Giovanardi leads Thruxton practice
Fabrizio Giovanardi set the fastest time in British Touring Car Championship practice at Thruxton today
The 41-year-old Vauxhall driver, who claimed last year's title at the Hampshire circuit, set his best time in the first of two sessions during the morning, having his run interrupted by a left-front puncture on his Vauxhall Vectra.
Things were not quite so good for the Italian in the second session, though, as his best time was over three quarters of a second slower, making him one of only five drivers not to improve on their earlier mark.
Tom Chilton set the pace in the second session in his Team Halfords Honda, although his time of 1:18.883 failed to usurp Giovanardi from the top spot overall by just over two hundredths of a second.
Third fastest overall, despite a puncture in the second session, was Chilton's team-mate Gordon Shedden.
Mat Jackson could only manage the 13th best time in the opening session, but the BMW Dealer Team UK driver found a second later on to jump up to fourth overall.
Darren Turner was the best of the SEAT drivers in fifth, while his team-mate Jason Plato was down in ninth on combined times.
There were a number of incidents throughout the morning. Matt Neal spun his Vauxhall at the Club chicane in the second session, with Shedden cutting the corner in order to give Neal plenty of room to re-join.
There was a scary spin for Harry Vaulkhard, who lost control of his Robertshaw Chevrolet while warming up his tyres at Goodwood and gyrated at least three times.
Chris Stockton damaged his BTC SEAT's radiator with a high-speed off at Church corner in the opening session, while Steven Kane's Motorbase BMW failed to complete a flying lap due to a power steering failure. Both cars were repaired in time for the second session.
Session 1
Pos Driver Car Time Gap
1. Fabrizio Giovanardi Vauxhall 1:18.359
2. Tom Chilton Honda 1:18.594 +0.235
3. Tom Onslow-Cole Vauxhall 1:18.816 +0.457
4. Darren Turner SEAT 1:18.836 +0.477
5. Colin Turkington BMW 1:19.027 +0.668
6. Gordon Shedden Honda 1:19.085 +0.726
7. Jason Plato SEAT 1:19.145 +0.786
8. Andrew Jordan Honda 1:19.149 +0.790
9. Matt Neal Vauxhall 1:19.314 +0.955
10. Mike Jordan Honda 1:19.434 +1.075
11. Mat Jackson BMW 1:19.506 +1.147
12. Adam Jones SEAT 1:19.821 +1.462
13. Stephen Jelley BMW 1:20.218 +1.859
14. Harry Vaulkhard Chevrolet 1:20.399 +2.040
15. Jason Hughes Honda 1:20.582 +2.223
16. Erkut Kizilirmak Vauxhall 1:20.969 +2.610
17. Gareth Howell SEAT 1:20.980 +2.621
18. Chris Stockton SEAT 1:21.229 +2.870
19. Rob Collard BMW 1:21.295 +2.936
20. Michael Doyle Honda 1:21.514 +3.155
21. Alan Taylor Honda 1:21.600 +3.241
22. Martyn Bell Vauxhall 1:22.547 +4.188
23. John George Honda 1:23.644 +5.285
Session 2
Pos Driver Car Time Gap
1. Tom Chilton Honda 1:18.383
2. Gordon Shedden Honda 1:18.516 +0.133
3. Mat Jackson BMW 1:18.622 +0.239
4. Darren Turner SEAT 1:18.693 +0.310
5. Tom Onslow-Cole Vauxhall 1:18.703 +0.320
6. Colin Turkington BMW 1:18.779 +0.396
7. Matt Neal Vauxhall 1:18.956 +0.573
8. Jason Plato SEAT 1:19.004 +0.621
9. Andrew Jordan Honda 1:19.140 +0.757
10. Adam Jones SEAT 1:19.164 +0.781
11. Fabrizio Giovanardi Vauxhall 1:19.186 +0.803
12. Stephen Jelley BMW 1:19.203 +0.820
13. Steven Kane BMW 1:19.707 +1.324
14. Mike Jordan Honda 1:19.750 +1.367
15. Gareth Howell SEAT 1:20.224 +1.841
16. Jason Hughes Honda 1:20.412 +2.029
17. John George Honda 1:20.441 +2.058
18. Harry Vaulkhard Chevrolet 1:20.512 +2.129
19. Rob Collard BMW 1:20.648 +2.265
20. Erkut Kizilirmak Vauxhall 1:20.756 +2.373
21. Chris Stockton SEAT 1:20.966 +2.583
22. Martyn Bell Vauxhall 1:21.342 +2.959
23. Alan Taylor Honda 1:21.616 +3.233
24. Michael Doyle Honda 1:22.579 +4.196
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