Neal and Jordan hope for home advantage

A rare podium sweep at the first race of the previous round of the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship for VX Racing was very welcome and has set the bar high for this season. The team looks ahead to the Donington round next weekend with two of the three drivers hoping for a home race advantage. The Leicestershire Circuit is the nearest to a ‘home’ race for Litchfield’s Andrew Jordan and Worcestershire’s Matt Neal, who will both be hunting for victory this weekend. Reigning champion Fabrizio Giovanardi will be aiming to repeat his strong showing at Thruxton after scoring a pole position, a win and a podium.

The 1.96 miles Donington Circuit is located in the picturesque county of Leicestershire. The circuit which is currently undergoing a face lift in anticipation of the British Grand Prix in 2010, has layout revisions between McLean’s and Coppice, as well as extensive track resurfacing. The circuit will now be a different layout to the one used a year ago, which saw Giovanardi take victory.

Winner at Thruxton, Giovanardi commented about the race weekend, “The circuit has changed so it will be a surprise for everyone. We have a baseline set up from previous visits to the track, but with the new tarmac and other changes, the set up will definitely need to be changed. I don’t expect to be at the back, but I don’t take it for granted that I’ll be at the front.

“I’m lying third and need to catch my team mate and the BMW, but there’s no rush, it’s all points, points and more points. I’m lighter than the drivers in front which should help for qualifying and the first race, but after that we’ll have to see what happens.”

After his maiden podium with the VX Racing team at Thruxton, 19 year old Jordan is eager to get back out on track, “I’m looking forward to it. Luck has not been on our side so far as I’d hoped for more in the first two events. I think our pace will be good. I really like this track as it flows so well. I want the win and hopefully we can get that at Donington. It’s my home circuit so it would mean a lot to me to take my first win there. I need this to be the turning point of the season.”

Championship leader Matt Neal added, “Donington will always have special memories for me as I had my first, very profitable, win here. It’s a fast and flowing track which I love, and there are some good overtaking opportunities as well. I think we’ll be strong, but the opposition will be in our face. I’m carrying full weight so that won’t make it easy for me, and Fabrizio has some ballast as well, so as a team we’ll have to fight hard. I’m lucky to have half a dozen tracks close to me, but Donington is probably the closest so I’m sure there’ll be plenty of home support for me.”

The Donington round of the 2009 BTCC will take place on the 16/17 May. Catch all of the action live on ITV4 this Sunday at 11:30am until 6pm.