After terrible weather had put paid to the first offical test at Silverstone, the Brand Hatch test day (an official media day also) would be the first chance the press would see the 2001 spec BTC cars turn a wheel in anger.

The weather was not so pleasant at Brands Hatch either, and made for difficult conditions for testing. The afternoon session was a little kinder and some good times were posted:

1 Yvan Muller Vauxhall Astra Coupe 49.636s
2 Jason Plato Vauxhall Astra Coupe 49.714s
3 James Thompson Vauxhall Astra Coupe 49.899s
4 Matt Neal Peugeot 406 Coupe 50.613s
5 Phil Bennet Vauxhall Astra Coupe 50.976s
6 Steve Soper Peugeot 406 Coupe 51.263s
7 P James Kaye Honda Accord 52.028s
8 P Simon Harrison Peugeot 306 52.140s
9 P Roger Moen Peugeot 306 52.161s
10 P Peter Kaye Honda Accord 52.388s
11 Paul O'Neal Peugeot 306 52.458
12 Gavin Pyper Alfa Romeo 156 52.570
13 Mat Jackson Ford Focus 52.983
14 Jim Edwards Jnr Honda Accord 53.026
15 Gareth Howell Ford Focus 53.089
16 Tom Boardman Peugeot 306 53.184
17 Rick Kraemer Ford Focus 53.399
18 Nick Beaumont Honda Integra R 53.416
19 Toni Ruokonen Mitsubishi Carisma 53.703
20 Colin Blair 53.876 Alfa Romeo 156
21 Annie Templeton Peugeot 306 1.02.412

I was unable to attend the Oulton Park test day, but it was the Vauxhalls that came out on top. Once again rain affected the morning session, but better conditions in the afternoon made for improved times

Oulton Park testing - BTCC - 2001-04-04 - by Vauxhall Motorsport

Vauxhall Astra Coupes on top at Oulton testing

Jason Plato led the times at Oulton Park circuit in Cheshire during Wednesday's official British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) test session - the final test before racing begins in earnest at Brands Hatch in Kent on Easter Monday (April 16). Four Vauxhall Astra Coupes filled the top four places at the test, with Plato followed closely by his Vauxhall Motorsport team-mate, Yvan Muller, while James Thompson driving the Egg Sport Vauxhall Astra Coupe took third place just ahead of his team-mate, touring car newcomer, Phil Bennett.

Vauxhall Motorsport's team manager, Derek Warwick said: "This was our first real day of testing with most of the other teams joining us at Oulton Park. We have been able to look at the suspension fairly closely today, in particular shock absorber settings and roll-bar settings. Reliability and speed have both been good - we're looking forward to the first race at Brands."

Both of the Vauxhall Motorsport Astra Coupes were out on the track for most of the day which was split into a morning and afternoon session - the morning on a wet but drying track, which dried up completely for the afternoon.

"We have had a good day," said Jason Plato after setting fastest time in each session. "We have tried lots of different suspension settings with some meaningful results. I'm upbeat about the Astra Coupe - roll on Brands!"

Frenchman Yvan Muller spent some time in the pits during the afternoon after an off-track excursion early in the session. "I went off the track as if I was ice racing," said Muller. "The team had to change the radiator as a consequence and that cut down my running time, so I couldn't learn much today, but what I did learn makes me certain about a few good things on the car - my only regret was not having time to try the car on completely new tyres during the afternoon."

Oulton Park BTCC testing (Wednesday, April 4) - overall times:

1 Jason Plato Vauxhall Astra Coupe 1m 29.167s
2 Yvan Muller (F) Vauxhall Astra Coupe 1:29.325
3 James Thompson Vauxhall Astra Coupe 1:30.963
4 Phil Bennett Vauxhall Astra Coupe 1:32.551
5 Matt Neal Peugeot 406 Coupe 1:32.839
6 Simon Harrison Peugeot 306 1:33.488

The 2001 British Touring Car Championship has a new sponsor in the form of those very nice men fron the AA and their website:

The AA's website - www.theAA.com - is to sponsor this year's British Touring Car Championship, in a major deal worth £800,000.

The link-up, announced at the media launch of the 2001 BTCC racing season, will see all 36 competing cars and drivers sporting the www.theAA.com branding. The AA's recently re-designed website will also enjoy high profile visibility around the eight racetracks that will hold this year's 13 race meetings.

Matthew Thompson, Director of Centrica Information Services, says: "This is a great opportunity for the AA. Motorsport puts the fun back into motoring, which as an organisation we wholly support, and the breadth of information available on our website will enable race-goers to enjoy their weekends to the full".

"Our brand with its 96 years of motoring history, and today's accessible online information makes www.theAA.com a powerful combination, and the ideal sponsor for the BTCC's events in 2001," he adds.

