Rydell and Burt share the limelight at Brands Hatch

Motor racing

The Volvo drivers Rickard Rydell and Kelvin Burt topped the timesheets at Brands Hatch yesterday in initial testing for this weekend's double rounds of the RAC Touring Car Championship.

The Swede Rydell cut more than three-tenths of a second from his own qualifying record for the 1.2-mile Kent track, closely pursued by Burt and the Renault drivers Alain Menu and Will Hoy.

Several drivers suffered mishaps, notably BMW's Roberto Ravaglia, the Italian badly damaging his car in a crash at Paddock Hill Bend. Rydell was also in trouble: immediately after posting the quickest time he was in collision with the Toyota of the privateer Lee Brookes, both cars sustaining light damage.

The championship leader Frank Biela missed the test, the Audi team leader undergoing surgery in his native Germany for a minor back complaint. He will be in action for final testing on Friday.

LEADING TESTING TIMES: 1 R Rydell (Swe), Volvo 850, 45.557s, 95.11mph (153.06kph); 2 K Burt (GB), Volvo 850, 45.699; 3 A Menu (Switz), Renault Laguna, 45.714; 4 W Hoy (GB), Renault Laguna, 45.844; 5 P Radisich (NZ), Ford Mondeo, 45.921; 6 J Winkelhock (Ger), BMW 320i, 45.937; 7 J Thompson (GB), Vauxhall Vectra, 46.041; 8 J Bintcliffe (GB), Audi A4, 46.045; 9 J Cleland (GB), Vauxhall Vectra, 46.046; 10 J Kaye (GB), Honda Accord, 46.144; 11 D Leslie (GB), Honda Accord, 46.210; 12 T Harvey (GB), Peugeot 406, 46.349.