... at wet Donington Park

Team Halfords’ Gordon Shedden and SEAT’s Jason Plato shared the race wins in Sunday’s three Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship rounds at a rain-lashed Donington Park circuit in Leicestershire. For Plato, victories in both races two and three have enabled him to turn a one-point deficit into a sizeable 25-point lead at the top of the championship over Vauxhall driver Fabrizio Giovanardi as the BTCC next heads for the Snetterton circuit in Norfolk on 29 July.

Notably, Plato’s victory in today’s third race – shown live on terrestrial television channel ITV1 – was one of his finest and his success was made all the sweeter when Giovanardi finished out of the points.

Plato, who had also finished fifth and ahead of Giovanardi in race one, said: “On a dry day, Donington was also going to be our bogey circuit, but the rain played into our hands and we took advantage. It’s a dream set of results. As for the rest of the season… we won twice at Snetterton last year, but still need to be on our guard. If we can leave there still ahead by a decent amount then we’ll go into two of our strongest circuits, Brands Hatch and Knockhill, in very good shape.”

Having gradually erased a 24-point gap to Plato during the season’s opening half and moved a point clear, Giovanardi suddenly finds himself with it all to do again. The Italian added: “It’s going to be like the first half of the season all over again, except this time I will have only four race weekends to catch Plato, not five. Of course today is a big disappointment. I should have scored points in race three but my windscreen wiper failed and I could not see the track and went off. But I won’t give up. I still believe we have a chance.”

Vauxhall has at least held onto its lead in the Manufacturers’ table over SEAT, although it is the latter’s SEAT Sport UK squad that has taken over at the top of the Teams’ championship. Mike Jordan and Team RAC remain leaders of the Independents Drivers’ and Teams’ championships respectively. Jordan today celebrated his fourth outright podium finish in as many meetings, while fellow independent Adam Jones also starred.

BTCC points after Donington Park, rds16, 17 & 18 (provisional):

Drivers:

1. Jason PLATO, 188 points

2. Fabrizio GIOVANARDI, 1633. Matt NEAL, 129

4. Gordon SHEDDEN, 1155. Colin TURKINGTON, 105

6. Mike JORDAN, 94

7. Mat JACKSON, 93

8. Darren TURNER, 92

9. Tom CHILTON, 91

10. Tom ONSLOW-COLE, 61

Manufacturers:

1. Vauxhall, 384 points

2. SEAT, 370

Teams:

1. SEAT Sport UK, 2662. VX Racing, 2433. Team Halfords, 2334. Team RAC, 1555. Eurotech/John Guest-Speedfit, 926. Jacksons MSport, 91

Race reports…

Round 16, 19 laps (37.1887 miles)

Weather/Track: Overcast/Wet

SHEDDEN ROMPS TO VICTORY

From pole position in his Honda Civic, Shedden was unstoppable as he romped to his second victory in as many meetings. The Scot initially had to give second best to Mat Jackson’s fast-starting BMW into the first corner, but was soon back in front and on his way to a comfortable win.

Adam Jones displayed great skill in his Team Air Cool SEAT Toledo as he splashed his way to an excellent second – his first BTCC podium result – ahead of Shedden’s team-mate, the reigning champion Matt Neal. Fourth, having made up ground after falling off the track, was Jordan with Plato in fifth and Matt Allison a career-best sixth in his Motorbase SEAT Toledo.

Giovanardi, who had started 15th after mechanical problems in qualifying, was eighth and, as a result, fell two points behind Plato in the title race. Both Jackson and SEAT’s Darren Turner, who had held second behind Shedden in the early stages, fell back to ninth and 12th after slipping off the track in the treacherous conditions.

Result:

1. Gordon Shedden (GBR), Team Halfords/Honda Civic, 30m19.346s

2. Adam Jones (GBR), Team Air Cool/SEAT Toledo, +6.881s

3. Matt Neal (GBR), Team Halfords/Honda Civic, +7.221s

FASTEST LAP: Neal, 1m26.348 s (81.60mph)

Round 17, 16 laps (31.3168 miles)

Weather/Track: Overcast/Wet

PLATO WINS TO DRAW CLEAR

After the opening lap, it appeared as if Shedden was on course to repeat his victory double at Donington from 2006. He had again pulled out a decent lead but, suddenly, having moved through from fifth, Plato was up to second and beginning to close. Shedden smartly resisted the SEAT driver for several laps but, once past, Plato quickly moved away for a decisive victory.

Shedden took a lonely second ahead of Giovanardi who had climbed from eighth to finish third. But the result meant that Plato, who also set the race’s fastest lap for a bonus point, now had a nine-point advantage at the top of the championship.

Neal, Jones and Turner came through several battles in the spray to complete the top six.

Result:

1. Jason Plato (GBR), SEAT Sport UK/SEAT Leon, 23m17.182s

2. Gordon Shedden (GBR), Team Halfords/Honda Civic, +5.876s3. Fabrizio Giovanardi (ITA), VX Racing/Vauxhall Vectra, +7.288sFASTEST LAP: Plato, 1m25.172s (82.72mph)

Round 18, 16 laps (31.3168 miles)

Weather/Track: Overcast/Wet

WIN ‘TREBLES’ PLATO’S LEAD

A second win for Plato and a shock non-score for Giovanardi effectively trebled the Briton’s series lead in one fell swoop. With the leading positions reversed on the starting grid, Plato started ninth in a SEAT Leon carrying maximum success ballast thanks to its race two win but, clearly enjoying its handling, the former champion was again quickly on the rise and closed up to leaders Jordan and Turner.

Swiftly he disposed of them, although Jordan momentarily regained the initiative before Plato again struck back to re-take the lead and with it another controlled victory. Only on the final lap was he denied the fastest race lap, by the chasing Neal who finished in second.

Jordan held on to third, although in the closing stages was under pressure from Jackson, Shedden and Colin Turkington who took sixth – his best result of the day – in his Team RAC BMW after starting from pole position. Turner, having looked good at one stage for a podium finish, fell to an eventual ninth.

But at least he was in the points; back in 11th was Giovanardi. The Italian had been in sixth when his car’s windscreen wipers failed and, with limited visibility, he had run off the track. In a moment his deficit to Plato had increased from a manageable nine points to a daunting 25. He has also seen what had been a 53-point advantage over third-placed Neal come down to 34.

Result:

1. Jason Plato (GBR), SEAT Sport UK/SEAT Leon, 23m17.182s

2. Matt Neal (GBR), Team Halfords/Honda Civic, +1.489s3. Mike Jordan (GBR), Eurotech-John Guest-Speedfit/Honda Integra, +8.626sFASTEST LAP: Neal, 1m25.122s (82.77mph)