Jason Plato has won the first of today’s three HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship title-deciding races at Brands Hatch after beating Tom Chilton by just 0.015s – the closest finish in the series’ history.
Chilton had led all the way until the final bend in his Team Aon Ford Focus ST. But Plato put Chilton on the defensive and with more momentum exiting the corner was able to punch past in his Racing Silverline Chevrolet Lacetti just before the line.
The result was vital for Plato for it has given him extra points in his pursuit of series leader Colin Turkington in today’s title battle.
Finishing the race in third was Vauxhall’s Fabrizio Giovanardi. Turkington was eighth in his Team RAC BMW.
The result means that Turkington (252) leads Giovanardi (246) by just six points heading into the second of today’s races. Plato (238), in third, is now suddenly just 14 adrift with a possible 34 still to be won.
Race 1
P/ No/ CL/ Driver/ Car/ Laps/ Gap/ Best/
1 3 I Jason Plato Chevrolet Lacetti 18 -- 1m33.983s 2 10 I Tom Chilton Ford Focus ST 18 +0.015s 1m34.049s 3 1 Fabrizio Giovanardi Vauxhall Vectra 18 +1.873s 1m34.169s 4 77 Andrew Jordan Vauxhall Vectra 18 +3.103s 1m34.288s 5 5 Matt Neal Vauxhall Vectra 18 +3.900s 1m34.446s 6 11 I Robert Collard BMW 320si E90 18 +4.458s 1m34.638s 7 12 I Jonathan Adam BMW 320si E90 18 +4.956s 1m34.420s 8 4 I Colin Turkington BMW 320si E90 18 +5.986s 1m34.406s 9 29 I Paul O'Neill Honda Integra 18 +6.537s 1m34.613s 10 14 I Anthony Reid BMW 320si E90 18 +6.916s 1m34.636s 11 17 I Harry Vaulkhard Chevrolet Lacetti 18 +7.479s 1m34.684s 12 2 I Mat Jackson Chevrolet Lacetti 18 +8.905s 1m34.833s 13 6 I Tom Onslow-Cole Ford Focus ST 18 +11.571s 1m34.123s 14 44 I Stephen Jelley BMW 320si E90 18 +15.399s 1m34.861s 15 55 I David Pinkney Honda Civic 18 +15.426s 1m34.100s 16 50 I John George Honda Integra 18 +22.113s 1m35.407s 17 15 I Martyn Bell Honda Integra 18 +29.951s 1m34.440s
Not Classified - 52 I Gordon Shedden SEAT Leon 9 +9 Laps 1m35.418s - 45 I Johnny Herbert Honda Civic 9 +9 Laps 1m36.968s - 63 I Martin Johnson Vauxhall Astra Coupe 2 +15 laps 1m36.099s - 98 I Matt Hamilton Honda Civic Type R 0 +18 Laps --
