Title Defence Leaves Jordan Unfazed

Andrew Jordan has admitted that the presence of six former champions has no effect on his approach to the 2014 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

Having battled through a tense series finale last year, the Pirtek Racing driver secured his maiden drivers title behind the wheel of the NGTC Honda Civic.

Carrying the number 1 on his car for the 2014 campaign, Jordan admits that even though there are six former champions at the top of the list to de-throne him, his mentality and approach is no different.

Jordan told BTCC Crazy: “The number on my car doesn’t bother me, it could be 1 or 100. It is great for the championship that we are in this position of strength and it is nice to be one of the seven champions on the grid however I am not feeling the pressure that everyone is after my title.

“As far as our approach goes we want to win the championship again and this year is one that will require consistency because there are a lot of top drivers that will be challenging.

“It was nice to win it last year but that season is done now and I am as motivated as ever to ensure I secure a second championship.”

This coming season is the third successive that Pirtek Racing are running Jordan in the Honda Civic hatchback. With the car having won back-to-back drivers titles in 2012 & 2o13, many assume that there is little more to get out of the NGTC machine.

“A lot of it has been wet,” the reigning champion said. “We have had a couple of dry days and they have been very good allowing us to work through our test programme. There have been lots of little bits we have tried to improve, no real massive fundamentals.

“What we thought would work has worked and it isn’t just the car but myself as well that we have looked at improving, the whole package to be honest. We won’t know where we are in relation to everyone else until the first qualifying session of the year. You can’t read too much into testing really – I think we are in good shape though.”

The Red Bull athlete has a new team mate for 2014 as well in Martin Depper. Returning to the series for the first time since 2010, last competing in a BMW with Forster Motorsport, Depper has acquired the car previously owned by Jeff Smith.

With the 45-year-old benchmarking himself against the reigning champion, Depper is expected to be scoring strong points and Jordan admits he will surprise a lot of people when the campaign gets underway at Brands Hatch at the end of the month.

Jordan stated: “I can’t wait for him to surprise everyone because he has been getting on really well. He has done a lot better than I thought he would and has progressed with what he wanted him to do.

“He is a lovely guy and works harder than probably a lot of young drivers would – he works through the data and always works on improving.”

It isn’t just the BTCC that the Pirtek racer is competing in this year, with a one-off entry into the World RallyCross confirmed as is the Goodwood Revival alongside his father Mike.

Aston Martin’s GT programme invited Jordan to Portugal recently for a test and the 24-year-old explained that these different opportunities have allowed him to hone his skills and keep as many options open as possible alongside touring cars.

“At the minute the RallyCross is a one-off round with it being a relationship building partnership and obviously the Revival is a historic event and one I am really looking forward too.

“These are all great experiences and I am would love to get a deal done with Aston for a GT outing but these are all single events. Touring Cars is my priority and will remain that but it I know that you don’t have to be a one-trick pony – that’s why they are brilliant to do. It is about getting as many feet in the doors and put my name out a bit more.”

With now just a couple of weeks to go till the season begins, the Honda driver is more than excited to get going again: “We are very pleased with where the team is as a whole and we are ahead of ourselves with everything.

“I can’t wait to go racing again and it has come around quickly.”

Media Day in 2013 belonged to Jordan who set the fastest time of the test, then moving onto taking pole position at the series opener.

Donington Park kicks off the season with the official media launch on Tuesday 18th March.