BTCC: Radermecker claims first number one
22 April 2000
Donington Park - Friday 21 April 2000 Weather: Changeable Vauxhall's Vincent Radermecker today claimed his first top spot in the Auto Trader British Touring Car Championship by setting fastest time in testing at Donington Park, Derbyshire. The Belgian, whose time of 1min10.789s round the 1.95-miles circuit was two tenths of a second ahead of the rest, headed a Vectra 1-2-3 with team-mates Yvan Muller and Jason Plato second and third quickest. A delighted Radermecker, in only his second season in the BTCC, said: "It is really good to be at the top especially because I am the least experienced with Super Touring cars in this championship! "This was only my third proper test in the car and it was great to have some time on the track after missing out at Brands Hatch because of problems. If it hadn't rained at the end of the session I could have gone quicker because I felt very confident with the car. I think I can repeat this on Sunday in qualifying." Michelin Cup for Independents ace Matt Neal was fourth fastest in his Team Dynamics Nissan Primera, just ahead of Ford Team Mondeo's Rickard Rydell, the 1998 champion. Redstone Team Honda's Gabriele Tarquini, the 1994 champion, finished the day sixth quickest in his Accord ahead of Ford's Anthony Reid and Alain Menu. Honda's Tom Kristensen and James Thompson rounded out the top-ten. Thompson, however, was still suffering from the effects of an accident in round two at Brands Hatch, Kent, a fortnight ago, where his car hit a tyre wall with an impact of 12G, and only completed 11 laps before he withdrew from this weekend's meeting on medical advice. He is to be replaced for Sunday's two qualifying sessions and Monday's rounds three and four by Redstone Team Honda reserve Peter Kox, of Holland. Barwell Motorsport's Mark Lemmer was quickest of the Class B drivers, in 12th overall, with a time of 1min20.290s in his Honda Integra Type R. TOP TEN BTCC TESTING TIMES FROM DONINGTON PARK NATIONAL CIRCUIT 1 Vincent Radermecker (Bel) Vauxhall Motorsport Vauxhall Vectra 1m10.789s 2 Yvan Muller (Fra) Vauxhall Motorsport Vauxhall Vectra 1m11.033s 3 Jason Plato (GB) Vauxhall Motorsport Vauxhall Vectra 1m11.052s 4 Matt Neal* (GB) Team Dynamics Nissan Primera GT 1m11.146s 5 Rickard Rydell (Swe) Ford Team Mondeo Ford Mondeo Zetec 1m11.260s 6 Gabriele Tarquini (Ita) Team Honda Sport Honda Accord 1m11.291s 7 Anthony Reid (GB) Ford Team Mondeo Ford Mondeo Zetec 1m11.367s 8 Alain Menu (Swi) Ford Team Mondeo Ford Mondeo Zetec 1m11.489s 9 Tom Kristensen (Den) Team Honda Sport Honda Accord 1m11.558s 10 James Thompson (GB) Team Honda Sport Honda Accord 1m11.720s * = Michelin Cup for Independents driver -