Andreas Bäckman is pleased to be starting third for the opening TCR UK race at Castle Combe tomorrow [15th July] and feels WestCoast Racing have a strong race setup capable of delivering silverware.
The TCR Scandinavia regular clocked a best time of 1:07.834 around the 1.8 mile Wiltshire circuit to line up alongside sibling Jessica on the second row.
By virtue of having the slowest second-best lap time, however, the Swede will start the second race from the back of the field in 10th.
It proved to be a truncated session with red flags brought out for Darelle Wilson’s Vauxhall Astra after hitting a tyre stack at Bobbies, and traffic hampering Bäckman’s final flying effort.
“Considering the session with the red flag and everything it was a good result,” he told TouringCars.net at Castle Combe.
“I had hoped for a better time in qualifying but I made many mistakes during my runs but then in the last run I was quite good.
“Then in the last lap I got a bit blocked going into the last corner but I think third is still a good place to start for race one. But unfortunately I will be tenth for race two because I had the best second lap time, but anyway I think we have a good car to race with.”
The Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR has been given 60 kilograms of compensation wait as per the category’s Balance of Performance (BoP) regulations ahead of the weekend – something Bäckman says increases the challenge on him and the team.
Regardless, he remains confident the team can bank silverware for the fourth consecutive meeting on the trot, with team mate Lloyd looking for a seventh win in succession.
“It’s a massive difference in the weight so it makes it much more difficult for us. But I think we still have quite a good car for the races, it’s going to be a really long race and it will be all about keeping the speed all the way until the end.
“A podium is definitely the aim for race one, then for race two a podium will be a bit more difficult. But the goal is a podium for tomorrow.”
He also praised Castle Combe as a venue, particularly the rhythm around the course of a lap.
“It’s a really fun track, it’s got a good flow and I really like the track. It’s nice and wide and definitely has a good flow.”
The opening race of the weekend gets underway at 12:55 BST tomorrow.