but Giovanardi still leads
Tom Onslow-Cole and Jason Plato shared the wins in yesterday’s three HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship rounds at the Thruxton circuit in Hampshire, but reigning Champion Fabrizio Giovanardi continues to lead the standings as the series now moves on to the Croft circuit in North Yorkshire for its next event on Sunday 1 June.
Vauxhall driver Onslow-Cole was the weekend’s big star – celebrating his 21st birthday, he qualified on pole position for the second consecutive meeting and then won both of today’s first two races. He followed those results up with a seventh in race three to leave Hampshire third in the standings. His wins also mean that the season’s opening 12 rounds have now produced eight different winners.
For now, though, he remains behind team-mate Fabrizio Giovanardi and SEAT’s Jason Plato who each experienced a day of mixed fortunes. Giovanardi had been on course to win race two only for his Vectra VXR to suffer a puncture with one corner to go. He would cross the line a gutted tenth but third place finishes in races one and three have enabled him to maintain a healthy overall lead.
Indeed, he has actually stretched his advantage over Plato by two points to 18. In race one, Plato crossed the line in third ahead of Giovanardi, but was disqualified after his Leon TDI failed a post-race ride height check. From the back of the 24-car grid in race two he fought through to finish seventh and in race three, starting third, managed to take a valuable victory.
Italian Giovanardi said: “It has been a very unpredictable day – in race two I was leading until I had a puncture and race three I saw Jason moving away in the lead so knew I had to get the best result I could. I think Croft will be stronger for the SEAT but we have improved our car a lot. All I know is that it will be another very big fight.”
Plato, from Oxford, added: “Winning race three was very important, otherwise Fabrizio would have been going home a very happy bloke. Instead, out of a difficult start to the day, we’ve dug deep and produced a very good result to keep him on his toes. I hope he’s right and Croft does suit the SEAT a bit better as I’d like to take a few points out of him before the mid-season break.”
New Malden-based Onslow-Cole, who briefly got ahead of Plato in the standings today, said: “I had a bad crash in the opening rounds at Brands Hatch two months ago, but at Donington Park last time out and now here, with these two wins, I’ve managed to claw back a lot of that deficit. I’m delighted with the way it’s going and with every result I’m getting more and more confident. I’m definitely in the title hunt now and will be aiming to keep up my good run at Croft.”
However, out of luck at Thruxton were both Andrew Jordan and Gordon Shedden. Driving his John Guest Racing Honda Integra, 18-year-old Jordan put Plato under huge pressure for the lead in race three until being cruelly forced out with a rare mechanical failure. And Shedden twice led races only for his Team Halfords Honda Civic to be delayed by punctures on what is the fastest circuit on the calendar and certainly the toughest on tyres.
Meanwhile, Vauxhall and its VX Racing squad have increased their leads in the Manufacturers’ and Teams’ championships. Adam Jones (SEAT Leon) continues to lead the Independent Drivers’ standings, albeit by just one point from Mat Jackson (BMW 320si). Colin Turkington (BMW 320si) is also in touch thanks to a pair of strong second place finishes outright today. Their respective teams – Air Cool, BMW Dealer Team UK and RAC – head the Independent Teams’ table, separated by just six points.
Result, Thruxton BTCC race 1 (provisional):
1. Tom Onslow-Cole (GBR), VX Racing/Vauxhall Vectra VXR, 16 laps in 21m34.274s
2. Colin Turkington (GBR), Team RAC/BMW 320si, +2.937s3. Fabrizio Giovanardi (GBR), VX Racing/Vauxhall Vectra VXR, +4.262sFastest lap: Onslow-Cole, 1m18.883s (107.52mph)
Result, Thruxton BTCC race 2 (provisional):1. Tom Onslow-Cole (GBR), VX Racing/Vauxhall Vectra VXR, 19 laps in 27m58.042s
2. Colin Turkington (GBR), Team RAC/BMW 320si, +0.518s3. Matt Neal (GBR), VX Racing/Vauxhall Vectra VXR, +0.854sFastest lap: Giovanardi, 1m19.007s (107.35mph)
Result, Thruxton BTCC race 3 (provisional):1. Jason Plato (GBR), SEAT Sport UK/SEAT Leon TDI, 16 laps in 21m37.731s2. Mat Jackson (GBR), BMW Dealer Team UK/BMW 320si, +1.546s3. Fabrizio Giovanardi (ITA), VX Racing/Vauxhall Vectra VXR, +2.300sFastest lap: Plato, 1m18.945s (107.42mph)
Points
Drivers
1. Fabrizio Giovanardi (ITA), 114 points2. Jason Plato (GBR), 963. Tom Onslow-Cole (GBR), 934. Matt Neal (GBR), 905. Mat Jackson (GBR), 836. Darren Turner (GBR), 757. Gordon Shedden (GBR), 678. Colin Turkington (GBR), 639. Adam Jones (GBR), 4910. Tom Chilton (GBR), 41
Manufacturers1. Vauxhall, 2702. SEAT, 238
Teams1. VX Racing, 2462. SEAT Sport UK, 1653. Team Halfords, 1074. BMW Dealer Team UK, 825. Team RAC, 656. Team Air Cool, 53
Independent Drivers1. Adam Jones (GBR), 1272. Mat Jackson (GBR), 1263. Colin Turkington (GBR), 1114. Mike Jordan (GBR), 685. Steven Kane (GBR), 656. Andrew Jordan (GBR), 56
Independent Teams1. Team Air Cool, 1282. BMW Dealer Team UK, 1263. Team RAC, 1224. John Guest Racing, 985. Motorbase, 846. Robertshaw Racing, 65
