HOWELL TAKES SILVERSTONE POLE BUT PROBLEMS FOR PLATO
Gareth Howell has taken pole position for the first of tomorrow’s
three (Sunday) title-deciding Dunlop MSA British Touring Car
Championship rounds at the Silverstone circuit in Northamptonshire.
Meanwhile, there were differing fortunes for arch title rivals
Matt Neal and Jason Plato who qualified third and 13th fastest.
Howell, driving a Team Halfords Honda, achieved pole in a
time of 1m00.411s. Team RAC MG driver Colin Turkington, who
has an outside chance of winning the title, was second fastest
in a time of 1m00.587s.
For championship leader Neal, who tomorrow could clinch a
second straight Drivers’ crown, third place is ideal
as nearest title challenger Plato will be starting five rows
further behind him after managing only the 13th fastest time.
SEAT’s Darren Turner, Vauxhall’s Tom Chilton
and Team Halfords’ Gordon Shedden completed the top
six. Seventh, adding to SEAT’s numbers in the Leon he
races in the World Touring Car Championship, was James Thompson.
Beckenham-based Howell, who achieved pole and also his only
BTCC race win to date at Silverstone 12 months ago, said:
“I want every round next season to be here at Silverstone!
The circuit just suits me, the set up of the car is perfect
and not having any success ballast in my car probably helps
a bit. My priority is to help Team Halfords win the Teams’
title, but if I have a chance to win then I’ll gladly
take it.”
Turkington, from Portadown and whose MG runs on bio-ethanol
fuel, said: “I’m not even thinking of the title
– at 49 points behind Matt it’s too much. But
getting second back off Jason is looking good. I’m higher
up the grid than I thought was possible and he seems to be
struggling a bit so I have a chance. Also, after the disappointment
of Knockhill where I retired from the lead I really want to
get that first win for bio-ethanol.”
Reigning champion Neal, from Droitwich, was overjoyed with
third, considering his car is carrying the maximum success
ballast of 45kgs. He will be assured of the Drivers’
title in tomorrow’s first race if he finishes it with
his current 35-point lead over Plato still in tact.
Neal added: “I feel like we’re in a steeple chase
and the championship is there ahead of us and we’ve
just got over the first hurdle. To have Gareth on pole and
Gordon up there as well leaves us sitting pretty. It’s
not a disappointment for me to see Jason down the order. But
tomorrow is another day and there’s a lot of pressure
on everyone in the team whether it goes our way or not.”
Plato, from Oxford, admitted his title chances were now all
but over, adding that his priority would be to score SEAT
the points it needs to wrap up the coveted Manufacturers’
title – ending Vauxhall’s five-year dominance.
The 2001 champion said: “A gearbox problem in the second
practice session meant we never got a chance to sort out a
few problems we’d had earlier in the day and it’s
cost us. The car has no balance and no grip and we don’t
really know why. It’s a great shame because even though
Matt has a very comfortable lead and is the firm favourite
I at least wanted to be in a position to put him under a bit
of pressure, but I don’t think that’s possible
now. We’ll see, but my priority is to work towards getting
SEAT the Manufacturers’ title it deserves.”
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