Powell will be using the CUPRA Leon recently vacated by Glynn Geddie who stepped away from the seat following the series previous round at Brands Hatch in June.

In line with current BTCC testing restrictions which forbids testing a current specification touring car at a circuit the series is yet to visit, Powell will be taking to Snetterton for his first BTCC experience.

Powell commented, “I’m really excited to be stepping into the newest touring car on the grid. The car clearly has potential and that was cemented at the previous round which saw Jack (Goff) take the cars first podium finish.

“This test is really just about me finding my feet as a race driver but also as a team owner as I start to look at plans for next season.

“I need to say a big thank you to our partner at Moorgate Finance who have supported me thus far and have helped get this opportunity across the line.”

Tony Gilham, Managing Director of Team HARD. Racing added. “We have been working with Will and Motus One for a little while now behind the scenes and it’s great that we are able to provide him with a touring car test during this mid-season downtime.

“Despite the test purely being a taster for Will, I’m sure there will be plenty of data we can take away from the day which will further the cars development as we look to kick on when the championship resumes at the end of the month.”

Jack Goff: “The two days were frustrating really because of the weather. I could never really get into a rhythm to really dig deep into the car and every time we changed the car and went to go on a new tyre run, it would start to rain. The weather was the same for everybody and it was frustrating. However, to be sat here saying were frustrated at ending the day in P4 on day 1 and P6 on day 2 I think shows how far we’ve come already with the CUPRA. It’s only testing and we can make sure we go away now, crunch some numbers and come up with a good set up before we head to Oulton park.

“Overall, it was good and we should be happy with how well we performed. The car felt pretty good but it was just a shame that we couldn’t do a proper new tyre run on day 2. The rain just halted our development but it is what it is.”

Aron Taylor-Smith: “It was a very successful two days, the weather prevented the timing sheets showing the CUPRA’s true potential but we’ve found a new area to explore on the car that we didn’t necessarily get to have a go at on race weekends due to time capacity in free practices. All in all I’ve left there with a lot more direction, we know we have a very fast race car beneath us as proved at Brands and I think now we’ve stumbled onto something that will hopefully unlock our qualifying potential.”

James Gornall: “I was very pleased with the two days. To jump in after quite a period out of the car and perform well was great, and against tough competition. I was very impressed with the CUPRA. It was great straight out of the box and responded well to the changes we were making. It really was a pleasure to drive in all conditions and has huge potential.

“I’d like to thank Tony Gilham, all of the guys and girls at Team HARD athe continued support from Dreelside Engineering and Ian Gornall Financial Planning.”

Following Glynn Geddie’s departure from the team last week for personal reasons, a seat has become available to drive the teams new CUPRA Leon for the remainder of the season alongside Jack Goff, Aron Taylor-Smith and Nicolas Hamilton.

Gornall made his debut in the BTCC last season, scoring 18 points and a career best finish of P7 in the 18 races he competed in. Gornall decided to step away from the BTCC before the season was completed due to budget complications caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Gornall, a former British GT Champion commented, “I’m excited to try the new CUPRA around Oulton Park this week. The car is going from strength to strength and having spent 10 months out of a BTCC car I can’t wait to jump back in and help the team develop the car for the second half of the season.

“I’d like to thank Tony and his team for giving me this opportunity, also Dreelside Engineering and Ian Gornall Financial Planning.”

Tony Gilham, Managing Director at Team HARD. Racing added “It’s great to have James join us for this seasons Goodyear tyre test at Oulton Park. He is a reliable, safe yet fast pair of hands and his experience in Motorsport is only going to help our development of the new CUPRA Leon.

“He was very impressive last season and held his own against a teammate who was vastly more experienced in this category so I have no doubt that after the morning is spent shaking off a few cobwebs James will be right there with the rest of the team. We have a very detailed testing programme for James to execute over the next couple of days, so I am looking forward to seeing how not only he, but also the car progresses.

“The team are really on a high at the moment after a strong showing at Brands Hatch and we are all excited to continue developing the car. Obviously, we are disappointed that Glynn is no longer with us, but James is a great personality and I know he is going to fit into the team straight away.”

