MOTOR SPORTS NEWS

Latest News

  • Audi Sport is Ducati’s partner in MotoGP
  • Kumho Tire appointed sole tyre supplier to the TCR World Tour
  • Historic Maiden Victories at the Extreme E Desert X Prix!
  • Josh Moffett lifts another Clonakilty Park Hotel West Cork Rally winner’s trophy
  • Big win for Nasser & Toyota GR DKR Hilux in the Qatar International Baja
  • Home
  • News
  • Dakar
    • DAKAR 2016
    • Dakar 2015
  • Cross-Country Rally
  • Notice Board
  • Rally
  • Motorbike
  • Touring Cars
  • Circuit Racing
  • Events
  • follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Google+
    • Pinterest
    • RSS Feed
    • Linked
    • Youtube

Smith continues his Silverstone podium run

Oct 04, 2015


  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
Tweet

Silverstone, Northamptonshire, UK; Fresh off the back of a popular return to the podium at Rockingham last time out, Team BMR RCIB Insurance driver Árón Smith was now more hungry than ever to return to the podium again before the season end.

Silverstone has been kind to the Irishman since he made his full season debut in the British Touring Car Championship in 2012, visiting the podium at least once each year stood the energetic racer in good steed coming into the weekend.

With his esteemed teammates Jason Plato and Colin Turkington in the hunt for the title race, Smith was about to become a key figure in the mix, acting as rear gunner for the pair, a privileged position for Smith given the experience of his colleagues.

Saturday morning’s free practice sessions proved that the weekend’s action was going to be very close. Just eight tenths of a second separated the top 20 drivers in free practice one, and that number increased to 23 in free practice two. Trying a number of different styles of attack during both sessions to be prepared for the weekend’s events, Smith ended up tenth and sixth respectively, but crucially feeling confident he could find that extra drop needed to propel him up the order in qualifying.

The penultimate qualifying session of the season got underway just after 3pm and it was action packed from the start. Split with a red flag half way through, the majority of the flying laps were completed in the second part of the session. Hooking up with teammate Plato, the pair set off on a charge towards the front which on early sectors looked set to be the perfect plan. Unfortunately however, their flying lap was compromised by another competitor in the final sector, but Árón’s best effort was good enough to place him eighth on the grid for Sunday’s opener.

Starting on the Dunlop Sport MAXX soft tyres, Smith got a superb launch as the lights went out on Sunday’s opening race one, propelling himself up to seventh at the end of the first lap. Now locked on the bumper of fellow BMR driver Colin Turkington, Smith looked to be the fastest of the pair, but instead they worked together to try and move forward up the order. Utilising the tow from Turkington and the best of his soft tyres, Smith knocked in some flying laps early on which would go on to secure a fourth place starting position for race two. As the race progressed however, the pair were unable to move forward, but contact between Dave Newsham and Sam Tordoff up ahead promoted the Team BMR pair to fifth and sixth respectively which they would maintain to the flag.

Keen to cease the opportunity of his best race two starting position of the season, once again Smith set off on an early charge as the lights went out. Now managing a credit card sized gap to third placed Jack Goff, Smith, who was clearly the quickest of the pair tried several moves to pass the MG driver before he became locked in battle with Priaulx. Opting to let the battle unfold ahead and avoid any drama, Priaulx eventually broke free to lead with the ailing Mat Jackson starting to slip back. Quickly Smith was now promoted to third and back in battle with Goff for second. Despite closing the gap back down to under a second, Smith remained third to add another Silverstone podium to his trophy cabinet, and with it, finish as leading independent team driver.

Ten was the magic number drawn for the race three reverse grid order, placing Smith down in eighth. With the field bunching up through turn one, Árón was subjected to some robust touring car driving which resulted in damaged steering. Falling back down the order, Smith initially started to recover after an early safety car period. His efforts were in vain however, as a puncture inside the final part of the race sent the Team BMR driver to the pits and into retirement.

Árón Smith – #40 Team BMR RCIB Insurance:
“Overall this has been another good weekend. I really like Silverstone, it’s been very kind to me with at least one podium finish each year I’ve raced here in Touring Cars, so I’m really happy we could keep that going. Race three was obviously a bit of a shame, but I guess that’s how it goes, we still have a lot to be happy about this weekend and the Team is on the brink of winning the Teams championship which is very important to me. Like Silverstone, Brands Hatch GP is a special circuit for me, I got my first win there in 2012 so I’ll be giving it everything she’s got to repeat that!”


  • tweet
Related articles
  • Audi Sport is Ducati’s partner in MotoGP
    Audi Sport is Ducati’s partner in...

    Mar 26, 2023 Comments Off on Audi Sport is Ducati’s partner in MotoGP

  • Kumho Tire appointed sole tyre supplier to the TCR World Tour
    Kumho Tire appointed sole tyre supplier...

