What can be said about the season so far? It's been a successful time for Vauxhall…and not for Peugeot, Alfa Romeo or Lexus. Is this the end of the story? Not by a long shot. Vauxhall may have taken victory in each of the races this season, and the Astra is undeniably the class of the field, but Rounds 9 & 10 at Mondello Park in Ireland could see some changes. The Bertone styled Astra Coupes will be carrying an extra 30kg of ballast on top of the success ballast that each has earned so far this season. This controversial decision has been taken in an effort to reduce the gap between the four Vauxhall drivers and the rest of the field.

The VLR team will be hoping that the Vauxhalls' extra weight will give Soper and Eaves the chance they need to get the Peugeot Coupes to the front of the field. They have so far been unable to finish a race in a podium position, with only Tim Harvey in his JSM Alfa Romeo having broken the Astra stranglehold. The Coventry based outfit will be optimistic, following a qualifying session at Silverstone, which saw Steve Soper get within 0.6 seconds of the pole position time. However, it's been a busy couple of weeks for the team, with much work needed on both of the cars following the eventful feature race at Silverstone.

ABG Motorsport will also be looking to capitalize on the unknown elements of the Mondello Park circuit, and are confident that Kurt Luby's IS200 can cause problems for the other runners. The team believe that they know what the main problems with the car have been so far this year, and even if they can't all be overcome before the trip to Ireland, things are looking good for the rest of the season.

The Mondello Park circuit itself seems set to play a major role in determining who comes out of the weekend on top. Its combination of fast straights and complex corners will provide an opportunity for the drivers to show their skill. Yvan Muller is one of the few who has driven the circuit, when he completed a number of laps in a Super Touring Vectra as part of the evaluation of the circuit last year. Although racing experience will come in useful, the emphasis will be on each driver's ability to adapt and learn the fastest lines in the shortest possible time. Unlike at other meetings this season, a test session is scheduled for the Friday afternoon before the meeting, to aid the learning process.

Within the Production class, there is certainly more scope for surprises than with the Touring field. Numerous drivers are likely to feel that they have a realistic chance of winning a race going in to the weekend, and the level playing field can only add to the spectacle as far as the crowds are concerned. Whilst the Peugeot 306s, and in particular those of HTML team mates Moen and Harrison, seem to have had the upper hand so far this season, there are many others who can be counted as title contenders. Mark Lemmer's Barwell/Kaliber Racing Team will be optimistic that drivers Kaye and Graves will be up at the front, and the same can be said for the GR Motorsport pairing of Howell and Jackson, who will be searching for the first Ford Focus victory of the season. Other drivers likely to be competitive at the front include Gavin Pyper, Paul O'Neill and youngster Tom Boardman - but these are by no means the only contenders.

Worthy of a mention going in to the fifth meeting of the season is a particular section from the Sporting Regulations outlined by ToCA at the start of the season:

"SPARE ENGINES

Each driver is permitted a maximum of five sealed engines during the course of the championship. The BTCC Clerk may deduct a maximum of 15 championship points for every subsequent change of engine above the permitted limit."

The above figure of five engines per driver for the whole of the season must already be causing considerable worry within certain teams, and with the equivalent of a race victory being taken away for each additional engine, it is not something which can be taken lightly. Brought in as part of the successful plan to reduce running costs this season, the ruling seems set to play a role in the eventual outcome of the Production class championship. Of the front-runners up to this point, it would seem to be the HTML Peugeots who are likely to be affected more than anyone. Whilst the 306s are quick, their engines are also known to be more prone to blowing than many of the others, and the changes required by the team so far this season would seem to back this up. In comparison, the Ford Focuses of the GR Motorsport team may not have won races yet, but they also haven't put as much pressure on their engines, with Gareth Howell still being on his first, and Mat Jackson having needed one change. It would seem that to come out on top of the championship, teams will need to get the balance right, between outright speed and performance, and reliability. Who knows which is on the right path?

As far as Rounds nine and ten are concerned, the focus for the teams is likely to be on making the most of every available lap of the circuit, and working on achieving the optimum set-up to give their drivers that little bit extra. Small differences are likely to be the story of the weekend, and it will be a real test for all involved - and for the fans, the BTCC's first trip to Ireland should provide some long-lasting memories!