Johnny Herbert is gearing up for his highly anticipated race debut in the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) at Silverstone this weekend (29/30 August). The former F1 driver says there couldn’t be a better circuit than Silverstone - scene of his 1995 British Grand Prix victory - at which to get his first taste of the fender-bending action that makes the BTCC such a hit with the public.
Herbert has signed to race in the UK’s premier motor racing series with former title-winning squad Team Dynamics, and this marks a significant change in the style of racing he’s used to in F1 and sports cars.
Speaking ahead of the weekend Herbert commented, “I’m going to be going three or four abreast into corners for the first time since my Formula Ford and Formula 3 days in the mid-Eighties.
“I’ll be up against some of the best touring car names in the world with the likes of Matt Neal, Jason Plato and Fabrizio Giovanardi and I’ve seen what these boys get up to along the way….scraping panels and having a wing mirror or bumper taken off is part of the game and it’s something I’m going to have to adapt to quickly.”
He added: “Silverstone is a fitting place for me to begin what is the start of a new chapter in my career. I’ve got memories of some great races here in the past. It was always a special place for me, but then of course I got my win in the Grand Prix in ‘95. It’s where I was able to experience something that not many British drivers have, so I suppose it makes it that bit extra special.”
Herbert joins the BTCC grid at what could be a critical stage in the race for the title. Northern Ireland’s Colin Turkington, aiming for his first Drivers’ crown, will arrive at Silverstone leading the championship but by just nine points from Italian megastar Giovanardi, the BTCC champion for the past two years.
Local favourite Jason Plato (Oxford) and Matt Neal are also still in with a realistic chance of the title. Turkington and Plato are both looking forward to three important races at Silverstone on Sunday: “I don’t recall ever having won a race at Silverstone, and the BTCC is more competitive than ever” commented Turkington. “I have had a very good run out of this year and with three rounds to go I am in a great position being nine points ahead. I think Silverstone is a circuit that should suit the BMW more than the previous round, I just need to try and hang in there and hope Jason [Plato] doesn’t win all three races.”
“I definitely feel that the Chevrolet will be very fast at Silverstone, it is a circuit which will suit the car and the target is three race wins”, commented Plato.
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