The BTCC heads to Oulton Park on Tuesday 6^th July for the accustomed two day, mid-season Goodyear tyre test that will see all of the 2021 entries run through various testing programmes as they look to start the second half of the season on the front foot.

Glynn Geddie is to step away from the 2021 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) and Team HARD. with immediate effect due to personal reasons. Glynn’s partner has recently given birth to the couples first child which is a contributing factor to his decision to spend the rest of the season on the side-lines.

Geddie commented, “It is with regret that I am leaving the BTCC and Team HARD. Racing, everyone has been amazing so far in our journey and we part company on good terms.

“Unfortunately, my personal situation has drastically changed since I signed to drive for this year with Tony (Gilham) and Team HARD. Racing. I’ve started a new business and my lovely partner has just given birth to our first child, Jenson.

“My priorities, at least temporarily, have changed and my new commitments away from racing have meant that I can no longer fully focus on my racing which is affecting my ability to meet the targets that I set myself for this year.

“The team have been absolutely wonderful during my time here and I’ve met many people who I now value as my friends, they really are one big family and I hope to return one day and finish off what we started.

“The new CUPRA Leon is an amazing piece of kit and whoever takes over from me is going to have a really enjoyable and competitive season. I’m gutted to be passing it on but sometimes things change in your life and as I say, priorities change.

“Thank you to Tony and the team for being so accommodating surrounding this situation.”

Tony Gilham, Managing Director of Team HARD. Racing is sad to see Geddie leave the team. “This situation really is a tricky one to summarise. I’m so happy for Glynn, becoming a father is one of the best feelings in the world but it can completely change your lifestyle and priorities in life. Glynn has such a busy life from Motorsport and running multiple businesses, many of which involve him flying all over the world and the addition of a family was always going to prove too much.

“Naturally, I’m disappointed that Glynn’s time with us at Team HARD. Racing is up as he has been a valuable asset to our team this season, especially during the close season and developing the all new CUPRA Leon.

“We leave on good terms but now it’s time to search for a replacement driver that can help accelerate our development and deliver out on track from the get-go. The team is in a good place at the moment and the atmosphere in camp is electric, we are all focused on moving further up the field throughout this season.”

The news that Geddie and Team HARD. are parting ways opens the door for someone to step into one of the most exciting and raw packages on the BTCC grid after Jack Goff showed the cars potential with a fine 2^nd place on only the cars 3^rd race weekend at the last meeting at Brands Hatch.

The qualifying session on Saturday afternoon was (as usual on the very short Brands Hatch Indy circuit) difficult for drivers, with laps times only around 48 seconds, and 29 cars on the track trying their best to get a clear run. Not an easy task. Aiden was proving to be fast and after fitting a new set of tyres, even faster. The session finished with very respectable results for the team: Aiden in 5^th, Ash in 7^th and Carl in 18^th.

Race 1

Sunday morning was cool and damp with rain in the air and lots of rain forecast for later on. No one had run a damp or wet set-up on the Saturday in the free practice or qualifying sessions, so no data was available, and the teams weren’t sure how dry the track was as it was definitely damp in places under the trees. With Aiden in 5th and Ash in 7th, it was to be an important start. Aiden stepped up to the challenge and had a terrific start — after the first two corners he was up to 2nd with Ash 4th! On Lap 2 Carl was up to 14th to prove his car’s pace.

As we passed halfway, Aiden then went back to 4th as pole-sitter Dan Rowbottom came through in the Honda. Then with Jake Hill getting a bit rough, Aiden went down to 8th but Ash was able to get up to 5th in the action. Carl was having a great battle in the midfield and running in 17th.

As the race moved into the last 4 laps, Ash was all over the back of Jake Hill and Aiden was looking great behind Chris Smiley. At the line, Ash was 5th and Aiden was 8th with Carl in 17th. This was a very good result for the team, setting them up for Race 2.

Race 2

With Ash starting 5^th and Aiden 8^th, as the lights went out Ash was immediately up to 3rd before the start of some rough stuff put him down to 5th and Aiden to 9th. By lap 11 there was rain on the windscreens but Ash was still 5th, with Aidan now 10th and Carl 20th. With 10 laps to go Ash was up to 4th and Aiden to 9th with Carl still in 20th.

