BTCC: Donington Race Report
20 June 1999
BATTLE BACK ON FOR BTCC TITLE
Rounds 11 & 12: Donington Park
British drivers James Thompson and David Leslie delivered the goods for Honda
and Nissan respectively in the Auto Trader British Touring Car Championship at
Donington Park today. With a victory each, Thompson and Leslie have moved into
second and third positions in the drivers’ championship and made
significant in-roads into the lead of Laurent Aiello. The Frenchman, driving
the other works Nissan, still leads the title race, but this afternoon’s
events have shown that this year’s crown is still very much up for grabs.
SPRINT RACE - Round 11
An incident-filled Sprint race took just seconds to provide the drama. As the
lights turned green, Rickard Rydell blasted off the line, passing the sluggish
Thompson. Jason Plato made the best get-away of all, spearing a line between
the second row Nissans of Laurent Aiello and David Leslie. With no way round
the outside of Thompson, Aiello dived inside the Honda, unaware of Plato’s
presence. Contact with the Laguna sent the Frenchman shooting across the track
into the pit wall, ending his dream of a bumper pay-day.
Back up front Rydell led from Thompson, but the field immediately eased off as
the Safety Car emerged at the end of lap 1, allowing Aiello’s battered
Primera to be dragged to safety. When racing resumed four laps later, the top
six held station and began to eke out a small advantage over the chasing pack.
Thompson bided his time, content to keep in touch with Rydell’s Volvo,
but on lap 8 the Swede presented an opportunity at the Goddard hairpin that
the Honda driver could not resist. Thompson went by, but as Plato, Leslie et al
followed suit, it became apparent that Rydell had problems and the reigning
champion pitted the next lap to retire with an engine misfire.
Plato’s hold on second place was short-lived. Renault’s Oxford ace
made a mistake at Old Hairpin to allow Leslie through, and the Scot set about
reeling in the leader. Thompson, confident that he had had the legs on the
Renault in race trim, now faced the prospect of spending more than half the
race with the Accord’s mirrors full of Nissan. Leslie repeatedly drew
nearer through the fast sweeps of the Craner Curves, but around the tight
hairpins of the Grand Prix loop, the Honda was able to pull away. The pair
were never more than a second apart, but only in the final two laps was the
gap small enough to offer Leslie hope. He twice had a look down the inside
at McLeans, but Thompson prevailed to claim his first success since the
opening day of the season.
Plato’s run to third was somewhat lonely, but a strong podium finish was
a fine way for the Laguna to bounce back after recent disappointments.
Vauxhall’s Yvan Muller emerged ahead of Alain Menu to claim fourth after
a fierce battle with the Ford man, but the Drive of the Race award must go to
Vectra team mate John Cleland. Starting last on the grid after a ride height
infringement in qualifying, Cleland’s fight through the pack featured a
glorious outside-inside dummy manoeuvre on Vincent Radermecker at Redgate as
the Scot completed the top six.
- 2 -
Thompson: This is great for me and the team. We have had a bit of a slump in
recent weeks, but we’ve worked very hard to turn it around. I’m not
going to give up on the title. It’s not over yet.
Leslie: I was very surprised not be collected by Laurent as he shot in front of
me. I took the chances to get past Rickard and Jason, then settled behind James.
I tried a couple of times towards the end, but I didn’t want to risk
anything. Points win prizes.
Plato: I made a great start, but Laurent turned left and we touched. I made a
mistake at Old Hairpin and got on the grass to let David through, but then
never felt under threat for third.
Neal: I made a terrible start, lost a load of places, then tried to pass Peter
Kox, touched him and put us both in the gravel. Luckily I was able to recover
to take the win in the Michelin Cup.
FEATURE RACE - Round 12
Nissan produced a dominant performance in the Feature race to record a fourth
1-2 finish of the season for their works cars. On this occasion, however, it
was the experienced David Leslie who led home the pair of Primeras to secure
his first victory of the season. Leslie led for all but one of the 30 laps of
the 2.5 mile Donington Grand Prix circuit withstanding intense pressure from
team mate Laurent Aiello.
