British Touring Car Championship Series Director Alan Gow pays tribute to David Leslie and Richard Lloyd who it is now understood lost their lives in yesterday’s air crash near Biggin Hill in Kent.

“It was my privilege to know both David and Richard, which began during their involvement in the BTCC and continued throughout the ensuing years.

“David of course was a great competitor within the BTCC for many years - always exciting to watch, fiercely competitive and incredibly passionate about his sport.

“Richard I never knew as a driver, but as the team owner of Audi Sport UK – and he was a thoroughly likeable person, of real integrity and determination.

“The BTCC is a close-knit community and we mourn the tragic loss of both David and Richard. However our sense of loss is nothing compared to those of their families and our thoughts go out to them at this terrible time.”

David Leslie contested the BTCC from 1990-2003. In that time he rose to become one of the BTCC’s top drivers, achieving nine race wins and in 1999 he finished championship runner-up to Nissan team-mate Laurent Aiello. Among the other cars he drove were BMW M3s, Vauxhall Cavaliers (famously, as a Scot, under the Ecurie Ecosse banner), Mazdas, Honda Accords and Proton Impians.

Richard Lloyd’s involvement with the BTCC stemmed back to the early 1970s when he achieved 12 race wins in Chevrolet Camaros. In 1978, running his own team, he achieved the second of three straight class titles in a Volkswagen Golf GTi to finish outright championship runner-up. In 1980 his team ran a pair of Audi 80s for Stirling Moss and Martin Brundle.

In 1996, as team principal, Richard oversaw Audi Sport UK’s first attempt at the BTCC and successfully won the championship with German driver Frank Biela and the Audi A4 quattro. He remained in charge of the team until Audi withdrew from the BTCC in 1998.