Wrotham based Airwaves Racing are back on track in the MSA British Touring Car Championship this weekend looking to continue their recent good form.

Donington Park supplied non-stop racing drama over the Easter weekend with both Airwaves Racing drivers sharing the spoils of the weekend’s results, topped by Mat Jackson narrowly missing out on a trip to the podium with a P4 finish in the thrilling final race.

Speaking ahead of the weekend, Mat Jackson said: “We finished on a high at Donington Park and hopefully we can carry that form into this weekend. We had a 1-2 at Thruxton in the BMW a few years back so it would be nice if we could do the same again.”

“It’s a very unique circuit, it’s very fast and we need to have a stable car and we still need to do a bit of work on that, we’re honing in on that on the rear stability but hopefully we can go to Thruxton and be challenging where we need to. We need to be qualifying in the top six and then all of a sudden it’s a different weekend that you can control as opposed to having to take some big gambles.”

The weekend’s strong results saw Airwaves Racing strengthen its position in the overall teams’ standings and move up into third position in the independent teams’ championship, and the Motorbase-run squad hope to carry this form into Sunday’s three races as the Mountune-powered Ford Focus ST’s tackle the fast-flowing Hampshire circuit. 

Crabbie’s Racing driver Jack Clarke also celebrated scoring his first outright BTCC point at Donington Park and the 26 year old is ready to add to this as he prepares to extend his tin-top education on the challenging Aerodrome circuit.

Thruxton has given Airwaves Racing and Motorbase much cause for celebration in previous years, with Mat Jackson taking race wins here in 2012 and 2011 in the S2000 Focus. The formerly named ‘Airwaves BMW’ team also secured its first ever 1-2 finish here with Mat and Steven Kane back in 2010. Airwaves Racing’s Italian signing Fabrizio Giovanardi has his own enviable record around the fearsome circuit, having scored seven victories here during his BTCC career – including an incredible double race win during his last appearance at the South-West track.

Giving his thoughts ahead of the weekend, Giovanardi said: “If I have to compare the old days I think Thruxton is one of my favourite circuits because I’ve won a lot there over the years. I love the high speed that makes the difference between the fast and slow driver. The fast corners put adrenaline into yourself and make a big challenge for the driver, and when you do make a mistake the risks are big! Last time at Thruxton I got two race wins – I have good, happy memories there.

“It is really important that the car is stable to be fast here because it’s running flat out all through the circuit so the balance is always important. To be fast we have to be really, really perfect and at the moment we’re not there.” 

The weekend’s racing action gets underway at Thruxton on May 3/4. Live coverage of Sunday’s events will be shown on ITV4, itv.com and also in HD from 10.30am – 6pm, with itv.com featuring live streaming online of Saturdays qualifying session between 3.40 and 4.10pm.

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