Colin Turkington and Team RAC showed great pace in his bio-ethanol MG at Knockhill but what should have been a happy ending to a frustrating weekend was cruelly taken away from the Northern Irishman as his car developed an electrical problem when leading the final BTCC race of the day at the Scottish track.

Promoting Energy Efficient MotorSport, the change to bio-fuel was seamless and the team were within minutes of making history by securing a first podium finish for a car powered by a greener fuel.

Race 1

Running on a full wet-weather set-up the Team RAC cars didn't get a great start in the first of today's three races. With several cars falling victim the greasy track conditions, the race was interrupted on two occasions by safety car periods whilst the stricken cars were removed and the race extended.

Rob Collard was running well in sixth place when he was forced to retire early during the second of the safety car periods due to an electrical failure. Rob said: "The car was handling really well and I was making good progress but then the battery light came on. I turned off my headlights and heated windscreen. The screen started to mist up and I was using the windscreen wipers as little as possible but it got to the stage where I just wasn't able to see. I tried to limp the car around the track to get a finish but the battery gave up."

The additional 36kgs of success ballast played heavily on the car of Colin Turkington. Finishing 8th and collecting four points, it wasn't enough to close the gap on current championship leader Matt Neal. Colin said: "The car ran well in both of the practice sessions yesterday but we decided to make some changes prior to qualifying. Since then, I've struggled with some under steer and getting to grips with the car. I'm confident of some better results in the last two races."

Race 2

Race two of the afternoon resembled a demolition derby as both Team RAC cars were on the receiving end of some contact, hindering Colin's race and ending Rob's prematurely.

Despite this Colin's consistently broke the race lap record earning him a championship point and equalling the point secured for his 10th place finish. Earlier in the race, contact from the Honda Integra of Gareth Howell at the hairpin saw both cars in the gravel and a new set of tyres hastily prepared for the MG. With Colin back out on track his race was interrupted once again when handed a drive through penalty for exiting the pit lane under a red light. But once out on track, a lap behind, Colin continued to make good progress showing the incredible pace of the Team RAC car.

Colin said: "With the track conditions drying the car felt superb and it's bitterly disappointing that I didn't get more from the race. Salvaging two points from that race was about all I could hope for. I've started from the back of the grid before at Knockhill and ended up on the podium, so it's not beyond possibility."

If Rob didn't have bad luck, he wouldn't have any luck at all. Disappointed in the standards in driving, when he himself has received much criticism, it seems that Rob was not destined for the podium despite running strongly. He was forced to retire after nine laps having been assisted into the gravel at Scotsman by Jason Plato, Rob said: "Heading through the SEAT Curves I was conscious of keeping my line. I had my car in front heading to Scotsman when Jason caught me on the left-hander, sending me onto the grass and then back across the track into the barrier. At the moment I feel like I've a target on my car. There was far too much contact in that race and it's dangerous.

The results for the race were later amended due to Darren Turner's SEAT being demoted to the rear of the grid. This was due to ballast not being added to his car. This amendment promoted Colin Turkington to a ninth place finish and an additional point.

Race 3

Starting from ninth on the grid Colin was on track for his first win of the day having made his way through the pack to take the lead on lap 18. An electrical problem then caused the Team RAC car to loose power and the podium position was cruelly taken away resulting in Colin now chasing a 53 point deficit in the Championship.

With a starting grid position of 14th, Rob also made good progress through the field claiming a seventh place finish, his best finish of the day.

Having completed the first weekend's racing following the switch to bio-ethanol fuel, Team RAC's team principal Dick Bennetts said: "The change of fuel hasn't hampered the performance of our car in any way, as you can see from the lap times that Colin produced over the weekend. It was disappointing not to have secured the win in the final race when everything was looking good. Rob once again was on the receiving end of some poor driving causing unnecessary damage and continuing his run of bad luck. It will be good to put this weekend and look ahead positively to the next race."

Team RAC returns to Brands Hatch on 23/24 September for the next and penultimate round of 2006 BTCC season.