Rob Austin was once again left frustrated in the British Touring Car Championship races at Snetterton, with the HMS Racing driver taking a best finish of sixth in a trio of bruising races.
Having qualified in seventh in first qualifying, the Alfa Romeo driver went on to finish the race in sixth after a solid drive.
However, race two saw contact with Ciceley Motorsport’s Tom Oliphant, after Austin took a large amount of kerb whilst battling with Sam Tordoff, breaking the two link on Austin’s Giulietta and forcing him into retirement from the race.
“I am absolutely convinced we are cursed!”, said Austin. “We had a great car again and were actually a little disappointed to only qualify P7 for the first race.
“Our curse hit us again in race two. We had a great start and got up to third, although in the damp conditions on slick tyres we struggled to get the tyre temperature up as quickly as some of those around us.
“I had a good, clean race with Tordoff but as we battled the car behind got close enough to smash my rear wheel and break my suspension.
“It’s hard to comprehend how many times this has happened this year with no reprimands handed out by TOCA.”
The final race of the weekend began with an uphill battle for Austin, who started from 25th on the grid after only managing one flying lap in second qualifying due to a detached turbo pipe.
However despite getting as high as 11th at one stage, a stone through the radiator and later contact with Dan Lloyd meant Austin could only manage 13th come the chequered flag.
“In the ‘Diamond Double’ race the curse was in full swing again,” continued a frustrated Austin. “The first half of the race went well and with a mega start, and clearly a very strong car, I think P6 would have been achievable.
“Sadly, a car in front kicked up a stone and put a hole in the radiator. From then on, the engine got hotter and hotter and, as a result, we got slower and slower. In the end it was a relief to hang on to P13.
“I have never experienced a run of bad fortune like this in my 28 years of racing and it’s blowing my mind at the moment, but we clearly have a fast, solid car in the DUO Motorsport with HMS Alfa Romeo and we won’t give up!
“Our fortune will change, and when it does we are ready!”