Robert Collard believes the forthcoming Oulton Park and Croft rounds – that should play to his Airwaves BMW’s strengths – could be vital to his 2009 HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship title hopes.

The Hampshireman lies third in the current standings going into this weekend’s (30-31 May) round at the Oulton circuit in Cheshire, behind Vauxhall’s Matt Neal and Team RAC BMW driver Colin Turkington. That’s despite tangles with Neal’s and Turkington’s respective team-mates Andrew Jordan and Stephen Jelley that Collard reckons have cost him dear on three occasions.

“It’s a case of ‘J for Jeopardy’ as far as I’m concerned,” Collard told btcc.net. “It was Jelley at Brands Hatch and Thruxton and at Donington Park it was Jordan. At a conservative estimate I’d say that’s 15 points lost through nothing I’ve done wrong. Had that not happened I’d comfortably be second and maybe even right up with Matt.”

Collard is enjoying his best BTCC season to date in 2009. At Donington he became one of only two drivers so far (along with James Thompson) to win two races this season with victory in the day’s third race. It added to his victory from the season’s opening round at Brands Hatch and is a result that has very much re-ignited his title hopes – just as he arrives at two circuits that, on paper, will be more favourable to his rear-wheel-driven BMW.

He added: “I’m very happy with the way the season is going, apart from those incidents. Probably our worst two circuits, Thruxton and Donington, are now out of the way. At Thruxton we still salvaged a few decent points and at Donington we took a bit of an unexpected win.

“Oulton and Croft will be much better for the BMW and I definitely want – and need – some big points scores from both those to keep up the pressure on Matt going into the half-season break. This is where we need to make it count.

“It’s still going to be difficult – the top six in the BTCC are among the best touring car drivers in the world and just because I’ve had some bad luck it doesn’t mean Matt or Colin will. I can’t rely on that so have to be at my best every time out.”

Off track, Collard will be spending much of his Oulton weekend on the ‘phone to America to find out how eldest son Ricky is doing in a major karting event at the world-famous Indianapolis circuit.

Collard said: “I’m pretty jealous to be honest – Indianapolis is a circuit drivers dream of racing at and he gets a chance at just 12 years old! Then again, he might be lucky if he gets the same weather we’re in for at Oulton as the forecast, I’m told, is a bit of a scorcher – perfect for the BMW!”