Pirtek Racing’s Andrew Jordan is in confident mood ahead of rounds seven, eight and nine of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at Thruxton this weekend.
After a breakthrough weekend at Donington Park for the second event of the season, the Briton is relishing the unique challenge of Thruxton in the works MG6 GT run by Triple Eight Racing.
Last year, Jordan qualified on pole position at the high-speed Hampshire circuit, which puts unique demands on the driver, car and most specifically the Dunlop tyres. Here are his thoughts on achieving a quick lap around the 2.3-mile track, and an onboard video of the lap in question.
“You always want the car to be a bit loose around Thruxton because it helps with the tyre life. The more work that the car does itself with the rear moving around means that the front is kinder on the rubber, which is vital. That means you have to put up with a bit of oversteer.
“The first turn, Allard, you have a lazy lift of the throttle, and that is the same all the way around the track. You don’t want any sharp movements on the throttle to upset the balance of the car. When you come out of the corner, you are immediately into the left-hander before the Complex.
“The ideal line would be to go to the left and make the first element of the complex as shallow as possible but sometimes you can’t do that. You will see that I go diagonally to the apex because it is the path of least resistance and it is kinder on the tyres. I probably made the corner a bit too sharp on that lap, but thankfully it didn’t compromise me too much.
“I use the kerbs on the left-hander after that, because it helps to rotate the car around and then it's onto the quick right, where you also use kerb, although you wouldn’t do that in the race. It's too risky.
“You get to the next flat-out left hander, Noble, and then it's the long right at Goodwood. These are vital corners where you can make up the most time. I am very oversteery through both parts of this section of track. Goodwood is the place where you are the most aggressive on the brakes. It is a huge challenge and it always feels like you're going to run out of road. You need to use all of the Tarmac and that is the way to get the most from it.
“Then it is on to Church, one of the most challenging turns. It has a bit of a compression on the entry and then a bump just before the apex, which makes the car go light. I try to turn in early and grab a bunch of kerb on the inside, but you are battling all the way. You have to be careful, because the way you come out of the corner will determine your speed all the way up the hill to the final chicane. You want to grab the corner by the scruff of its neck, but you are always wary of the impact it could have on your lap time.
“The final chicane is tough too, because you are turning as you brake. That means you modulate the braking to make sure the rears don't lock up and send you off. On this qualifying lap, I braked a bit early because there was traffic in front of me and I didn’t want to catch him mid-corner. From there, it's a blast to the finish line.
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