2) Mat Jackson
Arguably one of the over-performers of 2014, Mat Jackson finally returned to the top step of the podium on two occasions this season for the first time since Silverstone 2012.
Motorbase upped their game significantly across the winter break following an unexceptional 2013, Jackson again the leading light as he brought the Ford Focus ST towards the top five over the initial trio of meetings before he became a threat in qualifying for the top spot on many outings from that moment on.
That speed transferred quickly into race-winning pace throughout the remainder of the season, culminating initially into a podium finish at Thruxton which lit the blue touch paper from there on for a fine campaign where car and driver clicked.
Jackson’s consistency made him one of the highest point scorers of the second half of the season on his way to fourth in the championship ahead of reigning champion, Andrew Jordan, amazingly ending the year as the only driver to have completed every race of 2014.
Couple that with another victory quite comfortably at Silverstone once he got to the front to back up his Knockhill triumph, then you realise just how strong a driver Jackson can be when the tools are at his disposal.
A heavy bump from Aron Smith at the season-opening Brands Hatch visit, plus an unlucky involvement in a race three incident at Knockhill were the only blips to his season, Motorbase expected to continue with Ford machinery in 2015.
Consistency shows in Jackson’s results, with 14 finishes inside the top five alongside seven podiums and just five encounters outside the top 10.