    Mar 26, 2023 Comments Off on Kumho Tire appointed sole tyre supplier to the TCR World Tour

  • Historic Maiden Victories at the Extreme E Desert X Prix!
    Historic Maiden Victories at the...

    Mar 26, 2023 Comments Off on Historic Maiden Victories at the Extreme E Desert X Prix!

  • Josh Moffett lifts another Clonakilty Park Hotel West Cork Rally winner’s trophy
    Josh Moffett lifts another Clonakilty...

    Mar 20, 2023 Comments Off on Josh Moffett lifts another Clonakilty Park Hotel West Cork Rally winner’s trophy

More in this category
  • Audi Sport is Ducati’s partner in MotoGP
    Audi Sport is Ducati’s partner in...

    Comments Off on Audi Sport is Ducati’s partner in MotoGP

  • Kumho Tire appointed sole tyre supplier to the TCR World Tour
    Kumho Tire appointed sole tyre supplier...

    Comments Off on Kumho Tire appointed sole tyre supplier to the TCR World Tour

  • Josh Moffett lifts another Clonakilty Park Hotel West Cork Rally winner’s trophy
    Josh Moffett lifts another Clonakilty...

    Comments Off on Josh Moffett lifts another Clonakilty Park Hotel West Cork Rally winner’s trophy

  • Big win for Nasser & Toyota GR DKR Hilux in the Qatar International Baja
    Big win for Nasser & Toyota GR DKR...

    Comments Off on Big win for Nasser & Toyota GR DKR Hilux in the Qatar International Baja


Fleet Car Magazine

Notice Board

  • For Sale! 1991 Jordan-Ford driven by Mick Schumacher at Bonhams Grandes Marques du Monde à Paris auction
    For Sale! 1991 Jordan-Ford driven by Mick Schumacher at...

    Jan 18, 2023

    Tweet1991 Jordan-Ford driven by Mick Schumacher in 2021 to...
  • Opel Ireland partners with Mondello Park to launch 2022 EARLY-DRIVE road safety programme
    Opel Ireland partners with Mondello Park to launch 2022...

    Aug 21, 2022

    TweetA unique young driver education programme, developed...
  • Goodyear FIA ETRC pays tribute to Anthony Janiec
    Goodyear FIA ETRC pays tribute to Anthony Janiec

    Aug 07, 2022

    Tweet The Goodyear FIA ETRC, ETRA Promotion and the entire...
  • Killarney Forestry Rally to raise funds for Air Ambulance
    Killarney Forestry Rally to raise funds for Air Ambulance

    Feb 03, 2022

    TweetRally drivers from across Ireland will help fund...
  • McHugh’s Service Station, Ballindine Mayo Stages Rally, 6 March 2022
    McHugh’s Service Station, Ballindine Mayo Stages Rally, 6...

    Jan 27, 2022

    TweetMayo & District Motorsport Club, organisers of the...

Categories

  • Africa Eco-Race
  • Baja
  • BRC
  • Circuit Racing
  • Cross-Country Rally
  • Dakar
  • Dakar 2015
  • DAKAR 2016
  • DAKAR 2017
  • DAKAR 2019 PERU
  • DAKAR RALLY 2018
  • EV Motorsport
  • Events
  • EverGreeens: Irish Abroad
  • Extreme E
  • Forestry Rally
  • Formula 1
  • Hillclimb
  • IndyCar Series
  • Interview
  • Middle East Rally Championship
  • Morocco Rally
  • Motorbike
  • News
  • Notice Board
  • Rally
  • RallyX
  • Related products
  • Review
  • Sportscars
  • Touring Cars
  • Tribute
  • Truck Racing
  • Uncategorized
  • Video
  • WRC
Tweets by @IrMotSportNews

Recent Posts

Historic Maiden Victories at the Extreme E Desert X Prix!

Historic Maiden Victories at the Extreme E Desert X Prix!

Mar 26, 2023

Tweet Veloce Racing and ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team claimed their maiden Extreme E victories at the Desert X Prix in NEOM, Saudi Arabia. Both teams have set the benchmark for the year ahead, which could...
Read More
Big win for Nasser & Toyota GR DKR Hilux in the Qatar International Baja

Big win for Nasser & Toyota GR DKR Hilux in...

Mar 20, 2023

Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah wins the 2023 Qatar Baja in the Toyota GR DKR Hilux

Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah wins the 2023 Qatar Baja...

Mar 18, 2023

2 new winners at Season 3 opener hints at closest Extreme E Championship yet

2 new winners at Season 3 opener hints at closest...

Mar 18, 2023

RECORD QUALITY ENTRY FOR 2023 QATAR INTERNATIONAL BAJA

RECORD QUALITY ENTRY FOR 2023 QATAR INTERNATIONAL...

Mar 15, 2023

Copyright 2016 / All rights reserved