Shedden set for BTCC defenceposted in BTCC31 | 03 | 2017

    SCOT GORDON SHEDDEN begins the defence of his British Touring Car Championship title this weekend at Brands Hatch, and admits he faces a tough battle to win a fourth crown, and third in a row.

    “The intensity of the field is the closest it’s been for years,” the 38-year-old from Auchterarder, who won last year’s title in a thrilling last-race, last-lap thriller, said today. (Related: Shedden reflects on triple BTCC success)

    “Again we’ve got 30 races throughout the season, and the competition’s going to be so close that qualifying and races will be decided by hundredths of a second, if not thousandths.”

    Gordon-Shedden-2017-pre-2.jpg

    Shedden, who will again partner fellow three-time champ Matt Neal in their Team Dynamics Honda Civic Type R, has competed an intensive pre-season test session both in Spain, and around the UK.

    “Testing has gone well,” he continued. “The championship’s using a new Dunlop Sport Maxx tyre, so we’ve concentrated on getting our heads around it, and I’m in a reasonably happy place right now.

    Gordon-Shedden-2017-pre-3.jpg

    “The week on-track at Parcmotor Castellolí in Spain was really beneficial and highlighted a few things we needed to work on early in our preparations.

    “That ensured we were on the right track by the time we got back to the UK and the car feels good. It actually feels different to last year – the tyres have had more of an effect than I’d expected, to be honest – but we seem to be increasingly unlocking the little Civic Type R’s potential.

    Gordon-Shedden-2017-pre-4.jpg

    “Brands is always a good barometer as to how the rest of the season will go. It’s the first time we’ll all have raced together flat-out with no success ballast, so I think we’re in for a cracking weekend.”

    Shedden, who is joined on the BTCC 30-car grid by fellow Scot, 19-year-old Aiden Moffat from Dalkeith, will travel to Knockhill in Fife for the annual Scottish round on August 12/13.

    Related: Shedden unveils 2017 BTCC Honda

    Keep up-to-date with all the latest news by following us on twitter.com/Scotcars

    Jim McGill

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