Aron Taylor-Smith proud after going close

Aron Taylor-Smith insisted he was proud of a second podium of the BTCC season despite missing out on victory at Silverstone by less than a lap.

Having qualified inside the top ten, the Irish racer elected to stick with slick tyres for race one, and would end up securing a solid seventh place after gaining ground late on as circuit conditions improved.

Race two gave Taylor-Smith the chance to shine however as he worked his way up to second prior to the safety car being called out to recover debris from the circuit.

A misfire for leader Jake Hill on the restart allowed the PMR driver to hit the front but he would be powerless to keep Ash Sutton at bay as the championship leader moved ahead at the start of the final lap.

While that meant Taylor-Smith missed out on a first win since the 2016 season, when he scored a shock victory at Rockingham, he was still pleased at a second podium in as many meetings, with ninth in the final race leaving him within striking distance of the top ten in the points.

“I’m beyond proud of what CarStore Power Maxed Racing and myself have achieved this weekend at Silverstone,” he said.

“Podiums are a bit like buses, it seems – you wait for one, and then two come along in quick succession! This has always historically been a strong circuit for the Vauxhall Astra, and the team did a fantastic job to put it in a good window for me to be competitive this weekend.

“It was a great fight with Ash in race two, and although there’s always a little tinge of disappointment in finishing second, for me it’s another great signal that we’re heading in the right direction with this car and the package.

“Overall, I’m feeling very satisfied with the weekend, and looking forward to Brands Hatch to finish the season on a high note.”