Fellow Scot to replace Leslie.

British Eurosport has announced that double British Touring Car Championship title-winner John Cleland is to replace the late David Leslie in its World Touring Car Championship commentary team.

Leslie, who was one of five to die in a plane crash last month in Kent, had been part of the Eurosport commentary team for nearly a decade working alongside Martin Haven on a range of series - with the pair having commentated on the WTCC since its reincarnation back in 2005.

Cleland will now fill the void left by his fellow Scotsman from the next round of the season in Spain although the former Vauxhall factory driver admits that he has a big pair of shoes to fill.

"I knew David very well and competed against him on the track for many years," he told Yahoo Eurosport. "He was a good driver, engineer and, latterly, commentator. He was only in his early fifties and that makes it even more tragic.

"David will be a hard act to follow, but I am looking forward to the season. I hope I can provide viewers with a driver's view and a different slant."

Haven added that he was looking to forward to working alongside his new broadcast partner.

"John became a household name during the heyday of the BTCC in the 1990s and is still probably this country's most recognised touring car driver," he said. "He should add extra spice to what is already shaping up to be a classic WTCC season."