Motorsport

Super Gio slashes Plato’s BTCC lead

Giovanardi closes the gap on Plato

Auto Express Car Reviews

Strong performances have put Giovanardi back in title race

30th July 2007

The duel for this year’s Dunlop British Touring Car Championship has intensified after Fabrizio Giovanardi cut Jason Plato’s series lead following three rounds at Snetterton.

The Italian arrived in Norfolk trailing his rival by 25 points, but the Vauxhall driver survived several on-track scares – not least when he clashed with Plato in the final race – to score a win, plus a third and a fifth place. Those results have nearly halved the SEAT star’s advantage.

With three race weekends and nine rounds remaining on the calendar, the title is brewing up into another down to the wire classic. “Now, I have shown Jason who is boss!” grinned Giovanardi. “People were amazed that I kept the car on track with all the fighting, but it’s quite easy really.”

Plato’s plans to extend his lead got off to a bad start when he and old adversary Matt Neal tangled at the start of the opening race. “That completely screwed up our weekend,” said Plato. “But I came back to finish on the podium in race two and then challenge for the lead in race three, so you have to wonder what we might have achieved had Matt not whacked me off the road on the opening corner.

“It was all a bit mad, but I’m still leading the standings and we live to fight another day.” Battle is resumed at Brands Hatch on 19 August.