- 2 months ago
see more Racing on :
https://rebrand.ly/SpeedWorld
https://rebrand.ly/SpeedWorld
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Sponsored by Green Flag Motoring Assistance, dedicated to getting to you faster.
00:30Hello and welcome to rounds 7, 8 and 9 of the 2004 British Touring Car Championship.
00:36Now, last time we were out at Brands Hatch, the weather was divine.
00:39Here at Silverstone, it's not so divine, and a greasy track should prove for some interesting races.
00:44And this track opens up the possibility of interesting races anyway.
00:47The last time Jason Plato raced here, he and our reigning champion Ivan Muller had a coming together a couple of years ago,
00:53but the controversy still remains. Even now, Jason reckons that if Ivan was a real man, he'd come up and own up and apologise.
00:59So, that sets things up nicely for this one.
01:02There are several corners at this track where the last minute lunge is definitely planned by a lot of drivers,
01:07into Priory, into Brooklands, into the Abbey hairpin.
01:09The sort of place where you get three cars all going in and only one perhaps coming out.
01:13So, I think we're going to have to keep our eyes peeled and watch for a lot of action at Silverstone today.
01:17And let's just have a sneaky peek to show you what the boys got up to at Brands Hatch.
01:29So far this season, we've had six great races with five different winners and hoping to be on the podium very soon at Proton.
01:46Their 2004 driver line-up brings an international flavour to the touring car scene,
01:51in the shape of Malaysian Farik Harriman and South African Sean Watson Smith.
01:56The 33-year-old team leader has been a works driver in his native country for some ten years,
02:01but this season he has to learn about a host of new circuits, unfamiliar rivals and ever-changing weather conditions.
02:07He's already managed to make his mark in the first two events, however,
02:10and achieved an impressive fastest lap in race two at Brands Hatch to the delight of team manager Mike Carroll.
02:16He's shown he has the pace. He's certainly very graphically shown here in the UK as well
02:21that he's got pretty serious car control when pushed around in the pack, you know,
02:27and to me he is a consummate professional. He has a very good technical knowledge.
02:34He brings a lot in terms of the set-up.
02:37If you do the fastest lap of the day, it must mean that potentially you can win.
02:40You know, that's my logic. And I believe if we'd started from pole day, we would have won that race
02:45because we were consistently fast throughout the race. The car is exceptionally good to its tyres
02:50and, you know, that means that all the ingredients are there.
02:55Both the previous two race meetings, we've also seen that we've got more competitive as the weekend's gone on.
03:01You know, I think that's really just an indicator of the fact that, you know, we're learning a new car
03:07and obviously for the drivers as well, you know, it's new race circuits for them all the time as well.
03:14It's been tough but, you know, I'm happy with the way I've coped so far.
03:18You know, clearly we're dealing with a very new package, not just with the car but with me as well.
03:23You know, I've got to learn all the circuits. But I did a hell of a lot of study on the circuits before I came here.
03:31But still, it takes a little while to totally get up to speed.
03:34What are your objectives then for the rest of the season?
03:37Our objectives really, obviously, is to try and get some podium finishes.
03:42You know, I think if you look at Jason Plato managing to squeeze a win at Truxton, you know, that's probably the dream for us is to try and do something similar.
03:54Here at Silverstone, the Proton team's job was not made any easier in qualifying by a track which was wet to begin with but drying throughout.
04:04Correct tyre selection and being one of the last to take the chequered flag was the recipe for success.
04:09And master chef on this occasion was none other than Jason Plato who took Seat's first ever pole position from a timed qualifying session.
04:18So, Jason Plato on pole there. Do you think he was very clever or do you think he was just brilliant?
04:23I think a combination of both, actually. What every man wants, really. He timed his run to perfection. He had the champion's nous to put on the right tyres, warm them up and his last lap was perfect.
04:35Yeah. Thompson missed out there, unfortunately, for him because he's going to miss out on that extra bonus point that you get for pole and that would help his championship chances.
04:43You're right. He starts level on points with Muller but I think he'll be very happy to be on the front row of the grid.
04:48Yeah. Although he is starting on the slightly wetter side.
04:51OK. Starting in the second row we've got the two boys, Dan Eves. Lovely to see Dan up there at last this year.
04:58Yeah. He's getting used to the car, the Honda. Matt we expected to be up there.
05:02Yeah.