With Ash pushing hard to try and get into 3rd, his title rival Tom Ingram was up into 2nd and it was all to play for. With no one willing to take any risks, the positions stayed the same but as when it came to the last lap Ash went for the gap and was up to 3rd! And then with 50 metres to go Ash took 2nd from the BMW of Tom Oliphant. Great stuff. The reverse-grid draw then took place putting Aiden in P4 and Ash in P11 to start Race 3.

Race 3

It was the last race of the weekend and it was still dry. Aiden had another very good start and was immediately up to 3rd off the line with Ash in 9th, with Carl up to 18th. On lap 2 Aiden did the fastest lap of the race so far and then took 2nd on lap 3 with his 15Kg of ballast.  Aiden maintained pressure on Adam Morgan at the front whilst defending from Jack Goff who was immediately behind him. But on Lap 11, Jack Goff took Aiden for 2nd at Clearways as he ran just a fraction wide, but of course Goff had no ballast on board. Ash was still in 10th despite his maximum ballast and Carl was in 19th. Lap 15 then saw actual rain falling, but it wasn’t heavy at this stage. With 5 laps to go, Aiden was getting real pressure from Jason Plato in 4th and the lap times were starting to go up as the rain started to reduce the grip. Right to the the final lap Aiden was trying everything he could to keep Plato back but Plato nudged him going into Clearways which meant that both cars were in a drag race up the main straight to see who would get to the chequered flag first and get the P3 podium.

Jack Goff: “Another solid day. It’s nice to continue our points scoring run and a podium was pay back for all the hard work that the boys and girls at the team have put in over the winter. Hopefully, this is just the start. We are chipping away at it, and we know where our weaknesses are which we are going to focus on at the Goodyear tyre test. If we can cure those, I think we will be challenging for podiums a lot more in the near future”.

Aron Taylor-Smith: “To me this weekend felt like a turning point for what the CUPRA can do. We saw what the pace is like in free practice but unfortunately, we just didn’t unlock any performance in qualifying which put us on the back foot. Races 1, 2 and 3 all went well. You can’t overlook the fact that we are racing against multiple race winners and champions this year in all 3 races.

“I do believe the CUPRA is starting to get to where it needs to be in order to challenge at the front. For me, at the two-day test next week we will really be focusing on qualifying and making sure that we can find a set up that can extract that one lap pace as I firmly believe that if we start at the front, we will remain at the front.

“I’d also like to say that I’m really happy for Jack. He thoroughly deserves that podium and the team too. It’s the start of what’s to come and hopefully, we will be up there with him at the next one.”

Nic Hamilton: “I had a very mixed weekend. Obviously, we want more as a team and I want more as a driver, however we are really making progress when it comes to race pace which is important. We just need to work on outright pace in qualifying to get us a bit further up the grid, but it’s a process.

“I know that I have a better race car than I do a qualifying car, so going into race 1 my target was to stay consistent and stay with everybody. We made some great moves in race 1 but I was struggling with my braking. I struggle to produce that initial peak pressure that you need to stop the car effectively with my left leg because of the biomechanics of my leg due to my condition. We have got a lot of things we need to try and change and improve to do that to stop me from overshooting the corners and outbraking myself.

“In race 2 we were just as competitive and strong which is a massive improvement from the last two rounds, and I really got stuck in. Then, going into race 3 we made a big change to try and keep the car alive for longer towards the end of the race which is where we struggle a lot. Unfortunately, I tapped Parfitt and caused some slight damage to my front bumper but it caused an issue with the ignition, we lost power and straight line speed and I had to pit which was pretty much the end of the race. However, I did get back out and tried to develop the car for the rest of the season. It’s all about keeping consistent and keeping the car alive through the race.

“I’m quite positive and will try my upmost to get myself as high up the grid as possible. We have a lot to come and a two-day tyre test coming up. I’m really looking forward to that and we still have 7 weekends left- I’m sure we are going to get further up the grid, get stronger generally and get some good results.”

