Dan Lloyd delighted with strong start in testing at Salzburg

Triple Eight BTCC refugee Dan Lloyd has had a strong first day in testing at the Salzburgring for the Craft-Bamboo Racing team, finishing the first session in third before topping the time sheets in the second session.

The 25-year-old has replaced Hugo Valente at the Hong Kong/UK-based squad this weekend, and was on the pace along with his two team-mates from the start, topping the second test session which was cut short after a crash at Turn 11 for M1RA’s Attila Tassi.

“It’s a good start,” said Lloyd to TouringCarTImes. “It’s early days, but I couldn’t ask for any more really. I’m still gelling with the car, the circuit and the team, but it’s a great way to start off.

“I’ve had a really tough start to the season. We had all the right intentions to have a real go at it in the BTCC, but as everyone knows we’ve been struggling a lot as a team. To make the decision to step away is a big decision, so to do it and come here and to do well from the start is a really good thing.”

Lloyd and Pepe Oriola and James Nash, the only three-car team in the field, also tried out slipstreaming at the circuit during the second test, which the team may utilise in qualifying.

“We had a couple of goes at it. If everything comes together at the right place and right time, it’s great, but it can all go very wrong as well, so we’re going to have a meeting and decide what to do.”