05:03Matt's running relatively light and I think it's a bit of a dark horse for this race but certainly they're going to give the two on the front row a hard time.
05:09Yeah. Now, Ivan obviously had a bit of a problem so his tyre choice wasn't perfect.
05:14No, he went for slicks on the front, wets on the rear. Didn't quite work out for him but we know in these conditions he's the king of slide, isn't he?
05:20Mm.
05:21So I think in this race there's going to be a lot of incident. He's going to be moving forwards.
05:25Right. Time for Mystic Harvey. Who's going to win?
05:29I'd have to put my money on Plato for his second win of the year, this one.
05:32Right. We shall see. Join us for the first race of the day after the break.
05:35Sponsored by Green Flag Motoring Assisters. You come first every time.
05:48Sponsored by Green Flag Motoring Assisters. You did the last race come first.
06:04Sponsored by Green Flag Motoring Assisters. You ended up walking by the Green Flag Motoring.
06:10New Astra, go drive.
06:30Give me an arm, bro.
06:37Give me an arm, bro.
06:40You're the only one for me.
06:45Well, you're not the only one for her.
06:47Jerry Clive Malcolm Frank, he was nice.
06:51The bloke who fixed the face of the gas ban,
06:53he didn't just come to read the meter.
06:54Oh, I can't believe it.
06:56Oh, I can't believe it.
06:57Oh, I can't believe it.
07:02Hard glue.
07:04Hard glue.
07:05New Garnier Fructus style hard glue
07:07with fruit micro waxes.
07:09The glue that sets rock hard.
07:23Garnier Fructus style hard glue.
07:25Hair that stays hard, even if you don't.
07:28Garnier.
07:28Jim's off sick.
07:31You'll have to do the ordnance.
07:33It's all going to the end.
07:41Go on, Andy.
07:42Put her song on.
07:43About one in five adults in Scotland struggle with reading, writing, or numbers.
08:09But now there are hundreds of places like this where you can brush up on your words and numbers.
08:13It's free and can take just a couple of hours a week.
08:15So whether you want to be better at filling in forms or helping your kids with their homework,
08:23call Learn Direct Scotland free on 0808 100 1080 to arrange a chat.
08:28Or look for the big plus sign.
08:29New Wolf Cornetto, give it to me.
08:36But it's rich chocolate ripple.
08:37What's in it for me?
08:39I'm a man.
08:40Surprise, surprise.
08:42Give me Cornetto.
08:44And I won't tell the guys.
08:46Try all six limited edition blood potions from Wolf.
08:49And I won't tell the guys.
09:19We're at Silverstone, the home of British motorsport.
09:38But today we're on the international circuit, just over two miles.
09:42And I know what you're thinking.
09:43Is Tim the second Honda touring car driver?
09:46I'd love to say I was.
09:47But for today, all they'll do is entrust me with this, their two-seater show car.
09:51So let's go on a lap around the circuit.
10:02Here we go across the start-finish line.
10:04Clock starts now.
10:06Drivers will be up into top gear, 130 mile an hour.
10:09Late on the brakes, down into Copse.
10:12Turning about that 50 marker board.
10:14Very slippery on the apex.
10:16I'm having to work hard.
10:17Get good traction.
10:18You can just run onto those curbs, but don't get on the grass.
10:22The other side.
10:23Now we're approaching the really technical section of Beckett's.
10:26The drivers will try and come in here as fast as possible.
10:29Down one gear, across the curbs on the inside.
10:32And then get the car slowed down, right down to the outside.
10:36Through Beckett's.
10:37They'll be over the curbs.
10:39You can hear the car struggling for traction there.
10:42But it's so important as we approach this flat-out section down to Abbey.
10:46Up through the gears.
10:48Looking in the mirror.
10:48Who's going to outbrake me?
10:50Got a tractor myself.
10:51So I'm going to take a nice wide apex into here.
10:55Feed the power on.
10:56Getting the car in.
10:57This Honda's handling nicely.
10:59Good balance in the car.
11:01Don't get up on that curb on the exit.
11:03Otherwise you'll lose lots of traction.
11:07Okay, up to bridge.
11:09Now this is normally flat.
11:10I'm just going to touch the brakes here in the wet.
11:12Pitch the car in.
11:14Beautifully balanced.
11:15I'll take the wide line because it's wet and there's much more grip here on the outside at Priory and Brooklands.
11:24On the tight inside line, the driver's taking the dry.
