Thompson takes ETCC by storm

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Mon 28th June 2004 VX Racing BTCC driver James Thompson stormed to victory in the first of two races as the European Touring Car Championship made its annual visit to the UK last weekend (26/27 June). The LG Super Racing Weekend package came to Donington Park, giving Thompson the opportunity to be reunited with former BTCC team-mate Gabriele Tarquini at the AutoDelta Squadra Corse Alfa Romeo team.

With the advantage of going in to the weekend ballast free, Thompson was on the pace from the moment he was in the car, and after looking quick throughout the day on Saturday, he made it count to take pole position for Sunday’s first race.

Thompson pulled away from pole and left his new team-mates Gabriele Tarquini, Fabrizio Giovanardi and Augusto Farfus to fight it out with Jörg Müller for second place. It was a battle that Müller would win, with Tarquini heading the Alfa trio in third.

With the top eight finishers from race one being reversed on the grid for race two, Thompson’s task was always going to be more difficult in the second race of the day, but the 2002 BTCC champion put in another extremely respectable performance.

He made a second visit to the podium, finishing third behind team-mate Tarquini. Fellow Brit Andy Priaulx claimed victory in his BMW GB 320i.

Thompson commented: "It was a fantastic weekend for me. I couldn’t expect anything better, honestly. In the first race I had a good start, and the guys behind me gave me a big hand, being in a close fight. So, head down, I managed to pull away. I was quite pleased for myself when I realised there was such a big gap, because I really wanted to win this race. But I was also disappointed in someway, because it could have been an Alfa 1-2-3.”

Following his fourth win of the season at Donington, Priaulx now moves in to the lead of championship, with 72 points – a four point lead over second placed Dirk Müller. BMW also continues to head Alfa Romeo and Seat in the Manufacturers Championship.

Priaulx said: "I’m ecstatic. Yesterday I had such a bad time in qualifying, we turned around the car and didn’t know what to do. The ballast on board was driving me crazy. Then I managed to calm down and reflect. I knew this was going to be my turning point for the championship; I have to carry on with the 40-kg in the car, but getting this extra weight out of my head. In the first race I focused on finishing in the points, and gain a good starting position for the second race. It paid off." The ETCC has a further four race weekends, at Spa-Francorchamps, Imola, Oschersleben and Dubai, of which only one clashes with BTCC.