Fabrizio Giovanardi has today been crowned as the 2007 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Champion.

The Vauxhall driver finished the season’s final round at Thruxton, Hampshire in second position to score the points he needed to overcome SEAT’s Jason Plato and win the title. Plato, driving in pain from burns he suffered in the week, finished the race back in fourth having gone into it leading the championship by just a point.

Jacksons MSport BMW driver Mat Jackson won the race which was stopped early because of an accident further down the field. Italian Giovanardi said: “This is incredible. It has been an amazing fight all year and Jason has always kept ahead until this, the last race. I have won touring car titles before but this is the toughest.

“Even on the last lap I knew Jason was close. It’s been like this all year. He has been a great rival and what he has done today with the injuries he suffered in the week was really brave – a really fighting spirit. I’m really pleased we had this battle.”

Vauxhall, in its first year with its new Vectra model, has regained the Manufacturers’ title from SEAT, but it is the Spanish make’s SEAT Sport UK squad which has lifted the Teams’ trophy. Team RAC BMW driver Colin Turkington has been crowned the Independents’ Champion.

BTCC Thruxton race 3 result (provisional):1. Mat Jackson (GBR), Jacksons MSport/BMW 320si, 17m33.434s 2. Fabrizio Giovanardi (ITA), VX Racing/Vauxhall Vectra, +2.659s 3. Tom Chilton (GBR), VX Racing/Vauxhall Vectra, +3.463s 4. Jason Plato (GBR), SEAT Sport UK/SEAT Leon, +4.322s 5. Matt Neal (GBR), Team Halfords/Honda Civic, +4.644s 6. Darren Turner (GBR), VX Racing/Vauxhall Vectra, +4.897s

Final BTCC points (provisional):1. Fabrizio Giovanardi (ITA), 300 points 2. Jason Plato (GBR), 297 3. Gordon Shedden (GBR), 200 4. Matt Neal (GBR), 195 5. Colin Turkington (GBR), 1846. Darren Turner (GBR), 160