James Cole: “We’ve got to do what’s best for the championship”

James Cole admitted disappointment after relinquishing what would have been his best finish in the BTCC of fourth to Subaru BMR team-mate Ash Sutton in the final race at Knockhill, but says the priority in the team is the drivers’ championship for Ash Sutton.

The drivers’ championship is the only title the team are realistically fighting for, with the manufacturers’ championship seeming like a two horse race between BMW and Honda, and Sutton now is just four points behind new points leader Colin Turkington’s West Surrey Racing entry with three rounds to go.

Cole had finished fifth in the first two races, and was running in fourth in the final race, before handing over his position just before the final red flag.

The 28-year-old then retook Sutton at the restart, but again handed back the spot on the final lap to give Race 2 winner Sutton the maximum possible points from Race 3.

“Every weekend we seem to be getting better,” said Cole to TouringCarTimes. “It was clear in the final race it was the team’s decision to let Ash get ahead in the final race to get maximum points, so we should have been fourth, but I’m happy with fifth.

“I’d had the call to let him pass already, but then he’d made a mistake after he went past, and there was no way to not go back past him without losing momentum,” he added.

“On the last lap, I got the call again, and I just rolled off the throttle coming out of the hairpin. He’s fighting for the championship, so it makes sense. If it was for a podium or a win, it wouldn’t be happening; but overall, we’ve got to to what’s best for the team in the championship.”