Rob Collard paid tribute to his ‘amazing’ BMW 125i M Sport after surging through to second during the middle British Touring Car Championship race at Brands Hatch.
Collard, starting 7th by virtue of his steady improvement during the first race, initially hit trouble after contact up Hailwoods Hill with Rob Austin sent him veering into the path of a helpless Jack Goff, sending both cars round at Druids.
The ensuing restart allowed the Team BMW driver to scythe through the field to second, including strong passes on team-mate Andrew Jordan and race one winner Tom Ingram.
“I was so relieved that the race was red-flagged early on, because [Rob] Austin had tipped me into a spin at Druids and I was nowhere – virtually last,” commented Collard.
“A good re-start was crucial for me, and after that we picked them off one by one.”
He also paid tribute to team-mate Jordan for recognising his pace and simplifying the process of overtaking.
“Andrew [Jordan] worked well with me when it was clear that I was quicker, and to get Tom [Ingram] at the end was brilliant. The BMW felt amazing throughout.”