Andy Priaulx pleased with race two win after tactical race one

Tactics paid off for Andy Priaulx at Silverstone as he sacrificed his opening race to set up victory in race two.

The three-time World Touring Car Champion pulled in to the pits at the end of the formation lap in race one, opting to try and set a fast lap for the race two grid. The plan worked, with Priaulx lining up in third for race two, jumping to second off the line before finally passing Mat Jackson for the lead on lap eight.

“We just needed to optimise that one lap and get a good race balance established for race two,” Priaulx told TouringCarTimes. “Obviously I’m a racer and I love getting forward but if I touched the suspension or did some damage it’d ruin my weekend, the rules just make it this way but good race, good race pace in race one and we improved the car for race two.

“I had a good fight with Mat down the straight but that engine’s so good it’s difficult to stay with him, I was a bit stronger on the brakes in the beginning so I was able to maximise and he made a small mistake at Copse and I had to jink left to miss him, around the outside and that was it, away we go.”

Priaulx’s move on Jackson was questioned by some for being made outside of the track limits, with the West Surrey Racing driver believing the move was right on the limit, but was confident it would not be an issue.

“I had to avoid him because he made a mistake and was sideways through the middle of the corner,” he continued. “I had to jink left to avoid him or we’d have collided, it might have been tight on the track limits, looked in my mirror after about five laps after that he was also right over the green so I think nothing will come of that.”