Tom ended his 2007 BTCC season on a high with a fantastic podium in the final race at Thruxton. His drive to third place helped secure titles for Vauxhall and his team mate and followed a battling drive through the field in the second race after a puncture in the first had robbed him of a second place……

The final rounds of the BTCC would see both the Driver’s and Manufacturer’s Championships decided and Tom performed a vital team role, helping Vauxhall win the Manufacturer’s title and his team mate – Fabrizio Giovanardi the driver’s.

Both the title protagonists, Vauxhall and SEAT, had drafted in extra team members from the World Touring Car Championship to support their efforts. Vauxhall had Alain Menu and SEAT had Tom Coronel. More important to Tom though, was the fact that for the first time this year he had access to the same parts on his Vectra as Fabrizio and he immediately showed what he could do now that he had the same car. Tom was easily fastest in free practice and then took a fantastic pole position, ahead of his multi-title winning team mates.

Before the race, Tom’s Vauxhall employers made it clear that team orders would dictate that he allowed Fabrizio through to take the win and Tom accepted his team role to assist with the championship effort.

Tom lined his Vectra up at the front of the field and got a great start to lead going into The Complex. Immediately he pulled away and set the fastest lap of the race on the second lap. On lap 3 Tom duly obeyed his team’s orders, easing off to allow Fabrizio through into the lead. All was as they had hoped for throughout most of the 16 lap race; Fabrizio leading, Tom holding second place and Alain Menu comfortable in third.

With just two laps remaining the first signs of a problem appeared for Tom with a front end vibration giving warning of tyre trouble. Tom backed off and was planning on nursing his tyres for the final couple of laps, but going into the fastest corner on the circuit at Church, the front left tyre exploded. Tom’s race was over. He ran off the track, across the grass and limped back to the pits and into retirement. It had been a bitter blow as Tom reflected after the race;

“What do I have to do? We weren’t running too much camber, all the Vauxhalls were the same. I hadn’t been pushing too hard as I was just following Fabrizio and bang, the tyre lets go. Alain had the same happen a lap after me so we need to look at the set up on the cars for the next race.”

With adjustments made to his VX Racing Vectra for the second race, Tom hoped for better luck as he prepared to battle his way up from 21st place on the grid. Another excellent start and a great opening lap saw Tom up to 14th place and hard on the bumper of his SEAT rival Darren Turner. It was vital for Vauxhall’s Manufacturer’s Championship hopes that Tom finished in front of Turner to reduce SEAT’s points and their race long battle was a highlight.

The pair were cutting through the field together, lap by lap gaining places and on lap 10 Tom got past both Turner and Onslow-Cole in the BMW to move into 9th place. This was a great drive from Tom, 21st to 9th place at the finish and a chance to benefit from the reverse grid draw for the final race of the day. Unfortunately the number 7 was drawn for the reversal and so Tom would start in 9th place on the grid, but was happy with his performance;

“That was a good race, good fun. Me and Darren had a good battle, we were running door mirror to door mirror for almost a whole lap and it’s great to race hard and close with people you can trust not to just knock you off. Darren’s one of those drivers so it’s fun. It was a good result for Vauxhall too, so they’re happy.”

The final race of the day would decide both Championship outcomes and Tom played a major part. Another excellent getaway and he was 6th at the end of the first lap. Tom dived past Tom Coronel at The Complex for 5th place on lap 2 and with Jason Plato behind him, put in some fantastic laps to pull away and open up a gap to Fabrizio’s only title rival.

The second half of the race was a tense and exciting affair with Tom, having passed Matt Neal to take 4th place, again having to defend from an overly aggressive Plato who had deliberately missed out the Chicane to close up the gap and had bashed his way past Matt. Tom was now third and Fabrizio second following Turkington’s spin and this would be enough to clinch the titles.

Despite Plato hitting him up the rear and having to be careful of a slightly slower Fabrizio in front, Tom hung on. Driving with all the experience and skill he has learned in the six years he has been racing Touring Cars to retain his advantage and take a well deserved third place at the finish.

Tom and of course, Vauxhall, were delighted;

“That’s a great way to end the BTCC season. I’ve got on the podium, Vauxhall have won the Manufacturer’s title and Fabrizio is Champion, so perfect result really. My car was so good in that last race and Plato could try any tactics he wanted but basically he wasn’t quick enough to beat us today. I’m really happy for Fabrizio and the team.”

Tom’s season isn’t quite over yet as he still has the final round of the American Le Mans Series to come at Laguna Seca next weekend, when he will be driving the Arena Motorsport entered Zytek LMP1 car, hoping to repeat the victory he achieved there two years ago. That would be the perfect end to the year

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