Tom Chilton is hoping that driving a Honda will give him the best chance to taste victory in this weekend’s British Touring Car Championship races at Thruxton – the only current BTCC circuit the BTC Racing driver has yet to win at.
Chilton – a 14-time BTCC winner – has never won at Thruxton in his 373-race career and he is hoping that this year taking on the high-speed circuit in a Honda will give him the best chance.
The 35-year-old is currently seventh overall in the drivers’ championship and is BTC Racing’s best-ranked driver so far this year, having finished in the points in 11 of the 12 races so far.
Chilton scored his first podium finish of the year last time out at Knockhill, and he heads to Thruxton confident of unlocking more pace in the Civic Type-R.
“I love Thruxton as it’s the fastest circuit in the UK,” said Chilton, who has scored just two podiums at the circuit in the BTCC to-date. “I learned how to drive there when I was 13 so I know the circuit very well.
“I’ve never won at Thruxton though. It’s the only BTCC track where I’ve never taken a win. Both times I’ve been leading races there, I’ve had punctures.
“So I’m really hoping that in a Honda I’ve got the best chance of winning.
“We’ve made some changes from Knockhill to suit the fast and bumpy nature of the track. We’ve also got 24 kg of success ballast to contend with this weekend, as well as the hard tyre.
“I need to unlock some more pace in the car, and I think that we’re on the right path to achieving that. The FK8 was really quick there last year I’m hopeful of big things this weekend.”