Wrotham based Airwaves Racing returned to form and the podium at the weekend as the MSA British Touring Car Championship roared back into life in spectacular fashion.
The championship’s return from the extended summer break saw a rejuvenated Airwaves Racing squad refocus its challenge on the championship with Mat Jackson claiming a stunning second place finish in the weekend’s finale backed up with a further three top ten results for the Motorbase-run outfit.
With the Norfolk circuit basking in glorious August sunshine, Saturday’s free practice sessions promised so much for Airwaves Racing with Mat Jackson sitting in P2 for most of the sessions. Jackson however was left feeling a little frustrated by the traffic on track with his best attempt at a fast lap hindered and the Airwaves man had to be content with a credible P9 finish.
Airwaves Racing team-mate Fabrizio Giovanardi used the session to trial new a set-up on the number seven Focus ST as a grid drop penalty from round 5 at Croft meant the Italian would start the weekend at the back of the grid.
Sunday’s opening race started well for both Airwaves cars with Jackson making his way up into P6 by the first corner. Fabrizio made a blistering start on the Dunlop soft compound tyres making up an incredible 11 places by the end of the first lap.
As the race progressed it was a case of zero to hero for the double BTCC champion as the Italian showed his true class in the Mountune-powered Ford Focus ST, astonishingly managing to keep his nose clean as he systematically worked his way through the field to finally cross the line in P13, an improvement of 18 positions.
Mat’s success was marred slightly by a tyre issue that dropped him slightly further back down the order, but the Airwaves man held on well to pull back a P8 finish at the chequered flag.
With race 2 marking Mat’s 250th BTCC race, the Airwaves Racing driver was presented with a special commemorative ‘Sampson’ laurel; a Motorbase Performance team talisman. The little injection of luck certainly seemed to pay off for the Airwaves Focus ST’s with both cars managing to avoid Menu’s Passat as it spun across the track on the opening lap.
With the Airwaves duo escaping unscathed, both Mat and Fabrizio took full advantage of the melee to steal into P6 and P7 before the appearance of the safety car. As the race restarted, Fabrizio gallantly held off a robust challenge from Aron Smith and both Mat and Fabrizio ended the race in P6 and P7 respectively.
The reversed grid draw result for the final race of the day saw Fabrizio and Mat slot into P2 and P3 and the Airwaves pair looked set to challenge for the lead straight off the line. Both Fabrizio and Mat made a good start to race and were right on the pace of race leader Smith with less than half a second between them. As the race progressed Mat’s soft tyre selection came into play and the Airwaves pair switched positions before Mat mounted his first challenge on the lead.
Fabrizio played the perfect team-mate role, holding off a charging Turkington and the following pack for the closing laps of the race.
As the final lap unfolded an uncharacteristic error by Fabrizio resulted in the #7 Focus leaving the track and the Italian took contact as he re-joined and dropped down the order to end the race in P13.
Despite Mat running side by side with Smith as they battled for the win in the closing laps, the Airwaves man just couldn’t make the move stick and the #6 Focus crossed the line in P2, marking Mat’s third podium of the season.
Speaking after the weekends racing, Jackson said: “We’ve gone forward in every race which is great you can’t ask for any more. Overall it’s been a very positive weekend. The changes that have been made to the car in the last race have definitely put a direction in the car where I feel we need to go.”
“It’s very timely with the test coming up on Tuesday, it means we can investigate and develop on that going forward. We’re in a good place, all we need to do is keep out of trouble in the championship and that’s the aim from my side. Just not to make mistakes and get involved in trouble.”
The weekend’s provisional results see Mat consolidate his sixth position in the overall and fourth in the independents driver standings. Fabrizio currently lies tenth overall and sixth in the independents standings whilst the Airwaves Racing team maintains its fourth place position in the overall teams’ and third in the Independent teams’ standings.
Next stop on the BTCC calendar is Knockhill, Scotland over the August bank holiday weekend (August 23/24).
Pictures supplied by http://www.pspimages.co.uk/