BTCC: Silverstone qualifying: Rydell claims double pole
10 June 2000
Super Swede Rickard Rydell proved the class of the field today at Silverstone in qualifying for rounds 11 and 12 of the Auto Trader British Touring Car Championship. The Ford Mondeo racer hardly put a wheel wrong to claim pole position for both tomorrow's races at the Northamptonshire track. Said Rydell: "I caught traffic in my first qualifying session and made a couple of small mistakes in the second, but it's been a good weekend so far. I hope it goes as well tomorrow." British drivers will fill second and third spots on the grid for both races. Honda's James Thompson secured second for round 11 in his Accord while Ford's Anthony Reid claimed third. For round 12, Reid will start second on the grid in the Mondeo with Vauxhall's Jason Plato third in a Vectra. Team Dynamics star Matt Neal was quickest of the Michelin Cup for Independents runners for round 11, claiming ninth place overall, while PRO Motorsport's Colin Blair set the fastest Independent time for round 12, again in ninth overall. The 1991 BTCC Champion Will Hoy, making his debut in Class B this weekend, was quickest in that division in a Touring Car VIP Club Peugeot 306. TOP TEN QUALIFYING TIMES, ROUND 11 1 Rickard Rydell (Swe) Ford Team Mondeo Ford Mondeo Zetec 1m23.492s 2 James Thompson (GB) Redstone Team Honda Honda Accord 1m23.572s 3 Anthony Reid (GB) Ford Team Mondeo Ford Mondeo Zetec 1m23.758s 4 Gabriele Tarquini (Ita) Redstone Team Honda Honda Accord 1m23.875s 5 Tom Kristensen (Den) Redstone Team Honda Honda Accord 1m23.997s 6 Alain Menu (Swi) Ford Team Mondeo Ford Mondeo Zetec 1m24.056s 7 Jason Plato (GB) Vauxhall Motorsport Vauxhall Vectra 1m24.139s 8 Yvan Muller (Fra) Vauxhall Motorsport Vauxhall Vectra 1m24.179s 9 Matt Neal (GB)* Team Dynamics Nissan Primera GT 1m24.586s 10 Vincent Radermecker (Bel) Vauxhall Motorsport Vauxhall Vectra 1m24.667s TOP TEN QUALIFYING TIMES, ROUND 10 1 Rickard Rydell (Swe) Ford Team Mondeo Ford Mondeo Zetec 1m23.125s 2 Anthony Reid (GB) Ford Team Mondeo Ford Mondeo Zetec 1m23.313s 3 Jason Plato (GB) Vauxhall Motorsport Vauxhall Vectra 1m23.416s 4 Yvan Muller (Fra) Vauxhall Motorsport Vauxhall Vectra 1m23.458s 5 James Thompson (GB) Redstone Team Honda Honda Accord 1m23.554s 6 Tom Kristensen (Den) Redstone Team Honda Honda Accord 1m23.617s 7 Alain Menu (Swi) Ford Team Mondeo Ford Mondeo Zetec 1m23.630s 8 Vincent Radermecker (Bel) Vauxhall Motorsport Vauxhall Vectra 1m23.685s 9 Colin Blair (GB)* PRO Motorsport Nissan Primera GT 1m26.137s 10 Will Hoy (GB)** Touring Car VIP Club Peugeot 306 GTi 1m32.071s *= Michelin Cup for Independents **= Class B