Team Aon continued to make good progress in refining the new Global Ford Focus Touring Car today, after Tom Chilton claimed a brace of fourth place finishes in the second meeting of the 2011 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at Donington Park on Sunday.

Despite two strong results for Chilton, there was heartbreak for his team-mate Andy Neate, who was ruled out of a strong top six finish when he was run off the road by a rival in the third race of the weekend.

Chilton’s two fourth places came in the opening two rounds before he too was punted off into the gravel trap on the opening lap of the third race of the weekend. Despite that disappointment, the reigning Independents Trophy holder said he was happy with the increasing pace of his two-litre turbocharged hatchback.

“People have to remember that this is a brand new car and we are still finding our way with it,” explained Chilton. “We are effectively doing our testing in public, and we made some dramatic changes to the car between the races and they all had a positive effect.

“We made more alterations for race three and despite the fact it only lasted half a lap, I could tell that we had found even more traction. Overall, although we didn’t quite make it to the podium I am happy with the direction we are going in with the car.”

Chilton’s team-mate Andy Neate struggled with a broken damper in qualifying but raced to 14th and 11th place in the opening two races before starring in the final event of the weekend. He raced comfortably inside the top six after a stunning opening lap and kept pace with the front runners. Unfortunately, rival Tony Gilham crashed into the side of Neate’s car on the final lap and the Focus spun off the track and made heavy contact with the tyre wall on the approach to McLeans corner. “It is another weekend when I haven’t scored points, which is hugely frustrating,” explained Neate. “I am trying to take the positives from it and I was pleased with my pace in the final race of the weekend. Once I am clear of the midfield battles we have proved that the car has great pace and I was able to get the most from it. I am furious with Gilham – he ruined my race and even if the officials decide to penalise him, it doesn’t give me my points back.”

Chilton is currently sixth place in the points and fourth in the race for the Independents crown. Team principal Mike Earle said that there would be further upgrades to the car ahead of the next rounds of the championship at Thruxton in Hampshire in two weeks’ time. “We are learning all the time,” said Earle. “We have a lot of work to do and each time we go to a race meeting, we are learning more and more about the ideal set-up of the car. I am disappointed that both of the cars were ruled out of race three, but that is the way motor racing goes sometimes. There is plenty for us to look forward too, and there is still plenty of potential to extract from the Team Aon Ford Focus.”