Matt Neal tops first Thruxton practice

Outgoing champion Matt Neal headed opening BTCC practice at a dry but misty Thruxton this morning, as title protagonists Fabrizio Giovanardi and Jason Plato were third and fifth fastest respectively. Neal, in his Honda Civic, set a best lap time of 1m18.780s. Vauxhall’s Tom Chilton was second ahead of team-mate Giovanardi. The pair set identical times but Chilton is awarded the position as he set it first.

Team RAC BMW driver Colin Turkington was fourth ahead of Plato who, despite being in pain from burns he suffered in the week, still bravely managed some 22 laps during the session.

Sixth and looking straight at home was former double champion, drafted in by Vauxhall to drive its third Vectra this weekend as it seeks to win all three Drivers’, Manufacturers’ and Teams’ titles. By contrast, SEAT’s third driver Tom Coronel was back in 16th as he sampled the Thruxton circuit for the first time.

Of note, Mat Jackson was a solid tenth in his Jacksons MSport BMW – despite missing the first half of the session while his team cured a hydraulic jack failure which also caused differential problems. Meanwhile, Paul O’Neill (Motorbase SEAT Toledo) and Robert Collard (GR Asia SEAT Leon) were 14th and 20th fastest overall on their returns to the BTCC after a year away.

O’Neill’s team-mate Matt Allison, though, was back in 22nd, relying on a time he set early in the session before engine failure left his car stranded at the back of the circuit.

Elsewhere, Gordon Shedden (Halfords Honda) and John George (JAG Honda) survived trips across the grass as they wound up eighth and 13th respectively, the latter maintaining the strong form he showed at Knockhill.