EVESHAM driver Rob Austin's British Touring Car Championship team go into the second half of the 2018 season at Snetterton this weekend with high hopes after a strong two-day test at the Norfolk track.

Swindon outfit DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing and Austin made good progress with the Alfa Romeo Giulietta.

On day one, Austin completed the two sessions sixth on combined times with a best lap of one minute 57.120 seconds (91.25mph) which made him the third fastest of the non-Honda Civic runners.

Ending the next morning’s run 12th with 1.57.391 (91.04mph), in the afternoon he returned to the top six with a slight improvement of 1.57.242 (91.16mph).

Austin admitted: "We didn’t have the eureka moment we were perhaps hoping for but the pace in the car is very strong and we are in a good place as a team entering the second half of the season.”

Snetterton will host the Diamond Double race organised as part of the BTCC’s 60th anniversary celebrations.

The third of the event’s races will be over 60 miles and all competitors will run ballast-free after standalone qualifying with double championship points up for grabs.

“I have high hopes for Snetterton and with good reason," said Austin who is 17th in the driver standings on 51 points.

“We may not have had great results this year overall but initially we were in a development process and for the last three events we have had a very competitive car that should have been on the podium a number of times.

“It’s no secret we’ve had the most horrific luck I have ever experienced in my 27 years of racing.

"I’m the sort of guy who believes you make your own luck normally but the issues that have held us back have been completely out of my hands ­— even with the benefit of hindsight there is nothing I can put them down to other than just really bad luck!

"I’m hoping Snetterton can be a turning point.

“The 60-mile race could be interesting. I expect it to be won by a RWD (rear-wheel drive) car but I am looking forward to the challenge.

"Fitness will play a part, especially in the heat we’ve been having, but I am better prepared than I ever have been with that.”

For the first time Austin headed to the Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex for the 25th anniversary of the event.

In the BTCC Shoot-Out Austin tackled the 1.16-mile hill climb course in the Alfa Romeo.