You ask me who was the greatest racing driver of all time I’d probably say Ayrton Senna. My favourite driver of all time though is this man. He not only amazed me with his race craft in the super touring days when I watched it as a kid, but he made me laugh every time he got out of the car. Even subsequently when I’ve watched extra interviews with him, he still never fails to make me smile, and that to me is what it’s all about. No current racing driver is even remotely like him.
The greatest complement I could pay to Cleland is that when he was racing I don't think most people were that interested in seeing the leaders. Cleland was where the action was, even if he was in 10th. Two championships does not give the measure of the man as a swashbuckling lunatic charging through the field and providing immense entertainment. Early 90s BTCC was the absolute pinnacle of entertaining motor sport for me.
So true. Cleland always seemed to be pushing those cars beyond their absolute limits, and making it look easy. We saw plenty of cars up on two wheels through the curves, but my desktop wallpaper is of Cleland's Cavalier totally airborne at Brands in '95. Those were real edge-of-your-seat times. True motorsport as it was meant to be.
Went to every round if the BTCC in 1992/1993 (expect the GP round at Silverstone ) loved watching Cleland, Soper , Hoy etc was the golden era for me...
Probably the same that every driver of that time had with Harvey. I was lucky enough to marshal during the mid 90's through to 2002 before I switched to bikes and met and spoke to all drivers during that time, Harvey is the one who had the biggest attitude problem and honestly believed he was gods gift to touring cars.
@@davewilliams5380 he always seemed ok on camera, but you never know. Soper always came across as the biggest prick, great driver but had to resort to smashing people off and seemed moody in interviews....
