Jake Hill: ‘We’re really hitting our stride at the moment’

Jake Hill scored his third consecutive front-row qualifying result in Thruxton’s British Touring Car Championship qualifying session, leaving the MB Motorsport driver in an optimistic mood for race day.

Having taken pole at the season opening Donington Park round before qualifying in second at Brands Hatch, Hill once again put his BMW on the front-row of the grid at Thruxton with a lap time which was just 0.077 seconds slower than pole-sitter Josh Cook.

Hill had earlier been fastest of all in the second practice session and he continued that pace into qualifying, being pipped only by Thruxton master Cook.

Although Hill was fastest early on, in the end he had to settle for second, which remains enough to keep him at the top of the table for the Goodyear Wingfoot award which rewards the fastest qualifier over the season.

Having not scored a podium at Thruxton until 2021 – when Hill finished on the rostrum in four out of six races at the Hampshire circuit and was fourth in the other two – the 28-year-old is confident of challenging for a win on Sunday.

“I’m so pleased with the result; I’ve never been on the front row in three BTCC events in a row before, and do it in my first three qualifying sessions in the BMW is a great result for ROKiT MB Motorsport and WSR,” said Hill.

“The pace was good in practice and when it came to qualifying, the key was to maximise things when the car was at its best – which was on my second run. We did that and the front row was the result.

“To see two BMWs in the top four and all three in the top ten shows what a great job WSR have done on the car over the winter.

“It was a shame I was pipped for pole at the end, but the BMW’s strong off the line so I’m sure I can fight for at least one win tomorrow.”

“We’re really hitting our stride at the moment and making every session count.

“The lap times here are really close as always and you can’t separate us throughout the field. It’ll be flat out all the way and I’m sure we’ll have another strong showing.”

Race one is scheduled to get underway at 11:40 BST.