2015 BTCC: Rob Collard wins Race 1 at Knockhill

Rob Collard (West Surrey Racing) is the winner of the opening British Touring Car Championship race at Knockhill. Mat Jackson (Motorbase Performance),who was leading for the majority of the race finished second. Polesitter Andy Priaulx (West Surrey Racing) finished third.

Race was sensational and action packed from start to finish, with lots of position changes. Priaulx in BMW 125i M Sport started from pole and was holding first place for only one lap. Mat Jackson’s Ford Focus passed Priaulx’s BMW at the final hairpin of the opening lap. Behind them, two BMWs of Sam Tordoff and Rob Collard fought for third and Collard was successful. While Jackson, Priaulx and Collard held their positions Tordoff fell behind Gordon Shedden and Rob Austin. At the half of the race Matt Neal also overtook Tordoff.

MG Triple Eight’s Jack Goff and Laser Tools Racing’s Aiden Moffat had a coming together on lap seven, which speared Moffat’s Mercedes off the track at the chicane. Further contact also had Dan Welch’s Proton bouncing across the grass and a Safety Car period was called shortly after.

In last five laps Tordoff fought back and jumped from seventh to fourth. At the same time Priaulx attacked Jackson for the lead on the exit of the hairpin but the robust defense from the Motorbase Performance driver forced the triple world champion wide, allowing Collard to inherit second. After that Collard attacked Jackson and overtook him for the lead.

Shedden finished fifth, ahead Neal and Austin. Andrew Jordan took a eighth place ahead of Adam Morgan’s WIX Racing Mercedes, whilst reigning champion Colin Turkington completed the top ten in Team BMR’s Volkswagen CC.

Championship leader Jason Plato sacrificed his race from the back of the grid in order to try and qualify well for race two. The ballast-heavy VW could only manage the eighth fastest lap. Mat Jackson set the fastest lap and will start Race 2 from pole position, with Shedden, Austin and Collard completing the first two rows.