11:26There's too much rubber down.
11:28In the wet, it's really slippery.
11:30So, yeah, good grip there.
11:32And then through Luffield, I'll take it right round the outside.
11:37That means I don't have to turn as sharp and I can maintain more speed and get a good exit.
11:41There we are.
11:42Beautiful.
11:43And there's a perfect lap.
11:44If that doesn't give me the job, I don't know what will.
11:49The grid features Jason Plato of Pole, just 700ths faster than Thompson, who's on full ballast.
11:54Brands winner Matt Neill is third with teammate Dan Eves in fourth,
11:57while the works-backed Honda of Tom Chilton is fifth,
12:00with Brands pole winner Colin Turkington alongside.
12:02Two of our champions from last year line up on row four in Collard and Muller,
12:06and James Kaye heads into his 200th race from ninth.
12:09Heinz is tenth.
12:10Anthony Reid was fast in free practice but lines up eleventh, and Charlie Butler Henderson is twelve.
12:15It's a windy row seven with Huff and Breeze together.
12:17Michael Bentwood is fifteenth in his Astra.
12:20Kelvin Burt returns in sixteenth.
12:21And the two protons are together on row nine.
12:24Jason Q starts from the pit lane.
12:27And Justin Keane, who suffered engine problems in his BMW, is at the back and hoping for better things in the race.
12:33Round seven of the Green Flag MSA British Touring Car Championship underway.
12:39And Justin, it's a brilliant start from Matt Neill from the second row.
12:43My goodness, he goes straight past Jason Plato and James Thompson as if they're standing still.
12:48And it's Matt Neill who leads into Cop's corner.
12:50Jason Plato in second place.
12:52Now Colin Turkington there trying to get around the outside of Rob Collard.
12:55He gets squeezed out wide, but he should be able to rejoin okay.
12:59And I think they're all through Cop's.
13:00And somehow Plato's back in front.
13:02I don't know where he did that quite, but Plato now leads.
13:05Matt Neill in second and Thompson's in third.
13:07Yes, a great initial start by Matt Neill on this slightly greasy track.
13:11He got the perfect timing of throttle and clutch.
13:14Jason Hughes pulled off, but it looks like Jason Plato got the jump on him through Cop's.
13:18So Plato leads.
13:20Watch Anthony Reid there in the middle of the pack.
13:22He's making a lunge for Colin Turkington.
13:24He hits his own teammate, knocks him out of the way.
13:26And Rob Huff trying to go around the outside, but Turkington does survive.
13:30Yeah, and Heinz has nipped through there.
13:32So a naughty move by Anthony Reid already in this race.
13:36On board here with Matt Neill at the very first corner.
13:38You can see he's run wide.
13:40And Jason Plato's just got the grip on the drive and driven past him on the inside.
13:45This was also on that first corner.
13:47Coming out of Cop's.
13:48Ivan Buller making some progress, getting past Rob Collard there as they came up towards Maggert.
13:53But up front is Jason Plato who leads.
13:55The other Seat of Rob Huff is involved in this dice with Luke Hines.
13:59Hines has won one of the brand hatch races last time out.
14:03This is the next generation of touring car drivers, if you like.
14:05Luke Hines, 22.
14:07Rob Huff, 24 years old.
14:08And here they are side by side.
14:10Vauxhall versus Seat.
14:12And Huff really taking the wide line.
14:14Well, we've seen several drivers using that line.
14:16Of course, previously that was full of gravel.
14:18They'd have been stuck in that.
14:19So they'll be very, very thankful they've got a tarmac runoff now.
14:23Battle for the lead.
14:24Jason Plato in the Seat versus MacNeil in the Honda.
14:27And a little further back, Ivan Buller trying to make up some ground.
14:30He started back on the fourth row of the grid after not getting qualified quite right in those tricky, slippery conditions.
14:38And he's got Danny's right behind him.
14:39But look at this.
14:39Battle for the lead.
14:40MacNeil now getting alongside Jason Plato.
14:43Through this corner.
14:44We ride with Jason Plato.
14:45There's MacNeil.
14:46He's got a head.
14:47And he's got the line as they come in towards Friar.
14:49He gets a bit out of shape.
14:51And MacNeil's got the lead.
14:52That was Bray from MacNeil.
14:54He went down on the slightly damp side into Bridge and held his nerve to slide across in front of Plato.
