BTCC: Brands Hatch testing

NEWS FROM THE AUTO TRADER RAC TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP Official Testing: Brands Hatch, 28/6/96 THE hopes of the Renault team -- without a win so far in this year's Auto Trader RAC Touring Car Championship -- were boosted at Brands Hatch today (Fri) in official testing for Sunday's twin rounds. Swiss Laguna driver Alain Menu topped the timesheets by nearly a full second, with team-mate Will Hoy second fastest.

Menu lapped the 2.6-mile Brands Grand Prix circuit in 1m 27.589s -- nearly a second and a half inside the qualifying record. He said: 'The car was very good today. Up until now we haven't been happy with the engine but we have made some changes to it and things are looking much better.'

OFFICIAL BTCC TESTING TIMES Brands Hatch, 28/6/96 1 Alain Menu (Switz), Renault Laguna, 1m 27.589s, 106.87mph; 2 Will Hoy (GB), Renault Laguna, 1:28.456; 3 Frank Biela (Ger), Audi A4, 1:28.523; 4 David Leslie (GB), Honda Accord, 1:28.763.

-- Official BTCC website: Best in British Motor Sport http://www.demon.co.uk/racing