Rob Austin confident for race day at Snetterton

Rob Austin is confident of strong performances in all three races at Snetterton after setting the 13th fastest time in yesterday’s qualifying session at the Norfolk circuit.

Austin, who will line up just behind Honda Racing Team’s Gordon Shedden, will mark his 100th race in the BTCC in the first encounter, and celebrated the occasion by cutting a giant cake at his team awning on Saturday night.

Austin said: “It always comes back to us in race trim and I genuinely sense we have an opportunity to make a good number of places and come away with some really good points. Same old same old in qualifying – the rear-wheel-drive Audi can’t match the front-wheel-drive cars on single-lap qualifying pace and that leaves us having to overtake people in the races, but that’s what I love doing and what I’ll be aiming to do in front of the fans tomorrow.

“Qualifying was so-so… nothing too spectacular. We’ve been suffering with understeer which is hurting our mid-corner speed. Hopefully we can make some further tweaks to cure that for tomorrow, plus in a race situation things get very bunched with people tripping over one another. I need to make sure I’m in the right place at the right time to capitalise when my moment comes.

“I’d really like to come away from Snetterton back in the top ten in the championship particularly as we have two really good circuits for the Audi – Knockhill and Rockingham – next up.”

Austin’s team-mate Hunter Abbott has significantly more work to do after qualifying 26th, with his Audi A4 stopping at the end of the session with an electrical problem.

He said: We’re at a bit of a loss really with the lack of pace but, as Rob says, I know things will be better for us in a race situation. I showed at Croft last time out I can pick people off at the starts and keep on making up places. I definitely need some more of that tomorrow.”