BTCC - Silverstone Report
19 September 1999
Auto Trader British Touring Car Championship LAURENT AIELLO CROWNED 1999 BTCC CHAMPION Rounds 25 & 26: Silverstone, 19 September 1999 Laurent Aiello was crowned 1999 Auto Trader British Touring Car Champion at a rain-soaked Silverstone this afternoon. The Frenchman needed just one point to hold off the challenge of Nissan team mate David Leslie and he did enough in a foreshortened round 25 to claim the crown in his first season of BTCC action. Aiello arrived in Britain this year with a string of titles to his name. The 30-year old former French and German touring car champion, who also won Le Mans in 1998, was always one of the favourites to lift the trophy. With 10 race victories, 10 pole positions and a total of 15 visits to the podium, there can be little doubt that Aiello has earned the title with his championship form throughout the season. "I cannot explain exactly what this means to me," beamed an emotional Aiello after the race. "I must thank the team for giving me the confidence to win the title in my first year. Everything was new to me, the circuits, the drivers, the car - but the team has been fantastic and I owe this championship to them. Winning the championship in these conditions is a bit strange. I had to concentrate so hard just to stay on the track out there and it hasn't really sunk in yet. "I was a bit concerned to be still fighting for the title after 10 race wins, but that is the nature of this series. I have really enjoyed this year and I would love to be back in the BTCC next year to defend the title. If I'm not here with Nissan then I hope to be with someone else." Both races were won by out-going champion Rickard Rydell, a fitting finale for the TWR Volvo team that stepped down from the BTCC after today's events. SPRINT RACE - Round 25 Aiello's march to the title had appeared to be running smoothly as he held pole position for the Sprint race, but it quickly started to go wrong. The rain arrived thirty minutes before the scheduled start of the race, throwing all preparations into a state of panic the length of the pit lane. A mis-calculation during the warm-up laps saw Aiello complete an extra tour, thus compelling the Primera pilot to start from the back of the grid alongside his rival and colleague Leslie. Up front, Rydell produced a blistering start to blast into the lead from sixth place on the grid and the Swede was never headed on his way to the chequered flag. The race itself became something of a lottery. As conditions deteriorated, drivers struggled with their aqua-planing cars and as safety became an issue, the race was stopped and the result declared after eight of the scheduled 15 laps with Rydell still ahead. Rydell: "That was probably my best ever start. I tried to take it easy and it seemed to work for me. It is great for Volvo and TWR to get a win at their last meeting." Thompson: "I thought I'd made a good start and was bit surprised to see Rickard up my inside. I had to concede the corner. I could catch him when it was drier." Muller: "I like the wet and the difficult conditions, but that was crazy. It was a good decision to stop the race, especially because I was in third place at the time!" Hoy: "I was driving by Braille out there. I hit the kerb and turned, then hit another kerb and turned. It was absolutely right to stop the race. We were aqua-planing all over the place." FEATURE RACE - Round 26 The newly-crowned champion fittingly took his place at the head of the field for the Feature race, but Aiello's moment of glory was short-lived. As the cars charged down to Copse corner for the first time, the Nissan was under pressure from the Volvo of earlier winner Rydell. Aiello carried too much speed into the corner and lost the back end, an ignominious ending to a glorious day. Rydell was again clear of the field, but as the Swede established an early advantage, there was carnage behind him. The races of both Boullion and Kox were ended as they came together on the first lap, while James Thompson came off worst in a four car shuffle at Priory. Menu and Neal also traded paint work as the slippery nature of the still wet Silverstone circuit took its