Fabrizio Giovanardi fastest at Snetterton

Reigning BTCC champion Fabrizio Giovanardi topped this week’s rain disrupted test at Snetterton, setting a best lap of 1:13.138 during the morning session. Several heavy rain showers disrupted proceedings, while a heavy crash for Team RAC’s Stephen Jelley also temporarily halted the test.

James Thompson finished the day second behind Giovanardi, with a time of 1:13.156, set during the afternoon run out, ahead of Andrew Jordan’s Vectra, which recorded a 1:13:221 during the second session, despite having to undergo an engine change.

Championship leader Colin Turkington ended the day as quickest BMW in fourth place, while his teammate Jelley will want to forget his visit to the Norfolk circuit, after a heavy accident sidelined him from proceedings.

Jelley’s 320si slammed sideways into the barriers after he lost control under braking for the 130mph Riches Corner. Commenting on the accident, the Team RAC driver said:

“I lost control at Riches corner and in order to avoid going head-on into the barrier I steered it towards the gravel trap but that sent it sideways.

I went in very hard on the driver’s side and that’s probably why I’m feeling pretty dazed after the impact.

It has been a disappointing testing session for me today. It had just started to rain and I was hoping to experiment with a few different lines – it would have been important as this place can be unpredictable, weather-wise.”

With a number of teams absent, including Racing Silverline, Team Aon and Cartridge World Carbon Zero Racing, there was a chance for Paul O’Neill to put in a good performance, finishing the morning session in fourth position, but slipping to seventh by the end of the day as an engine failure cut short his day.

The BTCC returns to Snetterton in three weeks time for the six round of the series on the 2nd August.