Tech-Speed Confident Of Good Showing At Knockhill
The GoMobileUK.com with Tech-Speed team are hopeful of a strong performance at Knockhill this weekend for rounds 19, 20 and 21 of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.
Lead driver Paul O’Neill heads to the Scottish circuit in an upbeat mood having secured his second podium finish of the season last time out at Snetterton when he finished second in the third race of the day.
O’Neill currently sits tenth in the overall championship standings and sixth amongst the Independents’ and will hope to at least repeat
his Snetterton podium when racing gets underway at the picturesque circuit overlooking the Firth of Forth.
He said: “Whereas in the past I’ve said the aim is to be inside the top ten, I’m going to Knockhill aiming to be in the top six all weekend and I hope to come away from race day with at least a podium finish to my name. It’ll be a big ask, but we showed as a team at Snetterton that we are more than capable of fighting at the front.
“Before the season started, we didn’t do much testing which meant we were on the back foot a bit through the first half of the year, but we have worked hard on the set-up of the Chevrolet to get it better suited to my driving style. That played a part in our results at Snetterton and on paper Knockhill is a circuit that should suit the Cruze. The first goal is to qualify well and that will hopefully set us up for three strong races.”
Team mate John George enjoyed one of his best weekends in the BTCC last season at Knockhill, where he ran strongly throughout at the
wheel of his older BTC-spec Honda Integra. With this in mind George has targeted Knockhill as the place to finally break into the top ten for the first time this season.
He said: “I had a really good weekend at Knockhill in the Honda last year. Battling with Gordon Shedden was a real highlight and showed it’s a circuit that suits me. We went well on the Indy layout at Brands Hatch earlier in the season, which is another short and twisty circuit, and I’m confident of a good weekend in Scotland.
“Even though I didn’t get the results at Snetterton last time out, I was a lot happier in terms of the pace we showed, as I was able to compete against the turbo cars. Heading to Knockhill, I really feel this is the weekend where I can break my duck for the season and get into the points.
“If I was a betting man, I’d say Knockhill is my best chance yet of a top ten finish and I hope I’m proved right at the end of it.”
Live coverage of the weekend’s action can be seen on ITV4 and the ITV website.
Photo Credit: Pete Mainey (http://www.psmmotorsportimages.co.uk)
Thomas Surgay
