Josh Cook believes his return to MG for the remainder of the British Touring Car Championship is ‘the right move’ for his career, after having departed Maximum Motorsport after four rounds.
Cook was announced as the replacement for the outgoing Dan Lloyd last week, and at Croft he returned to the Triple Eight team where he scored two podiums in the 2016 season.
“It’s the right move for my career, to be with MG as a manufacturer,” said Cook to TouringCars.Net. “For various reasons, it obviously didn’t work out carrying on [at Triple Eight] from last year, but the opportunity came up and I got a phone call from Warren [Scott].”
Cook added that despite all of the cars common components having been upgraded to the latest RML specification, there were not many significant changes to speak about.
“I’m comfortable in the car; it feels just like I left off, really. Apart from the uprights and the wishbones, it had the RML components on it last year anyway.
“It’s a bit lighter this year, and from a geometry perspective, it’s not very different at all. The new tyres take a bit of getting used to, but I’ve just got in it and feel right at home.
“The guys are really professional – it’s a great atmosphere and I’m really enjoying it so far. It’s just straight back to what I’m used to.”
Cook was given a warm welcome back into the MG fold, and he went on to deliver a top ten finish with seventh in the first race on Sunday, before a stop-and-go penalty for contact with Tom Ingram in race two compromised his second and third races, leading to non-points finishes.
“I had a really good year last year, the guys have been really great and I got a card welcoming me back to the family from MG, which is quite cool.
“I need to get my head down and make the best of the opportunity. I feel straight at home and I don’t feel lost anywhere with the car.
“It’s like putting on an old pair of slippers.”