BTCC REPORT: ROCKINGHAM DRIVER ANALYSIS COLIN TURKINGTON

00 7/ JASON PLATO

Team BMR

Weekend started with a fifth, and that looked like it would be a springboard. A clash at the first hairpin in the second race delayed him. In race three he zoomed to fifth place.

Team BMR Subaru Levorg

Plato never let Jackson have a moment’s rest in his bid to grab second place but was unable to in race one. Was pragmatic about the contact that ruined his charge in race two. Saddled with the harder tyres in race three and ended up in 10th.

Ginetta GT4 Supercup championship leader Tom Wrigley suffered a disastrous weekend at Rockingham as his title lead was slashed from 93 points to just 19 after two retirements and then a post-race penalty.

Wrigley’s woes began on the opener’s first lap. A rainsoaked track boosted Jamie Orton, who took the lead at Tarzan and never relented.

He was aided by Wrigley retiring with a fuel pump failure, marking the first finish outside the top five in 2016 for the title favourite, meaning rival Burns took second with Carl Boardley in third place.

It was deja vu in the second race as Orton doubled up and Wrigley failed to finish – this time after colliding with Burns as the pair scrapped.

Orton held his pole at the start and Hibbert starred, moving to second from sixth by the second corner.

Hibbert backed up a train of cars with Burns heading the pack and allowing Wrigley to close in from fourth after starting 15th. Minutes later Wrigley hit Burns at Chapman Curve forcing the former into retirement, Burns continued and finished third.

Wrigley’s move was punished in the aftermath, the stewards deducting nine championship points and handing him a grid penalty for the next round at Silverstone.

“It’s been a disastrous weekend,” Wrigley said. “It’s annoying as I’ve been so fast here and have nothing to show for it.”

He took fifth in the final race, some distance behind the podium trio, which was led by Mark Davies ahead of Burns and Orton.