Rob Austin “wants silverware for the team” on race day

Rob Austin says his focus on race day at Brands Hatch is to reward the Handy Motorsport team with more silverware from the final rounds of the BTCC season.

Austin put his Toyota Avensis on the second row of the grid having posted the fourth quickest time in a session that started in wet conditions but then dried out – with two red flag stoppages also delaying proceedings.

With no title to consider, Austin will seek to challenge for top honours on race day on what will be his final weekend with the Toyota before Handy’s switch to the new Alfa Romeo Giullieta for 2018.

“I had high hopes that we could do well here as we qualified on the front row last season,” he said. “We had some work to do after FP1 but took a step forwards in both FP2 and qualifying – it just wasn’t quite enough for pole.

“Brands GP is a circuit that is like Thruxton in that it takes balls to really get a good time on the loop. It’s a fantastic feeling when you hook up the lap which is what we did. There was nothing left on the table on that lap and there was a bit of opposite lock at Hawthorn which was fun!

“The aim now is to push for some silverware tomorrow, for the team more than me. We’ve had good pace all season but we haven’t been able to get the trophies that we deserved for some reason and another. I’d like to pick up some more silverware for the boys.”