22 JOHNNY CECOTTO

The Venezuelan Johnny Cecotto only raced in the BTCC for one season – 1995 – when the category was at its most competitive. He raced for BMW’S factory team, alongside David Brabham.

The former motorcycle racer was an up-and-coming F1 prospect, after having finished as runner-up in F2 in 1982. He progressed to grand prix racing with Theodore and then Toleman, but a huge crash during qualifying at Brands Hatch left him with two broken legs. That was the end of his single-seater career, and a future in tin-tops beckoned.

He was adopted into the BMW family in the late 1980s, and remained with the German firm for almost a decade. He was a regular in the German Touring Car Championship and tackled the Tourenwagen contest for four seasons, winning twice. Indeed, he came to the UK as the reigning STW title holder.

BMW was not the potent weapon it had been in previous seasons when Cecotto came to the UK, and he was only able to break into the top six on five occasions on his way to 12th in the points. Teammate Brabham remembers: “Johnny was very well thought of by BMW – he was their number one guy, although I am sure that Steve Soper would have something to say about that.

“I was in my first BTCC season and Johnny knew the car well. He would keep himself to himself, and he was very demanding of the team. Because of his position within BMW – the boss Paul Roche got on well with him – he could ask for what he wanted. He was also very, very fast.”