MacDowall on fire during qualifying

Alex MacDowall was on fire in more ways that one during qualifying for the British Touring Car Championship at Snetterton, taking his best grid position of the season with third, despite missing half the session in a pit fire.

Chevrolet had a very strong qualifying session, with Jason Plato securing pole, with just the Honda Civic of Gordon Shedden separating the two Cruzes.

Asked if he was satisfied with third considering he missed half the session, MacDowall was a bit downbeat.

“Not really,” said MacDowall. “We were on P1 until Shedden did a ‘59.7. It wasn’t the best of laps, so I knew that we made a slight set-up change and I thought on the second run we’ll have him.”

“Obviously as soon as I went out for my second run I could smell the fuel coming into the car so they said come back in, and as soon I stopped they lifted the bonnet up and the air got in and it just exploded.

Looking ahead to today’s races, MacDowall believes he’s got an extra card now up his sleeve as a result of the incident.

“I was surprised to have stayed third. I’ve got good tyres, I haven’t used all those tyres so on race run we’re in good shape as well. I don’t see why we can’t finish second, maybe even challenge for first.”