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Some drivers "out of their depth" in BTCC, says Harrison

Triple Eight MG boss Ian Harrison has hit out at driving standards in BTCC following last weekend's Snetterton round, questioning whether some drivers are qualified enough to race in the series.

Crash Race 2

Crash Race 2

BTCC

Crash Race 2
Crash Race 2
Parts after the crash in race 2
Crash Race 2
Crash Race 2
Crash Hunter Abbott, Power Maxed Racing
Andrew Jordan, Motorbase Performance
Ashley Sutton, MG Racing RCIB Insurance
Ashley Sutton, MG Racing RCIB Insurance

Harrison could only watch on as one of his drivers, Ashley Sutton, got caught up in the dramatic multi-car accident that occurred on the opening lap of the second race, sustaining heavy damage when he was unable to avoid the spinning Proton of Dan Welch.

The MG team faced a race against time to ensure Sutton was able to start Race 3, which he eventually did, and the rookie was lucky to avoid the final race crash at the start that involved Hunter Abbott rolling and hitting a camera gantry.

With a number of other incidents between drivers on race day, Harrison said he was far from impressed with some of the driving on display, arguing that there were people on the grid who "shouldn’t be driving in the championship".

"It’s true that 'rubbing is racing' in the BTCC, but there comes a time when the level sinks so low that you have to question whether some people who are racing in the championship should actually be racing in it," said Harrison.

"The bottom line is that it is a difficult job to be quick and consistent in BTCC and some of the guys who are out there are the moment just aren’t good enough – they should go off and do something else.

"This isn’t a series where you can be out of your depth and you have to expect there to racing at close quarters with other cars.

"If you don’t know where those other cars are, because you are hanging on for dear life or using all of your faculties just to keep the car on the track, then you have no place being here."

He added: "Even though this has been our worst weekend of the season, I don’t want people to think I’m moaning just because we’ve had a shit weekend, because that isn’t the case.

"You make your own results in this game and sometimes it doesn’t go your way, but you don’t need a helping hand from people who aren’t up to the job to make that the case."

When asked as to how driving standards could be improved, Harrison suggested that the current criteria required to enter the series was something that could be looked at.

"Maybe we need to look at things and see if the licence you need to compete in the championship should be different to the licence you need now," he said.

"It could be time to say that you have to have done x, y and z in order to qualify to race in the series, because at the moment, some of the drivers are just not qualified for this championship."

Matt Salisbury / TouringCarTimes

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