James gets first BTCC run
New British Touring Car Championship squad Team ES Racing made its test debut at Donington Park on Tuesday
Driver Chris James, who is graduating to the BTCC from the Mini Challenge, was delayed in his attempts to take the team's Chevrolet Lacetti on-track due to thick fog during the morning, but managed to complete a handful of laps later in the day.
"It was a tricky start to the day," said James. "But as the track dried off in the afternoon, I was more comfortable with the car and could settle in to the task ahead. The car was impressive too. There's just so much power."
James managed to avoid a sizeable accident toward the end of his afternoon's running, the series rookie damaging a splitter on his car after running onto the grass.
"I thought I'd drive just one more lap, but I got a little too close to the edge of the track and put a wheel on to the grass, the next thing I knew I was sliding sideways. Luckily the only damage done was a broken splitter. It could have been a lot worse."
ES will next take to the track for the BTCC's official pre-season test at Silverstone on March 24.
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