Thompson docked five points

Thompson fitted his fifth engine of the year before this weekend's meeting at Mondello Park. Proton's Phil Bennett is in a similar situation, and he too has been penalised by the deduction of five points.

Mondello has been a difficult place for engines, with several drivers splitting sumps on the kerbs. Breaking seals to change a sump counts under the rules as an engine change, so Paul O'Neill, Warren Hughes, Anthony Reid and Colin Turkington all moved another engine closer to penalties after qualifying day.

Qualifying sensation Colin Turkington looks almost certain to miss both races at Mondello Park after being hit by food poisoning overnight. The Ulsterman spent Saturday night in hospital and will definitely miss the sprint race - for which he'd qualified fourth. There is still an outside chance that he will be fit enough to take up his place on the outside of row one for the feature.

Edenbridge Racing boss Peter Briggs says he is working to move up from BTC Production next year. The BMW team owner is looking at either BTC Touring or a return to the ETCC, which he contested in 2001.

Any BTC Touring programme is likely to involve a move away from BMW and a switch to cars used by one of the manufacturer teams this year. If he plumps for Europe, Briggs is likely to continue to run BMWs.

BTC Production racer Annie Templeton returned to the circuit on Sunday after being given the all-clear in hospital following her heavy qualifying crash at Oulton Park. Templeton's Techspeed Peugeot 306 was too badly damaged to race.

Rob Collard, who was the BTC Production race winner in round two at Brands Hatch, missed the trip to Mondello Park as he continues to battle against a series of engine problems.