Pyro Motorsport’s Ollie Taylor says he is ‘over the moon’ to have secured his first ever TCR UK pole position by just three thousandths of a second from title rival Dan Lloyd for the opening race at Castle Combe.
Taylor, who denied Lloyd from taking a fourth consecutive TCR UK pole position, admitted he didn’t believe he could actually beat Lloyd in that session.
He told TouringCars.Net he was initially overdriving in the session, before delivering the pole position lap on which he surprised himself.
“I didn’t actually think that was possible. Not to accept defeat – but I thought I’d given it all I had to give really,” said Taylor.
“But looking at sector analysis my fastest lap had none of my quickest sectors hooked up in it, so I just told myself to calm down and relax, go out and do a good warm-up on the tyres, get them warmed up nice and evenly and hook it up and deliver.
“I think I was overdriving to start off with, so I really concentrated on corner exits, getting good exits. I didn’t even think that was going to get pole! I was coming around the lap thinking ‘This is good I’m slowly gaining a bit of time’ halfway around the lap I was three tenths up and I thought at least I’ve made an effort of taking some time out of him [Dan Lloyd].
“Coming out of the last chicane I was five tenths up and I’m thinking I’m only six tenths down – get this around the last corner! And that was the best I’ve come round that last corner so far this weekend, crossed the line and was over the moon.”
Taylor also said he was pleased to score the championship points available for pole, as well as for TCR UK as a championship to have a different race one polesitter.
“Also good championship points today there then, points for pole so they were important points, I needed them.
“And also for the championship as well, no-one wants to have the same person getting pole pole pole and win win win. So that’s good from that point of view. I just hope I can stay in front of them a little bit longer this time than what I did at Brands Hatch but I’ve given myself the best chance.”
Taylor also admitted he nearly went for the same strategy as Dan Lloyd – posting one fast lap before then backing off to set a slow timed lap – but believed it was too risky.
“I think he’s [Dan Lloyd] got second and second on the reverse grid. We had discussed doing that, but it seemed too risky. And obviously I didn’t do that really fast lap until the very end.”