“Qualifying will be interesting on the first lap as we are all entitled to the full allowance. First race the same. But from then on to see how that is implemented in terms of the reduction each driver will get for having won a race [or scoring points] is going to be yet another glimpse of what lies ahead for the future.
Sutton was considered a master at finding consistency with the ballast of success he led, but he is now faced with the reality that he has lost that edge. “Unfortunately!” he said. “Now it’s about balancing the lack of hybrid we have. Base weight increased [1340kg for FWD cars, 1370kg for RWD]. The cars haven’t gotten dull, but they’re a little heavier, close to what they were anyway with full ballast. In a way it’s good because from race to race you don’t have a big difference in weight and you don’t have a 70kg lighter car waiting for you. We’re all the same weight now, although rear-wheel drive is a bit heavier. Seeing how we handle this hybrid is going to be interesting.
He added that adapting to front-wheel drive after switching to a Ford Focus, which he hasn’t raced in BTCC since its debut season in 2016, was not a problem. “Driving the car, in my eyes, is the easy part. But understanding mechanically how the changes affect the car is different. A rear-wheel-drive car and a front-wheel-drive car react differently to certain changes, so we have to almost building a new knowledge toolbox. I don’t need to throw away everything I’ve learned, but maybe adapt it accordingly.
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Source: www.autocar.co.uk
This notice was published: 2022-04-14 07:56:39
