Three weeks after being denied his first win in the British Touring Car Championship when stewards controversially relegated him to second, Scots racing ace Jonathan Adam returns to action in this weekend’s triple-header at Thruxton determined to claim victory.
“There’s no denying what happened at Brands Hatch in the opening weekend was disappointing,” the 24-year-old from Kirkcaldy, whose BMW was involved in a clash with Jason Plato’s Chevrolet on the second lap, said today.
“Like most other people who saw it, I thought it was just a normal racing incident, but the stewards penalised me and though I took the chequered flag first, they relegated me to second.
“But I’ve moved on from that. Now I have to turn up at Thruxton, one of the fastest circuits on the calendar, and do the business again. I’ve proved I’m capable of not only racing with the big boys, but of beating them.
“I’ve raced here over the past four or five years in Clios and Seat Cupras, and I’ve always done quite well. But what’s important to realise is, I don’t have any experience of it in the BMW 320si, or any other rear-wheel drive car, so I’ll have a bit of adjusting to do.
“It’s also a circuit which doesn’t necessarily favour the BMW, so if there is one place where we may struggle a little in the championship it could be Thruxton. It might be tough for us to qualify well there, but I think our race pace will still be good.
“But I will be looking for solid points finishes in all three races, and if I can come away still placed in the top five of the championship standings then it will have been a good weekend’s work.”
Adam heads to the 2.36-mile circuit currently fifth in the championship six points behind fourth-placed Plato and 22 behind the Vauxhall of championship leader and double BTCC champ Matt Neal.
JM