Audi Sport TT Cup front-runner Josh Caygill says he is absolutely relishing the opening rounds of the 2016 season at Hockenheim next month, following an extremely positive pre-season practice day at the German track over the weekend.
During a very rounded experience with Audi Sport personnel and fellow competitors on Saturday, 9th April, the Netherton-based driver got behind the wheel of his 2016 challenger for the first time and produced front-running pace throughout the four track sessions.
Beginning with two free practice runs, where Josh lapped seventh and sixth fastest, the TT Cup competitors then embarked on a qualifying simulation – where the ‘push-to-pass’ power boost system wasn’t activated – and a race simulation.
Finishing fifth in the latter, where the top five cars all lapped with near identical pace, the Briton was very happy with his overall performance at the venue for the first two races of the new season and is determined to get the 2016 campaign off to a successful start just over three weeks from now.
“It was bang on”, reflected Josh, “We had two free practice sessions to try stuff out and then a qualifying simulation and a race simulation. In the FP1 session I was P7 and only 0.7 seconds off, and I didn’t use the push-to-pass which the quickest drivers did so I was pleased with our pace. In FP2 I did use the boost and we were 0.6 seconds off and P6 so we know we’re there or thereabouts.
“In the qualifying simulation I didn’t put a good lap together unfortunately and, to be honest, I think I was trying a bit too hard and over-driving. I should’ve been in the top three really, that’s what the best sectors showed so we know the speed is there. I was happy with fifth in the race simulation, the top five of us broke away and were all within a few thousandths of each other on lap times.”
Heading into his second year in the prestigious DTM-supporting Audi Sport TT Cup, the 26-year-old is eyeing a consistent front-running challenge in his sophomore campaign in the all-action series which will be contested over seven race meetings.
Beginning at Hockenheim on 7th/8th May, the championship will then remain in Germany for visits to the Nurburgring and Norisring before visiting Zandvoort in The Netherlands in mid-July. Making a return to the Nurburgring in September, the TT Cup will travel to the Hungaroring near Budapest for the penultimate event before the grand finale back at Hockenheim on 15th/16th October.
“We know after the weekend we’re there or thereabouts and I could see that from the video afterwards”, said Josh, “It was definitely a big improvement on this time last year and I’d like to think I drove better on the test day than a lot of the others. I definitely think the top five or six at least can win races this year, it should be a mega competitive championship.”
