BTCC: Aiello Tightens Grip on BTCC Battle at Brands Hatch
31 August 1999
On the tight, twisty configuration of Brands Hatch’s Indy circuit, the lack of overtaking opportunities can often reduce a race to a sprint for the first corner. So it proved in round 21. Nissan’s Laurent Aiello, eager to build on his lead at the head of the drivers’ championship, held pole position, courtesy of a blistering lap in yesterday’s One Shot Shootout. Volvo’s reigning champion, Rickard Rydell, sat alongside the man hotly tipped to succeed him.As the lights turned green, Rydell sprinted away to lead the field into Paddock Hill bend while the Frenchman tried to recover from an unusually sluggish get-away. Aiello kept his nerve to stay ahead of the fast-starting Accord of James Thompson and set about reeling in the leader.
Aiello’s team mate and main championship adversary, David Leslie, was unable to capitalise on the misfortune of his colleague. The Scot suffered a similarly tardy departure from the grid, allowing the Independent Nissan of Matt Neal to claim fourth place.
Try as they might, the works Nissans could find no way past their balkers. For once, the race pace of Rydell’s Volvo S40 was a match for the Primera and Aiello waited in hope for the Swede to present an opportunity. Sadly for the BTCC rookie, no mistake was forthcoming and Rydell claimed his second victory of the year.
Leslie maintained relentless pressure on Neal’s rear bumper, but the Midlands racer who clinched the Michelin Cup for Independents last time out, was determined to hang onto fourth place. He did so until the final lap, when the call came for him to allow David through. Somewhat reluctantly, the big man gave way, allowing Leslie two further points that could ultimately prove crucial.
Thompson’s championship challenge had stumbled in recent weeks, but the Yorkshireman was delighted to return to the podium, ending a run of poor form that had brought him just six points in the same number of races.
Rydell: "It was always going to be important to get into the first corner first. Laurent was quicker than me in some areas, but I had the advantage in others. It’s great for everyone at Volvo to get this result. We know Volvo will not be here next year and we hope to go out on a high."
Aiello: "I knew the start was important and I missed it! Rickard and I were very close in testing and I knew his race pace was strong. It would have taken a mistake to let me through, but I was happy to settle for a good second place. I would not have risked the finish to claim the win."
Thompson: "After the start it settled down and I had a bit of a lonely race. I knew the stakes were high up front and that Laurent would not risk anything. After six points in six races, it’s good to be back on the podium again."
Neal: "We wrapped up the Michelin Cup at Knockhill. David and Laurent are fighting for the championship and I was not going to get in the way."
FEATURE RACE - Round 22
Just as Rydell had done in the first race, so Aiello out-dragged the pole-sitting Swede in the Feature event. David Leslie slotted in behind the Volvo in third, narrowly ahead of James Thompson. As the pack headed up to Druids for the first time, Anthony Reid drove his Mondeo around the outside of Matt Neal’s Primera to take the place going into Graham Hill bend. Ford colleague Alain Menu followed him through, but in the shuffle the cars came together, robbing Neal of his power steering and spinning Menu off into the barriers to end the Swiss star’s race.
Meanwhile, Gabriele Tarquini and Yvan Muller were having their own little altercation. Muller started from the back after an early morning roll in his Vectra and his attempt to claim twelfth place from the Italian saw a disappointing weekend for both drivers end in the gravel.
The Safety Car circled for five laps as the ensuing debris was cleared, after which the race was fought out through pit stop strategy. Aiello pitted first and by the time Rydell had made his stop the following lap, the Nissan was clear and after all the stops had been completed, the reigning champion found himself way down in fifth.
Leslie assumed second place, courtesy of a slick stop by his pit crew, but he could not shake off the attentions of James Thompson who all but attached himself to the back of the Scot’s Primera for the rest of the 55 lap event. Thompson, still with designs on the runner-up slot in the championship, had a couple of looks down the inside but erred on the side of caution to collect his second podium finish of the day.
Aiello cruised serenely on to claim the ninth win of his maiden BTCC season, finishing nearly ten seconds clear of his team mate. The battle for the title will surely go to the final meeting at Silverstone on September 19 in front of the live BBC cameras, but Aiello knows that he has done his chances the power of good today.
Aiello: "I got the start that Rickard did in the first race and I was able to get ahead this time. We went for an early pit stop and it paid off tactically. I had a comfortable lead after the stops and was able to cruise home."
Leslie: "I came out just in front of James after the pit stop and he never left me alone after that. He was stuck to my bootlid but I didn’t make a mistake so there was no way past for him."
Thompson: "I tried to put David under as much pressure as I could. I want his second place in the championship, but I wasn’t going to punt him off to get it. I hoped he would make a mistake on his own, but he didn’t."
Neal: "I lost the power steering on the car when I came together with the Ford. I radioed to the pits that it was too heavy to drive and by lap 10 I told them I’d had enough. I didn’t want to play anymore. But I stayed out and had a good battle with Will Hoy for the Michelin Cup."
