Q & A with Mat Jackson

Q: How does it feel to have your first BTCC pole position?

Mat Jackson: We had good pace in pre-season testing, so it's nice to put it all into practice and get a result like this - but of course it's in the race where it really matters. We need three good results tomorrow and that means good finishes.

Q: Did having rear-wheel drive help you in the wet conditions?

MJ: Not at all. In the wet the front-wheel drive cars understeer a bit more, and when it's slippery understeer is easier to control than oversteer. So while it's not necessarily easier with the fronts driving, it's maybe a little more stable.

I think what helped us the most is that we got the red flags just right. The best time was always going to come on the last lap, and that's when the pole came.

Q: Pole position is sometimes a poisoned chalice at Brands, with the grid spot being on an uphill slope compared to P2 and P3. Will that be a problem for you?

MJ: I've got rear-wheel drive, which I hope will give me better traction off the line than (fellow-front-row qualifier Fabrizio) Giovanardi.

When you start on pole you never try to finish in second place. We're on pole and we have to make the most of it. We need three clean races so we can take some good points away from here.

Q: Does it feel good to send out the message to the rest of the teams that your excellent testing pace was genuine?

MJ: It doesn't bother me. It's good for the team to be on pole, that's the main thing. All the guys that are involved in the team, it's good for them. And it's good to reward our sponsors too with a result like that. It's down to all of them that we're on pole.

Q: Pole gives you a point, so you're leading the championship already.

MJ: I never thought of that. Okay, let's cancel the rest of the season now!

Q: You ended last season with a win, so you're the man to beat. How does two in a row sound?

MJ: It would be nice, wouldn't it?