BTCC: Brands Hatch testing

• Nick Carter
• MNI - Motorsport News International
• Sat Sep 14 23:31:41 EDT 1996

NEWS FROM THE AUTO TRADER RAC TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP  
Brands Hatch, 12/9/96 

Honda's David Leslie reconfirmed his late-season pace by posting the 
fastest ever Super Touring lap time on the Brands Hatch Indy circuit 
this afternoon (Thurs) in official testing for next weekend's (Sep 22) 
final rounds of the Auto Trader RAC Touring Car Championship.

Leslie lopped more than half a second from the Kent track's 
qualifying record, posting a time of 45.183s -- a tenth of a second 
quicker than his nearest rival today, BMW's Jo Winkelhock. Race 
winner last time out, at Donington Park, Leslie will be hoping for 
further success next Sunday to confirm his status as top British driver 
in the championship.

Less than a second covered the top 20 drivers at Brands today, with 
1995 Champion John Cleland showing well for Vauxhall in third 
place, ahead of Volvo's Rickard Rydell and Renault's Alain Menu.

There's still much to play for in the championship -- Rydell and 
Menu are fighting for the honour of finishing runner-up to Audi's 
Frank Biela in the drivers' championship, and there's a three-way 
duel between BMW, Volvo and Renault for second place behind Audi 
in the manufacturers' championship.

Biela was absent from today's test -- he's in Italy, where he is due
this 
weekend to bolster Audi's attempt to clinch the Italian Touring Car 
Championship.

OFFICIAL TESTING TIMES 
BRANDS HATCH, SEPTEMBER 12 
1  David Leslie (GB), Honda Accord, 45.183s, 95.89mph; 
2  Jo Winkelhock (Ger), BMW 320i, 45.325s; 
3  John Cleland (GB), Vauxhall Vectra, 45.358s; 
4  Rickard Rydell (Swe), Volvo 850, 45.364s; 
5  Alain Menu (Switz), Renault Laguna, 45.412s; 
6  James Kaye (GB), Honda Accord, 45.423s; 
7  James Thompson (GB), Vauxhall Vectra, 45.505s; 
8  Will Hoy (GB), Renault Laguna, 45.540s; 
9  Roberto Ravaglia (It), BMW 320i, 45.604s; 
10 Peter Kox (Neth), BMW 320i, 45.614s.

-- 
Official BTCC website:
Best in British Motor Sport
http://www.demon.co.uk/racing