BTCC - Fords continue move up the grid
Team Aon demonstrated yet further progress with its Ford Focus at Silverstone on Sunday as driver Tom Chilton and Tom Onslow-Cole emerged as challengers for outright podium finishers.
The highlight of the weekend was Chilton’s fifth place finish in race two – the Focus ST’s chassis, handling and traction that he has raved about coming into their own as light rain made for a treacherous track surface in the closing laps.
Indeed, Chilton had revelled in similar, wetter conditions during free practice at the Knockhill circuit two weeks earlier.
Chilton, who at Silverstone qualified inside the top ten for the first time this season, said: “I could see that I was having an easier time than most of the people I got past. I could brake much later than anyone else and the traction was superb. As it rained harder, the Focus’s advantage just got bigger.”
It was a significant result for it meant that all six types of the latest Super 2000-specification cars on the BTCC grid – BMW 320si, Chevrolet Lacetti, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, SEAT Leon and Vauxhall Vectra – have now achieved top six race results in this year’s championship.
This time, though, the Focus appeared competitive in all conditions and on a circuit that boasts two long straights. Previously a lack of grunt from the engine appeared to be car’s Achilles Heel but down Silverstone’s start-finish and Club straights it seemed to be a match for the majority of the opposition and was ahead of all three of the factory Vauxhall team’s Vectras.
‘Stand-in’ Onslow-Cole also showed great promise in fully dry conditions during Saturday practice with the third fastest time overall in session one, beaten only by the Chevrolets of Mat Jackson and Jason Plato that went on to dominate the weekend.
The Rockingham track, next on the calendar, is expected to suit the Fords even better and it could be their sudden increase in speed might have an influence in this year’s title outcome should they begin mixing it with the established front-runners.
Team principal Mike Earle was clearly upbeat about his squad’s Silverstone form, even though Chilton’s fifth place was its only top ten result – Onslow-Cole was on the backfoot all day after being biffed out of race one by the BMW of the returning Anthony Reid, while in race three Chilton was an early retirement with suspension damage after being clobbered by Andrew Jordan’s spinning Vauxhall.
Earle said: “It’s been a very encouraging weekend. Tom’s fifth place was obviously a highlight and a welcome boost to team morale. We confidently expected a podium finish with him in race three before he was an unwitting victim of someone else’s accident. Tom Onslow-Cole experienced a similar fate in the first race, but didn’t let it affect him and did a good job for us. The development of the whole package is delivering now and the on-going improvements we are making won’t stop. There is still work in progress and there will be a big team effort to be even more competitive in the last two remaining meetings.”
BTCC :: HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship
The highlight of the weekend was Chilton’s fifth place finish in race two – the Focus ST’s chassis, handling and traction that he has raved about coming into their own as light rain made for a treacherous track surface in the closing laps.
Indeed, Chilton had revelled in similar, wetter conditions during free practice at the Knockhill circuit two weeks earlier.
Chilton, who at Silverstone qualified inside the top ten for the first time this season, said: “I could see that I was having an easier time than most of the people I got past. I could brake much later than anyone else and the traction was superb. As it rained harder, the Focus’s advantage just got bigger.”
It was a significant result for it meant that all six types of the latest Super 2000-specification cars on the BTCC grid – BMW 320si, Chevrolet Lacetti, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, SEAT Leon and Vauxhall Vectra – have now achieved top six race results in this year’s championship.
This time, though, the Focus appeared competitive in all conditions and on a circuit that boasts two long straights. Previously a lack of grunt from the engine appeared to be car’s Achilles Heel but down Silverstone’s start-finish and Club straights it seemed to be a match for the majority of the opposition and was ahead of all three of the factory Vauxhall team’s Vectras.
‘Stand-in’ Onslow-Cole also showed great promise in fully dry conditions during Saturday practice with the third fastest time overall in session one, beaten only by the Chevrolets of Mat Jackson and Jason Plato that went on to dominate the weekend.
The Rockingham track, next on the calendar, is expected to suit the Fords even better and it could be their sudden increase in speed might have an influence in this year’s title outcome should they begin mixing it with the established front-runners.
Team principal Mike Earle was clearly upbeat about his squad’s Silverstone form, even though Chilton’s fifth place was its only top ten result – Onslow-Cole was on the backfoot all day after being biffed out of race one by the BMW of the returning Anthony Reid, while in race three Chilton was an early retirement with suspension damage after being clobbered by Andrew Jordan’s spinning Vauxhall.
Earle said: “It’s been a very encouraging weekend. Tom’s fifth place was obviously a highlight and a welcome boost to team morale. We confidently expected a podium finish with him in race three before he was an unwitting victim of someone else’s accident. Tom Onslow-Cole experienced a similar fate in the first race, but didn’t let it affect him and did a good job for us. The development of the whole package is delivering now and the on-going improvements we are making won’t stop. There is still work in progress and there will be a big team effort to be even more competitive in the last two remaining meetings.”
BTCC :: HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship
