Gordon Shedden has called on the stewards in the new FIA World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) to allow the racing to ‘get physical from time-to-time’ in order to ensure the show remains exciting to viewers.
The three-time British Touring Car Champion is making his début in the new WTCR in 2018 with Audi, and he hopes that some contact, within reason, will be allowed in the new series.
“I really hope they allow us to race,” said Shedden to TouringCars.Net. “I remember the whole reason that I had any kind of interest in motorsport was watching touring cars in the mid-90s, because as a spectator and a small boy watching through the fence, it was just fantastic entertainment.
“The racing was great, with overtaking and a little bit of nudging, and it was great and that’s what we need. It’s going to be so close, and it’s going to get physical from time to time, and I hope that within reason they allow it to be a touring car race.
“We’re all quite happy to lose a wing mirror and have a little rub, but what nobody wants is to get taken off from 30 m behind.
“I know that due to the standard of drivers, if I take somebody off I can expect the same back. I can draw the line anywhere you want me to draw the line.
“What I’ve always said is that I will race against people how I would want to be raced against. It’s hard, it’s fair, and as long as that’s beneath us, then it’s fine. It’s racing.”
Shedden believes that his knowledge of a three-race per weekend format, and the need to be consistent, will pay dividends in the season ahead.
“I’ve learnt to understand how to make the most of a three-race weekend,” said the Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil driver. “Some of it is actually getting it into your head that you’re not going to win every race, and somewhere along the line you’re going to be scrapping for 15th and one point and you’ve got to get it to the end.
“In Britain, you don’t win championships on your good weekends, you win them on your bad weekends. It’s the grinding out of results which pays dividends at the end of the year.”