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Front row start “way exceeded WSR expectations” – Dick Bennetts

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West Surrey Racing team boss Dick Bennetts said the squad’s Snetterton qualifying performance “way exceeded our expectations” after seeing all three drivers qualify in the top 10.

Colin Turkington secured a season’s best-equalling second for the best placed of the BMW 125i M-Sports, with Andrew Jordan eighth and Rob Collard tenth after Matt Neal was reinstated in fourth place following a post-session appeal.

Bennetts revealed a change of tact on setup after FP1 sent the team in the wrong direction for second practice, but they were able to regroup in time for qualifying.

The New Zealander believes the team are in good shape going into race day, at a circut which plays to the strengths of the BMW.

“We’re very pleased for Colin, we know he’s a class act which is why we were happy to get him back on board. P2 way exceeded our expectations,” said Bennetts to TouringCarTimes.

“I said to the guys that I’d be happy to be in the top eight, so to be P2, P8 and P10 is very good. We had to work hard for it – after the test day we tried quite a few new things and we were happy with them in FP1, but in FP2 we went a bit too far.

“There may have been a bit of slipstreaming here and there. We didn’t do it as a team, but if you luck into a tow that helps.”

Bennetts said the rear-wheel drive 125i is well suited to the team, despite the new-for-2017 harder tyre taking away some of the car’s traditional tyre life advantage.

“It’s a funny circuit, because if you look at our top speeds we are miles away. But it’s a chassis and handling track which is good for our car,” he said.

“The new 2017 tyre is more of an endurance tyre and I think it is too hard for a 25 minute sprint race, but the decision has been made, so we might struggle for the first couple of laps getting temperature into it.

“The biggest thing is to try and finish, strike while we can while Gordon [Shedden] and Matt [Neal] are having a few issues. Points mean prizes.”

Best-placed WSR driver Turkington added: “We made a few changes between FP2 and qualifying and they really worked. This puts me in quite a strong position for race one tomorrow, despite having 57kg ballast in my BMW.

“I won’t be taking any risks because every point is crucial, but I’m ahead of all the main championship contenders, so tomorrow’s a very good opportunity to gain some points on them.”