SpeedEquipe Lexus hits the track.

It's taken a lot of hard work, but the SpeedEquipe Lexus has finally turned a wheel in anger ahead of the opening round of the British Touring Car Championship at Donington Park.

With the #77 car of Richie Williams only completed in the days running up to the first race meeting of 2005, the team was forced to use the two morning practice sessions on Saturday to shakedown the IS200, but teething problems - including oil leaking from the gearbox - meant Williams was restricted to just four laps, none of which were completed at racing speed.

Having worked to repair the car, the team were given dispensation to go out on track during the hour long lunch break to ensure the oil leak was fixed, giving Williams the chance to finally see what the car can do.

And given the size of the smile on his face when he climbed out of the cockpit, it was obvious he was impressed.

"We haven't had a chance to shakedown the car and it was just a few teething problems that you have with a new car," he told Crash.net. "We've managed to resolve them and now we have a race car.

"It's amazing to actually drive the car in anger, which, to be honest with you, is an awesome experience compared to what I was expecting. Its gone way beyond my expectations in terms of performance and how the car has ended up given the work the team has put in the three months it's taken to build it, so they deserve to see it go quickly. I'm just happy I've been given the opportunity to go out there and give it some which is brilliant!

"It's very difficult to compare it to anything else because I've never driven anything quite like it but it is certainly very good fun to drive and it's a very nice forgiving car in those first few laps. I'm planning on stay out there as long as possible as I can [in qualifying] because as you can see it's good fun and I'm enjoying driving the car - it's awesome!"

With only twelve cars at Donington Park for the opening three rounds of the season, Williams could pick up a strong result on the cars debut - especially if others hit problems during the three races in Sunday - and he admitted that it would be 'amazing' for the team.

"I've not had a chance to analyse the data and see where we are but it felt quick enough to me!" he said. "We're probably miles off the pace but you expect that with a new car.

"It would be an amazing achievement if we can [secure a strong finish.] It's disappointing that there are only twelve cars here but it leaves it very open and we could end surprising a few people, you never know."