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<body> <Table Width="550" border="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" cellpadding="0"><TR><TD Width="35"><IMG SRC="//www.totalmotorsport.com/images/spacer.gif" WIDTH="35" HEIGHT="1"></td><td> <CENTER><Table border="0" width="100%"> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="5">BTCC</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2">21/02/2001</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="4">Astra Test</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="3">Vallelunga</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="1">  </FONT></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2"> The Astra Coupé test at Vallelunga (on behalf of Michelin / BF Goodrich) last week seems to have left Triple Eight’s Derek Warwick happy with the early speed of the new cars. Vauxhall are the first team to get down to testing, even though some mandatory parts are still held up in the supply system.<BR> <BR> Triple Eight had two of the Touring Class cars in Italy, for Yvan Muller and Jason Plato. For comparison, the Astras reportedly settled into 1:17s / 1:18s, versus 1:14s for a Super Touring Alfa Romeo and 1:22s for a Super Production BMW driven by Peter Kox. Not a lot between the first two (not enough for the layman to notice), and the 2001 BTCC Touring cars are going to be a lot more spectacular on the track than the 2000 cars.<BR> <BR> Six Astras are expected to take to the grid this year, and with the first hint that two Lexus IS200s will line up in the top class (second driver yet to be announced) – combined with the Peugeots and Alfas – it’s going to be fiercely competitive at the front of the BTCC.<BR> <BR> Lexus news regarding their second driver will be released here the moment it becomes official. The driver of the second car (alongside Kurt Luby) is known to be relishing his prospects for 2001.<BR> </FONT></TD></TR> </TABLE><BR> </CENTER> <BR><CENTER><font size="1" color="#808080" face="Tahoma">Copyright ©2000-©2023 TotalMotorSport</font></CENTER> </td> </tr> </table> </body>