Former champ Harvey joins BTCC grid

Harvey, who is team manager at JSM, steps in after Darren Malkin was unable to find sufficient funds for the drive, but the 1992 BTCC champ is currently treating the weekend as a one-off while the Warwickshire-based team seeks a permanent replacement. Harvey is the only BTCC champion in the new-look series.

JSM, along with Lexus IS200-equipped ABG Motorosport, has struggled to finish its cars in the run up to the 2001 season because of a lack of parts from the series' official suppliers. The new low-cost rules mean every car has to use a number of common parts, including gearboxes, hubs and brakes, according to team managers from both outfits.

"We're still waiting on a whole load of parts," said ABG motorsport team principal Tim Blake. "It's so frustrating. Every part we're waiting for is a TOCA part [from official suppliers] and we're particularly concerned about the endurance of the gearbox."

The ABG Lexus is expected to run for the first time on Saturday in a last minute test before Sunday's qualifying, but the JSM Alfa is due to be shaken down for the first time on Tuesday.

"We've been delayed by a lack of parts," said Harvey. "There are just so many parts suppliers, both from a TOCA point of view and from our own suppliers. It has been a handicap, but it's reality. [Works entries] Vauxhall and Peugeot have been the top of the pecking order and there's nothing we can do about that. It's just a fact of life."

However, Harvey is philosophical about the delays and says the teams cannot expect the suppliers to keep a large stockpile of parts when the regulations are new and the number of entries was an unknown quantity until recently.

Only one Lexus is expected to be finished for Monday's race. It will be driven by Kurt Luby, with team mate Tomas Erdos joining in with a second car by the third round.