Airwaves Racing set for Brands Hatch

Airwaves Racing set to get back on track at Brands Hatch

Airwaves Racing

Photo by: Pat Cranham

Airwaves Racing have put the frustrations of the last two rounds behind them and turned their attention to getting their Championship challenge firmly back on track as they head to their home track Brands Hatch for the penultimate round of Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship this coming weekend.

Round 8 at Rockingham Speedway failed to deliver the results that the Motorbase-run team and lead driver Mat Jackson hoped for following a devastating weekend in Knockhill two weeks prior, and saw both driver and team slip down in the Championship standings and further away from their dream of clinching the overall honours. However, the Airwaves Team have bounced back from their adversity and are now focussed on delivering a spirited performance to close the gap on the lead and hopefully regain their crown as Independent Championship leaders.

With the Airwaves Racing and Motorbase team headquarters based less than a mile away in Wrotham, the team will be hunting home track glory in front of the thousands of BTCC fans expected to make the journey to Kent this weekend and David Bartrum’s ‘little red devils’ will be out in force once again, fielding three Mountune-powered Ford Focus ST machines on the world famous GP loop circuit as Motorbase stalwart Michael Caine returns to the number 6 car alongside team-mates Mat Jackson and Liam Griffin.

Round 9 of the BTCC featuring races 25, 26 and 27 take place on the Brands Hatch GP circuit on Sunday 2nd October. Live coverage of Sunday’s events will be shown on ITV4, itv.com and also in HD from 11.30am – 6pm; with itv.com featuring live streaming online of Saturday’s qualifying session between 3.40 and 4.10 pm.

Airwaves Racing Team Manager Oly Collins said:

“We've had an absolutely terrible run of luck recently. From leading the outright title to scoring one solitary point in two weekends is tough. It has been no one’s fault within the team; everyone has been spot on in the last month despite the poor results. We've dusted ourselves off and we're now ready for the final two meetings. The title results are out of our hands to a certain extent. All we can do now is go out there and try to have two great race weekends to finish on a high, if titles come on the back of that then great, if they don't, then we can be sure that we've all tried our very best.”

Airwaves Racing driver Mat Jackson said:

“After two shocking weekends we now have nothing to lose so we have to go to Brands with one thing in mind; winning. Unfortunately there’s no real advantage to Brands being our home track but the one thing we do get is huge support from the local fans, and although I do thing that we will have the usual title protagonists at the front together with NGTC Machines, I do think that the Focus will fare better here than it did at Rockingham as the chassis works well through the high speed corners. Let’s just hope that we can give the home crowd something to cheer come Sunday.

“As far as titles are concerned, it sounds bad but the Independent championship has never really featured on my radar, it’s the overall Championship that the team and I want and we have to keep fighting until the death and hope that the others luck changes and, if the Independent title comes home, then it’s a bonus.”

Airwaves Racing driver Liam Griffin said:

“Having managed to finish all three races and keep out of trouble at Rockingham I’m feeling a lot more confident going to Brands, also having Michael in the team has helped a great deal as it’s brought a whole new raft of data through which I’ve found really useful. I’ve driven at Brands a lot but not on the GP loop circuit so it’s a half known at least! Fingers crossed, that all three of us manage to stay out this weekend and Mat and the team get the results they deserve.”

Airwaves Racing driver Michael Caine said:

“I have to be honest and say that my BTCC debut was ok. I was disappointed that we didn’t get the opportunity to get three full races under our belts with the car on full form but we learnt a lot and I’m confident that we’ll progress well this weekend. I was a little apprehensive about making the change back to front wheel drive after so long, but the Airwaves Ford Focus is such a pleasure to drive it’s nowhere near as difficult as I expected as the car handles so well.

“I can’t wait to get back out in the car this weekend, I love the Brands GP circuit, it’s fast and flowing; made for great racing and I fully expect the Focus to be tremendous around here; with it being so close it’s like playing in our back garden! I just hope that Liam and I manage to have a good weekend and Mat an even better one!”