Chris Stockton endured a troubled start to life with his new BTC Racing SEAT Toledo after being plagued by mechanical problems during Saturday at
Donington Park.
Stockton and the team elected to switch to the ex-works SEATs having campaigned the Lexus IS200 since entering the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship, but the move didn't bring about an upturn in fortunes when Stockton was forced to miss both free practice sessions with a clutch issue.
However, he was able to secure the 19th quickest time after completing 15 laps in qualifying, although even that was with a misfire on the car which the team will now look to fix overnight.
"It's a really nice car but we've had a misfire," he said. "SEAT are working to try and help us which is great and we have a guy coming up from Ipswich who is going to help us look at it. It's every time we go on the throttle and that's after a problem with the clutch slipping in practice. The car is in a different league to the Lexus though and I was a second quicker despite the misfire.
"I think we can still get a mid-grid finish on race day, although it's going to take me some time to get used to front-wheel drive. I think my only experience may be a hire car at some point in the past! I'm pleased with the feeling of the car; we just need to get rid of the teething problems."
Team-mate Stuart Oliver meanwhile will start from 22nd on the grid as he takes on the new challenge of now dealing with front-wheel drive after just two race meetings running in a car.
"It was very good," he said. "I've had no running in the car apart from a straight line run so practice was first time really driven it. Coming to cars was a new experience and now after two race meetings it's like starting all over again by going to front-wheel drive. I'd like to get three finishes, improving each time, and then go from there."
