Rob Austin shocked by Jack Goff’s pole time: “Half a second doesn’t happen”

Handy Motorsport’s Rob Austin rues a mistake he made in qualifying, when he slid wide on his second flying lap which cost him a shot at the front-row at Snetterton, but the Toyota driver says the pace of Eurotech Honda driver’s Jack Goff was completely uncatchable today.

Austin qualified in sixth position, but believed the car was capable of qualifying in the top four at the Norfolk circuit.

“I’m happy with being in the top six, but there was more in the car, so I’m a little upset with myself,” said Austin to TouringCarTimes. “I think we could have finished in the top four, but we’ll take it, and we know we have a strong package for tomorrow, so we’re looking forward to it.”

Austin made a mistake on his second flying lap after his best time, running wide at Riches and ruining what he said should have been his best lap.

“I was a bit overcommitted,” said Austin. “It happens occasionally, well probably quite often.”

Austin however was stunned by Goff’s pole time, with the Honda driver the only one in the 1:55s all day, almost half a second clear of the BMW of Colin Turkington.

“The boy can drive, and that’s a really good car, but half a second in British Touring Cars, that doesn’t happen,” he said. “We have a light car, so maybe we could have challenged for P2, but Goff’s pace we’re nowhere near; you shouldn’t be able to do that in touring cars. I think we can race with the rest of them, and the podium is definitely our target tomorrow.”