Team BMW's Ricky Co🌳llard has admitted he surpassed his own expectations after securing a sensational front-row qualifying result for to𓃲morrow's opening British Touring Car Championship race at Silverstone.

Standing in for his injured father Rob Collard at West Surrey Racing, Collard Jr produced a stunning performance to qualify as the highest BMW driver on only♒ his third weekend in the BTCC.

Collard came within 0.018s of de𒅌nying Motorbase Performance's Sam Tordoff his first BTCC pole of the season.

"It’s a credit to the tᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚeam," Collard told ltxcn.top. "I don’t even think I drove very well. I think I drove quite well in the free practice sessions. Again, that may come back to the inexperience. I was having some big slides.

"I was thinking ‘I’ve lost a couple of tenths here’ ✨but I looked back down on my delta and it was quicker.

"My dad [Rob Collard] told me these cars like to move around♍ and not to worry if they slide. I was trying to focus on letting it slide and having some fun. I’m just supꦫer pumped for tomorrow. I’m super excited now.

"I said before I went out ‘I’d like a top-ten’. I was P26 at Rockingham and P12 at Knockhill. I had the aim of chipping inside the top-ten but yeah, fron൩t row!"

Looking ahead of 🅰tomorrow's opening race, Collard Jr is confiℱdent he can get the jump on Tordoff at the start of the race as the BMW Motorsport Junior driver vies for what would be a famous debut win in the series.

"I’m excited. I’m really looking forward to tomorrow because I know we can ge🔜t a good start. I’ve always had good starts. I’m sure Tordoff will make a blinding start like he always does," Collard💦 continued.

"If you actually look at the Fords, they get good starts. I’ve just got to make sure I get a good start a﷽nd capitalise into turn one.

"I’m excited to be at the front a bit more and out of the🦹 carnage, especially with the whole grid being covered by ꦉso little!

"If you make one small mistake in the race it’s going to be really costly. Th♊ere’s a lot of right handers so if you get pushed wide you can come out of sync."