INTERVIEW: Steve Soper defies his own expectations in the Super Touring Shoot-Out

“I’m looking forward to it, but I said to the owner of the car, ‘If you think I’m going to be going for the win or a podium, I’m not.’ I said, ‘I don’t want to make a fool of myself, and I don’t want to damage your car.’ I said, ‘I’ll go as quick as I can, as comfortable as I can. And that’s it’.”

He continued: “I’ll be driving a front-wheel-drive Super Tourer which was never my forte, although I’ve driven some Minis around Goodwood at the Revival and Members’ Meeting, front-wheel-drive is not my real background. I’m not as comfortable in front-wheel-drive as I am in real-wheel-drive.”

Front-wheel-drive? Yes, you read that correctly. While Soper’s name is almost synonymous with BMW, he raced a Peugeot 406 coupé for his final two seasons in the British Touring Car Championship in 2000 and 2001. That slightly tenuous connection sees him driving the ex-Paul Radisich 406 saloon at Goodwood this weekend.

Will there be a rekindling of the rivalry between Soper and John Cleland? Their famous altercation in 1992 BTCC season has cemented them as fierce adversaries in the minds of motorsport enthusiasts, but these days they are friends. Cleland will be driving his familiar Vauxhall Vectra, and Soper tells us he’s taking a similarly circumspect approach to the Shoot-Out. “I know John and I’ve just been chatting to him,” Soper revealed. “He said he’s going for last place, and I said, ‘No, I’m going for last place’.” It’s a rivalry of sorts, then. 

Soper had seen his Peugeot for the first time the day before he’d be driving it against the clock. “I just found it about an hour ago and sat in it. It fits, looks nice, it has a sequential box and power steering.” Part of his cautious approach comes back to how precious the cars are today, compared to their more disposable nature when they were new and manufacturer-owned.

“My boss once said to a group of his drivers, ‘I don’t mind accidents with speed, what I object to is accidents with no speed.’ These cars are valuable now, and they’re even more valuable to the collectors, the owners, the fanatics who own them. So you have to respect that. If I can be competitive at driving at my pace, fine, but if I’m not competitive, I’m not going to push it or take any chances.”

On Saturday afternoon, the talking stopped and the clock started ticking for the Shoot-Out. Soper was fifth in the running order, and we were fully aware he would be driving cautiously within himself in an unfamiliar car. But put in a performance completely at odds with his anti-fighting talk build-up. With a 1:25.001 lap, he went straight to the top of the leaderboard. Of the two drivers to follow him, only Rob Huff set a better time.

With Soper’s pace in qualifying proving to be competitive as well as comfortable, we’ll be on the edge of our seats when he goes out for the official Shoot-Out on Sunday at 16:10.

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Tickets for the 84th Members’ Meeting will be available immediately after this year’s event for Members and Fellows of the GRRC. Admission and Grandstand tickets will go on sale on Monday 20th April for Members, and Tuesday 21st April for Fellows.