Glynn Geddie: “Tricky day at the office on Sunday. The pace was there in the car and if I look at the lap times in detail we are just as quick as Jack and Aron. However, because we are out of position in qualifying it’s very difficult to overtake, especially at Brands Hatch. I think that was also proven throughout the day with the other drivers as well. When you’re stuck in a pack, you’re always only as fast as the car in the front of that pack which made it extremely difficult.

“Unfortunately, I had a bit of a tangle in race 2 which meant that the engine started overheating as there was grass in the intercooler and radiator which forced us into another race 2 retirement. That was extremely frustrating as we were making some good progress up the field and running as high as P20 at one stage.

“That put us on the back foot again for race 3 where we weren’t able to make up enough places to get our first point of the season. On reflection though, I have to be pleased with the pace and I’m just hoping my luck changes so I can have a clean weekend next time out at Oulton Park”.

Jack Goff: “We were struggling all morning to be honest. It seems to be the way, we end up turning up to a race weekend with a set up that we think should work, it happened at Snetterton too and then we have to steer away from it as the day goes on which is a bit of a strange one. We did the same here, rolled out in FP1, the car wasn’t great and then we made some changes for FP2 and it actually went worse. Then for qualifying we went away from our normal set up and the car was pretty good. It’s not brilliant, there are still a couple of temps I reckon we need to find, certainly in qualifying but I think come racing, we have a good race car that can do those lap times pretty consistently. I think we’ll be in the mix, have a clean first race and stay top 10, then we will see what happens from there.”

Aron Taylor-Smith: “To be fair, a pretty positive day. The end in qualifying isn’t what we wanted but our pace that was shown in FP1 and 2 is a pretty good indicator of what we will be able to do in the race. This is the story of developing a new car, we just don’t seem to have a set up now that will do a one lap wonder. Around here, a tenth to a tenth and a half is a difference of 4 or 5 places and that’s all we’re looking for. We’re just looking for a tenth and a half and all of a sudden we will be down the road.

“I am pretty optimistic about tomorrow’s races; we don’t have to rip the kitchen sink out of the car because we’re pretty happy running where we are. We will just keep progressing through races and see where we get too by the reverse grid time of race 2 and 3. In general, it’s a lot more positive than what the timing shows in qualifying because of what I have seen from the car in free practice”.

Nic Hamilton: “Today was a frustrating day. FP1 was looking really good for us and was the most comfortable I’ve felt in the car. I knew there was more to come after FP1 if we just made a couple of changes, I was feeling quite strong. Then we went out into FP2 and I did one lap, lost the rear on the cold tyres and ended up in the gravel. Unfortunately, the gravel ripped the side skirt off the car which meant FP2 was done for us. It was a real shame because that put us on the back foot going into qualifying as we weren’t able to do a qualifying sim and all the changes we made from FP1 to FP2 we weren’t able to try.

“We roll out for qualifying and we find four and a half tenths from FP1 which is positive, but I’ve lost that 40 minute session before qualifying, so we ended up not where I’d like to be but we will have a better race car tomorrow. It seems that everybody can drag a time out of the car literally for one lap and then after that they fall into our clutches. We will wait and see how we go tomorrow, I’m pretty good at gaining time and overtaking in the first couple of corners. My race car is strong, and I reckon I’ll have the race pace tomorrow to stay with it. Watch this space, we’re going forward.

Glynn Geddie: “Overall, I have to be pleased with the day as we qualified where we expected. I haven’t quite got the magic key to unlock the full potential of the CUPRA in qualifying as of yet unlike some of the other teams which means we do lag behind in qualifying. However, we know that in the race those guys will come back to us and Jack has shown today that the car is capable of running near the front. I’m confident that we will make some good places and be able to score our first points of the season.

Nic Hamilton: “Today has been a tough one but with a lot of positives to take from it. Race 1 was OK, we just seemed to struggle for overall race pace but we were developing the car as it went through the day so were trying a few new things and I finished the race which was good. We were on the soft tyre for the first race and our pace was comparable to the guys around us which was great.

“For race 2 we changed something, and the car wasn’t as good as it was for race 1. We were on the medium tyre and I just tried to stay with it which we did however, we were still lacking the overall pace that I would like.