AUTO TRADER BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP
Brands Hatch Indy Circuit / 30 August 1999
Round 21 / 25 laps / 30.65miles / 49.34 km
1.. Rickard Rydell SWE Volvo S40 19min 56.743sec 92.27mph
2.. Laurent Aiello FRA Nissan Primera +0.424s
3.. James Thompson GB Honda Accord +2.744s
4.. David Leslie GB Nissan Primera +5.610s
5.. Matt Neal* GB Nissan Primera +6.011s
6.. Jason Plato GB Renault Laguna +6.826s
7.. J-C Boullion FRA Renault Laguna +7.358s
8.. Anthony Reid GB Ford Mondeo +8.798s
9.. Peter Kox HOL Honda Accord +10.014s
10.. Vincent Radermecker BEL Volvo S40 +11.938s
Michelin Cup for Independents winner: Matt Neal (GB) – Nissan Primera
Fastest lap: David Leslie Nissan Primera 47.300sec, 93.33mph
Round 22 / 55 laps / 67.44 miles / 108.54 km
1.. Laurent Aiello FRA Nissan Primera 46min 34.375sec 86.90mph
2.. David Leslie GB Nissan Primera +9.154s
3.. James Thompson GB Honda Accord +9.494s
4.. Peter Kox HOL Honda Accord +10.782s
5.. Rickard Rydell SWE Volvo S40 +13.127s
6.. J-C Boullion FRA Renault Laguna +19.054s
7.. Vincent Radermecker BEL Volvo S40 +19.259s
8.. Jason Plato GB Renault Laguna +26.775s
9.. John Cleland GB Vauxhall Vectra +28.473s
10.. Matt Neal* GB Nissan Primera +29.635s
Michelin Cup for Independents winner: Matt Neal (GB) – Nissan Primera
Fastest lap: J-C Boullion FRA Renault Laguna 47.368s, 93.19mph
Provisional Championship positions (after 22 of 26 rounds)
Drivers
1 Laurent Aiello (Fra) 214
2 David Leslie (GB) 192
3 James Thompson (GB) 144
4 Rickard Rydell (Swe) 141
5 Jason Plato (GB) 117
6 Peter Kox (Hol) 103
7 Matt Neal* (GB) 98
8 Vincent Radermecker (B) 97
9 Yvan Muller (Fra) 95
10 J-C Boullion (Fra) 86
Michelin Cup for Independents
1.. Matt Neal (GB/Nissan) 306
2.. Mark Blair (GB/Vauxhall) 158
3.. Will Hoy (GB/Renault) 84
Manufacturers
1.. Nissan 432
2.. Honda 268
3.. Volvo 231
Teams
1.. Vodafone Nissan Racing 178
2.. Team Honda Sport 115
3.. Williams 99
Michelin Racer of the Year
1.. Mark Blair 65
2.. Lee Brookes 24
3.. Will Hoy 23
RACE RESUMES
Round 21 - SPRINT RACE
GRID Aiello – Rydell – Thompson – Leslie – Neal – Boullion – Plato – Kox – Reid – Radermecker – Menu – Tarquini – Muller^ – Cleland – Hoy – Blair.
^Muller took spare car after roll in morning warm-up, therefore started from the back and was not eligible to score points in any championship.
Lap 1 Rydell leads from Aiello, Thompson, Neal, Leslie, Plato, Boullion, Reid, Kox, Radermecker, etc. Radermecker passes Kox. Kox retakes Radermecker. Muller passes Blair, Hoy and Menu.
Lap 5 Menu pits and retires (accident damage)
Lap 14 Tarquini pits and retires (fuel pressure)
Lap 25 Neal slows to allow Leslie through to take fourth place. Chequered flag.
Round 22 - FEATURE RACE
GRID Rydell – Aiello – Leslie – Thompson – Kox – Boullion – Radermecker – Neal – Menu – Reid – Plato – Tarquini – Muller^ – Cleland – Hoy – Blair.
^Muller took spare car after roll in morning warm-up, therefore started from the back and was not eligible to score points in any championship.
LAP 1 Aiello leads from Rydell, Leslie, Thompson, Kox, Boullion, Radermecker, Neal, Menu, Reid, etc. Menu passes Neal. Menu off on Cooper Straight. Reid passes Neal. Muller passes Blair, Hoy and Cleland. Tarquini and Muller clash. Both end in gravel and retire.
Lap 2 Safety Car
Lap 7 Green flag. Racing resumes. Cleland passes Neal.
Lap 9 Plato passes Reid.
Lap 17 Cleland pits.
Lap 18 Aiello pits from lead. Rydell leads.
Lap 19 Rydell pits, Leslie leads. Neal pits.
Lap 20 Thompson pits. Boullion pits.
Lap 21 Leslie pits, Kox leads. Plato pits.
Lap 22 Plato and Cleland clash at Druids, both continue.
Lap 23 Kox and Radermecker pit. Reid leads.
Lap 25 Reid and Hoy pit. Aiello leads from Leslie, Thompson, Kox, Rydell, Boullion, Radermecker, etc.
Lap 28 Reid off at Clearways, rejoins. Blair pits.
Lap 53 Radermecker passes Boullion. Boullion repasses Radermecker.
Lap 55 Chequered flag.