Turkington Wins Race Two
Colin Turkington claimed his second British Touring Car victory of the year in drying conditions at Mondello Park
The Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch driver survived a first corner skirmish with Dan Eaves and Rob Collard to take the lead from the fast-starting Honda Civic Type-R of Tom Chilton on lap three.
Chilton had gambled on further rain and started on wets, but despite charging from ninth to first in the opening half-lap soon realised that slicks were the way to go and came into the pits.
Front-row starters Yvan Muller (Vauxhall) and Jason Plato (SEAT) gambled on slicks at the start, although both were served with 30 second stop/go penalties for changing tyres after the three-minute board had been shown. Both returned near the back of the field, with Muller pushing on to take sixth place and Plato concentrating on pole position for race three by finishing tenth.
At the front, Turkington survived a mid-race charge from Eaves, who like the Northern Irishman was running on a mixture of slicks on the front and wets on the back, to take a relatively comfortable victory.
Eaves' teammate, Matt Neal, took the final podium place after staying patient on slicks in the early stages of the race and passing the fast-starting MG ZS of Rob Collard in the closing stages. Collard, struggling with rear suspension damage, put up no serious defence into the final corner, and settled for a solid fourth place.
Local hero Gavin Smith, driving the third Sport Hatch, was set for his best result of the year before suffering a left-front puncture, the result of debris, in the closing stages.
CLASSIFIED: Pos Driver Team Time 1. Colin Turkington Vauxhall Astra 26:59.042 2. Dan Eaves Honda Integra + 5.143 3. Matt Neal Honda Integra + 11.626 4. Rob Collard MG ZS + 27.498 5. Luke Hines SEAT Toledo Cupra + 33.373 6. Yvan Muller Vauxhall Astra + 51.295 7. Jason Hughes MG ZS + 57.187 8. Tom Chilton Honda Civic Type-R + 57.394 9. James Pickford SEAT Toledo Cupra +1:02.705 10. Jason Plato SEAT Toledo Cupra +1:05.069 11. Ian Curley Lexus IS200 +1:45.380 12. Richard Williams Lexus IS200 +1:46.086 13. Fiona Leggate Vauxhall Astra Coupe +1:55.427 NOT CLASSIFIED/RETIREMENTS Driver Team On Lap Gavin Smith Vauxhall Astra 12 James Kaye Honda Civic Type-R 4 Mark Proctor Vauxhall Astra Coupe 4
How the BTCC's new hybrid era aced its first test
Expectations were high for the start of the British Touring Car Championship’s hybrid power era, and despite nerves and problems to solve prior to its debut the new rules gained widespread approval. Here’s how the first test at Donington Park was passed and the thorough examinations that are to follow
The Ford BTCC superteam combining two reigning TOCA champions
Reigning BTCC champion Ash Sutton and Porsche Carrera Cup GB victor Dan Cammish form a potent line-up at the Motorbase-run NAPA Racing team as the series adopts hybrid power. With Sutton bringing the key components of his title-winning Laser Tools Racing set-up, and Cammish eager to prove a point on his return, their dynamic is set to be one of the season's major talking points
The stalwart tin-top boss still shaping careers more than 40 years on
Veteran team manager Marvin Humphries and former Tech-Speed team boss has worked not only with stars of the British Touring Car Championship, but legends including Gil de Ferran, Hans Stuck and Tom Sneva in a long and varied career that has spanned five decades across tin-tops, single-seaters and sportscars
The grassroots rise that shaped an understated BTCC star
Having started out in club-level competitions alongside his own university engineering studies, Josh Cook's journey to becoming an established frontrunner in the British Touring Car Championship is atypical. But it's these experiences that have moulded the 30-year-old into a humble star, respected throughout the paddock
Ranking the top 10 BTCC drivers of 2021
A refresh in equipment and some returning faces helped contribute to a supremely competitive 2021 British Touring Car Championship campaign. Ash Sutton was crowned a three-time champion, successfully defending his 2020 title, but faced stiff competition in the final year before the switch to hybrid. Autosport picks out the best performers
Why the BTCC's ballast increase couldn't stop champion Sutton
Ballast will be gone from the BTCC next year as hybrid power enters the scene, but for its final season the maximum was increased from 60kg to 75kg. Despite having to carry that nearly all season, Ash Sutton was always the favourite to pocket a third title - the 27-year-old getting his reward for a season of speed tempered by savvy to nail his opportunities
The much-loved tin-top superstar bowing out at 59
OPINION: It's not often that a driver achieves widespread affection for their personality, as well as their on-track performances. One such individual is Gabriele Tarquini, who will soon bring the curtain down on a remarkable career that has yielded touring car titles on the European and global stage - and, famously, in Britain too
The making of the BTCC's newest superstar
Ash Sutton is on the verge of being crowned a three-time British Touring Car Champion; he seems to have it all. But life hasn't always been straightforward for this superstar of touring cars, as Marcus Simmons has been finding out