Mat Jackson says that he and Motorbase Performance now have the experience to add a second victory in as many Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship meetings, having claimed a second consecutive pole position at Silverstone.
The Ford Focus ST driver backed up his Rockingham pole position with a similar lap record-breaking performance on Saturday at Silverstone, Jackson previously a five-time race winner at the Northampton circuit.
“The car has been going very well”, Jackson told The Checkered Flag on Sunday morning. “To get consecutive pole positions shows just how good we are right now.
“We’re in a strong position to take a win again. We’ve run with the weight before now so we know we also have good pace with and without it.
Jackson – lying 14th in the championship after just three meetings – added: “As I’ve said before, we’ve got no ballast on board though. It really helps with the other quick guys carrying a bit of weight.”
Jackson will have current championship leader Gordon Shedden alongside him on the front row of the grid, the pole-sitter himself praising the Scot for his effort with a Honda Yuasa Racing Civic Type-R carrying 75kg success ballast.
“A lot of credit to Gordon as well for putting it on the front row with 75kg of ballast”, said Jackson on his nearest rival on the grid. “That’s seriously impressive.
“He’s certainly the form man at the moment; he’s behind us on the grid and no doubt he’ll take that form into the race. All we can concentrate on is what we can do.”
Jackson has been one of the form men since returning with the Ford team to the series at Snetterton, taking two pole positions and one victory which came most recently at Rockingham.
The 2008 runner-up added: “It’s frustrating that we weren’t in it at the start of the season, but it’s all helpful towards next year!
“We’re building up our portfolio, if you like, of knowledge each race within the car. It seems very good and it’s all credit to the Motorbase guys to prove we’re capable of fighting at the front.”
Race one of the day at Silverstone gets underway at 11:57.
