TRACK TEST British Touring Car Championship Star Andrew Jordan Steps Back in Time

26 DECEMBER 30 2015 motorsport-news.co.uk Classified advertising: 0208 267 5355 TRACK TEST British Touring Car Championship star Andrew Jordan steps back in time A damp track greeted Andrew Jordan for his maiden run in a BTCC Renault Sophisticated aerodynamics keep the Renault Laguna planted to the track JORDAN TRIES HIS SUPER TOURING ICON TECH SPEC 1999 Renault Laguna Super Tourer Model: Renault Laguna Length:4508mm Width: 1752mm Height: 1433mm Wheelbase: 2670mm Weight: 975kg Engine: in-line four cylinder DOHC 16-valve, iron block and alloy head Engine management: Williams-Sodemo- Magneti Marelli developed systems Mounting: transverse Capacity: 1998cc Transmission: Williams- Hewland developed six-speed sequential plus reverse Suspension: Williams Penske developed shocks, Eibach springs Front: MacPherson strut, coil springs, gas-filled dampers, anti-rollbar Rear: Trailing arm, torsion bars, coil springs, gas-filled dampers, anti-rollbar Brakes: AP Racing ventilated discs, twin six-piston calipers front, four-pot calipers rear, water cooled Wheels and tyres: 8.3in x 19in, OZ lightweight wheels, Michelin racing tyres (in period) Classified advertising: 0208 267 5355 motorsport-news.co.uk DECEMBER 30 2015 27 Photos: Ben Miles Jordan and Goodwood favourite Anthony Reid compare notes t was perfect for a young Simon Garrad. How things had gone out with making the centre of gravity to be careful: do that too early, and I Super Touring era as the high point of chap: all I needed to full circle – and how I wished Plato had as low as possible – but I think that my would lose all momentum. It was all the BTCC, sometimes there wasn’t that keep out of my parents’ been there for me to get one back on Pirtek Racing Ford Focus is more about the momentum in these cars, and much overtaking, and you have to put hair for a few hours was him. Simon probably thought it was comfortable for me. that was pretty obvious from the way that down to the highly sophisticated a PlayStation and a copy a good job that he wasn’t... I had been lined up for a run in a Super the car was demanding to be driven. aerodynamics that you have on a car of TOCA 2 Touring Cars. Now, of course, I am pretty used to the Touring car in a previous test but the What also surprised me about the car that has been painstakingly designed I can remember it now – inside of a Next Generation Touring car went wrong so I didn’t get to do was, even in the wet, it was easy to feel with no limit on the budgets. Iwhy was it always that bloody Jason Car, the type of machine we have any proper laps. When I turned up at the aerodynamics in the faster corners. When you get the cars on the very Plato that had me off ? I soon became been using in the BTCC for the Goodwood, guess what? It was raining! Even though it was damp for my run, ragged edge, which I wasn’t really pretty familiar with the dark green last five seasons now. I didn’t let that bother me and we you could feel the chassis sticking to able to do on a wet track at Goodwood Nescafe Blend 37 Renault Laguna I know what a top-level tin-top should popped on some wet Hoosier tyres and the road – a lot. On a dry track, the and in some else’s car, then you could that Plato and reigning champion look like from the inside, but I was away I went. The first thing that struck grip would have been phenomenal. imagine that rinsing the last few tenths Alain Menu drove in 1998. Usually, it blown away sitting in the Laguna. The me was the noise from the beautiful I suppose that the cars would move out of them would have been tough. was getting in to my side door at the amount of carbon, everywhere around engine. The Super Touring cars were around a bit on the absolute limit The cars would move around a bit, most inappropriate of moments. the cabin space, was remarkable. You out-and-out racing cars and they on a dry track, but you would have to I would think, and when you had Everyone harks back to the late-1990s could tell no expense had been spared sounded like they were: a normally be right on the ragged edge. the quality of drivers that you had, as the greatest period in the BTCC’s in the build of this car but, then again, aspirated car always sounds better The handling was good too. The gaining any kind of advantage history and those are the cars that a lot I guess that is what you would expect. than a turbocharged one and it puts a dampers were developed by Williams would have been tough. of people grew up with. The television Back in those days, when you had all big grin on your face. Even at tick over, and that shows: you can ride the kerbs I am not going to say that the cars are interest was becoming huge and the the manufacturers, teams like Williams it has a certain sound that makes you nicely and it doesn’t upset the attitude harder to drive, because you only get series was just growing and growing. and big name drivers in the British aware that the engine is just ready to get of the car. Again, that is a credit to the to know how tough the car is when you Super Touring seemed to be riding Touring Car Championship, money on with it. It wants to be thrashed. amount of research and development are on the very limit and when you are the crest of a pretty big wave. was no object. The Renault, from Getting on to the track, I was really that went into the cars in the day. in a racing situation. But they are When the bosses at Goodwood asked the inside, had the signature style impressed with the acceleration. I Another impressive thing was the refined bits of kit, that is for sure. me to go to the West Sussex track in of something that has had a lot of expected it to not be as impressive as braking capacity. The car is about The NGTC cars that we use today early December and try out a Super money spent on it. my turbocharged car, and it is true that 250kg lighter than the NGTCs that have their own tricks and it takes Touring car for some promotional Although it was immaculate, I felt the modern cars have more torque we use today. You can feel that straight a great deal to get the very most filming it was doing, I knew it would be that it still wasn’t as user friendly because of the turbo. But this was away. Even though I was having to be from them. a dream. Now I would get to handle one as my NGTC car once you slip in to the still plentiful, and it surprised me. careful on the anchors because of the It was great to have a taster of for real. There will be a demonstration driver’s seat. The gearshift was a little It wanted to be revved. weather, it was pretty clear that the AP another era and to get an insight at the Goodwood Members’ Meeting too far away for me and the switches Using the throttle was something I system was very effective. The Super into the cars that I remember from in March and they needed someone were all very low down in the console quickly worked out was pretty key in Tourers weigh in at around 975kg my youth. They are pure-bred racers to help out with the driving for and not that easy to reach. I guess that this car. It needs to be within a certain and that means they were easier to that have been developed with a promotional activities. is to drop as much weight as possible to rev range and it doesn’t have the torque chuck around the track. The cars are no-expenses-spared ethos, but To cap it all, I was to drive a 1999 the lowest point that they could in the of the modern car to rescue it. Because certainly nimble and you can feel that. the tricks of tin-top racing are Renault Laguna, now belonging to car – even the tiniest of fractions help it was wet, I was short-shifting but I had As much as people do refer back to the just as edgy today. Q Renault’s swansong after seven highly successful seasons in the BTCC The writing was on the wall for podiums in the opening rounds the lack of straightline speed. Renault in the British Touring at Thruxton and then a win at the “I remember the last meeting of Car Championship on 1999. With next meeting at Silverstone, but the season at Silverstone well,” budgets spiraling across the things went down hill from there. says Plato. “In the first race, I category, manufacturers were Along with Menu went the 1998 had an electrical failure on the beginning to question the reasons Laguna’s designer Mark Ellis, grid and they had to push me in they were involved. Renault was and the team did well to try and to the pits. And then, in the last one of those firms and, halfway galvanise itself despite that loss.

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