Vauxhall Brands Hatch Press Release

[Craig]

www.theAA.com MSA British Touring Car Championship 2001
Rounds 1/2 - Brands Hatch, Race reports - April 16

ASTRA COUPE 1-2-3 AT BRANDS HATCH

Vauxhall's Astra Coupe BTCC cars dominated the opening rounds of the
www.theAA.com British Touring Car Championship today, Monday 16 April, at
Brands Hatch circuit in Kent, giving Vauxhall Motorsport's Yvan Muller and
Egg Sport Vauxhall driver, James Thompson each their first winner's laurels
of the season.

Frenchman, Muller, who started both races from pole position after a
stunning 30-minute qualifying session on Saturday afternoon, had a less than
perfect start to the 12-lap Sprint Race when three Astra Coupes battled for
position before the first corner. Muller's experience got the better of
them all and he pulled away, eventually crossing the finishing line 0.71
seconds ahead of team-mate, Jason Plato from Oxford. Yorkshire's James
Thompson completed the podium line-up while West Midlands' Phil Bennett made
it four Triple Eight prepared Astra Coupes in the top four places.

The 53-lap main Feature Race got away cleanly with the new rolling start
format proving a success. Muller took an immediate lead ahead of Plato in
the Vauxhall Motorsport Astra Coupes, followed by Bennett and Thompson.
After a three lap Safety Car period caused by a backmarker's trip to the
Paddock Hill bend gravel trap, Bennett lost out to Thompson, Steve Soper and
Matt Neal, the latter pair in Peugeots, which were re-passed by Bennett over
the next four laps.

Muller led comfortably for a third of the race until his Astra Coupe began
misfiring on its in-lap for his compulsory tyre-change pit stop. He briefly
rejoined the race, but was finally out with an engine electrical problem.
Meanwhile, Thompson and Plato were locked in battle for the lead, resolved
in Thompson's favour 17 laps from the end. Plato had the edge taken off his
hopes when he tangled with a backmarker and damaged the throttles of his
Astra Coupe.

Plato and Thompson left Brands Hatch with a joint championship lead to take
to the next round, at Thruxton circuit near Andover on May 7.

Quotes:
Yvan Muller, Car 4, Vauxhall Motorsport Astra Coupe
Sprint - Winner from pole, Fastest lap: 49.254s, Feature - Retired, FL:
49.226s
"Winning the first race of the season was a great start for me and the team.
It's a real shame about the Feature Race, I made a good start, wasn't under
too much pressure and had a comfortable lead until the engine started to
misfire half way through my in-lap for the pit-stop. I went out and came
back in and the guys worked on the car in pitlane but couldn't solve what we
think is an electric problem with the engine."

Jason Plato, Car 5, Vauxhall Motorsport Astra Coupe
Sprint - 2nd, Fastest lap: 49.254s, Feature - 2nd
"What a cracking start to the Sprint Race! I thought I'd get through
between Yvan (Muller) and James (Thompson) but they squeezed me out so I
stuck with Yvan and made it through into second. We made a few changes to
the set up of the car this morning and they obviously worked. I had a good
battle with James in the Feature Race although my engine wasn't very
responsive after I tangled with a back marker. When I hit him I think it
damaged the Astra Coupe's throttle. James got the advantage on me on cold
tyres after the pit stop then I got him back again in traffic. But he
slipped through again at Clearways a few laps later. Traffic didn't help
towards the end of the race but to be holding a joint championship lead
after the first rounds is not such a bad position to be in."

James Thompson, Car 9, Egg Sport Vauxhall Astra Coupe
Sprint - 3rd, Feature - Winner
"I genuinely didn't see Jason (Plato) at the start of the Sprint Race when
he tried to squeeze in between myself and Yvan. After that I just
concentrated on keeping up with Yvan. I'm pleased with the Astra Coupe
though - it went very well. I had a really good, hard race with Jason in
the main Feature event, it was very clean and I really enjoyed it -that's
what touring cars is all about."

Phil Bennett, Car 27, Egg Sport Vauxhall Astra Coupe
Sprint - 4th, Feature - 3rd
"I'm very happy to finish fourth in my first ever touring car race and it's
great to be on the podium for my second. Once you've got the heat in those
tyres, that's it - the Astra Coupe's off, it's just so fast!

www.theAA.com MSA British Touring Car Championship
Rounds 1/2 - Brands Hatch (Indy Circuit), April 16

Sprint Race (Round 1 - 12 laps)

1 Yvan Muller Vauxhall Astra Coupe 10:02.244
2 Jason Plato Vauxhall Astra Coupe 10:02.954
3 James Thompson Vauxhall Astra Coupe 10:04.742
4 Phil Bennett Vauxhall Astra Coupe 10:17.606
5 Dan Eaves Peugeot 406 Coupe 10:19.599
6 Matt Neal Peugeot 406 Coupe 10:20.099

Feature Race (Round 2 - 53 laps)

1 James Thompson Vauxhall Astra Coupe 46:33.620
2 Jason Plato Vauxhall Astra Coupe 46:34.120
3 Phil Bennett Vauxhall Astra Coupe 46:55.509
4 Steve Soper Peugeot 406 Coupe 47:16.049
5 Matt Neal Peugeot 406 Coupe 47:21.347
6 Dan Eaves Peugeot 406 Coupe 46:48.604 (1 lap down)

Drivers' Championship (After Round 2): 1=, Jason Plato (Vauxhall) and James
Thompson (Vauxhall) 26 points; 3, Yvan Muller (Vauxhall) 20; 4, Phil Bennett
(Vauxhall) 19; 5, Steve Soper (Peugeot) 13; 6, Matt Neal (Peugeot) 11.