British Touring Car champions Richard Lloyd and David Leslie were believed to be among the five people killed in a light aircraft crash in Farnborough, UK.

The pair had just taken off in the Cessna Citation 1 jet from Biggin Hill airport in Kent en route to France, when the pilot reported 'severe engine vibrations' in a mayday call. He then came back on the radio and said 'We're going down, we're going down' – the plane hit a house in Farnborough, killing the pilot, Richard Lloyd, David Leslie and two others.

Richard Lloyd was Team Principle at Apex Motorsport, which managed Bentley's Le Mans victory in 1993 and is currently heading Jaguar's FIA GT3 XKR racing programme. In the 1980s, as Richard Lloyd Racing, his team had been highly successful in the World Sportscar Championship, but it's as a driver in Touring Cars during the 1970s that many remember him, winning the British Saloon Car Class three years in a row. He leaves wife Philippa and three daughters.

David Leslie began his racing career in single-seaters, winning the 1977 Formula Ford and 1979 F2000 titles, but he is best known for his long spell in the British Touring Car Championship, becoming one of its most popular drivers and finishing as runner up in the series in 1999. More recently he became a TV commentator on Eurosport. He leaves wife Jane and two sons.

The June issue of Octane, out April 30, will contain full tributes to the pair as well as a celebration of 50 years of British Touring Cars by former BTCC driver Tony Dron.