F1

BTCC driver Andrew Watson “desperately needs” his luck to turn after a poor result at Knockhill

The Donaghmore man was unable to capitalise on his best qualifying performance this year.

Knockhill
Andrew Watson ended the Scottish event 11th and 14th respectively in the first two races and was not classified in the final race as his hatchback developed a steering issue which forced him to rejoin the action four laps down on the field.
By Dan James

ANDREW Watson says he “desperately needs” his bad run of luck in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship to change despite equalling his best qualifying performance of the year to date at Knockhill.

The Donaghmore driver made it to the ‘Quick Six’ shootout for the first time since the Donington Park season-opener but failed to capitalise on that early promise at the shortest track on the calendar.

He ended the Scottish event eleventh in the first race as he fended off NAPA Racing’s Dan Cammish and Ash Sutton and survived a moment at the Arnold Clark chicane. On the harder Goodyear tyre for race two, he had no answer for those running the preferred soft option and came home in fourteenth.

Disaster then struck prior to the start of the day-ending reversed grid contest as Watson’s UK-built hatchback developed a steering issue that forced him to pit. Although mechanics managed to fix the problem, he rejoined the action four laps down on the field.

Knockhill
Andrew Watson is fourteenth in the standings on 85 points. He is still searching for an elusive first podium of the campaign in Toyota Gazoo Racing colours. (jakob ebrey jep)

In contrast, Watson’s Toyota Gazoo Racing team-mate Rob Huff triumphed for the second time this year in the day’s concluding sprint, while Josh Cook – in the LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ-backed Corolla GR Sport – followed Portadown’s Colin Turkington home in race one in second.

“Like we have shown previously, we can extract single-lap performance out of the Corolla – but we really struggled come race day,” reflected Watson, the reigning Jack Sears Trophy champion.

“We didn’t have the speed in the first two races, and we got caught up in mid-pack battles, which obviously isn’t where we want to be, so we bolted a completely different set-up on for race three only for the track rod to break on the way to the grid.

“I pitted for it to be fixed and was able to set some quick lap times after rejoining, but by that point, of course, it was far too late,” he continued.

“The pace, at least, is encouraging and we’re continuing to learn something new every weekend. Unfortunately, we’re still not getting the results we deserve – we just desperately need some luck.

“I love going to Knockhill – it is just so much fun, and probably my favourite circuit of the whole year. You have got to be willing to abuse the car a bit – it is a real balance of risk versus reward.”

With his search for a first podium of the campaign in Toyota Gazoo Racing colours still eluding him, Watson is fourteenth in the standings on 85 points – a total he will want to swell when the UK tin top series returns to Donington Park next Saturday and Sunday for rounds 22, 23 and 24.