It was a fantastic Saturday for Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport as Jake Hill claimed a front-row start in a dramatic qualifying shootout at Oulton Park. Recording his and the team’s best qualifying result of the season, hopes are high as race day at the Cheshire-based circuit looms large tomorrow.
Warm conditions greeted the British Touring Car Championship grid at the picturesque Oulton Park circuit and Jake and the WSR crew ran through a steady, planned programme in the day’s two free practice sessions. Finishing the sessions respectively in P17 and P10, the sessions laid the foundation for a dramatic afternoon to follow.
The initial thirty-minute qualifying session would dictate the top-ten drivers who would make it through to the quickfire ten-minute shootout. Despite a red-flag interrupted session, Jake delivered a strong performance registering a 1:25.236 to give the team the comfort necessary to prepare for the final shootout closing the session in P3.
With many of the grid’s notable names making their way through to the top-ten, the stakes were high. After bringing his tyres up to optimum temperature, Jake set about putting himself and his #24 BMW 330e M Sport right into the mix - and that was exactly what he did. Extracting even more from the car than he did in the initial qualifying session, the Laser Beamer raced to a 1:25.057 to claim a P2 starting position for tomorrow’s opener.
Jake Hill - #24 Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport:
“I am mega happy with that qualifying performance. The boys and girls at WSR have worked through a real programme today and it’s ended up with me being able to deliver our best qualifying result of the season. To be on the front row at Oulton is fantastic and it’s set us up to try and convert this tomorrow into a really positive weekend.”
Mark Blundell - Sporting Director, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport:
“Today is a fantastic start to the race weekend for everyone at Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport. Jake delivered a fantastic performance, as did everyone around him at WSR. We’ve got a really big day ahead of us tomorrow now and we need to make sure we make the most out of today’s success.”