toll. The early part of the event resembled a demolition derby as drivers seemed to catch the end of term atmosphere of the final race of the season. Plato took second place off David Leslie after a small tap on the Scotsman's rear bumper, but Plato was the victim of a huge shunt from Menu's Ford which ended the track action for both parties, a sad way for Williams Renault to bow out from the BTCC after a hugely successful period of competition. After the pit stops, Rydell led from Leslie and the two drivers held station to secure third and second places in the championship respectively. The now third-placed Anthony Reid could sense a second podium of the year and drove steadily to the flag. After two laps behind the Safety Car, the field bunched up, leading to a final eight laps of frantic dicing and panel trading. Muller, Neal, Radermecker and Will Hoy thrilled the huge crowds with a display of gutsy racing, Radermecker finally prevailing to claim a fine fourth place. After 11 years and two Drivers' championships, John Cleland bowed out of the BTCC this afternoon after setting a new record of 218 race starts, the Vauxhall driver's final weekend bringing a fifth and a tenth place finish. Rydell: "It's very nice for me, for Volvo and for TWR to leave the BTCC with two wins. We could have been closer to the Nissans this year, but to be third in the championship is a great result. Laurent is a worthy champion, he has learned the BTCC quickly and deserves his success." Leslie: "I came here needing a major miracle and it didn't happen. I'm very pleased to have been part of a Nissan 1-2 in the series and I just hope I can be back again next year." Reid: "I got lost on the way to the podium! The first year of a new team is always difficult, but Ford will be back next year and we'll be among the front-runners." Neal: "The team said if I couldn't win the race, I should do something to get live TV coverage! I don't think I let them down." Cleland: "It's been a fantastic time for me in the BTCC. I've enjoyed every single minute of it, but I'm pissed off I got done for speeding in the pit lane today! I don't know what I'll do next year, but I've a number of different offers and I'll take a decision in good time." AUTO TRADER BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP Silverstone International Circuit / 19 September 1999 Round 25 / 8 laps / 18.14 miles 1. Rickard Rydell SWE Volvo S40 14min 47.945sec 73.14mph 2. James Thompson GB Honda Accord +0.877s 3. Yvan Muller FRA Vauxhall Vectra +1.823s 4. Anthony Reid GB Ford Mondeo +2.279s 5. John Cleland GB Vauxhall Vectra +2.242s 6. Will Hoy* GB Renault Laguna +3.513s 7. Peter Kox HOL Honda Accord +5.099s 8. J-C Boullion FRA Renault Laguna +6.690s 9. Laurent Aiello FRA Nissan Primera +7.651s 10. Mark Blair* GB Vauxhall Vectra +8.792s Michelin Cup for Independents winner: Will Hoy (GB) - Renault Laguna Fastest lap: Jason Plato Renault Laguna 1:36.155sec, 84.20mph Round 26 / 32 laps / 72.58 miles 1. Rickard Rydell SWE Volvo S40 48min 23.219sec 99.58mph 2. David Leslie GB Nissan Primera +20.434s 3. Anthony Reid GB Ford Mondeo +46.855s 4. Vincent Radermecker BEL Volvo S40 +19.145s 5. Yvan Muller FRA Vauxhall Vectra +23.394s 6. Matt Neal* GB Nissan Primera +48.755s 7. Will Hoy* GB Renault Laguna +3.513s 8. Mark Blair* GB Vauxhall Vectra +8.792s 9. James Thompson GB Honda Accord +0.877s 10. John Cleland GB Vauxhall Vectra +2.242s Michelin Cup for Independents winner: Matt Neal (GB) - Nissan Primera Fastest lap: Rickard Rydell SWE Volvo S40 1:33.324s, 86.76mph Final Championship positions (after 26 of 26 rounds) Drivers 1 Laurent Aiello (Fra) 244 2 David Leslie (GB) 228 3 Rickard Rydell (Swe) 192 4 James Thompson (GB) 174 5 Jason Plato (GB) 122 6 Yvan Muller (Fra) 119 7 Peter Kox (Hol) 113 8 Vincent Radermecker (B) 113 9 Matt Neal* (GB) 104 10 J-C Boullion (Fra) 97 Michelin Cup for Independents 1. Matt Neal (GB/Nissan) 352 2. Mark Blair (GB/Vauxhall) 183 3. Will Hoy (GB/Renault) 131 Manufacturers 1. Nissan 464 2. Honda 296 3. Volvo 295 Teams 1. Vodafone Nissan Racing 210 2. Team Honda Sport 132 3. Volvo S40 Racing 127 Michelin Racer of the Year 1. Mark Blair 80 2. Will Hoy 40 3. Lee Brookes 24 Ends