Thompson cruises to victory

The Honda Accord driver snatched the lead at the start and never looked back, pulling away and cruising to victory.

Second place in the Feature went to Laurent Aiello, the Nissan Primera driver further extending his points lead.

Third went to reigning champion Rickard Rydell,the Volvo S40 driver getting past David Leslie, in the second Nissan, with just one lap to go after Leslie had run out of brakes.

Leslie again made a poor start from pole, while Thompson made a perfect getaway to leap-frog both Nissans out of the first corner.

That was as close as they got, with Aiello content to settle for second and consolidate his claim to the title.

Behind the top three a five-car train formed, headed by Rydell ahead of the Honda of Peter Kox, the Renault Laguna of Jason Plato, the Vauxhall Vectra of Yvan Muller and the second Renault of Jean-Christophe Boullion.

Apart from the start, the race was mostly processional; even the five cars in close company couldn't find a way to pass each other.

Kox retired with a mechanical problem; Plato out-braked himself into the chicane and allowed Muller to get past; they were about the only main incidents.

Matt Neal took the Independent honours, finishing down in tenth in his Nissan Primera after making a poor start, and then stalling during his pit-stop.

This result leaves Aiello with a 26-point lead over team-mate Leslie.

With only 33 points on offer at the final meeting, next weekend at Silverstone, Leslie still has a mathematical chance of taking the title - but Aiello is almost there.