Gio makes it a double!

	I have never had such a bad day, but been so delighted after. I am very proud to win the BTCC.

Vauxhall had a ‘Fab’ time at Brands Hatch on Sunday, as Fabrizio Giovanardi clinched his second successive BTCC title.

The Italian star claimed the crown after arch rival Jason Plato failed to score a single victory in SEAT’s swansong outing on the British stage.

But Giovanardi’s weekend wasn’t without drama, as he was unable to claim a single point for the first time this year. In the opening race of the day, the Vauxhall ace finished 14th after sliding through a gravel trap on the second lap. Plato could only manage fifth, which ended his hopes of taking the championship.

The race was won in dominant fashion by the BMW of Mat Jackson, ahead of Steven Kane and Rob Collard, also in BMWs.Jackson then swept to a second victory in race two, beating Vauxhall’s Matt Neal and Colin Turkington in the Team RAC BMW.

Giovanardi’s day went from bad to worse after his engine caught fire in the team’s garage, meaning he had to watch proceedings from the pitwall.

Fortunately, the Vauxhall mechanics were able to repair the Vectra, allowing Gio to take to the track for the final race of the year, where he came home 11th.

Tom Chilton took his maiden win of the season in the Honda Civic, leading Steven Kane and Tom Onslow-Cole to the flag.

Despite his race results, Giovanardi was in high spirits. He said: “I’ve never had such a bad day, but still came out so delighted. The BTCC is one of the most prestigious championships to win, and I am very proud.”