Holding pole position, Leslie made the perfect start, while Sprint race winner
Thompson was again struck by a sluggish get-away. Aiello, from third on the
grid, spied his chance and passed the Honda with ease approaching Redgate.
Ford’s Alain Menu followed him through, but Rydell found the door shut
when he arrived in his Volvo. Menu’s hopes of a podium finish disappeared
on lap 2, however, as Thompson muscled his way past the Mondeo.
The Nissans appeared to be able to pull away at will, Aiello shadowing Leslie’s
every move, but the Frenchman was content to hold position until the pit stops. Leslie pitted first and a slick stop by his crew allowed him to rejoin second. Aiello came in the following lap, but a problem with the right front wheel cost valuable seconds and Leslie was able to resume his place at the head of the field. Thereafter, the Scot was never headed and Aiello was unable to get close enough to make a pass without risking both cars.
James Thompson followed up his earlier victory with another podium finish.
Having passed Menu early on, the Yorkshireman had a lonely run to the flag,
unable to catch the leaders, but comfortable in third place. Reigning champion
Rickard Rydell, cheered on this afternoon by the King of Sweden, made up for
a disappointing retirement in the Sprint race, by emerging victorious from a
race-long battle with Yvan Muller and Alain Menu for fourth place. Menu had
held the position until Rydell made a play down the inside at Redgate. The
Mondeo was forced wide, allowing both Rydell and the Vauxhall of Yvan Muller
to take the place.
Leslie: This first win has taken longer than it probably should have done. We
do have the best car at the moment and I have had four seconds and a win now.
The championship is not even at half-distance, so I think there is a long way
to go yet in the title race.
Aiello: I was disappointed not to win the money this weekend, but things like
that happen in motor racing. That’s why it is so difficult to predict what
will happen. I used the T-car for the race as mine was too badly damaged, but
the spare was much better than my original race car.
Thompson: It has been a very good weekend. With a win and a third we are back
on track in terms of our championship challenge. We now have the pace to trouble
the Nissans.
Neal: I had so little to do in that race, I nearly asked one of the guys to
read me a story over the radio! I couldn’t catch the cars in front of me
and Jason Plato wasn’t a threat, so I just sat tight.
- 3 -
AUTO TRADER BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP
Donington Park GP Circuit / 20 June 1999
Round 11 / 19 laps / 47.5 miles / 76.38 km
1.. James Thompson GB Honda Accord 34m 12.522s 83.25mph
2.. David Leslie GB Nissan Primera +0.613s
3.. Jason Plato GB Renault Laguna +7.864s
4.. Yvan Muller FRA Vauxhall Vectra +9.466s
5.. Alain Menu SWI Ford Mondeo +10.138s
6.. John Cleland GB Vauxhall Vectra +13.896s
7.. Peter Kox NL Honda Accord +16.455
8.. J-C Boullion FRA Renault Laguna +19.197s
9.. Vincent Radermecker B Volvo S40 +23.184s
10.. Matt Neal* GB Nissan Primera +24.841s #
Michelin Cup for Independents winner: Matt Neal (GB) – Nissan Primera
Fastest lap: Rickard Rydell SWE Volvo S40 1:37.330s, 92.469mph
# includes time penalty imposed for overtaking move on Radermecker
Round 12 / 30 laps / 75.0 miles / 120.6 km
1.. David Leslie GB Nissan Primera 49m 43.198s 90.46mph
2.. Laurent Aiello FRA Nissan Primera +0.228s
