pace on the soft tyre on race three, it was possibly too good and that’s what hurt me towards the end of the race. I was also carrying some damage in that race and I lost a few places towards the end.

“We’ve got work to do before Donington, but we’ve tested there and I think it’s a circuit that will suit us much better; it’ll also spread out the field more too. We’re still in the mix; there are 27 races to go, so it’s no drama. It’s going to be a tough season and I don’t think anyone will walk away with it based on this weekend.”