Arena confident of step forward
Arena Motorsport is confident of making giant strides up the grid at this weekend's British Touring Car Championship round at Donington Park after introducing a series of tweaks to its cars
The squad has been off the pace so far this season with drivers Tom Chilton and Alan Morrison yet to register a points finish this season in the self-built Ford Focus STs.
The lack of pace has centered around an engine mapping problem that has left the machines unable to access as much as 40bhp, and a balance problem that left Chilton, in particular, suffering form excessive oversteer at Thruxton.
But team principal Mike Earle believes his squad has now got to the root of the main issues and will close the 2.3-second average deficit to the front of the field.
"Since Thruxton we have managed to get a car in a wind tunnel and to spend some time analysing suspension geometries on a K&C rig," Earle said.
"In an ideal world we would have completed these tasks much earlier, but with our deal coming together so close to the beginning of the season, this is the only possibility we had open to us."
"We have learnt a tremendous amount with these processes and together with some engine development work that was always scheduled, we are confident that at Donington we will show a step forwards in our performance."
"I'm delighted with the attitude of everyone in the team, who have worked tirelessly to move our programme along and that includes the drivers - Tom and Alan who have been tremendous. They have never let their heads drop when it would have been understandable if they had."
Arena's best results of the season have been a pair of 11th places for Chilton at Brands Hatch.
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