From victories at Donington GP to 50’s fancy dress and podiums at the Goodwood Revival, I’ve had a lot of fun recently. May the fun continue as the BTCC returns this weekend to the home of British motorsport!
Silverstone has long been a favourite track of mine. Going back to the start of my career, I cut my teeth there in Formula Ford at the ultra-competitive Walter Hayes Trophy and when I moved into Porsche Carrera Cup and then GT racing, I really gelled with the fast flowing nature of the track, winning in the European Le Mans Series in 2016.
Being a Grand Prix circuit, it is very different to your typical British venue. You don’t have the usual undulations and blind crests that Brands Hatch, Oulton Park or Knockhill offer. Instead, you face a high grip surface that is as smooth as a billiard ball and corners that are more open and flowing. The key to Silverstone is momentum and corner speed as that catapults you down the long straights. With only 4 corners, precision is 100% key to finding that perfect lap. Lastly, it’s going to be crucial to find a slipstream from another car which means sacrificing many laps to find the right opportunity. Without this advantage, you’re leaving a lot of lap time on the table!
This is my most successful circuit since embarking on my BTCC journey. Since signing for Toyota Gazoo Racing in 2021, I’ve scored pole positions and race wins on the two occasions we’ve visited the Northampton track. Coming off the back of our first victory of 2023 we head into this weekend with high aspirations. However, there is no time to rest on our laurels, this is the BTCC and it’s never that easy. There is no doubt that it’s going to be a huge fight as always.
With the support of my family, friends, sponsors and team members I feel as if I’ve turned a corner this season. My goal now is to continue to build that belief back and get the most from myself, my car and the people around me. I’m playing to win, but that means maximising my situation and getting everything I can from the weekend, no matter what it throws at me!
Keep track of all my results via TSL timing, qualifying is also live streamed on ITV.com on Saturday afternoon. On Sunday, all three races will be broadcast live on ITV4 as well as ITV.com. Set your TV to record or tune in live from 11.00 for a full day of Motorsport action. My weekend timetable is listed below:
Sat 23rd September
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09.40 – 10.15 Free Practice 1
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12.05 – 12.40 Free Practice 2
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15.35 – 16.20 Qualifying
Sun 24th September
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11.30 Race 1 (22 laps)
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14.25 Race 2 (22 laps)
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17.10 Race 3 (22 laps)