Shedden pleased with last-gasp lap

The Team Halfords driver admitted that he was put in an all-or nothing situation after his Honda Civic failed a ride-height test with five minutes of the session remaining, which led to the Scotsman's times for the session up to that point being expunged.

"We'd just come back in with new rear tyres on the front after we switched them round and the pressures were down, so that's why we failed the ride-height," Shedden told autosport.com. "It was just like Jason Plato in qualifying at Thruxton.

"So I had no time, and then we only had a few minutes left, and then when the red flags came out for (Chris) Stockton's crash, it was one lap. All or nothing."

A superb, if ragged-looking, lap got Shedden his front row slot back and resulted him only missing Darren Turner's pole position time by 0.101 seconds.

"It was quite difficult because you know you only have one lap and although you really have to push, you can't risk making a mistake and going straight on at any of the corners," he added.

"You could be way at the back then and it makes your weekend very, very tough. So to put it all right on the last lap feels pretty good and I'm really happy to have done it.

"I'd say it was committed, but safe. It probably only looked ragged because the Civic, with its short wheelbase, always looks pretty lively anyway. It's the fastest way to drive it."