BTCC Donington

Team Dynamics’ James Thompson and Airwaves BMW’s Robert Collard were winners in this weekend’s HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship races at Donington Park, Leicestershire. But Vauxhall star Matt Neal still maintains his place at the top of the title standings.

Yorkshireman Thompson took his Honda Civic to wins in both the first and second outings, held in wet and dry conditions respectively. In race two, the two-time BTCC Champion became the first driver this season to take a double victory.

Neal, though, remains the man on top. The 2005 and 2006 Champion was second in race one and third in race two, giving him a narrow points advantage over nearest championship challenger Colin Turkington.

Worcestershire based Neal said: “I’d built myself a pretty tidy buffer over Colin by the end of race two but race three shows just how quickly it can all turn around. My car is working really well at the moment, but the next two circuits, at Oulton Park and Croft, will be strong for the BMWs so we’ve got a big fight ahead of us. Plus James in that Honda is looking very handy as are the Chevrolets. Seven different winners in seven races underlines just how competitive the BTCC is.”

Northern Irishman Turkington, was relieved to have kept Neal in his sights. “I said before if I could leave Donington with a hand still on Matt’s back I’d be happy”, claimed the BNW ace. “It could have been a better situation if I’d not been spun out in race one, but I’m still relatively satisfied, particularly as I know Oulton and Croft will be two of our strongest circuits.”

Meanwhile, there were strong performances from a number of other teams and drivers. In Saturday’s qualifying session, Vauxhall’s Andrew Jordan, aged just 19 years and 358 days, set a record as the youngest ever driver to take pole position for a BTCC race – ahead of Harry Vaulkhard in the new Tempus Sport team’s Chevrolet Lacetti, who qualified a best-ever second fastest.

The biggest smiles of the weekend were to be found in the Team Aon pit garage as Tom Chilton gave its new Ford Focus ST – heavily revised for Donington – a first-ever points finish.

Next up the teams head for Cheshire’s undulating Oulton park circuit on 31 May.

Race 1

1 James Thompson Honda Civic
2 Andrew Jordan Vauxhall Vectra
3 Matt Neal Vauxhall Vectra

Race 2

1 James Thompson Honda Civic
2 Matt Neal Vauxhall Vectra
3 Fabrizio Giovanardi Vauxhall Vectra

Race 3

1 Robert Collard BMW 320si E90
2 Colin Turkington BMW 320si E90
3 Jason Plato Chevrolet Lacetti