Simon Belcher concluded his second season in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship with two more Independents Trophy points finishes at Brands Hatch on Sunday, 11th October – consolidating a top 20 placing in the class standings for the Handy Motorsport racer.

 Marking an improvement on the Toyota Avensis driver’s Independents ranking during his maiden BTCC campaign in 2014, when he ended the season in 24th position, his Wiltshire team also made significant strides from last year’s placing of 16th in the Independents Team Trophy to end the 2015 championship inside the coveted top 10 – only a single point shy of ninth place.

 Despite feeling under the weather this weekend, and battling handling issues, Belcher posted three finishes on the challenging Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit with 23rd place overall in the opening two contests and 24th spot in the final race of the year.

“It’s been a year of quite a few ups and downs, but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it and we’re going into the winter with some very exciting plans for next season when we intend to be back stronger than ever and really aiming to make big progress”, said Belcher.

“This weekend wasn’t the way we wanted the season to end, we’ve been struggling to get the car how I wanted it and I have been quite under the weather as well which hasn’t helped. To end the season where we have in the Independents, and the Team Trophy as well, is good though and gives us plenty to build on for 2016.”

Set to begin race one from 28th on the grid, Belcher actually lined-up in an improved 25th position due to three drivers electing to start from the pitlane. Making a good getaway, the Webb Garden Power Equipment and KÄRCHER-supported racer held position into the first corner but did lose a spot after being edged wide.

 Due to a couple of cars coming to grief on the opening lap, though, Belcher climbed into 22nd place prior to the appearance of the Safety Car. Slipping back to 23rd after the re-start, he moved back into 22nd a couple of laps later and following another Safety Car he initially held station. Although edged back to 24th by two recovering front-runners, he moved back into 23rd before the finish.

 Starting race two from 26th on the grid, Belcher chose the middle contest as the one in which he would use the ‘soft’ Dunlop tyre compound and he made up ground on the first lap to gain two places. Moving up into 23rd spot before the Safety Car was required on lap three, when the action resumed Belcher fended off Hunter Abbott before succumbing to a pass on lap eight.

 Back into 23rd on lap 10, as a result of an excursion for a rival, the Handy racer was put under huge pressure by Stewart Lines into the closing stages and although passed on the final lap – with Belcher battling a major front-left vibration – he took the flag in 23rd due to retirement for Colin Turkington.

“We had a lot of bouncing at the rear of the car in the first race which caused some big problems in a couple of places”, explained Belcher, “It meant I wasn’t able to carry the speed I wanted to, and needed to, into the corners but we did improve things a bit through the day.

“The car did handle a lot better in race two but, about halfway through, it felt like we were going to have a puncture – there was a big, high resonating vibration from the front left which just got worse and worse. The last few laps were pretty tough, especially not feeling too well, but we brought the car home with a decent finish and that was the main thing.”

Beginning the final race of the season from 23rd place, Belcher was elbowed back a spot on the opening lap but he climbed into 22nd position by lap six and then into 21st shortly after following an excursion for Dave Newsham. In a race punctuated by no fewer than three Safety Car periods, the Handy driver managed to avoid any dramas and brought his Toyota home in 24th position.

Final Dunlop MSA BTCC Drivers Standings: 28th Simon Belcher, 1pt

Final Dunlop MSA BTCC Independents Trophy Standings: 20th Simon Belcher, 34pts

Final Dunlop MSA BTCC HiQ Teams Standings: 15th Handy Motorsport, 5pts

Final Dunlop MSA BTCC Independents Team Trophy Standings: 10th Handy Motorsport, 149pts