The Pressure Mounts as the SEAT Cupra Championship Heads for Thruxton

22 May 2006

Rounds 5 and 6 of the 2006 Blaupunkt SEAT Cupra Championship heads for the UK's fastest motor racing circuit, Thruxton in Hampshire, over the first weekend of June (3/4). It's a circuit which rewards commitment and skill from drivers but also, as previous seasons have shown. And with competition so close and drivers already discussing championship strategies, Thruxton could be decisive in the season's outcome.

Despite a frustrating second race at Oulton Park, Mat Jackson (Whale Tankers/Jackson Motorsport) continues to head the drivers' table after four rounds. "Three wins out of four starts is great," said the Henley-in-Arden driver. "The second race at Oulton was a bit of a nightmare - being hit on the start line doesn't help our championship hopes. But we're still leading and my aim at Thruxton is to open the gap out again. It's not going to be easy though, as there are plenty of rivals; Jonathan Adam, for example, knows how to win championships, as does Jonathan Fildes. And Alan Blencowe was breathing down my neck at Oulton, so I'll need to watch out for him as well.

"I've done a few races at Thruxton over the years and I absolutely love it there. It's a proper circuit, where you have to be totally committed. But there's a very fine line between leaving a margin for error and being over-committed. As a driver, you need confidence in the car and your ability to control it if it gets out of shape. Thruxton was where I got my first win last year and that really kick-started my challenge, so that also gives me a bit of a boost."

Joint second in the championship and heading for his local circuit is Trowbridge-based Alan Blencowe (Triple R). "I achieved what I set out to do at Oulton Park," he explained, "by scoring more points than Mat [Jackson]. I was sixth in the points arriving and joint second leaving, so it was a good weekend for me. Initially, I wasn't too happy with fourth in the second race but I need to understand that it will be consistency that will win the championship this year, not necessarily blitzing every race with a win.

"Thruxton will be another tough race, I suspect. My aim will be to remain second in the championship but try to close the gap to Mat a bit more. I've raced there quite a bit but I doubt if I have an advantage over the other drivers, as they've also been there. It's another fast and challenging circuit and Mat is sure to go well there. I just need to try to pip him for more points. But I'm sure he'll have the same thoughts on his mind."

Sitting alongside Blencowe on points is Irishman Jonathan Fildes (Asgard Taverns/Total Control Racing), who celebrated his second podium of the season at Oulton Park. Fildes is another driver who understands that consistency will pay dividends in Britain's closest one-make championship. "Some people may think that Brands Hatch and Oulton Park were flashes in the pan but I'm confident I have the pace to be able to succeed in the SEATs," said Fildes. "I feel that I could have challenged for the lead in the first Oulton Park race but didn't want to risk anything getting past by team-mate Fulvio Mussi. In the second race, Jonathan [Adam] opened out the gap and although I was slightly quicker by the end, the gap was too large to close up.

"I'm still learning how to drive the SEAT, as I've been used to rear-wheel drive for a while. But I feel I'm starting to understand it better now. I know there's more speed in the car and myself and every time I get in it, I get more confident and more consistent, which is crucial. One thing that Oulton showed was that I go well in the faster sections, which is a good sign for Thruxton. I love circuits which flow but keep a driver on the edge all the time. And Thruxton is definitely one of those."

Fourth in the standings is held by Matt Johnson (Johnson Motorsport), returning to the UK from a season in the Spanish Supercopa. He'd been trying different settings on his car at Oulton Park and they appeared to be working, giving him a top five finish in the second race and boosting him up the points. Behind him, a tight, three-way scrap is emerging, between the 'young guns' of the championship; 21-year old reigning Renault Clio champion Jonathan Adam (Total Control Racing), 20-year old Fulvio Mussi (Total Control Racing) and 20-year old Ben Winrow (CMS Motorsport), who returns to the SEATS from a season in the Clios. Adam, from Kirkaldy in Scotland, who is one point ahead of Mussi and Winrow, claimed his first win of the 2006 Cupra season at Oulton Park.

"I felt that I had the pace at the opening round at Brands Hatch but didn't get the opportunity to show what I could do. I qualified well but a couple of accidents meant the results didn't follow. But at Oulton, a podium and a win were just what I was looking for. The car was perfect all weekend and as it went on, I learned more about how to drive it and my confidence kept growing. I've been to Thruxton twice before and I'm looking forward to it. It's the fastest circuit on the calendar and it will be good to see how the SEAT works in the very fast sections. Mat [Jackson] will be the man to beat there but the result at Oulton has given me a lot of confidence."

One point back is Fulvio Mussi from Essex, who was second in the title race going into Oulton Park. "It's a shame we had driveshaft failure at the start of the second race," he explains, "because if I'd finished on the podium, which I felt was possible, then I would be leading the points now. I think Oulton proved that I have the pace to be a front runner and I'll be heading for Thruxton looking for a couple of podiums to get my season back on track. My aim for this year is to finish in the top five but I don't think we'll get a true picture of who is where until later in the season, when dropped scores start to come into play. I don't have so much experience of Thruxton but running with TCR and in the car they produce, then I don't see any reason why I can't be one of the quickest drivers on the grid."

Earls Barton-based Ben Winrow is tied with Mussi on points and despite a trying weekend at Oulton Park, left with a useful points haul. "The team and I are coming on leaps and bounds together at the moment," he said, "so I'm optimistic for Thruxton. I've raced there before and was on the pace in a Clio. I've also raced the SEAT there but had a massive accident there 2003. But despite that, I love the circuit. It's a proper driver's circuit and with the fast sections, you can't beat it. I've had a good start to the season, with two podiums from four rounds, so I need a good qualifying and then get away from the pack. I've been told that I'm not far from my first win, so hopefully it will be at Thruxton."

The fifth round of the season takes place on Saturday 3 June at 17.40, while round six is at 14.35 on Sunday 4 June. The second race will be shown live on Motors TV (Sky 413, ntl 173).

See series calendar for SEAT Cupra Championship 2006

Related Story 01.05.2006 - Will Oulton Park Point to Who Might be SEAT Cupra Champion?