Thompson ends Honda drought

Trader British Touring Car Championship. The Honda Accord driver snatchedthe lead at the end of the third racing lap, and held on to take the win.

Nissan Primera driver David Leslie took second. He mounted a strong
challenge over the closing laps, but couldn't quite get close enough to
take the lead. The final podium place went to the Renault Laguna of Jason
Plato.

Away from the lights, championship leader Laurent Aiello made a good start
from third in his Nissan - but Plato shot away from fifth. As they jostled
for position on the approach to the first corner, Aiello and Plato made
contact.

Aiello shot sideways and hit the pit wall hard, sliding to a
halt at the pit lane exit. Had he won both races today, he stood to claim the £250,000 prize for taking four consecutive victories, but he could kiss the cash goodbye after this incident.

He was unhurt, but the impact had wrecked both ends of his car, so the
safety car had to be deployed while it was dragged clear of the track. That
helped the tailenders. No fewer than four of them spun off or went
through the gravel, and they all took advantage of the safety car to head
for the pits for running repairs.

Reigning champion Rickard Rydell had come out in the lead after the first
corner confusion, the Volvo S40 driver ahead of Thompson. The safety car
pulled over after four laps, and Thompson made his move two laps later.
Into Goddards at the end of the third racing lap, Thompson dived inside
Rydell; contact was made, and Rydell was forced wide and lost momentum.

That gave Thompson the lead, and also allowed Leslie and Plato through. Two
laps later Rydell headed for the pits and retirement, lifting the Vauxhall
Vectra of Yvan Muller into fourth.

The top positions then remained static to the finish, with Leslie's late
challenge on Thompson the only prospect of a position change. But it came
to naught, and the winner's trophy went to Thompson - the second time this
year he's won the Sprint race at Donington.

In the Independents' category, Matt Neal took the win, coming in ninth
overall. This was despite pitting at the end of lap one to have his Nissan
Primera checked over after an excursion through the gravel at McLeans.


Sprint race result from Donington: