Starting fourth on the grid for the opening Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship race at Croft, Rob Collard feels that this weekend’s visit is West Surrey Racing‘s chance to close up in the championship battle.
The BMW driver will start fourth on the grid, his best qualifying time of third place removed for disrespecting track limits as WSR were denied a lock-out of the top three places.
Speaking to The Checkered Flag on Sunday morning, Collard said: “All three cars have been quick this weekend, so I’m pretty sure that we can win today.
“I had my fast lap taken away from me, which I didn’t agree with because in that particular sector I was actually two tenths slower through the Jim Clark Esses.
“It’s a little bit disappointing, but still not too bad because we’ve got a good starting position for race one.
Renowned for his fast-starting abilities himself, as shown from his jump to first from fifth in the season-opening race at Brands Hatch, Collard aims to use the launch in race one to latch onto his team-mate Tordoff’s tail.
“I’m a good starter so hopefully I can try and get in there behind Sam and be second into turn one”, he added, the race set to be held under overcast conditions with the threat of rain prominent.
“I think it will be an exciting race”, Collard told TCF on his opinion of a potential shower looming. “The BMW will be as good in the wet as it is in the dry.
“No matter what happens, we’ll be good.”
BMW will look to add to their nine wins since 2007 at Croft circuit this weekend, Collard believing that Sunday’s trio of races are a golden opportunity to gain back points in the championship fight, Collard currently 76 points adrift of series leader, Jason Plato.
“As a team we have to get the points this weekend”, concluded Collard. “After the little debacle at Oulton Park, I lost a lot of points which has dropped me back in the championship.”
