AUSTIN RAISES BAR HIGHER STILL FOR HANDY MOTORSPORT WITH BEST FINISH OF EIGHTH AT DONINGTON PARK
• Rob Austin overcomes problem-hit practice with double top 10 • Eighth place finish in race three new high-point for Handy Motorsport• Competitiveness confirmed as Austin laps with race-winning pace
Handy Motorsport took another big step forward with Toyota Avensis racer Rob Austin during the latest instalment of Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship action at Donington Park over the weekend, 16th/17th April, securing a best-yet top eight result in round six.
Despite a troublesome beginning to the second race meeting of the season, issues in both free practice sessions compounded by a luckless qualifying, the team made big strides across the event’s trio of races with Austin finishing inside the top 10 in the second and third contests.
Notably, in rounds five and six on Sunday afternoon, he lapped within just 0.2 seconds of fastest lap pace and in the final encounter, where the 34-year-old delivered his best performance yet in the front-wheel drive Toyota, he actually lapped with quicker pace than race winner Matt Neal.
In terms of the championship standings, Austin has climbed into seventh place in the Independents Trophy while his strong Donington points haul has elevated Handy Motorsport into 11th place in the outright HiQ Teams Championship and seventh in the Independents Team Trophy.
“It’s been a frustrating weekend in a lot of ways, but definitely positive with the steps forward we made – especially in races two and three”, reflected Austin, “Eighth in race three could have been a top five, I took a couple of laps to get adjusted to the changes we made to the car for the final race and I’m a bit annoyed at myself for that.
“The pace was very good though, being within two tenths of fastest lap, well, you’ve got to be happy with that. In the last race the engine started to overheat a bit, so I had to back it off over the last five laps but the tyres were still very good so we know much more was possible. The team worked together better as a unit this weekend and we’ve had better results, so we just need to continue that trend.”
Saturday’s running didn’t get off to the start anyone wanted when a troublesome vibration from the Avensis – eventually traced back to a new driveshaft which was fitted on Friday – led to the car being parked in the pits for pretty much the entirety of the first session.
With the problem rectified for free practice two, Austin did manage to complete important mileage but the session wasn’t without incident either – an enforced detour across the grass at high speed, in avoidance of a spinning car, resulting in the Toyota requiring a new radiator.
Then to qualifying, where the weather had a major say. Despite being mid-April, wintery showers made their presence felt over the Leicestershire track. Without much time to work on set-up options prior to qualifying, the Toyota ran a full wet set-up but as the session progressed the weather changed again and a drying line appeared.
Austin pitted for slicks into the closing minutes but just as he was about to try and muster a fast lap, the red flags were shown due to a car off the circuit. Re-started over a final five-minute run, Austin’s attempts were again thwarted when blocked on his one clear lap – resulting in 15th on the grid.
Opting to run the ‘Soft’ compound Dunlop tyres for the opening race on Sunday morning, Austin got away from the line cleanly and held the inside line at Redgate but was edged back to 16th place prior to the emergence of the Safety Car.
Racing resumed on lap three and Austin gained two places to move into 14th before coming under pressure from Sam Tordoff. The BMW went through at Redgate on lap six but Austin read the attack well and went back past on the exit, after purposely taking a wide line into the corner. As the tyres began to struggle, he slipped further back and ultimately ended the race in 18th position.
Starting round five on the ninth row, Austin made a good getaway and climbed into 17th position but racing fell under Safety Car conditions almost immediately. At the resumption on lap five, the Handy driver got away well and moved up into the top 15 and then took 14th place before the Safety Car reappeared after another incident.
Racing resumed once more on lap nine with Austin circulating quicker than the cars ahead. Passing Andrew Jordan on lap 11, he then moved into the top 12 soon after and on lap 14 two cars dropped back to elevate the Handy machine into the top 10.
Continuing to pressure the cars ahead with the sort of pace everyone knew was possible, he moved into ninth soon after and closed-up behind the next group. Although edged back to 10th before the flag, notably his best lap of the race was just 0.2 seconds shy of the fastest of all.
Beginning round six from the fifth row of the grid, Austin moved into ninth into Redgate but was nudged back a couple of places the next time around and then slipped to 15th position on lap four having been held wide on the outside line from McLeans, through Coppice and into the Esses.
Mounting a determined and eye-catching fightback, though, the Handy racer started to slice his way back through the order and into the second half of the race he was almost back into the top 10. Able to pass both Andrew Jordan and Mat Jackson, Austin claimed ninth and then took eighth from Josh Cook’s MG with a couple of laps to run.
Looking back at the weekend, team principal Simon Belcher said: “It wasn’t the smoothest weekend but we’re all delighted to come away with our first ever top 10 in the BTCC – to then improve on that with eighth in the final race was fantastic. Rob produced some great drives in the races, we know he’s quick and the car is quick and the lap times proved that. It’s been another good step forward.”
Next on the 2016 BTCC calendar is a visit to Handy Motorsport’s home track, Thruxton near Andover in Hampshire, over the weekend 7th/8th May.
2016 BTCC Drivers Championship Standings:15th Rob Austin, 21pts
2016 Independents Trophy Standings:7th Rob Austin, 55pts
2016 HiQ Teams Championship Standings:11th Handy Motorsport, 21pts
2016 Independents Team Trophy Standings:7th Handy Motorsport, 57pts
