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DARREN TO MAKE BTCC DEBUT ON 5TH JUNE
30/05/2006
McLaren Formula 1 test driver Darren Turner will this weekend make his Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship race debut at Thruxton driving a SEAT Leon.
SEAT Sport UK’s super-sub will replace James Thompson (who is driving for SEAT Sport in the FIA World Touring Car race the same day at Oschersleben in Germany) and team-up with the only man on the BTCC grid that he has ever raced against before, Jason Plato.
The ultra-fast Thruxton circuit in Hampshire is Darren’s favourite UK track, although he hasn’t raced there since a Formula Palmer Audi event in 1998. Since then, Darren has spent most of his time racing overseas – driving Aston Martins and Ferraris at Le Mans and for Mercedes in the DTM. In recent weeks he’s raced a DBR9 in the American Le Mans Series in Mid-Ohio and Houston.
All of Darren’s past racing exploits have been in rear-wheel drive cars, so Thruxton will also be Darren’s first race in a front-wheel drive car. The 32-year old from Banbury quickly got to grips with the SEAT Leon when he tested it before the start of the season, but this coming weekend will be the first time he has driven his racing SEAT for 12 weeks. Despite only two 40-minute free practice sessions to get dialled into the car before qualifying, Darren is confident he can fulfil the team’s desire and score valuable points for SEAT. Extending the brand’s lead in the BTCC Manufacturers’ standings is Jason’s main aim too, but as he’s also third in the Drivers’ table he’ll want to maintain his challenge for a second title by winning at Thruxton.
Theoretically, the slower maximum speed of the Leon, caused by the drag effect of its rear hatch-back shape, will disadvantage the team at Britain’s fastest touring car circuit. In the slower and more twisty sections, the Leon’s superb chassis will be an advantage. As the car has never been to Thruxton before, the team won’t know how competitive the Leon is over a complete lap until after qualifying. With the first third of the BTCC season about to be completed, race strategy and car set-up will play an important role at this crucial point in the season.
Darren said: “Thruxton is my favourite circuit in Britain, so I’m quite happy that it’s where I’ll be making my BTCC race debut. It’s a big commitment circuit. If you’ve got the right car underneath you, you can really commit to the ultra-fast corners and to nail a good lap around Thruxton is a very good feeling. It’s just great to race cars flat-out and be on the edge!
“In my mind I’m thinking a win would be very nice but, being realistic, the first thing I’ve got to do is establish myself on the track and get back into the groove in those two forty minute free practice sessions. That’s all I’ve got before my first qualifying session on Saturday afternoon. If I can be in the top six after qualifying then I’ll be happy with that. Anything higher would be fantastic! Come race day, I just want to have three solid races. If one of them ends up on the podium, then that would be a great weekend for me, but if I can just collect a good amount of points for SEAT I’ll be pleased.
"Having seen a few BTCC races now, I think it will be hard to keep out of trouble because you can get caught up in somebody else’s drama. But, if I don’t make any mistakes, have three solid races, bring home some manufacturer points for SEAT and build a good platform for myself for my next race meeting at Donington Park, then I’ll be very happy with my first BTCC race weekend.”
Jason said: “It’s difficult to predict how we’ll get on at Thruxton. On the slower technical parts of the circuit – through the Campbell-Cobb-Segrave complex and at the Chicane – our Leon will be phenomenal, but on the flat-out sections around the back of the circuit, between Goodwood and Church Corners and on the run down to the Chicane, we’ll suffer because we’re down on top end speed. As we’ve never driven the Leon around Thruxton before, there is no way of knowing how competitive we’ll be over a complete lap until we get there and do one!
"I think Darren will go very well at Thruxton. It’s one of those mega-fast circuits where you need big balls and just go for it, and having raced at Le Mans and driven F1 cars it’s reasonable to presume that Darren’s more than equipped to do the job! You have to really attack Thruxton and the problem Darren has is that he only has two forty minute free practice sessions to get used to the car before the all-important qualifying session begins. Making your touring car debut at Thruxton will be a real eye-opener, but I still believe Darren will do really well.”
The BTCC race weekend at Thruxton begins with practice sessions on Saturday 3rd June, starting at 09.30 and 12.00, followed by a 30 minute qualifying session starting at 15.10. Rounds 10, 11 and 12 of the BTCC take place on Sunday 4th June, with the three 16 lap races starting at 11.00, 13.15 and 16.50. Motors TV (Sky 413, ntl 173) will be broadcasting live throughout race day, while ITV1 will show recorded highlights of the first two races and the third race live on Sunday afternoon.
Darren, 34, lives near Banbury in Oxfordshire. Successful in many different categories of motorsport, his most notable and high profile victories have been at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and in the British Touring Car Championship. He's a firm favourite with teams, fans, and media alike from around the world.
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