Tom Jackson had an excellent season in the Duo BRDCF4 Championship finishing third overall in just his second season in the series.

Not only did he finish third, but he also netted his first victories in racing to ensure that the season really was something special.

Speaking to Kent Sports News about his season, Tom said: “I ended the season on a high, it was just qualifying that was the one place where it went wrong. I think we were struggling with the set-up on the Friday and that is because we weren’t with the British GT, we were struggling to get the tyres in.

“We finally figured out for race three what the problem was, so for race three we finally got it together and I tried more things out as well, and it shows what I can do when it is finally handling ok, although it still wasn’t great. If I have got something underneath me then I can deliver.”

Whilst Tom did finish third overall he was going into the final weekend of the season in with a chance of finishing second, but for the set-up of the car.

He added: “I did feel quite let down to be honest at Donington as well as Brands, and I feel let down because the car just wasn’t on point.

“For myself I think I deserved second in the championship, I know that I have been a consistently better driver than Harri Newey, I am not trying to be big headed or anything, but I know that he hasn’t deserved it as much as someone like me has.

“Someone who is with a smaller team and hasn’t done that much testing, and I am not racing in two championships and I have tried to prove myself this year. I really do feel like I have let myself down a bit by not winning the championship this season.

Taking it season by season though Tom has made progress in leaps and bounds, challenging for wins and podiums and that can be something that he can take into whatever he does in 2016.

“When you go into racing you want to be at the front, challenging for podiums and winning races that is what your aim is. Looking back on it challenging at the top end of the championship and finishing third is a massive achievement, I think every single weekend apart from Oulton Park and Donington I have been consistent and on the podium.

“It is the best season that I have ever had in racing and it just goes to show that I am improving and I should be out there on the maps of the bigger teams, and looking at putting me in one of their seats.”

Based on his progress this season, should Tom decide that he wants to stay in the F4 championship for next season then he should be challenging for the title.

He said: “If I stay then yes I should be challenging, but I don’t know yet what I will be staying in the championship or not next year. It is all up in the air and I am mainly focussing on racing in sports cars for next year.

“I could test and F4 car and enjoy that as it is quite close to F3 racing now, and it would be great to do that, but I do have an opportunity that is on my doorstep for next year that we do need to find out some more information about, if that comes off it would be a great thing to do.

“We are probably looking at moving out of single seater racing as the budgets are just going to get big for me.”

With Tom targeting sports cars there are a lot of series and therefore potential moves open to Tom for the 2016 season.

He added: “I have to think what is best for me and my career and the factors that go into that, seat time, financial backing, media backing etc.

“We have to consider what the sponsors are going to want and media interest and what is best for me and my future. A lot of those factors are pointing towards sports car racing for me at the moment.

“My aim is racing in the Le Mans 24 Hours and in the World Endurance Championships, I know that I have to prove myself to big teams as a young driver as big manufacturers and teams are in these series as well.

“You never know you could get picked up and I could start to get paid soon, whereas if I was in single seaters I would have to be paying lots and lots of money for a lot more years. I have to think about what is best for me.

“If I want to be a paid driver I have to be reasonable about what I am likely to achieve I think and sports cars is the way. I would love to do that and it has always been my aim to race at Le Mans.”

Finally we asked Tom what his highlights for the season were and whether it was his first ever race wins.

He said: “I had never won a car race before and then I won two in a year, one of those in quite dramatic style. I came from last having made a quick decision as we were forming up to change tyres and then carve my way through the field on a damp wet track.

“That was a great moment and I didn’t actually know that I had won, when I realised that I had won it was just such an overwhelming feeling. I have also battled hard this season with some of the best single seater drivers in the UK, which is an achievement. I think looking back on it the whole season has been an achievement.”

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