Q&A: Nick Leason - EXCLUSIVE.

An eleventh hour deal will see Nick Leason swap his Vauxhall Astra for a Lexus IS200 for the 2007 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship after he confirmed a switch to BTC Racing for the season ahead.

Leason made his debut in the series last season and was expected to be back with the NJL Racing with Daniels car before securing a switch to partner Chris Stockton instead.

Crash.net Radio caught up with Nick to see how the deal had come about...

Q:
Now Nick, you were meant to be in the Astra again but instead you've been named in a BTC Racing Lexus for the season ahead. How did you end up there?

Nick Leason:
I've been given a great opportunity and its all happened in the past week. Chris [Stockton] and Bert [Taylor] have given me the chance to team up with Chris and drive the Lexus.

Q:
Chris showed last year what the Lexus could be capable of, so how big is this opportunity for you?

Nick Leason:
It's great. They have done a lot of work over the winter months and we should be there or thereabouts. I think we will shock a few of the big boys.

Q:
The cars aren't here on media day, so when will you get behind the wheel for the first time?

Nick Leason:
We should do a shakedown next [this] week and then start doing some testing before Brands Hatch. I'm obviously looking forward to that, there has been work done to the cars and we still have some work to do so we decided not to run on media day. I'm happy with that as we want to do things properly and then shock a few people when we turn up for the first round.

Q:
Your aims when we spoke to you at the Autosport International show were based on driving the Astra, so how have your aims changed - if they have at all?

Nick Leason:
My aims never change. Going into a Super 2000 car you still want to do the best job possible. The good news is that I know have a team-mate, it's a bigger team and a lot of work has gone into the car so there are some big expectations.

Q:
You've driven a variety of cars during your career, but how much experience do you have of rear-wheel drive?

Nick Leason:
Actually one of my best seasons came in rear-wheel drive driving the Lamborghini GTR car in Europe so I am quite happy. I instruct for a living as well so I'm always jumping into different cars and it doesn't really phase me.

Q:
So you don't see any problems then jumping into the car?

Nick Leason:
I don't see any problems and I hope that there aren't. Hopefully I can adapt to it quickly. With the Lamborghini, the engine and the weight was at the back, but with this car you just have to get on and do the job.

Q:
One downside going into the season is the fact that you haven't run in the car yet with the first round just a few weeks away. Do you see that lack of time behind the wheel being a problem?

Nick Leason:
Hopefully not. I hope to adapt to the car quickly and hopefully we can be on the pace straightaway.

Q:
What is the plan now for the Astra, if you know?

Nick Leason:
That was Pete Daniels car and hopefully he can get it out during the season and get someone else up into the BTCC.