Colin Turkington endured a difficult British Touring Car Championship weekend at Snetterton, although the Team BMW driver admits that being slightly lighter heading to Rockingham will be an advantage.
The Northern Irishman went to Norfolk with a 19-point lead at the top of the table, but he left it having slipped to second, six points away from new leader Tom Ingram.
The weekend began in a challenging fashion for Turkington, who could only qualify in 15th for race one with the maximum 75 kg of success ballast on board.
But second qualifying saw him bag the eighth best time – which could have been second but for a disallowed lap – giving him hope for race three.
In race one Turkington was unable to progress beyond 15th to take home a solitary point, and then in race two he was eliminated following an accident between Brett Smith and Dan Lloyd up ahead.
The ballast-free final race saw the two-time champion salvage a fighting sixth place in the double points race.
“It’s been a tough weekend, but I’ve maximised whatever points were possible,” said Turkington. “I’ve and ended up with a top-six finish in race three by being patient, attacking when my BMW felt at its strongest and biding my time when a move wasn’t possible.
“That’s how you have to drive in the BTCC with so many drivers capable of winning if you want to be in a position to take the championship.
“Race one was like driving in a carwash, there was that much water and race two was over before it began.
“The points situation is so close at the front that I can look at going to Rockingham second – and without maximum success ballast – as an advantage.”