Preview: Mat Jackson, British Touring Car Championship, Brands Hatch, 1st April 2007
Henley-in-Arden's Mat Jackson is just days away from the biggest motor race of his life: round 1 of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at Brands Hatch on Sunday 1st April.
Mat will enter the BTCC in his family's Jackson MSport team's BMW 320si E90; the same car raced to World Touring Car glory last year by Andy Priaulx.
Mat's move up to the UK's most popular motor racing series, which attracts 20 million TV viewers and more than 250,000 spectators each year, follows a hugely successful 2006 when he won the SEAT Cupra title and the champion's cheque of £100,000. Many predict that he could pull off a shock result against the likes of established stars Matt Neal, Jason Plato and Fabrizio Giovanardi.
Mat, aged 25, says: I won't be in awe of anyone. I have to treat every driver equally and try to beat them all. I'm not naïve enough to think I'm going to win every race: I've got great respect for Neal, Plato and Giovanardi who have been at this game for years and are world class drivers and it will be a great buzz racing against them.
But I feel confident we can at least give them a run for their money. The BMW is a proven winner on the world stage and it will be interesting to see how the car fares against the SEATs, Hondas and Vauxhalls now it's on the Dunlop tyres that are used in the BTCC. I'm not making any predictions as you just never know, but my aim will be to avoid any silly incidents, score well and come away in the championship hunt.
Mat's 2006 season in the SEAT series started with two wins at Brands Hatch and it was there later in the year that he returned to clinch the title. Its 1.2-mile track, being raced on this coming weekend, is the shortest on the BTCC calendar and often throws up plenty of drama. Mat believes its lay-out could play into his BMW's hands but he says a good strategy during the crucial half-hour qualifying session on Saturday will be key to three strong results.
He adds: “I’m sure it’s going to be very closely matched, but the BMW’s rear-wheel-drive should give it an advantage off the startline. The most difficult part of the weekend could be qualifying when there’ll be 26 drivers trying to set their fastest laps at once. To coin a Murray Walker phrase it’ll be like the M25 on steroids! Qualifying will have a knock-on effect for Sunday so the timing of our qualifying runs will be very important.
Above all, I'm really proud to be racing in the BTCC and going into the season I'd like to thank everyone who's got behind me and the team to make this project happen. I'm sure we will put on a great show for them.
Mat's BTCC campaign has received support from Solihull engineering firm Whale Tankers, leading men's magazine Maxim and BMW dealership Nick Whale who will all be travelling to Brands to cheer on Mat.
Mat's Brands Hatch timetable
Saturday: 9.30am-10.10am BTCC Practice 1 & 12.15pm-12.55pm BTCC Practice 2
Saturday: 3.25pm-3.55pm BTCC qualifying
Sunday: 11.30am BTCC round 1 (24 laps)
Sunday: 12.45pm-1.15pm Fans Pit Lane Walkabout
Sunday: 1.35pm BTCC round 2 (24 laps)
Sunday: 4.50pm BTCC round 3 (24 laps)
Television:
Sunday: ITV3 4pm-5:30pm LIVE
Sunday Setanta Sports 2 10am-6pm LIVE all-day coverage
Monday: ITV1 00:50am-1:15am highlights
For more information contact: Tony Jackson, tel 01564 793050 or email matjacksonmedia@hotmail.co.uk Mat Jackson's website: www.matjackson.com
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