It will be with more than a passing interest that Mat Jackson will tune into the weather forecast for this weekend.

While the Warwickshire driver grew up watching and listening to every word on race heroes like Nigel Mansell and Michael Schumacher, he will be hanging onto the meteorological wisdom dispensed from the weather forecasters ahead of this weekend’s Snetterton round of the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship.

The series so far has been typified by more rain than an Indian monsoon and Jackson, from Henley-in-Arden, would love to see the sun shine over Norfolk as he turns up the heat in the race for the overall title.

Despite the deluge in recent rounds, Jackson still occupies third place overall behind leader Fabrizio Giovanardi and second-placed Matt Neal.

“It’s been a mixed season so far,” said the BMW Team Dealer driver. “There have been a few races we’ve thrown away that we didn’t need to.

“A lot of it has been down to the weather. I can’t remember seeing too much of the sun. With all the rain, I’ve thought that I might change to a powerboat!

“At Brands Hatch in the first round, we were on slick tyres when it rained and then that scuppered us. Then at Donington it rained again and being a rear-wheel drive car it really hurts us compared to the front-wheel drive cars around us.

“Then in the last round at Croft, I aquaplaned while leading race one, and went through the gravel trap and I was left at the back of the field.

“With all things considered and all the disappointments, to be lying third is good. I know we can improve. I think we can come back into a championship position. There’s still a long road ahead. A lot depends on others getting a bit of bad luck but a DNF (did not finish) in ne race can change things dramatically."

Jackson has shown his rivals a clean set of tracks in his BMW 320si - the car which Andy Priaulx drove to World Touring Car glory last year - when he won one round at Rockingham, while his second-race second in the last meeting at Croft six weeks ago was arguably one of the drives of the series so far.

Having started 18th from the grid, he tore past his rivals, only to just run out of time to catch winner Colin Turkington.

But Jackson believes the result proved the rear-wheel drive cars can compete in greasy conditions and he heads to Norfolk for qualifying today and tomorrow’s three races in positive spirits. Ironically, he wouldn’t mind seeing grey clouds and tumbling showers to negate the diesel-engined SEATs on a high-speed track where their power could give them an advantage.

“The car is working well and the team has done a great job in setting it up for the different conditions,” he said. “A bit of rain might work in our favour.

“We had a test at Snetterton and the SEATs were a second quicker than anybody else. If it’s dry it will be an uphill struggle.”

Jackson is now in his second season in the BTCC, having stepped up to Britain’s premier tin-top class after winning the Renault Clio Cup.

And he is far wiser to the “tricks of the trade”.

“In year one, it was like diving into a nest of angry bees and you come out stung to death,” he said. “Now I’ve got a better idea of who’s who and what to expect.”