Brands Hatch GP Preview
Just a week on from Rockingham, and the BTCC is back in action with Rounds 7, 8 and 9 on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit this weekend. The Corby circuit provided three close, and exciting touring car races, and with no one driver or type of car emerging as the dominant force, it is likely that this weekend will make for more of the same.
The weekend is given extra interest by the use of the Grand Prix layout, not the most common of occurrences. Last October Colin Turkington sealed his maiden BTCC title during an exciting days racing on this configuration, showcasing what the series sometimes misses by sticking to the shorter Indy circuit. Both versions have their relative merits, but it is pleasing to see TOCA using the circuit in back-to-back years for the first time since the 1990s.
While the form may be with double Rockingham winner Matt Neal, all the indications would seem to be that this could be an excellent weekend for Championship leader Jason Plato and his RML team.
The 2001 Champion has picked up five wins from his last eight BTCC races on the Grand Prix loop, including a memorable hattrick at last year’s final round. In fact only one man on the grid this weekend has beaten Plato in a BTCC race around the longer layout, and that man is Rob Collard.
With Collard himself admitting that in the GP layout may no longer be ideal for the BMWs, he has predicted Neal will be the man to beat, telling the official BTCC website that the Honda Civic is “The best car on the grid at this moment as a complete package.”
Don’t be against similar comments being made about the Chevrolet Cruze come Sunday evening however.
In addition to Plato’s formidable record around the circuit, it is also the only British circuit that the Cruze had raced on prior to its BTCC debut this season. Although on the WTCC’s Yokohama tyres, Alain Menu took a pole position, fastest lap and race win there in the 2009 World Championship, indicating that it is not a circuit the Cruze will struggle on.
That should also give RML a head start on the car’s setup, something they haven’t enjoyed at either Thruxton or Rockingham, though which hasn’t prevented Plato from taking the lead in the standings.
If the Cruze does perform well then it will give Alex MacDowall another chance to shine and to make up for what he said was a “disappointing” weekend at Rockingham.
Brands Hatch also provides a chance for several of the teams to perform at their home circuit. Whereas in previous seasons Motorbase have claimed the Kent track as their ‘home’, this year a number of rivals are also staking a claim.
Andrew Jordan’s backers Pirtek are based not far away in Acton, while most notably Orpington driver Shaun Hollamby will be on home tarmac with his locally based AmD Milltek Racing.com squad and the highly visible VW Golf Mk5.
“I’ve been going to Brands since I was a toddler,” Hollamby told the official BTCC website. “I watched the Formula 1 Grands Prix there but the BTCC was always just as popular. So it’s a very big deal for me to be racing in the BTCC at Brands. It’s massive and I want to put on a good show for all those people watching.
“What you have at Brands as well is a fantastic backdrop for all that. The natural amphitheatre at Brands makes it quite gladiatorial – for the spectators it’s a bit like the Romans going to watch at the Coliseum as they are lined around a natural bowl, pretty close to the action and able to see across to the other side.
“This weekend we’re on the longer Grand Prix circuit with the added run out into the forest section which always adds a bit more intrigue for the spectators watching back near the start-finish line.”
Hollamby is hoping to take another step forward at home this weekend, after pleasing progress since Thruxton.
“We also need to keep reminding ourselves we are a small independent team who’ve built their own car,” said Hollamby. “Knowing we are getting closer to some of the more established teams and drivers and a possible outright first points finish is giving us great satisfaction.”
Steven Kane is another looking to perform at home, though he harbours hopes of being much further forward than the Golf and building on his impressive early season performances.
“Being the home circuit for Airwaves BMW and the Motorbase Performance team will make the day even more special,” said Kane. “In my book the GP circuit at Brands is one of, if not the best circuit in the country. Traditionally we’ve always been strong there, but we’re not going to underestimate the competition.
“After 18 months out I’m so thrilled at my performance so far, and it would be great to get back on the podium in front of the home fans.”
Whereas 12 months ago the Chevrolet Lacetti’s aside, the BMWs were the fastest cars in the field, now Airwaves and WSR now find the Hondas, Fords, Plato’s Cruze and Paul O’Neill’s Integra all faster than them, pushing them back into the midfield battle where contact and compromised races are more likely.
On the NGTC front, Jordan is confident that the longer layout will suit his turbo charged Vectra enough to allow him to stand on the podium and claim an Independent class win.
“Brands is a high speed, highly technical circuit with several cambered corners,” said Jordan, “So it can be a challenge to get the right set up on the car to suit the track. The tight high speed corners combined with the long back straight will make this circuit one which will suit the turbo power of our NGTC engine.”
While the Vectras of Jordan and David Pinkney may represent the future of the BTCC, the past is still well and truly present thanks to O’Neill and his Sunshine team.
“On paper, the GP circuit at Brands Hatch should be just as strong for us, if not stronger, than Thruxton and Rockingham were,” said O’Neill. “We will carry some ballast again thanks to our championship position, but there are no negatives for us to take into the weekend.”
After podiums at both the last two rounds confidence is high and the team are talking up their prospects of venturing onto the top step of the podium. Before Thruxton talk of an outright win for the ageing Integra would have seemed hopeful, but after showing very real pace at both the Hampshire circuit and Rockingham that aim would seem to be far more tangible.
One situation that O’Neill could capitalise upon and see himself promoted towards the front is in the case of bad weather. Rain is again forecast for race day this weekend, perhaps in greater quantities than a week ago.
This should mean tyre choice is less of a lottery allowing drivers wet weather prowess to come to the fore, and making for, as always, some exciting action.
Previous Winners
2009: Jason Plato (3)
2005: Dan Eaves, Jason Plato & Rob Collard
2002: Matt Neal & James Thompson
2000: Alain Menu & Jason Plato
1996: Alain Menu (2)