15:00But you can see just how slippery the conditions are.
15:02Oh, Plato.
15:03Somebody's hit him.
15:04Who's that?
15:04That's Thompson.
15:05Thompson's through to second.
15:07Yes, a big whack on board there.
15:09Plato's trying to fight back immediately.
15:11But Thompson's covering the inside round woodcut.
15:13Oh, that's good stuff.
15:15Great racing between these three.
15:17Thompson carrying maximum ballast on board.
15:19And you can see it hurts him as they come down the straight.
15:21Because Plato's able to draw level again.
15:23But he's not quite able to get ahead as they turn into cops.
15:27Now, he's trying to do the cutback maneuver now on Thompson that he did on MacNeil on that very first lap.
15:31But will he make it?
15:33He's got the drive.
15:34The Seat is quick running light.
15:35And he's got the inside for Beckett's.
15:37Can he just hold it together?
15:39Difficult on the brakes over the bumps.
15:41But yes, Plato's back in front of Thompson.
15:43Oh, this is great racing.
15:44And just look how close they are, those two, as they come out of Beckett's through the left-hander at Ireland.
15:49But look, Ivan Müller's now part of that group as well.
15:53And he's up alongside his teammate.
15:55These two tie in for the championship lead, remember, coming into this race meeting.
15:59So this could be a needle battle.
16:01And Dan Eves trying to join in right behind, hoping perhaps they'll take each other off.
16:05Yes, Ivan Müller's inexorable rise to the front of this grid.
16:09Incredibly starting eighth on the grid.
16:11But he's driven a masterful race here, picking off people without any contact.
16:15And he's taking Dan Eves through, is he?
16:17No, Thompson's braving it around the outside.
16:19And he'll have the inside now for Priory.
16:21So Thompson manages to fend off the second of the Orange Hondas.
16:25Meanwhile, Tom Chilton's in the pits.
16:27And Rob Collard's in trouble with a very bent-looking right front wheel.
16:31There's been contact with somebody.
16:32Let's see what happens.
16:33Yes, Volkswagen Astros don't have that much lock.
16:35This is on board with Turkey to looking forward.
16:38And you can see Charlie Butler, Henderson and Collard have had contact.
16:41That's a great shame, because Collard was running in sixth.
16:44Butler, Henderson was in seventh.
16:46And they would have been excellent results in this first race
16:49and given them good grid positions as well.
16:51Carl Breeze trying to get up the inside of Turkington.
16:54Gives him a little bit of a push and spins.
16:56Turkington, who gets it, recovered and pointing the right way again.
17:00Poor Colin Turkington's getting practice for stunt school, I think.
17:03And here's another round, Michael Bedwood.
17:05Well, he won't get that out of the ground,
17:06but that's just going to submarine its way down.
17:08Switch that engine off, Michael.
17:10Yeah, great shame for Bedwood.
17:11Meanwhile, here's the battle for second.
17:13And it's Jason Plato and Ivan Muller.
17:15Muller's got down the inside.
17:16Oh, that's a fantastic move from the reigning champion.
17:19And it's a clean move as well to get past Plato.
17:22Yes, Muller makes his moves decisively,
17:24but really efficiently without contact.
17:27So, McNeil leads in the Honda.
17:29Second place now for Muller.
17:30Third for Jason Plato.
17:32Out of the race, I'm afraid, Michael Bentwood.
17:34So, he's going to watch the rest of this one from the sidelines.
17:37Now, further back, there's some good dicing going on here.
17:39James Kaye at the back of this group with Colin Turkington.
17:43They're battling over 10th place just ahead of them.
17:45Rob Huff and Luke Hines.
17:46And Hines makes a little bit of a lunge up the inside.
17:49It is effective.
17:51It does get him past the Seat.
17:52So, he's up one position.
17:54Good block pass that by Hines.
17:56And Huff, he really had no choice but to let him through this time.
17:59Now, look behind them.
18:01James Kaye wants that 10th position from Colin Turkington.
18:04So crucial because 10th position in this race will be pole for the next race.
18:08But Turkington has it covered on the inside.
18:10Kaye tries to cut back again on the exit.
18:13It's not happening for him at the moment.
18:15And WSR boss Dick Bennett keeps an eye on Colin Turkington,
18:18hoping they may have more position with that car in race two.
18:21The leaders come through.
18:22Plato in third.
18:23Thompson running in fourth place.
