Árón Smith says he “couldn’t be happier” after scoring the first British Touring Car Championship victory for Team BMR in a wet final race at Oulton Park.
Smith scored the team’s first in a wet final race of the day at Oulton Park, having earlier been selected by team-mate Alain Menu to start on pole in the random reverse grid draw.
The Irishman led every lap of the race to clinch his second-ever win in the series and BMR’s first since joining at the start of 2013.
“I couldn’t be happier,” said Smith to TouringCars.Net. “This is probably the first year the [Volkswagen] Passat has been pushed to its maximum potential. We just haven’t had the breaks until now, unfortunately, so to come out and score the first win for Team BMR is something I can take to the grave with me.
“I couldn’t thank Warren and Vicki Scott for the opportunity they’ve given me, because without them I just wouldn’t be here.”
Smith admits that he was nervous about starting the race on wet tyres on a fully wet track, and that as the race progressed the conditions suited his driving style more and more.
“To begin with it was full wets,” explained Smith. “I was probably more nervous for that. Once I saw it drying out I could play around with the bias in the car – you can kind of drift into each corner and power out of it – which suits my style. So once it started drying out I was more comfortable.
“It’s one of those things – those conditions are awkward because no two laps you can drive the same. Every one you have to go in later on the brakes, you have to come out faster – that’s the important part of it.”
“We just haven’t had the breaks to show [our pace]. The timesheets don’t lie and I think this was just a matter of time. I’m delighted to have got the first win for us.”
Team boss Warren Scott added that he was delighted that the first win had finally come, expressing little surprise that it had been Smith and not team-mate Alain Menu who scored the first win.
“I’m over the moon,” said Scott. “We knew the cars were quick and would be competitive. Podiums were on our list, but Árón went and done it – he did a good job. We hoped it would come at some point but when it actually comes it’s very nice.”
Scott also divulged that the team have a third Passat prepared and that he is not yet certain if he will race the car for the second half of the season or if it will be kept as a spare shell in the event of an accident.
“It [the spare shell] is sitting there ready – I’ve got a spare car in bits,” explained Scott. “I still haven’t made my mind up if I’ll be coming back in the Passat for Snetterton. I’ll definitely be in the Insignia for Croft. It depends on where we’re thinking of going in the next couple of years.”