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00:00British Touring Car Championship, in association with SEAT.
00:19Autoemotion.
00:30We're ready to go then for round 13, we look to the gantry to see the lights and looks
00:49like everybody's ready, lights will go on the gantry very soon, engine loads rise, they're
00:54keeping and wasting quite a long time here in Van Muller, on the left of picture, lights
00:59out, and away they go, great start, it's Anthony Reid going to be able to make it round the
01:03outside, cracking start from Tuxton, he tries to go round the outside, but it speeds the
01:07meat in the Vauxhall sandwich as they come down to the air bin, but it's Muller that comes
01:10through, one of the MGs, I think that's Turkington, from 4th place, trying to come up into 2nd,
01:14as they came round the first corners, Muller held his nerve well there.
01:17Yeah, Muller got the initial jump from that conference in Vauxhall position right opposite,
01:20he got the initial jump and managed to hold that inside line into the first corner, it
01:25was Anthony Reid round the outside of Turkington, had the line for the left-hander immediately
01:30after the first corner, but immediately putting pressure on Muller, it's Anthony Reid.
01:35Yeah, that was a good start, wasn't it, by Muller, and also a good attempt to start from
01:38Thompson, who tried to go round the outside, didn't re-work for him there at the air bin,
01:41he finds himself down in 4th place, so we've got the two MGs, Anthony Reid and the medicine
01:45black sun strip across the front, and then we've got Muller Turkington in 3rd place,
01:49and Turkington is really up to enjoy this weekend's action.
01:52Turkington's starting to put Reid under a bit of pressure on this opening lap,
01:55but it's Muller out front, and the top 3 just opening up a little gap now over James Tomlton.
02:00Yeah, this is the fastest part of the track out of that previous corner, low lead down, low the bend,
02:05down through Daly's Drift, into these oddly named 7A and 7B corners,
02:10they're obviously waiting for a couple more Irish heroes to name those corners after,
02:14but yeah, the 5-3 trying to break away.
02:16They come down into Geraint Benz, the right-hander followed by the left-hander, the leader,
02:20is Ivan Muller, the Frenchman, the championship leader by one point, he leads from Anthony Reid,
02:24Holly Turkington, through goes the mill, a big look at Rob Huff there, they can't have shot,
02:28the second of the Seat, but back with the leaders, and it's Muller still leading, Reid there in second,
02:32in the first of the MGs, then Colin Turkington as they head towards the conclusion of the first lap,
02:37bouncing over the curve, Jason Plato not too far away in fifth position,
02:40the Seat with the yellow sunscreen as well trying to close down,
02:43as they come through Dunlop corner towards the end of the first lap.
02:46Yeah, so far we've got all the cars round the first lap, that's an achievement itself,
02:50ooh, a couple of the new guys in the team, short term Astros there, having a big battle,
02:54that's Hodges and Smith in the two cart Astros there,
02:59but the positions very much held the same actually on this first lap, from the grid position.
03:03Yeah, it was good wasn't it, Matt Neill coming up to have a little level,
03:06and Jason Plato as well now, let's go to the base for the top six,
03:08the end of lap one, Muller for three, Holly Turkington third,
03:10James Thompson is there in fourth place, head of Jason Plato,
03:13that's Plato coming through the picture now, being followed by Matt Neill in the,
03:17oh and James Kaye, is that James Kaye?
03:21That's Kaye and Richard Marsh off, further back on the field,
03:25I think separate accidents there though.
03:27OK, well bad news for those two Hondas, back with the lead as we go,
03:30and it looks like Colin Turkington was starting to put a little bit of pressure on Anthony Reid there,
03:34Turkington not running with any balance, he's even Stevens in this one at the moment,
03:38Reid running with a lighter car as they make their way through once again.
03:41Yeah, maybe the weight will come into play later in the race as the tyres start to get warm,
03:46this circuit is really hard on the front tyres particularly,
03:49there's a lot of hairpins, a lot of heavy braking, a lot of big direction change,
03:53that takes its toll on the front tyres, and you can see now as we get into the tighter sections,
03:58Reid is all over the back of Ivan Muller, and that will certainly come into play later in the race,
04:04when the weight will punish the tyres even more.
04:07I'm just wondering Tim on this one, what the SP is going to be in terms of Reid's team mate Colin Turkington,
04:12whether he will be allowed to attack as well, or are there any team orders, or have they just got to get to the finish?
04:16Well after what Reid has already done to Turkington so far this year, I'm sure that he will take any option he can.
04:25Here we go on the restart, you see just initially Muller gets that jump, Reid a little bit lazy off the start line,
04:31Matt Neil's trying to close the door on Clayto behind, Thompson's looking round the outside,
04:35but they end up shuffling back into exactly the same positions.
04:39Difficult circuit isn't it to get round the outside on that first corner unless you've got the really good advantage of coming through off the grid,
04:45but it didn't happen and now we've got Muller still in front from Anthony Reid in second place, Colin Turkington in third,
04:50back in fourth is James Thompson, about half a couple of lengths or so back now to Jason Clayto,
04:55as if you'd like to say, and then Matt Neil, as we said he desperately tried to get that place on the start,
04:59didn't work for him, after Matt Neil it's Luke Hines in the 57 car, followed by Tom Chilton.
