Giovanardi & Turkington Share Wins in BTCC
Season Opener
30 March 2008
Fabrizio Giovanardi and Colin Turkington shared the wins in the
opening three rounds of the new HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship
season – the 50th of the championship's history – at Brands
Hatch.
Reigning BTCC Champion Giovanardi leaves the Kent circuit tonight
leading the standings, but with just a two-point advantage over rising
star Mat Jackson as the UK's premier motor racing series heads
for the Rockingham circuit in Northamptonshire for its next three rounds
on Sunday 13 April.
BMW Dealer Team UK driver Jackson achieved his first BTCC pole position
in Saturday qualifying and had looked on course to win today's
opening round in his BMW 320si until Giovanardi pounced in his Vauxhall
Vectra VXR.
Giovanardi then won race two with Jackson only fourth. But in race
three Giovanardi was back in sixth whereas Jackson took a close second
behind rival Team RAC BMW driver Turkington to close the gap back up.
Indeed, Turkington's and Jackson's intense battle for the
lead will have made great viewing towards the end of ITV4's five
hours of live television coverage of today's BTCC action.
Giovanardi said: "This is a fantastic start for me and my team.
The grid this year is so strong, so it was very important to get a
good start to the season. I will fly home to Italy with a big smile
on my face, but I know it is going to be very tough to maintain this
form. We are competitive, but the others are very close behind."
Jackson, aged 26 from Henley-in-Arden and in only his second BTCC
season, added: "We showed all day we had the pace to win, but
it didn't quite come off for us. The most important thing is
we'll arrive at Rockingham right up there fighting for the lead
of the championship. I feel we're in very strong shape for the
rest of the season."
Turkington, from Portadown and also aged 26, said: "It was terrific
to come out on top of that battle with Mat at the end and take the
win after what had been a tough day up until then. It was important
as it's kept us towards the front in the championship and gives
us plenty of momentum for Rockingham in two weeks."
Meanwhile, Vauxhall and its VX Racing squad have taken early leads
in the BTCC's Manufacturers' and Teams' championships
respectively. And it is Jackson and his BMW Dealer Team UK squad who
lead the Independent Drivers' and Teams' standings.
BTCC
See series calendar for British
Touring Car Championship 2008
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