18:26We're on board with Ivan Muller.
18:27Running in second place as he comes up towards Maggots and Beckett.
18:30Yeah, just look how late he stays on the power here.
18:33Just down a couple of gears.
18:34Tiny bit of throttle over the kerb.
18:36Then down a couple more gears.
18:38And tuck it in tight to Beckett.
18:40So, the good exit over the kerbs there.
18:43Still, this battle for 10th place continues.
18:45Turkington's rear bumper flapping about in the wind.
18:48James Kaye locking up.
18:49It's his 200th touring car race, this one.
18:52And the twice former independence champion never had an overall race win.
18:56But at the moment, all he's worried about is getting 10th.
18:59Because that would then start him in pole position for race two.
19:02He finishes 11th.
19:03He starts 11th.
19:04So, there's a lot at stake here.
19:06Absolutely.
19:07He likens himself to the Andrea de Cesaris of Formula One,
19:10who had four races without a win than anyone else.
19:12So, if he could start the second race on pole,
19:14that would be a big chance to get his first BTCC victory.
19:18Look, they've caught Rob Huff.
19:19Huff made a little mistake there, I think, down at the Abbey hairpin.
19:21And they've caught Rob Huff now.
19:24And that puts him under pressure.
19:25And Turkington's going for it down the inside as they come in towards Priory.
19:29Is he going to get there?
19:30Oh, it's a little bit of rubbing, a little bit of contact.
19:33Oh, and more contact.
19:34Turkington and Kaye are off on the grass.
19:37Back onto the toe back.
19:38Just missing Kelvin Burt.
19:40Well, Turkington, I think, has got going again.
19:42He's OK.
19:43But all sorts of dramas through that complex section there.
19:46Looking back from Rob Huff, he's still in it.
19:48Let's take another look.
19:49Well, Turkington gets up the inside,
19:51gets a slight overlap, but slows himself down.
19:54James Kaye sticks his nose in,
19:56and suddenly we've got a three-way overlap, and it doesn't go.
19:59Kaye and Turkington can't stop the car on the grass
20:01and just miss Huff and Burt.
20:03They were very lucky.
20:04That could have been a four-way accident blocking the track there,
20:08but it's not to be.
20:09And it's Matt Neal who's going to come through
20:11and take the first race win of the day at Silverstone.
20:14That's his second race win this year.
20:16He won a race at Brands Hatch,
20:18and that is great for his championship hopes.
20:20Now, second place goes to Ivan Muller.
20:22Jason Plato takes third.
20:24James Thompson, with full ballast, takes fourth place.
20:27I think he'll be fairly happy about that.
20:29But Matt Neal is celebrating his victory.
20:32The rest of them come through.
20:33And what about that battle for 10th place?
20:35Well, Kelvin Burt's just taken ninth
20:37as Rob Huff backs off and lets him through.
20:39So Huff takes the vital 10th position.
20:43Matt Neal matches Thompson as a double race winner this year.
20:47Muller has only missed the podium on one occasion so far,
20:49and Plato can spray his champagne again.
20:51Tomo was fourth on maximum ballast,
20:53and Breeze in seventh has delivered Team Sureterm's best finish of the season.
20:57But Matt Neal has exercised the Silverstone demons
20:59that put him out of two top results here last year.
21:02The Honda Civic, it felt great all the way through,
21:05but I was a little bit fortunate that they started having a bit of a tangle with each other,
21:09and I was watching all going on in my mirror going,
21:12go on, send them another go.
21:14But that bought me a bit of time and gave me a bit of space and air
21:17so I could just sort of concentrate on getting a clean line
21:20and just not making any mistakes.
21:22It's nothing to be ashamed of.
21:24After you've had a great race like that,
21:25you know, a race that had a fantastic battle with Matt at the beginning,
21:28and then with the van, and then also with James at the beginning.
21:30And to come to third, I mean, it's a great result for us.
21:32We're still not there with our car yet,
21:35and I think the fact all the test sessions and the qualifying leading up to this weekend have been wet.
21:40We haven't got any experience from last year to draw on to set our car up,
21:43so we had a bit of a stab at it and just didn't quite get it right.
21:46But third's great, some more silverware, some more champagne,
21:49and some more bonus money.
Recommended
15:04
|
Up next
27:55
52:25
52:15
30:46
1:49:43
39:06
33:56
29:03
35:58
38:33
1:30:27
Be the first to comment