Recently, I had the opportunity to speak to BMW’s Tom
Oliphant to reflect on finishing sixth in the driver standings in his third
season in BTCC. ‘It’s been a hard three seasons. A lot harder than I thought it
would be, I’ve been really proud of what I have achieved this year and I’m
really looking on to next couple of years’
‘My target for this season was to get into the photo
contenders at penultimate round and I did that. I think my aim was to challenge
for title if I could but be in the mix which I was, you know apart from Jake
Hill’s misery at the start of the year I felt like the 6 of us (Sutton,
Turkington, Cammish, Ingram, Butcher) were always at the front and I
established myself up there than midfield’
Oliphant stepped up his game this season and was considerably
more consistent when it came to scoring points. When asked what Oliphant felt
his biggest improvement this season was, he confirmed my thoughts; ‘I think
point scoring, in my first couple years I was quick and qualified well but
point scoring across all three races on a weekend and really focusing on coming
away with decent points wasn’t something I really did and this year I was able
to do that a lot better’
BMW won the teams and manufacturing championships in 2020.
With Andrew Jordan withdrawing from the team and leaving Turkington and
Oliphant, it meant it was more important to ensure consistent point scoring.
This is one of Oliphants highlights from the season helping the team secure
those titles. ‘When Jordan decided not to race it came on my shoulders to step
up and help the team and BMW to get those titles, if I performed like I did
last season I don’t think that would have happened’. Another highlight for
Oliphant was cementing himself as one the drivers that is always up there.
This was Oliphants second season with BMW, last year he had
Turkington and Jordan as teammates, two champions and well-respected drivers in
the paddock. I just had to ask Oliphant how he found that and how much he was
able to learn from these two drivers who have a lot of experience and success
between them. ‘When I went into the meeting with BMW and WSR, first question I
asked was if Turkington and Jordan are going to back, they’re basically the
best team on grid and have been for a number of years but for me, I have always
wanted to have the best teammate. I wanted to learn from Turkington and Jordan,
they taught me so much, on and off the track, you know how professional you
have to be and how hard you have to work, on the track, Jordan’s qualifying
pace was inspiring to watch, the way Turkington manages championships is just
incredible and watching them both, especially end of last season when they were
both going for the title that was interesting. I feel like if I’m back next
year and fighting for the title then I will be able to draw on that and what
they can do and do it myself hopefully’
Oliphant has nothing but nice things to say about both
drivers. I mentioned that they seem to have different driving styles, but
Oliphant has seen it differently ‘That’s how it looks from the outside, the way
Jordan throws that car around is breath-taking in so many different cars, has
ability to drive anything on the limit. Turkington, people think he’s really
consistent and quite safe, but his qualifying laps make you speechless.
Snetterton he had max ballast and put it on pole, he manages at the last moment
to bring out unmatched lap time, makes it looks effortless, world class driver’
Second round of this year’s season, Oliphant found himself
on the top step of the podium claiming his maiden win in BTCC after an
incredible move around the outside of Moffat and Jelley on the start finish
straight. ‘I knew I had a good car down the pit straight, when they started
fighting, I don’t know what made me go round the outside. Halfway round I
didn’t really believe the move would work out. After that had Sutton on me for
14 laps and yeah probably worst person in the world to have behind you when you
want to claim maiden win, it also made it better, if I had just won the race
from getting ahead of Moffat and Jelley then wouldn’t been quite as impressive
as fending off Sutton.’
However, Oliphant wasn’t able to celebrate like other
drivers who have claimed their maiden wins in previous seasons have due to this
year’s season going behind closed doors. ‘If you look back at Proctor’s first
win etc they’ve got the whole team, jumping on the car. I got out, emotions
were there, and I had two mechanics due to restrictions and no fans
celebrating, didn’t have sponsors, had my whole family which was brilliant but
my first win hopefully next year with fans will feel like my first win again
which will be quite nice’
Oliphant really impressed me at Silverstone and had a really
mixed weekend, qualified well, mechanical issue race one, sliced through the field
race two and fought for a podium and potential win in the final race so I
couldn’t resist not asking how he views that weekend. ‘I wanted more points
from it, was rapid in qualifying and practice and got unlucky, I was pleased
running in fifth behind Turkington and suspension broke which is unlucky. I
really enjoyed race two, went all out, just having no weight and being able to
throw the car around and pass as many people as possible. That’s what I love
about touring cars, really good fun. Didn’t really expect to get top ten, aim
was points from twenty-eighth on grid, to come ninth and start on pole was
brilliant. Got two really good starts race 3, couldn’t keep Jackson behind
which was disappointing as I wanted my second win of the season and I was quicker
than anyone else around the top six, I think if I had gotten in front I would
have driven off in the distance but yeah really disappointing but gave it my
best. Good weekend but should have been a lot better.’
With all the serious questions, I had to throw some nicer,
bit more fun questions. Oliphant named Donington as his favourite circuit
‘don’t know why, always gone well there, fantastic place to drive, all corners
are fast, suits my driving style, almost always in any series except touring
cars is where I have had my first wins’. So, everyone keep your eyes out next
time Oliphant is at Donington, he will be flying round the circuit!
The last question was a hypothetical one, that is BTCC could
have one race somewhere that isn’t on the calendar, where would he choose and
why. ‘So many good answers, my big favourite track in life is Magny Cours, I
think Portimao be quite good, erm Dijon perhaps, quite small but could be quite
a good touring car track, proper old school F1 track and it’s got a long straight
so could get quite interesting racing. Any of those tracks though, cracking
circuits in Europe. If I ever became billionaire, I’d build a track with all my
favourite corners.’
It was so much fun talking to Oliphant covering his season,
what he has learnt from teammates and surprisingly what he would do if he was a
billionaire!
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