Smith set for BTCC challenge

Gavin Smith lines up alongside Yvan Muller and Colin Turkington in the VX Racing team for 2005, and the Dubliner was at Donington Park for the media launch of the series.

Smith made his BTCC debut at Mondello Park last year in a GA Motorsports Astra Coupé, but joining the works Vauxhall squad this year brings a whole new challenge: “I’m not going to take any big chances. I’m just trying to get the hang of the car and the team and see how it all works.”

“This is a big step up for me. Even though I did the race last year, to be with the works team now is a big eye-opener. The team are great, having so many great guys around you really helps things come together well. To have a manufacturer behind you is an added bonus.”

In a deal that was late coming together, Smith was confirmed in the third Astra Sport Hatch just last week, after testing the car at Magny Cours in France: “We did a three-day test last week, which went really well. Monday was dry, Tuesday was wet and Wednesday was dry so it was good for me to get to know the car in different conditions. I was very comfortable from the start, even in the wet.”

“It all seems to be going ok. The car is very comfortable. It’s quite rewarding in a sense. It’s not unpredictable, you know that it will stop when you want and it will turn in all right. I think the car is only going to get stronger. They’re trying stuff that you wouldn’t necessarily think of trying because it’s such a new car. I’m pretty confident that the car will be good.”

Smith is a BTCC rookie compared to his new teammates with Yvan Muller having won the title in 2003, whilst Colin Turkington is a race winner, now entering his fourth season in the series.

“It is good to have two teammates that you can rely on and that are there to help you”, said Smith. “It’s not like the Seats where everyone was in it for themselves. I’ve no doubt I’ll only get quicker as the season goes on. We’ll just have to see what happens regarding points and where we stand.”

Smith finished the Donington Park test session fifth fastest, just 0.636 seconds slower than pace-setter Matt Neal, but the 27 year-old is not too concerned with outright speed at this stage: “We each have our own programme today, and then at the end of the day we’ll pile all the information together and see what we’ve come up with. We all work together. It’s very open and there isn’t a problem with asking questions and sharing information.”

“Also, it’s very hard to know who is doing what today. You don’t know who is playing with weights and who is holding back and stuff like that. I’m just trying to get a setup on the car that is comfortable for me and that is driveable over a race distance.”

After four years of dominance in the BTCC, VX Racing enters 2005 with a new car and a new challenge if it is to retain its titles. For Smith, the objectives are clear: “My personal targets are just to settle into the team and get to know the car. I hope to have the pace and score points and progress on from there and see where it takes me. I’m in it to do the best job I can and that’s what I’m going to do, but I’m just going to take it slowly. I’m not going to jump in at the deep end and make a total mess of it. The team are very patient with me and we have already overachieved on what we were hoping for to start with. We will only move forwards.”

“I’m really happy to be where I am and I am confident but I’m not going to try and set any records. I’m just going to bed myself in and see how it goes and see how quickly I can get up to speed with the other drivers.”

By Matt Lamprell