Reverse-grid pole-sitter Carl Swift is hoping to be able to claim his second podium in the TCR UK series, after the Maximum Motorsport driver played a game of strategy in qualifying.
Swift managed to post the second-slowest lap in qualifying, giving him pole position for race two, which reverses the top ten of each driver’s second-best laps.
The CUPRA racer explained that he was aiming for a strong grid position for the second encounter at Oulton Park, after accepting that he didn’t have the pace to challenge for an outright front-row start.
“You’ve got to kind of admit defeat and release you can’t keep up with the top three or four – yet,” said Swift to TouringCars.Net. “If we can’t get up there for race one, I thought I’d have a go for race two.
“We were just monitoring everyone’s second fastest times to see if we can get that reverse, and it worked out.”
Swift doesn’t expect that he will be able to keep reigning BTCC champion Ash Sutton – who starts alongside in race two – behind him for the entire race, but is hoping to score another podium.
“[Sutton] had not a driven a TCR car until yesterday and he was top of that session, so I don’t think that’s a disadvantage for him at all.
“I’ll just do my best, get as good a start as I can and hold him off as long as I can. I don’t think it’s realistic to hold him off the whole way through, but I’ll try as long as I can.
“If it wasn’t for Ash getting P2 – he’s also played the game well – then it’s a normal reverse grid and I’d have had a real good chance of maybe taking a win there.
“It should be good, we’ll be able to get our elbows out! It would be lovely to take a podium again.”
Race two grid
| POS | NO | DRIVER | NAT | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | GAP |
| 1 | 45 | Carl SWIFT |  |
Endurance Financial Racing | CUPRA TCR V3 DSG | 10 | 1:46.527 | 3.387 |
| 2 | 88 | Ashley SUTTON | |
Verizon Connect Racing | Honda Civic Type-R FK8 TCR | 7 | 1:45.797 | 2.657 |
| 3 | 76 | Robert GILMOUR | |
DPE Motorsport | Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR | 12 | 1:44.879 | 1.739 |
| 4 | 38 | Lewis KENT | |
Essex & Kent Motorsport | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 13 | 1:44.665 | 1.525 |
| 5 | 95 | Stewart LINES | |
Maximum Motorsport | CUPRA TCR V3 DSG | 12 | 1:44.412 | 1.272 |
| 6 | 26 | Jessica BÄCKMAN |  |
WestCoast Racing | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 14 | 1:44.396 | 1.256 |
| 7 | 61 | Derek PALMER | |
DPE Motorsport | Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR | 12 | 1:44.335 | 1.195 |
| 8 | 19 | Andreas BÄCKMAN | |
WestCoast Racing | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 10 | 1:43.819 | 0.679 |
| 9 | 23 | Dan LLOYD | |
WestCoast Racing | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 12 | 1:43.188 | 0.048 |
| 10 | 32 | Oliver TAYLOR | |
Pyro Motorsport | Honda Civic Type-R FK8 TCR | 12 | 1:43.140 | – |
| 11 | 27 | Tim DOCKER | |
Maximum Motorsport | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 16 | 1:47.269 | 4.129 |