3.. James Thompson GB Honda Accord +16.708s
4.. Rickard Rydell SWE Volvo S40 +20.522s
5.. Yvan Muller FRA Vauxhall Vectra +22.173s
6.. Alain Menu SWI Ford Mondeo +24.648s
7.. Matt Neal* GB Nissan Primera +27.580s
8.. Jason Plato GB Renault Laguna +28.733s
9.. Anthony Reid GB Ford Mondeo +44.962s
10.. J-C Boullion FRA Renault Laguna +54.533s
Michelin Cup for Independents winner: Matt Neal (GB) - Nissan Primera
Fastest lap: David Leslie GB Nissan Primera 1:37.362s, 92.439mph
Championship positions (after 12 of 26 rounds)
Drivers
1 Laurent Aiello (Fra) 125
2 James Thompson (GB) 88
3 David Leslie (GB) 87
4 Jason Plato (GB) 72
5 Matt Neal* (GB) 69
6 Yvan Muller (Fra) 66
7 Rickard Rydell (Swe) 53
8 J-C Boullion (Fra) 49
9 Peter Kox (Hol) 43
10 Vincent Radermecker (B) 42
Michelin Cup for Independents
1.. Matt Neal (GB/Nissan) 165
2.. Mark Blair (GB/Vauxhall) 100
3.. Lee Brookes (GB/Honda) 57
Manufacturers
1.. Nissan 241
2.. Honda 136
3.. Renault 122
Teams
1.. Vodafone Nissan Racing 96
2.. Team Honda Sport 66
3.. Williams 65
Michelin Racer of the Year
1.. Mark Blair 38
2.. Russell Spence 18
3.. Lee Brookes 15
- 4 -
Auto Trader British Touring Car Championship
Donington Park GP Circuit – 20 June 1999
RACE RESUMES
Round 11 - SPRINT RACE
GRID Thompson – Rydell – Aiello – Leslie – Plato –
Neal – Menu – Muller – Kox – Boullion – Radermecker –
Reid – Brookes – Blair – Cook – Spence – *Cleland –
*Time disallowed.
Lap 1 Aiello hits pit wall. Rydell leads Thompson, Plato, Leslie, Menu, Muller,
Radermecker, Reid, Cleland, Blair, Spence, Cook. Kox and Neal enter gravel at
McLeans, but rejoin. Boullion, Neal, Brookes, Kox all pit and rejoin.
Lap 2 Safety Car. Lap 6 Racing resumes. Kox takes Brookes. Cleland, Blair,
Spence pass Reid.
Lap 7 Muller passes Menu for 5th. Boullion passes Reid and Spence for 9th. Kox
passes Reid.
Lap 8 Thompson passes Rydell to lead. Boullion passes Blair. Kox and Reid pass
Spence.
Lap 9 Plato and Leslie take Rydell. Leslie takes Plato for second. Kox and Reid
pass Blair. Neal passes Cook and Brookes.
Lap 10 Rydell pits and retires (engine misfire). Lap 11 Neal passes Blair.
Lap 12 Neal passes Reid for 10th. Lap 14 Cleland takes 6th from Radermecker.
Lap 15 Boullion and Kox pass Radermecker.
Lap 19 Neal takes Radermecker for 9th. Chequered flag.
Round 12 - FEATURE RACE
GRID Leslie – Thompson – Aiello – Rydell – Menu – Neal
– Plato – Boullion – Radermecker – Cleland – Reid –
Brookes – Blair – ^Spence - Cook – *Muller – *Kox –
*Time disallowed.
^ Spence retires after green flag laps (power-steering failure)
LAP 1 Leslie leads from Aiello, Menu, Thompson, Rydell, Neal, Plato, Cleland,
Boullion, Muller
Lap 2 Muller takes Boullion. Thompson takes Menu for 3rd. Kox takes Reid.
Lap 3 Radermecker takes Reid. Lap 4 Muller takes Cleland for 8th.
Lap 5 Kox passes Boullion. Radermecker pits (open door). Lap 7 Boullion pits.
Lap 8 Plato pits. Lap 9 Muller pits. Lap 10 Rydell pits from 5th. Cleland pits.
Lap 11 Thompson pits from 3rd. Menu pits from 4th.
Lap 12 Leslie pits from lead, rejoins second. Aiello leads. Neal pits from 3rd. Blair pits.
Lap 13 Aiello pits from lead, rejoins second. Leslie leads. Brookes pits.
Radermecker pits.
Lap 14 Reid pits. Lap 15 Cleland retires (front suspension). Lap 16 Kox pits.
Lap 17 Kox retires (accident damage). Lap 24 Rydell and Muller pass Menu.
Lap 25 Brookes retires (alternator). Lap 29 Leslie, Aiello lap Cook.
Lap 30 Chequered flag.
Next Meeting
Rounds 13 & 14 - Croft, North Yorkshire – 3/4 July 1999