Honda take first pole

Honda recorded their first pole position in the British Touring Car Championship when David Leslie, of Scotland, beat off the opposition at Silverstone in official qualifying for today's 15th round.

Leslie, boosted by a new development of the engine in his Honda Accord, was more than half a second quicker than BMW's Roberto Ravaglia of Italy. Third and fourth were the Volvos of the Swede Rickard Rydell and Britain's Kelvin Burt. Fifth was the Renault of the Swiss driver Alain Menu, who blew an engine.

The championship leader Frank Biela (Audi) and reigning champion John Cleland (Vauxhall) could manage no better than seventh and ninth respectively, both complaining of a lack of grip.

Times, Sporting Digest, page 27