Double Podium!
After a hard-fought battle, both Airwaves Racing drivers claim a step on the podium!
A fter a disappointing run of results in the previous rounds, the Airwaves team knew the Focus ST had potential to be a front-running car, but they struggled to extract that performance on race day. Confident of better results next time out, there was a buoyant mood among the team as they headed to Thruxton for the next rounds of the BTCC.
Saturday’s practice and qualifying showed the progress the team had made, and Mat Jackson qualified an impressive fourth, with Fabrizio Giovanardi starting P12. Thankfully, this pace was still present for Sunday’s races too.
The first race saw Jackson shoot off the line and temporarily fighting with Andrew Jordan’s Honda for the lead. Jordan, however, proved to be just out of reach and Jackson found himself defending from the fast-charging Hondas of Neal and Shedden behind. The Hondas got past, but Mat was the fastest non-Honda on track and claimed a well deserved fourth spot! Fabrizio held position too, and finished P12 to earn the team further valuable Championship points.
Race two was just as eventful, and both Airwaves drivers had to fight off challenges throughout the field. A dramatic accident saw the race red flagged with three laps remaining, meaning Jackson finished fifth and Gio in 10th. Thankfully all drivers involved in the accident were unharmed, even if their cars were a little battle-scarred.
The reverse grid for race three saw Gio’s name pulled from the hat to earn his, and the team’s, first pole position of the year. Colin Turkington’s BMW launched off the line at the start of the race, though, and catapulted himself straight into the lead. Fabrizio held off any attacks and settled down in P2, while Jackson, who also made an excellent start, fought his way up to P3 behind his teammate.
As the race unfolded it was clear that Mat was slightly faster than Gio, so the pair worked together cleverly to allow the No.6 Focus to mount a charge on the race-leading BMW. Unfortunately,
Turkington was just too far ahead to mount an attack, but P2 was a welcome reward for the team and Mat’s hard efforts.
Meanwhile, Gio produced a heroic drive to hold off the hard-pressing pack of Jordan, Shedden, and Goff right up until the finishing line, coming home in P3 and earning both Airwaves drivers a deserved spot on the podium!
The massive points haul lifts Airwaves Racing to third in the Independents’ team standings, and spirits are high ahead of the next outing at Oulton Park.