The Auto Channel
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
Official Website of the New Car Buyer

BTCC: Menu takes double pole for Ford at Brands Hatch

9 April 2000


Swiss star Alain Menu today struck the first blow in the 2000 Auto Trader
British Touring Car Championship claiming pole position in his Ford Mondeo
for both tomorrow’s Rounds 1 and 2. The 1997 BTCC champion was in
untouchable form round the sun-drenched 2.62-mile Brands Hatch Grand Prix
circuit and now leads the series with a point scored for both poles.

Menu said: “We had two poles to get today and I got them both.
Let’s hope I can do the same tomorrow.”

Sweden’s Rickard Rydell made it an all Ford front-row for both
races, the 1998 BTCC champion second quickest - by less than two tenths of
a second on both occasions. Vauxhall’s Yvan Muller rounds out the
top three for both races in his Vectra.

Matt Neal, the reigning Michelin Cup for Independents Champion, was the
fastest Independent runner in his Nissan Primera. He will line-up fourth
on the grid for Round 1 (14 laps, 36.71m) and sixth for Round 2 (28 laps,
73.4m). Alan Morrison claimed the Class B pole position for both races in
his Peugeot 306.

TOP TEN QUALIFYING TIMES, ROUND 1
1	Alain Menu  (Swi)	Ford Team Mondeo	Ford Mondeo Zetec	1m27.902s
2	Rickard Rydell  (Swe)	Ford Team Mondeo	Ford Mondeo Zetec	1m28.073s
3	Yvan Muller  (Fra)	Vauxhall Motorsport	Vauxhall Vectra		1m28.210s
4	Matt Neal  (GB)*	Team Dynamics	        Nissan Primera GT	1m28.466s
5	James Thompson  (GB)	Redstone Team Honda     Honda Accord		1m28.516s
6	Anthony Reid  (GB)	Ford Team Mondeo	Ford Mondeo Zetec	1m28.664s
7	Jason Plato  (GB)	Vauxhall Motorsport	Vauxhall Vectra		1m28.767s
8	Gabriele Tarquini  (Ita Redstone Team Honda     Honda Accord		1m28.776s
9	Tom Kristensen  (Den)	Redstone Team Honda	Honda Accord		1m29.256s
10	Vincent Radermecker     Vauxhall Motorsport	Vauxhall Vectra		1m29.568s

TOP TEN QUALIFYING TIMES, ROUND 2
1	Alain Menu  (Swi)	Ford Team Mondeo	Ford Mondeo Zetec	1m27.655s
2	Rickard Rydell  (Swe)	Ford Team Mondeo	Ford Mondeo Zetec	1m27.793s
3	Yvan Muller  (Fra)	Vauxhall Motorsport	Vauxhall Vectra		1m27.896s
4	Anthony Reid  (GB)	Ford Team Mondeo	Ford Mondeo Zetec	1m28.018s
5	Tom Kristensen  (Den)	Redstone Team Honda	Honda Accord		1m28.057s
6	Matt Neal  (GB)*	Team Dynamics	        Nissan Primera GT	1m28.067s
7	James Thompson  (GB)	Redstone Team Honda     Honda Accord		1m28.091s
8	Jason Plato  (GB)	Vauxhall Motorsport	Vauxhall Vectra		1m28.436s
9	Gabriele Tarquini  (Ita Redstone Team Honda     Honda Accord		1m28.607s
10	Vincent Radermecker     Vauxhall Motorsport	Vauxhall Vectra		1m29.191s