WIX Racing’s Adam Morgan, third fastest in first practice at Rockingham, says that he is ‘knocking on the door’ of a first podium of the season in the British Touring Car Championship this weekend.
Morgan has finished inside the top ten for the past seven races and a resurgence in pace has elevated him to tenth overall in the drivers’ championship classification. Morgan admits that following a run of consistency he is looking to make a step up into the top three in the final three events of the year.
“We’re just knocking on the door at the minute [of another podium],” said Morgan to TouringCars.Net. “It’s all about consistency – we’ve had several top ten finishes in a row and a fourth [at Snetterton] as well.
“There’s still a bit more work to do with the car, a bit more development work, but that is what we’re after this year – a podium for the car and the team.
Morgan admitted that progress has been slow for the small Ciceley Racing squad, who are fielding just the one Mercedes-Benz A-Class.
“We’re constantly trying stuff, but it is a slow process,” admitted Morgan. “Obviously we’ve only got one car and we can only do one change at a time, whereas if you look at the [Team BMR] Passats they can do four changes and then relay all the data. For us it’s just one change at a time. It’s slow process but we’ve made some significant improvements and it’s coming on really well.”
Morgan has only once before broken into the top ten at Rockingham – with a ninth place finish in his rookie year in 2012. Nevertheless he admits to enjoying the Northamptonshire circuit and admits to being taken by surprise with his pace in the dry first practice.
“I do like this track. We struggled last year – we were a little bit off the pace everywhere. We were taken off in race one – which was not my fault – but we had a top ten in the last race.
“Our pace [in first practice] took us by surprise so it’s encouraging. It’s just foggy – it was dry everywhere. I came out of the last chicane and couldn’t see the first corner! So it was a bit eerie driving up to it.”
Morgan’s title sponsor WIX Filters is based locally in Northamptonshire and the Manchester-based racer admits that he is hoping to be able to reward them with a podium finish on Sunday.
“It would be great for WIX – they’re just around the corner and there’s a massive crowd of them coming tomorrow. If I get a podium for them it would be even better. It adds to the pressure, it makes me a bit more nervous, but we’ll give it a go.”