Rory Butcher: “We could be even faster at Oulton Park”

Rory Butcher has warned that his Motorbase-run Ford Focus could be “even faster” at Oulton Park this weekend after a strong showing so far in the 2020 BTCC season.

The Scot qualified on pole position last time out at Brands Hatch but missed out on a first win of the year thanks to a puncture whilst leading the opening race.

Butcher then raced through to fourth place from the back of the grid in race two before further heartache in race three when a second puncture of the day dropped him out of contention for a podium finish.

With the team having worked hard since Brands Hatch to resolve the issues that led to the tyre failures, Butcher heads into the weekend seeking to make up ground from sixth in the standings, and he said he was confident of another strong showing for the new Focus on track.

“I would be lying to say I wasn’t gutted about Brands,” he said. “But we can take some real optimism from the pace we have shown so far. You can do all the testing you like, but the race environment is where it counts and we have shown that we deserve our place at the front. We were on pole and easily able to run at the head of the pack.

“We are taking another step with the car in terms of set-up going to Oulton Park this weekend. Oulton is a really challenging track, and with the new avenues of set-up we are exploring, there is every chance the car will be even faster in Cheshire. The work hasn’t stopped and we are learning all the time. There is plenty to be upbeat about.”

Team-mate Ollie Jackson suffered his own issues in the final race at Brands having earlier scored a podium finish in race one, and he too said he was excited about the weekend ahead.

“Despite the problems we had, it was a hugely strong weekend and I scored more points in one meeting that I have done in some entire seasons before,” he said. “We were on the front foot from the get-go. I have worked hard with my engineer and we have gone our own way on set-up, which is really working. But there is still so much more to learn about the car – there is a journey ahead of us and I really can’t wait to get back in it.

“We can make adjustments to overcome the problems we have had, and I am positive about that. Also, we are going to Oulton Park and then on to Knockhill – two of my favourite circuits of the line-up. I am just eager to get going.”