Rob Austin wants to end Handy Motorsport’s run with Toyota machinery on a high as the British Touring Car Championship season draws to a close this weekend.
Whilst Austin has raced the Handy Toyota for the past two seasons, the team have been running the Avensis for four, with Team Principal Simon Belcher initially behind the wheel in 2014 and 2015.
Austin has since claimed all of the team’s four podium finishes, three of which came in 2016 including one on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit. Austin is therefore looking to add to his single podium of 2017 in the finale, having found his form again last time out at Silverstone where he took a trio of top ten finishes.
“I really am looking forward to Brands GP,” said Austin. “Last year we had a really good car there and I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t have that again this time round.
“I love the track, it’s a fantastic place to drive, and we’re going there aiming to end the season on a bit of a high. We were back on form at Silverstone and we’re determined to carry that forward to next weekend.”
Austin showed the strength of the car on the longer configuration of the Kent circuit in 2016 by qualifying in second and finishing in the same position in the first race of the day, before retiring from race two and mounting a comeback drive in race three.
“Last year at Brands I put the Toyota on the front row so it’d be fantastic to try and do that again, especially on our last weekend with the car before we switch to Alfa next year.
“We know the Avensis is back where it was earlier in the season, so we’re going there with a confident mind-set. Hopefully we can make a push for the podium to really end the season strongly.”
Team Principal Belcher is hoping the team can end their run with Toyota machinery on a high, before the outfit switches to running an Alfa Romeo for 2018.
“We’ve had four fantastic years with the Toyota Avensis,” said Belcher. “The team has grown hugely in stature in the BTCC during that time and we’re all hoping to end this chapter on a high.
“Rob was very competitive last year at the GP track and after such a strong run at Silverstone last time out, we’re all feeling confident of a good weekend.”