Despite qualifying on the front row for tomorrow’s British Touring Car Championship triple-header at Thruxton with a full quota of success ballast, defending champion Gordon Shedden felt he left a ‘bit on the table’ during his final run.
Shedden’s works Honda team-mate Matt Neal claimed his first championship pole position since 2012, just 0.035 seconds ahead despite the difference in weight penalty between the two Honda Civic Type R machines.
With track limits enforced strongly by the officials at the challenging 2.3 mile Hampshire circuit, Shedden admitted he felt as though that gap was left on the table during his fastest run.
“The track limits are really difficult into the last chicane, I think I possibly left a little bit on the table on that last lap – I knew from my lap delta on the way out of Church that it was a really good lap and I just didn’t want to throw it all away into the last chicane,” explained Shedden.
“I was possibly a touch conservative, but at least I got my lap when I could have had nothing.
“Pole position for us, as a team, doesn’t really happen that often, so that bodes well. But it’ll be a long day tomorrow, hard on the tyres but hopefully we’ve got a car we can race with.”
The Scot also admitted the lap time was due in no small part to some bold throttle application during the back section of the circuit, including the high-speed right-hander at Church.
“That was a lap and a half, that one! It was okay, I thought I’d maybe be lucky to squeeze into the back end of the top ten with everything going to plan, so to be at the sharp end – I’m delighted, that’s a proper one.”
“I was having to have a good word with myself out the back section to keep my foot on the throttle, I was telling my foot to stay on the throttle and it was desperately trying to come off!”