Motorbase Performance BMW drivers Steven Kane and Rob Collard are gearing up for a major battle in Round Seven of the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship at Oulton Park tomorrow (Sunday).
The Motorbase team have been in fine form over the past few events, with both Kane and Collard collecting points on a regular basis and achieving one of the team’s main objectives for the second half of the season – a podium finish – at the last round at Snetterton.
However, the Kent-based squad have found qualifying more difficult than scoring points all season, and encountered a similar situation at Oulton Park today (Saturday). Ulsterman Kane qualified in 16th position, putting him on the eighth row of the grid. His team-mate, Hampshire-based Rob Collard is just behind him in 17th place on the ninth row.
Team boss David Bartrum will look to Kane and Collard to reproduce the kind of race pace that has made Motorbase Performance so competitive recently – and bring home its BMW 320s in scoring positions once again.
Motorbase Performance Team Principal David Bartrum said:
“It’s disappointing we haven’t been able to translate the great pace we’ve shown over the past few races into good qualifying times here at Oulton Park. However, I expect we will be a lot stronger in the race situation so we’ll be looking for both Steven and Rob to push on and get themselves into the points.”
Motorbase Performance Team Driver Steven Kane said:
“Obviously I’m a little bit disappointed after qualifying as I hoped to be further up the order. We’re struggling with the set up a little bit as it’s our first time here with this car. We can definitely go quicker on race day but it’s going to be hard from where we are on the grid. The car is very quick off the line though so I will try and use that to make up some places.”
Motorbase Performance Team Driver Rob Collard said:
“We’re not really in the window we need to be in terms of set up. However, the front wheel drive cars seem to be working their tyres harder whereas we are getting a more even level of performance throughout the sessions, so that could prove to be an advantage in the races. We will race a lot stronger than we qualified, and although we’ll have to battle hard in race one we should come into our own as the day goes on.”
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