“I would say race 3 was the best race start I’ve done in a long time, gaining 5 places on the first lap and running with them really well. It got to lap 3 and 4 and it was as if the car just went off, everyone else seemed to continue the same pace and unfortunately, I dropped down a good second a lap or so and dropped away from the field. Then from there I was over defending and had a little spin into Agostini and that was pretty much the end of the race.

“Despite that, race 3 is positive to look at, especially the first 3 or 4 laps. We’ve got to go back to the drawing board and understand how we can keep the car alive after the first 4 laps and then we’ll be laughing.”

Jack Goff: “In race 1 I went from P13 to P12 which was OK. It was the first race I’d done on medium tyres so I was stepping into the unknown once again but the car balance wasn’t amazing and we struggled a little bit on outright pace.

“Then going into race 2 we made some changes and the car was much better. It was our first race on the softs so again it was a step into the unknown. Then for race 3 we went back onto the medium tyres again. In that race I had contact and dropped to around 13^thor 14^th on the grid but slowly started to make my way back through the pack again and got back to P9.

“It’s a testament to everybody at the team really because this is the second weekend that we have finished in the points for all 3 races. So far that’s 6 races, 6 points finishes and 3 top tens. I think everybody should be pretty proud of that, we can work from there and keep pushing on. Next time were on mediums we will know what to expect and I can’t wait to go again.

Glynn Geddie: “I’m not sure when my luck is going to change. Unfortunately, when you start near the back which I had to due to the fuel issue during qualifying, you always end up getting caught up in two or three incidents on a weekend and that’s what ended up happening to my challenge today.

“Race 1 was OK. I made steady progress up the field but again, this isn’t where I want to be. For race 2 I was starting from that higher position and I was thinking that it would be my chance to get into the points like Jack and Aron managed to achieve today, but unfortunately someone a little to keen on the breaks ended up hitting into the back rear corner of my car, breaking the acryonm plate and that ruined my race. I then had to head back to the pits for a DNF.

“In the final race of the day I managed to show some of my pace and kept my nose clean. It was good to come home in P22. Again, this is not what we’re after and we can see that there is pace in the car but unfortunately, I’ve had limited running due to various incidents out of my control. Fingers crossed for Brands Hatch that I can have a clean weekend, get lots of running and utilise the knowledge from the other guys to elevate us further up the field.”

Aron Taylor-Smith: “This weekend reminded me of the ups and downs of what British Touring Cars are. In race 1 and 2 we picked up battle scars from other cars who were unfortunately being a little bit more robust than what I’m used to. There was a bit of damage here and there which hampered our performance and our rate of progress in both races. The damage that was sustained is a lot of hard work for the team; it was almost a whole new front end, a new cooling package, new everything that needed to go on the car in such a short turn around. For the team to get the car back out again for race 3 is impressive, but we still had just a little slight hangover issue which is to be expected when everything was such a rush.

“For race 3, we didn’t have the full potential of what the full package could do in race 3 but we still got back into the points. Right now we have a car that can run comfortably in 10th to 15^th and I think in another meeting or 2 we will have a car that can run comfortably in 5^th to 10^th and then in another meeting after that we’ll have a car that will run comfortably in 1^st to 5^th .

“All I can say is everyone within Team HARD. is doing an exceptional job. This is all brand-new and that’s how it needs to be approached. It’s a brand new team, brand new kit, brand new cars, brand new staff and being a new driver myself it’s a lot of work but they are taking it in their stride, and this is only the start. If these weekends are the worst weekends that the team have to endure for the year, I think we’re going to be in a good place.”

The BTCC continues in two weeks’ time at Brands Hatch for round 3 of the championship.

Glynn Geddie: “Firstly I want to say a big thank you to the team for getting the car ready for this weekend. Although we had a five week break it was touch and go whether we would make this weekend due to the state of the car and the supply line for new parts. As the CUPRA Leon is a such a new road car, it’s nearly impossible to get certain parts for it!

“FP1 was just about finding our feet and getting the CUPRA run in as it’s essentially a new car. We upped the tempo in FP2 and found some good pace in the car. We were still a bit off Jack in the lead CUPRA but after looking through the data after the session I was confident that I would be able to really close the gap to him and move further up the grid for qualifying.

