No pressure for BTCC debut after qualifying off, says ex-F1 ace Blundell

The ex-Formula 1 driver, who is contesting the tin-top championship in a Trade Price Cars Racing Audi S3, slid off the greasy track after 18 laps of the 30-minute qualifying session and the car ended up embedded in the gravel trap at Druids.

New rules for the BTCC this year means that a driver who causes a red flag during qualifying has their best time deleted and they are not allowed to return to the session.

That left Blundell in 29th place, 2.222s off the pace, with a 55.824s lap - although he was promoted to 28th after Stephen Jelley (Parker BMW) was excluded from the results for failing a ride-height test.

Blundell's deleted fastest lap would have seen him line up in 23rd position on 54.743s.

"That was one heck of a baptism," said the 1992 Le Mans winner. "It has been like that from the very start of the day.

In qualifying, I just ran out of talent. I had just put some fresh tyres on and had done my best time and I was feeling very confident in the car: then it bit me.

"I went through Paddock on the next lap and that felt really good and I suppose I got a bit greedy into Druids.

"I locked up the fronts and slid into the gravel. It was totally my fault: you'd think I would know better!

"The pressure is off now because I will be starting at the back. I can just watch what unfolds in front of me and push on from there."

2017 champion Ashley Sutton claimed pole position for Race 1.