Gareth Howell has taken pole position for the first of today’s three (Sunday) title-deciding Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship rounds at the Silverstone circuit in Northamptonshire. Meanwhile, there were differing fortunes for arch title rivals Matt Neal and Jason Plato who qualified third and 13th fastest.
Howell, driving a Team Halfords Honda, achieved pole in a time of 1m00.411s. Team RAC MG driver Colin Turkington, who has an outside chance of winning the title, was second fastest in a time of 1m00.587s.
For championship leader Neal, who tomorrow could clinch a second straight Drivers’ crown, third place is ideal as nearest title challenger Plato will be starting five rows further behind him after managing only the 13th fastest time.
SEAT’s Darren Turner, Vauxhall’s Tom Chilton and Team Halfords’ Gordon Shedden completed the top six. Seventh, adding to SEAT’s numbers in the Leon he races in the World Touring Car Championship, was James Thompson.
Beckenham-based Howell, who achieved pole and also his only BTCC race win to date at Silverstone 12 months ago, said: “I want every round next season to be here at Silverstone! The circuit just suits me, the set up of the car is perfect and not having any success ballast in my car probably helps a bit. My priority is to help Team Halfords win the Teams’ title, but if I have a chance to win then I’ll gladly take it.”
Turkington, from Portadown and whose MG runs on bio-ethanol fuel, said: “I’m not even thinking of the title – at 49 points behind Matt it’s too much. But getting second back off Jason is looking good. I’m higher up the grid than I thought was possible and he seems to be struggling a bit so I have a chance. Also, after the disappointment of Knockhill where I retired from the lead I really want to get that first win for bio-ethanol.”
Reigning champion Neal, from Droitwich, was overjoyed with third, considering his car is carrying the maximum success ballast of 45kgs. He will be assured of the Drivers’ title in tomorrow’s first race if he finishes it with his current 35-point lead over Plato still in tact.
Neal added: “I feel like we’re in a steeple chase and the championship is there ahead of us and we’ve just got over the first hurdle. To have Gareth on pole and Gordon up there as well leaves us sitting pretty. It’s not a disappointment for me to see Jason down the order. But tomorrow is another day and there’s a lot of pressure on everyone in the team whether it goes our way or not.”
Plato, from Oxford, admitted his title chances were now all but over, adding that his priority would be to score SEAT the points it needs to wrap up the coveted Manufacturers’ title – ending Vauxhall’s five-year dominance.
The 2001 champion said: “A gearbox problem in the second practice session meant we never got a chance to sort out a few problems we’d had earlier in the day and it’s cost us. The car has no balance and no grip and we don’t really know why. It’s a great shame because even though Matt has a very comfortable lead and is the firm favourite I at least wanted to be in a position to put him under a bit of pressure, but I don’t think that’s possible now. We’ll see, but my priority is to work towards getting SEAT the Manufacturers’ title it deserves.”
Today's three races, receiving live national terrestrial television coverage on the ITV1 channel, are scheduled to start at 10.20, 12.50 and 17.15.
