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7^th April 2006 (Source: EEMS )

Fiona Leggate declared herself pleased with progress after more testing in the Thurlby Motors Boston Bowl Techspeed Astra Coupé at Brands Hatch and Silverstone.

“We’ve been working on more time in the car,” said 25 year old Fiona, a farmer’s daughter from Lincolnshire. “The tests went really well at both circuits, I’ve picked up time all round. At Silverstone, we compared traces with other fast drivers and I’m up there with them on parts of the lap. Now it’s a matter of stringing it together. I’m looking forward to the season and I want to stick to the pack at the front of the grid. Bio-ethanol fuel gives us just as much performance – in fact, it burns more efficiently than petrol – there’s really no difference when you drive the car.”

EEMS, Energy Efficient Motorsport, has renewed its support for Fiona this season. The Astra Coupé proved its credentials in 2005 running on increasing blends of renewable bio-ethanol and petrol. It will be fuelled all season with E85, the blend of 15% petrol, 85% bio-ethanol now available in the UK for flexi-fuel road vehicles.

Fiona’s green Astra clocked the Silverstone speed traps as fourth fastest in 2005 qualifying and finished fifth overall in the race. Techspeed confirmed that the fuel-blend did not compromise power, speed or reliability. Fiona was also voted ‘Rookie of the Year’ by the knowledgeable BTCC fans.

The bio-ethanol in E85 blend is an alcohol fuel made from starch crops such as sugar-beet or wheat and can be made from crop waste, so increasing use of this fuel will help Britain’s farmers as well as the environment – both of which are important for Fiona, who is from a farming family. Bio-ethanol plants are now being built in the UK.

The 250 BHP, 138mph Astra will also continue to run the fuel metering system developed last year by Ricardo for EEMS, which precisely monitors.

“This is part of EEMS ongoing studies to find a sustainable approach to regulations and to encourage greater fuel efficiency in motorsport,” said Dr Steve Bunkhall, EEMS Project Leader. Limiting the maximum fuel flow means that teams would have to find the most energy efficient approach to be competitive. The concept of ‘energy equivalent flow’ will clearly define equivalency issues and open the way for alternative fuels to compete fairly alongside petrol in mainstream UK motorsport.

Now the same fuel metering technology will be offered free of charge to all BTC teams to prove its reliability and effectiveness. EEMS’ ambition is for the fuel flow limit to be adopted in the future to make energy efficiency key to competitiveness. “Now we have to convince the teams and organisers that this is the way forward,” said Steve. You don’t have to be slow to be green.

“Environmental pressures are already changing the automotive world. There is an opportunity for UK Motorsport, with its world class expertise and experience, to lead the way to a greener automotive future by showcasing more energy efficient racing that is exciting to watch and participate in. ”

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Janice Minton, EEMS Press Office
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