Richard West, Series Director for the BTCC and TOCA Tour, says: "This sponsorship represents a highly significant step in the growth and development of the new BTCC format".

Other Announcements

* World Superbike Racer Joins Peugeot Line-Up in BTCC:

Aaron Slight, who started competing in 1979, has been a leader in World Superbikes since 1992, achieving 13 race wins and consistent top three championship placings.

Other notable highlights of Slight's career include, three times Suzuka Eight Hour winner, Australian Superbike champion and Pan-Pacific champion.

Slight's limited four wheeled racing career includes a touring car Tourist Trophy drive in 1997, where he qualified 7th but was punted off in the race. The 1999 Pukekohe 500 (NZ) race, which he was leading with 20 minutes to go before mechanical failure, causing retirement and a BTCC Super Tourer Test last year.

For 2001, Slight joins the official Peugeot race team in ten races (over 5 meetings) and becomes a racing driver rather than rider.

Aaron Slight, Monaco - March 2001:
"Driving in the BTCC for the factory Peugeot team is a dream come true. I have always wanted to race cars and I've done a few competitive car races in the past. To drive for a global company like Peugeot will be awesome, and I look forward to working with them. The race car looks great, if it goes half as fast as it looks; the Peugeot team are in for a storming year. I am looking forward to testing as I have a lot to learn in a short time this year, but I will be giving it all to succeed and hope to be in a championship winning position in 2002. I would like to thank Peugeot Sport, Mick Linford and Vic Lee for giving me this opportunity for 2001 and 2002 as well as Richard West of TOCA and my manager Tubbs Wanigasekera."

* Leading Actress Joins British Touring Car Championship TV Team:

The British Touring Car Championship is pleased to announce the appointment of Dawn McDaniel to the TV commentary team for the 2001 season.

Dawn, who trained at RADA and whose television appearances have included major roles in Holby City, Soldier Soldier and Moll Flanders, will be joined by the current commentary pairing of Charlie Cox and John Watson for the 2001 season.

She commented, "When I was approached to work on the BTCC, I was really excited but also quite apprehensive as it's such a departure from what I'm used to. I love the sport and I can't wait to get involved. My aim is to reveal the aspects of the drivers' characters that haven't been shown before so expect to see a lot more behind the scenes filming!"

She concluded: "I've met quite a few of the drivers already and found them to be quite charming" I wouldn't like to bet on whose going to win the Championship but I'm confident it's going to be a season of spectacular action!"

* TV Boost for BTCC:

Octagon CSI has been appointed to lead the revamped British Touring Car Championship into a new era of television coverage.

The sports marketing giant will produce all 13 rounds of this year's series for BBC Grandstand. It has pledged an exciting new show featuring 16 in-car cameras, and with between seven and nine cameras stationed around each circuit. Viewers will also be able to see on-screen graphics showing cars' speed, revs, gears and brake traces at selected races.

Spectators at the races will also benefit. A live outside broadcast-standard feed of each event will be transmitted to a giant LED screen. Measuring 17 square metres, the screen is worth one million pounds. It was previously housed within the Millennium Dome.

TOCA and the BBC have agreed that deferred broadcasts will offer fans the best entertainment this season. Accordingly, there will be no live races on TV. The BBC remains committed to the new-look series, and negotiations over future coverage are ongoing.

Dave Gordon, the BBC's executive editor of TV sport, commented: "The BBC has been a long-term supporter of the British Touring Car Championship, and is once again looking forward to playing its part in this new and exciting era."

The BTCC is already second only to Formula One in the domestic motorsport ratings. Last year, the series attracted a total audience of 14.85 million viewers. Four rounds featured in the top 10 UK motorsport broadcasts.

* TOCA Tour Hits the Big Screen!

Spectators of the 2001 British Touring Car Championship will be treated to a live outside broadcast of the race action, courtesy of a giant LED screen.

Measuring 17 square metres, the screen was previously housed within the Millennium Dome and will be travelling to every round of the Championship.

The live outside broadcast will be transmitted by Octagon CSI, the production company appointed to supply programming of the Championship to BBC Grandstand. It has been designed to bring the TOCA Tour spectator the best possible viewing of the on-track action.

The on-event coverage also extends to radio, with TOCA Radio re-appearing as a permanent fixture throughout the season. Run as a radio station purely dedicated to each event, it will not only cover the venue but the surrounding area throughout the race weekend. It proves to be the most immediate form of media at the circuit for the benefit of drivers, spectators and teams and enhances the action with essential interviews, informed chat and entertainment.

