Nissan Motor (GB) Limited
Press Enquiries
The Rivers Office Park
Denham Way, Maple Cross
Rickmansworth
Hertfordshire WD3 2YS
Registered in England (No. 2514418)
Tel: 01923 899930
Fax: 01923 899969
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
5 April 1999
NISSAN PRIMERA MAKES BTCC HISTORY AT DONINGTON
Nissan Vodafone Racing took a major step towards retaining the British Touring Car Championship manufacturers' title, and in doing so also made history, in the first meeting of the season at Donington Park.
Privateer Matt Neal, driving last year's works Nissan Primera, became the first ever Independent to record a first place in the championship. His Feature Race win earned him a cheque for £250,000 and boosted Nissan's total in the manufacturers' championship by 15 points to 29.
Team Principal of Vodafone Nissan Racing, Ray Mallock, said after the race: "It's great to see a victory for a Nissan car. Everybody in the team is delighted for Matt, it's a big achievement for him. Matt won in last year's Nissan works car which we had spent two years developing. So we feel we can share in the win."
DAVID LESLIE SPRINT RACE 4th FEATURE RACE dnf
David Leslie's Nissan Primera GT recorded the fastest lap in the Sprint, 1:11.345, 158.94 km/h (98.763 mph). After qualifying eighth on the grid, he moved swiftly through the field and enjoyed a ding-dong battle for third place with Alain Menu in what proved to be the best duel of the race. But Menu held out under severe pressure and Leslie had to be satisfied with fourth.
Nissan Primera makes BTCC history at Donington...2
The Feature Race left Leslie pointless. He started at the back of the grid following a misfire during qualifying and was steadily making his way through the field when he slid into the gravel trap on the sixth lap following a tangle with former team-mate Anthony Reid.
Leslie said afterwards: "The car was spot on in the first race. Testing has gone very well and mechanically it's great. I felt really good in the second race but then I was hit in the back by Anthony Reid. It just wasn't my day, earlier a pin had broken on the bonnet which made it very difficult to see during the race."
LAURENT AIELLO SPRINT RACE 11th FEATURE RACE dnf
In his first race in the UK, the Sprint, Laurent Aiello driving the Nissan Primera GT, slipped back to finish eleventh. In the Feature Race, Aiello started at the back because of mechanical problems in qualifying but ran into his first encounter with the rough and tumble of BTCC racing when he failed to get past the first bend, crashing into the gravel.
Aiello commented: "I was on the inside to overtake Paula Cook, maybe she touched me and I went off. The car was a lot better. It's a shame, I was really looking forward to the second race and making my way through the field. But now I am looking forward to the next meeting at Silverstone. I'll be working hard to get a better result next time around."
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
BTCC race day inquiries Roger Ryan
Tel 0831 337088
NISSAN inquiries Daniel Ward or Andrew Roberts at Nissan
Tel 01923 899930 Fax 01923 899969
24484/0499
1999 AUTO TRADER BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP
Donington Park results April 5th 1999
Round 1 - Sprint Race Round 2 - Feature Race
1 Thompson (Honda) 1 Neal (Nissan)*
2 Menu (Ford) 2 Thompson (Honda)
3 Plato (Renault) 3 Plato (Renault)
4 Leslie (Nissan) 4 Cleland (Vauxhall)
5 Neal (Nissan)* 5 Radermecker (Volvo)
6 Muller (Vauxhall) 6 Boullion (Renault)
7 Rydell (Volvo) 7 Kox (Honda)
8 Cleland (Vauxhall) 8 Spence (Renault)*
9 Kox (Honda) 9 Brookes (Honda)*
10 Radermecker (Volvo) 10 Muller (Vauxhall)
BTCC DRIVERS' CHAMPIONSHIP - after two (of 26) rounds
1 James Thompson 29
2 Matt Neal 23
3 Jason Plato 20
4 Alain Menu 12
5 John Cleland 12
6 David Leslie 8
7 Vincent Radermecker 7
8 Yvan Muller 6
9 Peter Kox 6
10 Jean-Christophe Boullion 5
MANUFACTURERS TEAMS
1 Honda 33 1 Honda Sport 16
2 Nissan 29 2 Williams Racing 15
3 Renault 25 3 Team Dynamics 15
4 Vauxhall 17 4 Vauxhall Sport 9
5 Ford 12 5 Volvo S40 Racing 6
6 Volvo 11 6 Arena Motorsport 3
*= Independent
