Giovanardi tops Rockingham test session

VX Racing’s Fabrizio Giovanardi topped this afternoon’s test session at the 2007 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship media day at Rockingham.

The former European Touring Car Champion set a time of 1:24.806 in the new-for-2007 S2000-spec Vectra, completing a total of 57 laps. Second quickest was Mike Jordan in the Team Eurotech Integra, which has been completely rebuilt since hi massive shunt at Silverstone at the final meeting of last season.

Colin Turkington was third fastest for Team RAC in the loaned BMW 320si E90, ahead of Darren Turner in the first of the SEATs. Turner and teammate Jason Plato, who was fifth fastest, have the advantage of a season’s running in the SEAT Leons, unlike expected fellow frontrunners, VX Racing, Team Halfords and Team RAC who all start the season with brand new cars.

Tom Chilton went sixth quickest in the session, just ahead of Mat Jackson in his family-run BMW. Jackson’s former BTC-Production class teammate Gareth Howell was eighth, after missing much of the session due to clutch problems with his Motorbase Performance SEAT Toledo.

John George (TH Motorsport Honda Integra) and Erkut Kizilirmak (Arkas Racing Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch) completed the top ten for the only official test session ahead of the new season.