Shedden fired up for defenceposted in BTCC29 | 03 | 2013
ONE-HUNDRED AND SIXTY-ONE days after he celebrated becoming the first Scot to clinch the British Touring Car Championship at Brands Hatch since John Cleland, Gordon Shedden returns to the Kent circuit on Sunday to begin his title defence.
And while the 34-year-old Fifer from Dalgety Bay acknowledges the threat posed by the three other former champs on the 30-car grid, it's not his biggest concern.
"It's the cold," he admitted today after completing the shakedown of his Honda Yuasa Civic, "that's my biggest concern: the cold.
"Traditionally we come to Brands Hatch in the Spring sunshine to start the season, but this year I wouldn't be surprised if I had to fit a snowplough to the front of the car."
But Shedden has a genuine reason to wish for warmer temperatures this weekend, despite how forlorn his hopes may be.
See more photos of Gordon Shedden's 2013 Honda
"The big problem we have if it's cold is we can't generate enough heat into the rear tyres of the Honda," he admitted, "and if that's the case, the car's almost undriveable."
The Fifer's Civic was almost balletic last season, such was it's poise, combined with Shedden's ability to balance it often on two wheels through the blisteringly fast circuits across the UK.
But with cold rear tyres, the car is more than a handful. And the Scot has already experienced the downsides of pre-season testing.
"We were all excited about the number of developments we've added to the car for this season," he continued, "but we haven't had a chance to test them.
"We were scheduled to have 10 days' testing: instead we've only managed four. We've really been scuppered by the weather.
"The last test we had planned for Snetterton we had to cancel because of the snow! But at least we know it's been the same for everyone."
Knockhill director Shedden will be joined by three other former champs on Sunday's grid for the opening race in the day's triple-header.
Gordon Shedden crowned BTCC champ
In addition to his own Honda team-mate Matt Neal, there's the MG old rival, Oxford's Jason Plato, plus the BMW of returning Irishman Colin Turkington.
"I genuinely think this year's going to be the toughest in the history of the BTCC," Shedden, whose BTCC win last year was the first since fellow Scot John Cleland in 1995, explained.
"There are four champions on the grid, and you've probably got about a dozen cars which are capable of winning races, if not more.
"It's going to be absolutely all-out action, and the bigger the competition the better as far as I'm concerned. It's what we all want."
And despite the severity of the competition, Shedden — who will also be joined on the grid by the Toyota of Highland-based Dave Newsham — admit's he feels under no pressure as the defending champ.
"I actually feel under less pressure this year than I felt 12 months ago," he continued. "Now that my name's finally on the trophy. I can probably relax a bit more. There's not the expectation, and I know I can do it, and how to do it.
"Will I change my approach? Nope. I'll go in with exactly the same attitude as I did last year, as that seemed to work pretty well.
"I'm raring to get going again. I'm quite relaxed within myself: comfortable. I know it's going to be a long, hard season, but I'm confident we're going to be right in the mix come the end of the season."
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Jim McGill