Thompson gets Brands Hatch boost

The rule, which affects both Thompson's N.Technology team and the Russian Golden Motors squad, who are running a pair of Accords at selected events this year, comes after a ruling in May that knocked an additional 20kg off the weight of the Japanese cars.

Thompson, who finished third in the WTCC last year and also has two British Touring Car titles to his name, has scored just three points in 2008 after missing the first two rounds of the season, and was forced to withdraw from the last event at Estoril after blowing three engines in practice and qualifying.

The FIA bureau also passed a new rule concerning the catalytic converters and exhaust gas purification systems on all diesels in the championship.

The regulation, which currently only concerns the works SEAT Leon TDIs, means that as yet unspecified penalties may be handed out to cars producing black smoke at any point during the weekend.