The green chequered flag could be waved this weekend at Brands Hatch, Kent. Both the EEMS supported teams running biofuel in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship are hopeful of results from the three races on Sunday in front of what promises to be a large crowd. A total of five cars will be on the grid running on the road biofuel blend E85 which is 85% renewable fuel bio-ethanol.

Popular race-winning BTCC driver Paul O'Neill has stepped in to finish the season in the Thurlby Motors Tech-Speed Astra Coupé, having been their race engineer this year. The EEMS-supported team was the first to run biofuel, in the 2005 BTCC season, and the car also trials a fuel flow meter as part of an EEMS technical study into fuel equivalency.

“I'm really excited about the drive,” said Paul, “it's very heartfelt that people have put faith in me and stuck with me, it makes you want to drive to do well for them. I drove the car for 20 laps at Donington, to check out everything and to try the seat. It was emotional when I first came out of the pitlane, but really it feels the same as a few years ago.”

Paul's Spice Girl sister Melanie C will be there to watch and support was quickly lined up from Thurlby Motors, Tom Tom Navigation, Fuji Film, PMD, Luffield Cars, Guest Motors and The Sparco Race Shop. Paul completed three seasons in BTCC from 2001-2003, with two wins and a fourth place in the championship as a works Vauxhall driver, before he took time out to return to fitness after diagnosis with diabetes.

Meanwhile, one of the bright orange teams has also changed its colours - to green fuel. Dick Bennetts' two Team RAC MG ZS cars made the switch at Knockhill, with support from the RAC and EEMS, although the weekend there was one of mixed fortune. “At Knockhill we were really pleased with the pace of the car. It was bitterly disappointing not to back this up with podium finishes but we have another opportunity to make history at Brands Hatch. I'm confident that we can make amends and be back on the podium where we belong.”

With this the second visit to Brands Hatch Indy Circuit since April and the 2006 season opener, Team RAC will be looking to convert pace to podiums at this season's penultimate rounds. At just 1.22 miles in length it is the shortest lap on the BTCC calendar providing bumper-to-bumper action and great spectator viewing. Colin Turkington (188 points) currently remains second overall in the Drivers' Championship to Matt Neal (241 points) and mathematically is still in the running for the Championship title. He said: “The Team RAC MG has great pace which I believe to be faster than the Honda. Whilst we didn't get results at Knockhill we certainly showed pace and I'll be on it this weekend.”

Aiming for a top three finish is co-driver Rob Collard: “ I'm pretty excited about returning to the circuit. I'd like to turn back the clock to 2005 when I had a race win on the GP Circuit. If I can repeat that performance on the Indy Circuit then it would be a milestone for me and for biofuel.”

Jason Hughes' MG ZS was converted to E85 bio-ethanol blend for the July Donington rounds, and he scored a career best fourth place at Knockhill earlier this month.

The rounds at Brands Hatch will be transmitted on ITV on Sunday 24 September starting at 15:00hrs. The programme will include highlights from race one and two with race three being shown live. Satellite viewers can watch all three races live on Motors TV commencing at 11:10hrs.

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For more information contact EEMS Press Office: Janice Minton, tel 01787 880820,
mobile 07803 050266  Email janice.minton@eemsonline.co.uk
See more information on www.eemsonline.co.uk

High resolution pictures are available from www.btcc.net and www.teamrac.com

EDITOR'S NOTES

See facts about bio-ethanol on the EEMS website www.eemsonline.co.uk

Energy Efficient Motorsport (EEMS) is one of five programmes sponsored by Motorsport Development UK to sustain and develop the UK's world-leading motorsport sector with direct funding from the DTI and four regional development agencies.

EEMS seeks to encourage the development of alternative fuels and powertrain technologies and put energy efficiency at the heart of modern motorsport - without comprising the sporting spectacle. The widely held belief that energy efficiency and green technology are not compatible with exciting motorsport is simply not the case - in fact the UK motorsport industry stands to benefit by adopting EEMS concepts and taking a leading global role.

EEMS is working with championship rule makers on energy efficiency and the regulation of alternative fuels in motorsport, to encourage their wider use. EEMS has offered all BTCC teams fuel metering technology, developed by Ricardo and Pi Research. This will allow for fuel equivalency standards and, ultimately, for power to be regulated by energy flow rather than rev limits or air restrictors.

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