Jerry Zedman
20-04-2006, 07:20 AM
Taken from BTCC.Net:
Bennetts hoping for more surprises
Team RAC team principal Dick Bennetts says he is looking forward to seeing his squad’s MG ZSs continue to silence the doubters in this coming Sunday’s latest rounds of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.
Driver Colin Turkington took a pair of runner-up spots in Brands Hatch’s opening rounds ten days ago to currently lie second in the Drivers’ standings behind SEAT’s James Thompson. Team RAC also leads the Independents Trophy’s Drivers’ and Teams’ championships, ahead of reigning Champion outfit Team Halfords.
That’s despite the fact that the ZS is effectively five years old – it first appeared in the BTCC back in 2001 and Bennetts’ WSR company has developed the cars ever since, winning races each season and even challenging for the title outright in 2004. With new title sponsorship from the RAC, there is an extra motivation to succeed.
And said Bennetts: “Mondello is a circuit that suits the handling of our car and we’re realistically aiming for podium positions this weekend. There’s a quiet air of confidence among the team and that’s all credit to the long hours spent developing what some may consider a car past its potential. I think we surprised a few people at Brands Hatch and proved what a competitive package Team RAC has put together.”
Turkington will arrive at Mondello with the heaviest car on the grid overall – that includes the extra 36kgs that the car of the championship’s second-placed driver must carry into the next meeting.
But Ulsterman Turkington has won at Mondello for the past two years and is feeling confident about his chances. He said: “Going on past races at Mondello and my current good form I feel in good shape just as long as we can find the perfect set-up for qualifying and be on top of the car early on. The 36kgs of success ballast shouldn’t be too much of a problem now that we’ve got that extra bit of performance from the engine.”
Team-mate Robert Collard is also looking to add to his strong showing in Brands Hatch’s opening rounds. Last year at Mondello in the MG, Collard twice bounced back from early knocks to come through and finish third – a spirited performance that earned him the circuit’s Will Hoy Memorial Trophy, named in honour of the great, late 1992 BTCC Champion. Collard said: “To be honest Mondello is not one of my favoured circuits, but this is more than made up for by the Irish crowd, who are just fantastic. The MG has always been strong here and if the set-up comes good, then I’ll be aiming straight for the podium.”
Bennetts hoping for more surprises
Team RAC team principal Dick Bennetts says he is looking forward to seeing his squad’s MG ZSs continue to silence the doubters in this coming Sunday’s latest rounds of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.
Driver Colin Turkington took a pair of runner-up spots in Brands Hatch’s opening rounds ten days ago to currently lie second in the Drivers’ standings behind SEAT’s James Thompson. Team RAC also leads the Independents Trophy’s Drivers’ and Teams’ championships, ahead of reigning Champion outfit Team Halfords.
That’s despite the fact that the ZS is effectively five years old – it first appeared in the BTCC back in 2001 and Bennetts’ WSR company has developed the cars ever since, winning races each season and even challenging for the title outright in 2004. With new title sponsorship from the RAC, there is an extra motivation to succeed.
And said Bennetts: “Mondello is a circuit that suits the handling of our car and we’re realistically aiming for podium positions this weekend. There’s a quiet air of confidence among the team and that’s all credit to the long hours spent developing what some may consider a car past its potential. I think we surprised a few people at Brands Hatch and proved what a competitive package Team RAC has put together.”
Turkington will arrive at Mondello with the heaviest car on the grid overall – that includes the extra 36kgs that the car of the championship’s second-placed driver must carry into the next meeting.
But Ulsterman Turkington has won at Mondello for the past two years and is feeling confident about his chances. He said: “Going on past races at Mondello and my current good form I feel in good shape just as long as we can find the perfect set-up for qualifying and be on top of the car early on. The 36kgs of success ballast shouldn’t be too much of a problem now that we’ve got that extra bit of performance from the engine.”
Team-mate Robert Collard is also looking to add to his strong showing in Brands Hatch’s opening rounds. Last year at Mondello in the MG, Collard twice bounced back from early knocks to come through and finish third – a spirited performance that earned him the circuit’s Will Hoy Memorial Trophy, named in honour of the great, late 1992 BTCC Champion. Collard said: “To be honest Mondello is not one of my favoured circuits, but this is more than made up for by the Irish crowd, who are just fantastic. The MG has always been strong here and if the set-up comes good, then I’ll be aiming straight for the podium.”