“Unfortunately, a fuel line issue which was out of the boys control put pay to that. It’s frustrating when an issue means you can’t go out and run with the rest of the grid but it’s even more annoying when the part failure is something that costs so little. Anyhow, we go again tomorrow and the only way is up!”

Jack Goff: “Last season we would have snapped someone’s arm off for P14 on the grid but in the new CUPRA and after FP2’s performance, I have to say I’m a bit disappointed with where we ended up.

“We had the wrong setup on for FP1 but after that session the car has felt really strong and we have been making consistent progress with the car doing what I want and that’s a positive. It’s providing us with a platform to move the car closer into the right direction.

“In qualifying you always push the car and yourself to the limit to get inside the top 10 but today I was even more on it to try and sneak into the top 10 shoot out, a special one off qualifying session for this season. We were just four tenths away which is agonisingly close but unfortunately it wasn’t meant to be.

“Staying positive though, it’s our best qualifying of the season and we have a very consistent race car so I’m confident that if we can keep our nose clean, we can finish well within the points tomorrow to keep our run of consecutive points paying finishes going onto Brands Hatch.”

Aron Taylor-Smith: “Today was a really disappointing result, but I’m very happy with the car. We had issues in FP1 and FP2 but during those sessions, it was one of the first times that I felt like the car performed really well. The balance was good, and everything was working for us but this didn’t show in the time.

“If we were here by ourselves and we didn’t have any other cars on the grid, I’d say the CUPRA is at the level of grip it needs to be to do a good time and I think that’s what’s difficult. Everything in that car that can be controlled within the team they have executed extremely well but I just feel we could be lacking a bit of engine power in comparison to some of the other carss. Others have their own power units and they can control things in them that little bit more in quail.

“Other than that, the car was very consistent. It was good to drive and I think it’ll look after the tyres, we just have to keep our head down and try to go for 15th in race 1, 10th in race 2 and then see where we get to in race 3.”

Nic Hamilton: “It’s been a tough day, tougher than expected but it’s a new car and we can’t be expecting too much at the moment. I was expecting to be higher up. I would say that the car is a lot harder than I thought it would be here at Snet since we tested it here a couple of months ago.

“I didn’t really hook my laps up together which is why we’re off the back row, but I reckon we will have a better race car tomorrow so I’m looking forward to making some places up. When it comes to touring cars it’s all about surviving as well. We’re doing a lot of work overnight so I’m expecting to have a bit more overall pace tomorrow and I think the races will be fine.”

Jack Goff: “This was our first weekend in the brand new CUPRA and overall we’ve got to look at it as a massive positive. I came into this weekend wanting to finish all three races and pick up some points where we could, and we’ve achieved both of those things. This weekend was unfortunate for Glynn but obviously it is a massive testament to everyone at Team HARD. and Willie Poole for building a very safe and strong car.

“We have progressed the car every single session. A first weekend in a new car is never easy, let alone at Thruxton which I think shows up any issues with a car because its high speed, bumpy, has high braking zones, high speed corners and you’re on a harder tyre so you haven’t got as much grip to hide any faults with the car. Then throw into the mix that every time we got on track this weekend it has been different conditions. We had heavy rain in FP1, FP2 was a drying track on wets, in qualifying we started on wets, then went to slicks in the damp. Race 1 was our first time in the dry and driving the car on the hard tyre, and then we made changes for race 2 which were positive. Our pace was a lot better in race 2 and we almost ran a second between race 1 and 2 which was great. Then for race 3 it was wet again, everyone was on different tyres, it was dry in phases, then heavy rain, so overall it was a really tough weekend.

“However, the car ran faultlessly and we have managed to make improvements in every condition. We can come away from the weekend with our heads held high, but not getting ahead of ourselves. We are currently fighting in the top 10 and are sitting just on the outskirts for outright pace which is good for the first weekend in the car out of a 29-car grid. I think we need to find two tenths which is very achievable to get ourselves sitting comfortably within the top 10. To be battling works BMW’s and works Honda’s is a great achievement, I think everyone at Team HARD. should hold their heads high.

“I’m looking forward to getting together again and seeing what we can do at Snetterton. Until then, I’m going to be mainly renovating my new house, I’ve got some work which is nice as it feels like some sort of normality is coming back and then I will also be attending the HARD. mega day which is on the 26^th May. I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of people there and hopefully some of you at Snetterton.”

