Points leader Sam Tordoff says qualifying position is “perfect”

Points leader Sam Tordoff qualified 10th for the first of the final three races of the season at Brands Hatch, a position he described as “perfect” with four of his main championship rivals behind him on the grid.

The West Surrey Racing man was promoted one position from 11th following Tom Ingram’s exclusion, and will have Matt Neal, Rob Collard and Andrew Jordan immediately behind him at the start.

Tordoff is defending an 11 point lead from Team Dynamics’ Gordon Shedden, with the Scotsman one row ahead of him on the grid in seventh.

Tordoff was one of several drivers who was toiling towards the rear of the field when the red flags flew early in qualifying, and he braved the slippery conditions on slicks after the restart in a BMW 125i which is less well suited to the wet than its front-wheel drive competitors.

Assessing his performance, Tordoff told TouringCarTimes: “It’s more than OK, it’s perfect. We’ve outqualified just about everyone, with the exception of Shedden. I’m not really worried about the two Subarus.

“It was a tricky session for us as those conditions are really not suited to rear-wheel drive, particularly at the start when it was wet-dry. There was a lot at stake and we came good.”

Conditions are forecast to be very different tomorrow, with bright skies and sunshine predicted for all three races. And the Yorkshireman is approaching the day in a very relaxed fashion.

“We need dry weather. I think we have got a good car, and I’m looking forward to it. I don’t forsee any major problems”, he said.

“I’m just treating this like any other race, and what will be will be on Sunday.”