BTCC results from Silverstone...

[AUDIDUDI@delphi.com]

NEWS FROM THE AUTO TRADER 
RAC TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP 
Silverstone, 13/07/96 

FORMER World Touring Car Champion Roberto Ravaglia notched 
up his maiden Auto Trader RAC Touring Car Championship victory 
at Silverstone this afternoon (Saturday). The virtuoso Venetian's 
BMW crossed the line less than two-tenths of a second ahead of 
Rickard Rydell's Volvo after a race-long duel for the lead. Frank 
Biela finished third for Audi to extend his championship lead. 

Ravaglia -- the seventh different winner this season -- won the race 
on the startline as he blasted past pole position man David Leslie's 
Honda on the run down to the first corner, Copse. Leslie pursued the 
BMW closely for the opening lap until Luffield corner, when a nudge 
from Rydell sent the Scot wide and down to fourth place, behind 
Biela. The BTCC stewards met after the race to investigate the 
controversial incident.

Rydell and Biela chased Ravaglia for the duration of the race; the 
Volvo man's best chance of snatching the lead came on lap 12, when 
Ravaglia hit a kerb at Copse and was momentarily slowed. The BMW 
man fought back, however, and though he was never more than 0.4s 
behind at any time, Rydell had to settle for second best.

Said Ravaglia: 'Now I can retire -- I have finally won a BTCC race! It 
wasn't easy, it was very close all the way.'

Biela's third -- from seventh on the grid -- gives his championship 
hopes a major boost. His nearest title rival, Renault's Alain Menu, 
was a subdued sixth, behind Ravaglia's BMW team-mate Jo 
Winkelhock, and Biela now enjoys a 49-point advantage.

Seventh was Kelvin Burt in the second Volvo, ahead of James 
Thompson (Vauxhall), who profited from a last-lap clash between 
Will Hoy (Renault) and reigning champion John Cleland (Vauxhall). 
Hoy and Cleland rejoined to finish ninth and 10th respectively.

A fuming Leslie said after the race: 'Rydell's first-lap move was 
totally ridiculous. I had already got alongside Ravaglia and I'm sure I 
would have won...' 

RESULTS 
Auto Trader RAC Touring Car Championship, round 15 
15 laps -- 47.33 miles / 76.16km 
1  Roberto Ravaglia (It), BMW 320i, 30m 01.86s, 
94.46mph/152.02kmh; 
2  Rickard Rydell (Swe), Volvo 850, +0.19s; 
3  Frank Biela (Ger), Audi A4, +1.51s; 
4  David Leslie (GB), Honda Accord, +2.31s; 
5  Jo Winkelhock (Ger), BMW 320i, +2.99s; 
6  Alain Menu (Switz), Renault Laguna, +4.04s; 
7  Kelvin Burt (GB), Volvo 850, +10.33s; 
8  James Thompson (GB), Vauxhall Vectra, +13.87s; 
9  Will Hoy (GB), Renault Laguna, +15.41s; 
10 John Cleland (GB), Vauxhall Vectra, +19.84s. 
Total Cup Privateers: Richard Kaye (GB), Vauxhall Cavalier. 
Fastest lap: Biela, 1m 58.57s, 95.70mph/154.01kmh (record). 

CHAMPIONSHIP POSITIONS 
Drivers: 1 Biela, 159 points; 2 Menu, 110; 3 Rydell, 107; 4 
Winkelhock, 106; 5 Ravaglia, 87; 6 John Bintcliffe (GB/Audi), 79. 
Manufacturers: 1 Audi, 169; 2 BMW, 161; 3 Renault, 148; 4 Volvo, 
142; 5 Vauxhall, 113; 6 Honda, 85; 7 Peugeot, 51; 8 Ford, 44. 
Total Cup Privateers: 1 Lee Brookes (GB/Toyota), 178; 2 Kaye, 170. 



* DAVID LESLIE will start tomorrow's round 16 of the Auto Trader 
RAC Touring Car Championship from pole position, having 
outpaced rivals Biela and Rydell in yesterday's (Fri) qualifying 
session. The Honda man set a 1m 55.977s lap time, three-tenths of a 
second quicker than Biela's mark. The race will be Silverstone's 
Grand Prix meeting curtain call tomorrow afternoon. 

TOP TIMES 
1 Leslie, 1m 55.977s, 97.84mph; 
2 Biela, 1:56.298; 
3 Rydell, 1:56.338; 
4 Ravaglia, 1:56.433; 
5 Menu, 1:56.517. 
-- 
Official BTCC website:
Best in British Motor Sport
http://www.demon.co.uk/racing