SIMPSON: MCDONALD’S WORLD FINAL APPROACH WAS KEY
Two-time European National Hot Rod winner Matt Simpson says Rob Mcdonald’s stress-free approach to last weekend’s World Final at Ipswich helped him to scoop the biggest prize of his career.
Simpson, who has moved on from Hot Rods now and is a race winner in the British Touring Car Championship, has worked alongside Mcdonald as an engineer for the last four years.
He was part of the crew at Spedeweekend at Foxhall Heath last weekend and said that Mcdonald’s attitude helped him to lift his first
Hot Rod major crown.
Simpson, who races a Honda Civic Type R in the BTCC, explained: “Even when we were preparing for the Hot Laps in qualifying on Saturday, Rob was so chilled out and relaxed. I found an old pair of overalls and went out to the centre green with him, and he went and got pole position.”
Mcdonald led the entire 75-lap event, although he was unable to pull too far clear of three-time World Final winner and English points champion Chris Haird.
“Sometimes, Rob can overthink things and that is when you can get problems,” added Simpson. “But there was no evidence of that at all throughout the World Final, and it was that which helped him win the race.
“It was getting a bit close going into the backmarkers over the latter part of the race, but he kept it together.”
Simpson has worked hard on Mcdonald’s Vauxhall Tigra, and thinks that an improved understanding from the new world champion will help him improve in the future.
“Before, I was just hearing the feedback and then engineering. Now, Rob can tell me what the problems are, and what the potential solutions are too. He has done so much learning over the last four years. That’ll only get better.”
Mcdonald had been considering returning home to race in the Scottish series but, now he has lifted the crown, he is likely to remain in the English points chase for the 2019-2020 season.
As well as carrying a gold roof for the forthcoming season, Mcdonald has also won an expenses-paid trip to race in the South African equivalent series in August. He has already agreed to take Simpson with him for the rounds, which take place on August 10-11.