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Perfect start for champion Giovanardi

Fabrizio Giovanardi got the defence of his British Touring Car Championship crown off to the ideal start with a double race win on the opening weekend of the 2008 season at Brands Hatch.

The 41-year-old Italian took the narrowest of victories in race one thanks predominantly to a light shower mid-way through the race.

Giovanardi's Vauxhall Vectra VXR was far better suited to the damp conditions than polesitter Mat Jackson, who briefly stuttered in his BMW 320si and was subsequently overtaken. As the track tried, however, he reeled in his race rival but had to make do with the runners-up spot just 0.215 seconds behind.

Jason Plato rounded off the podium for race one in his Seat Leon TDI while the fastest man on the track, Colin Turkington, spun twice to drop down to a dismal 20th place by the chequered flag.

Giovanardi had an easier time for second victory in race two as he led from start to finish but once again had Jackson on his tail until he fluffed his re-start following a safety-car period and dropped well out of contention.

That saw Gordon Shedden climb up to second place, finishing just a second behind Giovanardi in his Honda Civic. There was a second consecutive third place for Plato, another half-a-second back.

Further down the grid, there were a handful of skirmishes on the track. Tom Chilton was forced to retire when his suspension broke after crashing into Turkington's BMW. However, Turkington managed to stay on track and climbed up to eighth place from a starting spot of 20th.

However, Turkington was not the quickest man on track - that honour went to Darren Turner, who set the fastest lap en route to fifth overall.

BMW team Motorbase had a dire second outing as Rob Collard spun after a miniature prang with Stephen Jelley, while Steven Kane later smashed into the pitwall after a high-speed coming together with Mike Jordan.

Turkington pulled off arguably the drive of the day to win the 27-lap third race on Sunday to leave him in fourth spot in the championship standings.

A packed Brands Hatch enjoyed a race-long battle between Turkington and Jackson, who exited the final corner side by side as Jackson unleashed an improbable overtaking manouevre.

Turkington, however, did just enough to fend off Jackson on the line, with two-time BTCC champion Matt Neal a fourther two seconds back in third.

However, Neal's team-mate Tom Onslow-Cole had an eventful race which ended when he had an almighty accident in his Vectra. Onslow-Cole walked away unhurt despite catapulting into the barriers. It brought about the first of two safety-car periods in the race.

Other race retirees were Shedden, another to slide into the barriers although in less dramatic fashion than Onslow-Cole, and Darren Turner, who spun out following a shunt.

Giovanardi finished the race in sixth but his earlier wins were enough to give him an early lead in the championship standings. He goes to Rockingham in two weeks time with 37 points, two clear of Jackson.

And afterwards Giovanardi said: "For me, it was a perfect weekend. For sure, the rain helped me in race one, although I'm sure I would have still caught Mat even without it. And race two was just perfect for me from start to finish. The team did an amazing job.

"In terms of an opening weekend it couldn't have gone much better but what the weekend showed is that there's a lot of competition this season and even more cars capable of race wins. It should be a hell of a season."