Rob Austin: “I’ve never known bad luck like this”

Rob Austin was left to rue more misfortune despite returning to the top six during the BTCC’s Diamond Double meeting at Snetterton.

The HMS Racing driver went into the weekend on the back of a tough run of form that had seen him retire from three of the four races prior to the summer break.

Seventh on the grid for the opening race of the weekend, Austin fought hard in the wet conditions to secure sixth spot and a first top six finish for the Alfa Romeo Giulietta since the opening meeting of the campaign at Brands Hatch.

That led to optimism within the team of more solid results in races two and three, but it would ultimately prove to be the highlight of race day.

Suspension damage following contact in race two forced Austin into the pits to retire whilst he was already on the back foot going into race three after a loose turbo pipe restricted him to one flying lap in the short Diamond Double qualifying session – leaving him 25th on the grid.

Fighting his way through the field towards the top ten, Austin would be forced to deal with a loss of power after a stone holed the radiator as well as contact from Dan Lloyd’s Honda as the took the flag in 13th spot.

“I am absolutely convinced we are cursed!” he said. “We had a great car again and were actually a little disappointed to only qualify P7 for the first race. It was a step into the unknown with the wet conditions but Matt, our engineer, did a great job and although we didn’t have the pace to hang on to fifth, finishing sixth was a decent result.

“We got a great start in race two and I was having a good, clean race with Tordoff, but as we battled the car behind got close enough to smash my rear wheel and break my suspension. It’s hard to comprehend how many times this has happened this year with no reprimands handed out by TOCA.

“The first half of the Diamond Double went well and with a mega start, and clearly a very strong car, I think P6 would have been achievable. Sadly, a car in front kicked up a stone and put a hole in the radiator. From then on, the engine got hotter and hotter and, as a result, we got slower and slower. In the end it was a relief to hang on to P13.

“I have never experienced a run of bad fortune like this in my 28 years of racing and it’s blowing my mind at the moment, but we clearly have a fast, solid car and we won’t give up. Our fortune will change.”