BTCC Round Two

Fabrizio Giovanardi kept his HiQ British Touring Car Championship title hopes on a roll after an action-packed round at Rockingham.

Despite failing to notch up a win, the Italian extended his championship lead by keeping his Vauxhall Vectra on track during tricky weather conditions.

Victory in race one went to the Honda Civic of Gordon Shedden, who led from pole. The 29-year-old Scot held off a determined challenge from the SEAT Leon of Darren Turner, only pulling ahead when rain started to fall in the closing laps. Matt Neal secured the final podium place in only his second outing in his Vauxhall Vectra.

Race two was dominated by Mat Jackson in his BMW. After fighting with Shedden and Turner, the 26-year old passed title leader Gio­vanardi on lap 11 and held the lead to the flag.

Further down the field, Jason Plato suffered a setback to his championship hopes. After starting a disappointing 11th, the 2001 champ was then hit from behind on the opening lap, forcing him to pit for repairs. He re-emerged in 22nd to fight back to ninth.

There were emotional scenes in the final race, as an ecstatic Neal took his first win in 13 months. He used his considerable experience to keep calm in the wet conditions as it caught out the cars ahead of him.

Mat Jackson and Colin Turkington both slid off while in the lead, while Neal picked his way through to head home Tom Chilton’s Honda Civic and Adam Jones, who scored his first podium in his petrol-engined Leon.

Giovanardi finished fifth, but his reward for a consistent weekend was a seven-point lead in the standings, as the teams prepare to head to Donington on 4 May.