Michael Bentwood has become the latest Green Flag British Touring Car driver to openly criticise championship villain Anthony Reid and also believes that Luke Hines, his big rival in 2003, has been a disappointment for title-holder Vauxhall.
Bentwood confidently believes that bad luck has prevented him from showing his true form in VX Junior Racing Tech-Speed’s Vauxhall Astra. The early stages of the season saw him take a victory in the HarrierZeuros Independents Trophy at Thruxton and at Brands Hatch he qualified on the front row of the grid – ahead of official Vauxhall team drivers Yvan Muller, James Thompson and Hines.
But just as has happened on several occasions, bad luck was with him when his car hit mechanical problems and failed to make it to the grid on time. He started from the back and got tangled up in a crash that took him out of the race.
Bentwood's big day at Brands turned sour - Bentwood told btcc.net: “The mechanical failures are completely out of my hands. The car is a few years old and was standing still for some time so maybe there are a few bugs that have needed ironing out. We have already demonstrated that when the car is running cleanly we have the pace to win in the Independent wins and challenge for outright podiums again.”
Leading the Independents Trophy as the BTCC heads to Ireland’s Mondello Park circuit this weekend, 12-13 June, is Reid. The WSR driver, a veteran of the BTCC, was recently voted ‘a villain’ by viewers of ITV1’s Speed Sunday show after Thompson and Computeach Racing with Halfords’ Matt Neal came off second best in collisions with him. At Oulton Park, three weeks ago, Bentwood found himself persistently blocked by Reid as they fought for tenth place in the opening race – a position that guarantees pole position for the day’s next encounter.
“He’s a very devious driver and gives me the creeps. If there’s one driver I really do not like it’s Anthony Reid,” added Bentwood. “At Oulton, he was bringing the field almost to a dead stop in the corners to hold them all back. That’s experience, but it’s very naughty – very Anthony Reid. Maybe I should have just smacked him out of the way, like he does to every body else, but that’s not my style.
“We were unlucky with reliability in qualifying at Oulton – I only managed a couple of laps – and that left us way down the grid. From there, it’s very difficult to get back into the meeting unless you finish in the top ten in the first race – with Reid doing what he did, forget it.
“He’s in complete contrast to the likes of Yvan Muller, Colin Turkington or Robert Huff – I’ve come against each of them at some point this year and each has driven in a very professional manner.
Bentwood also believes that despite taking a maiden BTCC victory at Brands Hatch, Luke Hines has failed to impress for reigning champion team Vauxhall, but reckons his former foe could come on strong in the second half of the season.
“At Oulton, I think Luke was fairly disappointing again,” said Bentwood. “He wasn’t on Muller and Thompson’s pace and hasn’t been for most of the races. OK, he won at Brands Hatch but that, I’m sure, is only because Vauxhall allowed him to – Thompson was right behind and could have overtaken him at any time, even with all his extra ballast.
“On raw speed Luke isn’t there yet, but I’m sure he’ll keep working at it. Muller and Thompson are proven champions who know how it all works. Luke’s still got half the season left to prove himself.
“None of that is really my concern, though. I’m just working with my team to get back to where we belong – towards the front. Winning a race outright is possible. If I could do that before Reid this year, it would be extra sweet …”
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