WSR BMW driver Sam Tordoff eyeing BTCC title push
Sam Tordoff believes his "purple patch" prior to the British Touring Car Championship's summer break has put him in contention for the title
The WSR driver clinched his first win for his new team at Oulton Park and followed that up with pole, a win and another podium at Croft.
After switching to the BMW 125i M Sport for this season following two years driving Triple Eight's MG 6GT, Tordoff says he has turned the corner in his understanding of the car.
"I feel better in the car and I'm in a purple patch of form," he told AUTOSPORT. "We've had a slow start to the year but I envisaged myself challenging for the title.
"If we can keep picking up points when we're good it's going to leave me somewhere close."
Andy Priaulx is fearful WSR's Croft form may prove to be a "smokescreen" to its deficits to the likes of Honda and Team BMR, but Tordoff is not concerned.
"Snetterton's not going to be one we struggle at," he predicted. "We're not expecting to. We're going to be in the mix, I think it will be no different.
"That's the beauty of the BTCC, everyone has good and weak tracks."
RACE FOR THE TITLE
Tordoff's strong weekend has thrust him into contention, vaulting him from seventh to fourth in the points - 33 behind Gordon Shedden.
The Scot took back the lead of the championship from Jason Plato over the Croft weekend, and heads the race for the title by 10 points.
Just 39 points separate the top six drivers, compared to 90 at this stage last year. Andrew Jordan is at the tail of that group, having dropped back following a difficult weekend in the north-east.
MID-SEASON BTCC STANDINGS:
| Pos | Driver | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gordon Shedden | 195 |
| 2 | Jason Plato | 185 |
| 3 | Matt Neal | 173 |
| 4 | Sam Tordoff | 162 |
| 5 | Colin Turkington | 161 |
| 6 | Andrew Jordan | 156 |
| 7 | Adam Morgan | 128 |
| 8 | Rob Collard | 127 |
| 9 | Andy Priaulx | 126 |
| 10 | Jack Goff | 124 |
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