Vauxhall's current BTCC champion Fabrizio Giovanardi has won the opening two races in round one of the 2008 British Touring Car Championship, with Colin Turkington taking the third race victory in his BMW.
In a damp first race at the Brands Hatch track, Gio had a bad start but fought back into the lead after overtaking pole-sitter Mat Jackson's UK Dealer Team BMW. The new Seat diesels took second and third, with Plato and Turner respectively.
In Race 2, Gio started from pole and took a typically mistake-free victory by just under a second from Honda's Gordon Sheddon. Plato finished third.
The final race was a belter. Turkington took the victory after a brilliant battle with Mat Jackson on the last lap. Just 0.8sec separated the 320iS BMW at the flag. Double BTCC champ Matt Neal finished third in his new Vectra.
A typically entertaining, incident-filled BTCC opener then...
Nick Trott
Top Gear is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
You need cash to buy a motor - our guide to finance will help
Buying a personalised plate? Check out our buyer's guide
Bookmark with:
What are these?