Aron-Taylor Smith: “For the CUPRA’s first weekend, every variable possible was thrown at it, from a new tyre compound on the hard tyre, to changeable conditions, to wet conditions, to even just running on wets for the first time, there were so many variables that needed to be overcome throughout the weekend and to be fair, everyone in the team took it in their stride.

“We made significant progress between race 1 and 2 and again from 2 to 3. For me, I’ve left there more confident than I’ve ever been in this team. This package, this new chassis, I know that everything has enormous potential and that it will challenge at the front. We are scraping at the surface of what it can achieve and already we are on the pace which is an enormous credit to everyone in the team, on the engineering and mechanical side and on the media side too.

“It’s also not lost on me that this is my first touring car and front wheel drive race weekend in 4 years and my first race weekend in over 12 months. For the team to have made me feel as comfortable as I am within the car, the crew and the race conditions is a credit again to the structure that both Tony and Jamie have built. It’s only the start, and I can already tell there is going to be a very successful future. I couldn’t be happier to come away with a few good races under my belt knowing that we have a lot of potential and now we will roll into Snetterton and hopefully be in an even better place.”

Nic Hamilton: “Today has been a decent day and a learning day. For race 1 we were in the mix, but we had a grass and overheating issue with the engine which meant I had to pit and ended up a couple of laps down. Then Race 2 was all about trying to develop the car to make it better and stronger. Thruxton is such as hard circuit, its high speed, you need to have a lot of confidence and belief in the car, and you need to know the car like the back of your hand. Obviously, this is a new car for us and the first time we’ve driven it in the dry, the wet and on hard tyres as well so there is still a lot to learn but the team have been fantastic, and I’d say the car has been pretty faultless with no issues which is great.

“Race 3 I would say was a strong race for me. We were on the wet tyre and we seemed like we had good pace in comparison to the other wet runners. The problem is that our car goes off after a good 3 or 4 laps and that’s the development that we need to make. We need to keep on top of it and understand why to keep us in the pocket. P17 for me from P22 is pretty decent, I’m happy to bring the car home in one piece considering its Thruxton which is generally a nightmare which was highlighted by some others peoples weekend. All round I had a good solid weekend.

“There’s a lot of work for me to do on my pace but I think this is going to be my worst weekend of the year and it was still not too bad so I’m going to keep pushing and we are going to get stronger. Between now and Snetterton, on the 26^th May we have the mega day where I will be giving some passenger rides in my old school CC touring car from last year. I’m really excited to do that and have been wanting to take people out for a long time, so this will be a proud moment for me. I will also be doing some stuff for F1 e-sports and i’m going to Senegal for the next round of the extreme E race, supporting and representing Lewis’ X44 team before coming back to fight at Snetterton.”

Glynn Geddie: “I’m back in the BTCC with a literal bang. That wasn’t the weekend we were after, especially seeing the potential that the other guys in the CUPRA were able to show on race day in both the wet and dry conditions. I’m really disappointed to have only really raced in race 1 which was basically a shakedown of the car after Saturday’s incident which also put us on the back foot.

“Race 1 was great. I made progress through the field which I was pleased about considering this race for me was all about finding balance in the car and we learnt that there was some work to do on the set up of the car after the race. For race 2 I was excited to move forward further and try and get into that final few points paying positions to reward my guys for re-building the front end of the car after Saturday but unfortunately, it seems that wasn’t meant to be. I was caught up in a three-car tangle down at turn 1 on the opening lap which has ruined the car. It was a case of the wrong place at the wrong time for me and I am just devastated for all the team as I know how much effort they have put into building these new CUPRA’s. It was one of those things I just couldn’t avoid but I’m OK, I did go to the medical centre for a few checks, but I was confirmed to be OK pretty soon after the accident which is a testament to the guys who have built a safe car and shown that touring cars is a super safe sport to participate in.

“For now, it’s back to the drawing board and back to Scotland for me. My season really starts at the next round at Snetterton where hopefully I will be able to come back stronger, complete more laps, get some points on the board and see a few of the fans there too.”