Rob Austin is aiming for wins in his second season with Handy Motorsport.
Handy Motorsport believe retaining Austin for a second consecutive season will help them build on the team’s strongest ever season in the British Touring Car Championship.
2016 may not have been Austin’s strongest season in the BTCC, but he and Handy Motorsport’s team principal, Simon Belcher, believe his 129 points and three podium finishes – including Handy’s first – laid the foundations for the team.
“It goes without saying we are absolutely elated Rob is staying with the team for a second season and we’re all aiming to build on the foundations we laid last year,” Belcher said. “The team got stronger and more competitive as the season progressed, Rob proved the car was quick and helped make history with our first podiums and Independents wins. We’re aiming higher still for 2017.”
“We always knew there would be a learning curve relating to all aspects in 2016: driving, engineering, management and personnel,” said Austin. “The BTCC is so competitive, all these aspects have to be perfect to get to the front and I will admit it took longer than I expected.”
Austin took his first podium of 2016 in the final race at Snetterton, the sixth round of the championship.
“Our continuous improvement each time out through the second half of last season, though, capped off with a front row qualifying and a great podium at one of my weakest tracks to round the year off, shows that we just about got there in the end. There is no reason that form won’t continue, so it’s exciting to be going into the 2017 season with a car that can win and is so well supported.”
Feature image credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography / Handy Motorsport Press Office
Additional image credit: Caroline Rhea
