Austin says first pole feels ‘awesome’, targets win on Sunday

Rob Austin has taken his first career pole position in the BTCC at Knockhill and will head the pack for race one tomorrow, and believes a first race victory is “on the cards”.

The 32-year-old led the way in the first free practice session and was ninth on old tyres in FP2. A flying lap in qualifying of 52.471 secured the Audi driver his first career pole position in his third season in the BTCC and also took the qualifying lap record away from Tom Chilton at the 1.3 mile circuit.

“It feels awesome,” said Austin to TouringCarTimes.

“We found two things really,” explaining the new found pace in the Audi A4. “Since we moved to the Swindon engine (at Croft) we’ve been on base boost, so (when we went) to Snetterton we had a bit more boost, but we also found something in the dampers and it’s all clicked finally. We came here and we’ve made a few tweaks and everything’s gone in the right direction. I’ve always loved this circuit and it rewards bravery, which I can do.

“This morning I was surprised as I wasn’t really pushing that hard, and in the second session I was running really old tyres and I didn’t get a lap in until right at the end, and the tyres were ruined by then, so I was encouraged by P9. Then we did our first run on new tyres in qually and I was about half a second off at that point, I knew I hadn’t had a good run and I’d got some traffic and I knew there was a bit more in it but half a second is a lot, but I went out on my second set and got it all warmed up and started my third lap and felt really good and thought if I’m going to do it, let’s do it, and just came off the brakes carried a load of speed through the chicane and to my surprise it came out still on its wheels and on the power just carried on the lap and there it was, awesome.”

Austin will start from pole position with four cars involved in the championship battle right behind him in Colin Turkington, Gordon Shedden, Jason Plato & Matt Neal, but isn’t concerned.

“I think I’ve raced against those guys enough, and I think they’re pretty aware that I’m not going to give it up without a fight. I’m confident in my ability off the line, if I hit the lights right there’s no reason I can’t be in the lead in the first corner even with Turkington beside me, and I think the car’s good enough to stay there. I don’t envisage really having to defend, I think (the win’s) on the cards.”

It wasn’t all plain sailing for the team however, with Rob’s team-mate Will Bratt forced to start from the back after he was removed from qualifying for twice failing the ride height test.

“I feel absolutely terrible about that, so it is very much mixed emotions. I’m going to have to look a serious look into it as he was on for a top ten today. My sympathies go out to him and apologies as my team’s responsible for that, I just hope he can battle his way through.”