Warren Hughes gave MG Sport and Racing a major boost by clinching a sensational pole position at Brands Hatch for Round 26 of the www.theAA.com MSA British Touring Car Championship. It was only the marque’s third meeting in the BTCC. Tech-speed’s Paul O’Neill mirrored his feat in the Production category. Touring category

MG Sport and Racing’s Warren Hughes drove a perfect lap to claim pole in the Feature Race, setting a time of 49.674 on his penultimate lap. Muller, who had led the session up until that point, was only three thousandths of a second behind.

Muller, however, did manage to qualify on pole in the Sprint Race. The session was so close that only one tenth of a second separated seventh placed Soper from the Frenchman in Round 25. Muller’s pole position qualifying time was 49.722.

Hughes commented: “ I definitely got the most out of the car and it was very consistent. The team also worked incredibly well in exchanging information. I had a very clean and tidy lap when I set the fastest time. It is a great way to finish the season. It’s fantastic!”

Muller commented: “I made a mistake on my first run and went off, which meant that I lost ten minutes in the pits, which made me loose confidence. The four runs I planned to do were cut to three so I did not have time to try and regain pole.”

However, he has managed to gain a point advantage over his team-mate and rival by gaining pole. Championship leader Plato qualified second in the Sprint Race and fourth in the Feature Race.

Plato said: “I was simply not quick enough to set pole. The Astra was good but there was a little too much oversteer for Paddock Hill bend. You really need to have everything together round here but I will do my best tomorrow!”

Production category

Tech-speed’s Paul O’ Neill claimed his first pole position for Rounds 25 and 26 of the BTCC on his second to last lap. He set a time of 52.053, only one tenth of a second faster than Team Kaliber with Barwell’s Simon Graves, O’Neill was ecstatic to be on pole for the first time this season.

He commented: “I had managed to claim P1 three times but towards the end of the session, Graves pushed me back to second. However, Marvin, the Team Boss, told me I was only one tenth of a second behind him so I went for it! I don’t know how I didn’t spin but it’s the best thing ever. If I am given the chance to win tomorrow I will take it!”

Championship contenders, HTML team-mates Simon Harrison and Roger Moen and Team Kaliber Sport with Barwell’s James Kaye missed out on gaining a two point advantage on each other, leaving the points as they were set at the penultimate rounds at Donington Park (217; 212; 198 respectively). Championship leader Harrison had a problem with a crank sensor on his engine during the morning test sessions but was pleased to qualify in third.

He explained: “My engine shut down this morning so I didn’t manage to put in any practice so third is great. I was carrying 57kgs success ballast and Roger was carrying 60kgs and we both knew that it would be difficult to handle the Peugeots with the weight ballast and on the wet track.”