There are numerous reasons for Super Touring being upheld as the British Touring Car Championship’s zenith over 20 years on. Close racing between cars that looked and sounded different, while bearing a similarity with those you might find in the supermarket car park, is surely a factor.
But another is the glut of big-name drivers who had proven their worth all over the globe and brought real prestige. For a few short years, the BTCC amounted to an international calibre national series as the likes of Roberto Ravaglia, Frank Biela and Laurent Aiello - who had already won their domestic championships and many more besides - came over to test themselves against the best that Britain had to offer.
