Team PSP moves up the timesheets at second TOCA test

After the second TOCA test day at Brands Hatch on March 19, both Team PSP drivers were pleased with the improvements in their Petronas-backed works Proton Impian Touring Cars, with Leslie finishing with a top-six lap time (1:34.224) and heading the field in maximum speed (126.1 mph).

Leslie ended up just 1.098 seconds behind the fastest driver with Bennett in tenth place on 1:34.954. Leslie held third fastest for much of the afternoon session running. After a first TOCA test session curtailed by gearbox problems, today both Bennett and Leslie reported only minor problems and worked through a detailed and wide-ranging test program covering more than 30 laps each.

David Leslie said: “The car’s clearly got potential – it’s very stable, easy to drive and clearly has good top speed. There are a number of areas, such as brake balance, where we can pick up time. What’s important to me is that our Petronas and British Engineers are working well together to give me a reliable and strong racecar. We’ve a long way to go – but we’ve come a long way already in a very short time.”

Phil Bennett said: “I’m delighted to be racking up good mileage in the car – it’s almost as easy as driving my Impian road car! We run it, make the changes, run it some more and see the improvements. The job list isn’t getting any shorter but the jobs are more like opportunities than problems. We could even be the dark horses of this year’s Championship.”

David Wong, Team Principal, Team PETRONAS Syntium Proton said: “We said we were on a steep learning curve – I’m pleased we’re clearly making good progress but we still have a way to go yet. We’re not only building a car but also a team – with great ingredients.”

Team PSP will carry out more general testing before the first races at Brands Hatch over the Easter weekend (30/31 March & 1 April).