The Honda Yuasa Racing team and its drivers, Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden are hoping for some wet weather as the 2013 British Touring Car Championship heads to Rockingham.
Shedden took a brace of victories in the wet last year and needs a strong Rockingham weekend this year to keep himself in contention for securing back to back titles.
“Rockingham is going to be weather dependant,” said Shedden. “We were struggling with the pace in the dry last year and then it came to us in the wet.
“The circuit has some good corners but also the slow hairpin and chicane with long straights afterwards. Its swings and roundabouts.
“I certainly wouldn’t mind inclement weather – we’ve not had much rain this season,” the Scotsman added.
The Scotsman has taken three wins to date in 2013 but bad luck has meant that he is third in the Championship behind team-mate Neal and the Pirtek Honda of Andrew Jordan.
“If it’s going to go my way the cards need to start falling my way soon, they haven’t so far,” said the 33 year old. “I don’t have a problem with going fast; I just have a problem getting the results!”
Team-mate Neal arrives with a slender six point advantage at the top of the Championship standings and he reckons that the MG of Jason Plato isn’t out of contention despite being 55 points behind with 9 races to go.
“Never discount Jason,” explains Neal. “I wouldn’t like to have his deficit, but with the (series turbo) boost (equalisation) situation, he’ll be strong at Rockingham and Silverstone.
“He could get four wins in the next six races and that would put him right back in it.”
Neal admits that he has to continue to rack up the points – he has scored in every race since the opening round of the season at Brands Hatch.
“I’ve just got to get the points,” Neal continued.
“When it was very wet it suited us last year, but in the dry the MG was very quick. I think the BMW’s will be fast too, with the rear-wheel-drive in the traction areas.
“I like the circuit – it’s challenging. It’s got a technical aspect to it, which I like,” concluded the triple Champion.