* British Touring Car Championship to Launch New Look Official Website:

The British Touring Car Championship is to launch a brand new web-site with the new address of www.tocatour.com. The site, which was under construction, went live on 26th March 2001, and will become the official site of the Championship. The site replaces the previous www.btcc.co.uk address.

* Full Grids Promise Spectacular Racing in New Look BTCC:

The British Touring Car Championship looks set for an action packed season following the announcement today that 36 cars have registered for the 2001 Championship.

Series Director, Richard West commented: "I'm very pleased with the number of entries to the 2001 Championship. I'd like to thank all the teams for the enormous effort they've put in over the winter months in order to get their programmes together. I think the combination of the Vauxhall, Peugeot, Lexus and Alfa Romeo 147's are going to be a potent force for racing in the BTC Touring Class. As for the BTC Production class, I'm equally delighted with the number of entries we've received. The quality of teams are very high, and whilst we've been rebuilding the Championship, everybody has shown tremendous commitment to the series which is born out by the number of entries we have for the opening round."

89% of drivers registered are British, with the entry list for 2001 boasting amongst others, the star names of Steve Soper, Matt Neal, James Thompson and Jason Plato. Anthony Reid is due to make a return to the Championship later in the season with MG Sport and Racing.

Other news from the media day:

* Heavyweight Promotional Campaign Backs TOCA Tour:

TOCA Tour has committed to a significant promotional campaign in support of the series, heightening awareness of the BTCC and supporting races to as wide a public as possible.

A road-show will tour 13 major regional shopping centres, with the remit to promote each round in the week building up to a race weekend. The season launches with the road-show visiting Bluewater shopping centre before the first Brands Hatch round at Easter, with anticipated centre footfalls of nearly 600,000 in pre-Easter week.

* Super Sprint Race for BTC Tourers:

TOCA has introduced a super sprint race for its BTC Touring category.

The race will be run over just 10 minutes' duration, and will replace the original 20-25 lap sprint distance.

"It's going to be a fast and furious," Richard says. "At the first round, on the Brands Hatch Indy circuit, drivers will have just 12 laps to do what they are going to do. There will be no punches pulled."

The time freed up in the BTC Touring schedule will be used for an extended pit walkabout and autograph session.

* Toca Tour 2001 Calendar, Support Events and Race Format:

The popular Lotus Elise, Formula Renault and Renault Clio Championships will support the BTCC.

Additional guest races (at selected events):

Historic GP Association
Euroboss F1
International Supersports Cup
Ferrari Maranello Challenge
FORCE F5000
Pick-up trucks

Format:

The three-day format has been truncated to a two-day meeting in order to cut costs for participating teams.

Calendar:

www.ten-tenths.com/calendar
www.redshoes-racing.com/cgi-redshoes-racing/calendar/calendar.pl

* BF Goodrich Tires Take Control:

A landmark agreement with the TOCA Tour sees BFGoodrich Tires entering the top echelon of UK motorsport as the exclusive tyre supplier to the 2001 British Touring Car Championship.

Muller Heads The Time Sheets At First BTCC Test

Vauxhall's Yvan Muller topped the time sheets at Brands Hatch today during the first official AA.com BTCC test of the season. His team-mate Jason Plato was second with the Team Egg Vauxhall of James Thompson, also run by Triple Eight, in third. Muller was quickest in both the morning and afternoon sessions, which saw three out of the five Touring teams take to the track.

Muller said: "We've tried many different things on the car to see its reaction. It was not a day for set ups. We have accomplished a lot today with these conditions and I'm pleased with the progress made."

Roland Dane, Managing Director of Triple Eight Engineering added: "Phil Bennett (Team Egg Sport) did an excellent test time with the car on slicks considering he's only done ten laps in the rain before. We're very pleased that we have delivered all four cars here today in their right livery and that all four have proved their reliability."

The Peugeot's of Matt Neal and Steve Soper were close behind the Vauxhalls, confirming earlier predications that the Championship looks set to be a closely fought contest.

Peugeot Motorsport Director Mick Linford commented: "It's the first time Matt's car has turned a wheel and I'm pleased to say that he's run faultlessly all day. Unfortunately, due to non availability of appropriate tools to make ratio changes, we were only able to use five out of the six gears. Inevitably, this meant incorrect gearing for virtually every corner. As such, we concentrated on learning the car with changes to the set up, rather than outright lap times."

The two test sessions took place in changeable weather conditions. James Kaye of Barwell Motorsport led the Production category and clocked a time only eight tenths of a second behind the works Peugeot of Steve Soper.

Barwell Motorsport, one of the main contenders in the Production Class, was immediately on the pace with its Honda Accord.

Driver James Kaye said: "The car and the team performed excellently but the enormity of the task ahead has been revealed. The series this year will be more competitive and there will without doubt be more than one race winner."