05:05Yeah exactly the same, you can see the driver starting to get a little bit more greedy now over the kerbs,
05:10it's actually very hard to get into a rhythm around this track because you're attacking the kerbs and the car bounces off the kerbs in different directions every lap,
05:18it's very hard to maintain a normal rhythm, so you will see the gaps between the cars fluctuate quite wildly as drivers make little mistakes each lap.
05:27Here we come, race leader Ivan Muller, second place Anthony Reid, Reid trying to hunt him down, Colin Turkington, second of the MGs in third place,
05:34Reid getting closer again, he's going to try and force Ivan Muller into a mistake, really that's probably the only way he's going to try and get past,
05:39very very close, right under the rear spoiler of the race leader.
05:43Well Reid is very quick through that previous corner, Lola, which is a long right-hander, and if he can get a good run up through there,
05:50he may be able to outbrake Muller down into the 7A, 7B sequence of bends, but the other best place to overtake is possibly into Dunlop, the last corner.
06:01Fastest lap of the race on the first flyer goes to Colin Turkington, to the man in third place here, and you can see he's all over the back of Reid as they come out of that corner,
06:08but Reid looks pointed at the moment perhaps to try and have another nibble at Ivan Muller, can't quite do it, over the kerbs as you say Tim,
06:14still working hard, heading up towards the Dunlop corner for the conclusion of lap 3, remember a 14 lap race for the British Touring Cars, and it's Muller that leads.
06:21Yeah, Thompson just slightly struggling to hang on to this, and further back, Matt Neill's got past Plato, but Plato's fighting back on the inside,
06:28Matt's trying to close the door, but Plato's got the overlap, and should get him up the inside here.
06:33Side by side as they come into the hairpin now, and it's Plato on the inside line, Matt Neill on the outside, and Plato in the same, it's going to try and make its leg.
06:40Still side by side, Neill's got the line as he goes to the next corner, and hangs on to it.
06:44Well, that was good driving by both of them, it's very difficult normally to go around the outside without losing the position,
06:50but Matt Neill achieved it, and of course the next bend which comes very soon after is that left-hand king,
06:55and he managed to take the position, but good racing by both of them, not to overtake.
06:59Here we see it coming in, Matt is slightly in front, but Jason gets to the inside and has a little bit of an advantage through the bend,
07:05but Matt just holds his own, keeps the line, and has it in front of the left-hand.
07:10That was great racing, wasn't it, from both drivers, great deal of respect for each other, that's what we want to see.
07:15Here we go, back with the leaders though, and Ivan Muller leading in the Vauxhall Astra Coupe.
07:19Here we go back to the MG ZS of Anthony Reid, still there in second place, Colin Turkington in third.
07:24Interesting to see the non-improving lap times, did you get the impression that Muller perhaps holding them up at this stage?
07:29Well, as I say, that's one of the team's short-term cars in the pits, that's a great shame.
07:34One of the two young drivers having a, that was Gavin Smith, unfortunately out of the race.
07:44Back to the front, and as you say, I don't think Muller is holding up, because Thompson can't stay on the back of this group.
07:49He's actually dropping back from the front three, which is making it easy for Reid and Turkington to play a slight weighting game.
07:56Muller is driving exceptionally, bearing in mind he has got the 42 kilos on.
08:00Thompson's car is actually lighter, but he can't stay with them, so Muller really has got a handle on this place.
08:06Okay, well that's good. Looking back to the second boxer, and I'll tell you what, Matt Neill, he is challenging now,
08:11and he's got himself right underneath the back of Thompson's car.
08:14So Thompson clearly struggling, as you said, and Matt Neill taking the battle to him.
08:17Can he now just, is he going to have a look round the outside? Not really close enough at this stage, as they go down into the hairpin.
08:21And Thompson will hold on to that, but Thompson's now looking back, isn't he, rather than looking forward?
08:26Well, absolutely. I mean, you can, that's further back, we're looking at the team mate there, Dan Eaves.
08:31He's actually down in 11th place.
08:34But, yeah, Matt Neill closed up very quickly on Thompson on that lap.
08:38If you remember, he started the last lap just passing Jason Plato, but within the space of a lap, he's right on the back of Thompson.
08:46There's Thompson coming into the back of shot there.
08:48We go back to the leader at the moment, Muller just getting a bit of breathing space.
08:50Four tenths of a second as they came through last time ahead of Reid, then Turkington.
08:54Now we're looking at the fourth place man, James Thompson, champion two years ago, of course.
08:58Then Matt Neill outing him down in the Computeach car, and trying to work his way up onto, under the back wing,
09:03and see if he can have a little nibble as they come around.
09:06Let's just watch Matt Neill, see if he can come through.
09:08Losing Jason Plato a little bit now, Jason Plato down in sixth place, Luke Hines at seventh, then Tom Chilton in eighth place,
09:14Rob Huff in ninth, and Joel Watson's fifth down into tenth.
09:18Yeah, it's also not surprising to see the lap time slipping away.
09:21As I say, this circuit is very hard on tyres, and all the drivers would have started off on brand new ones,
09:27so we'd expect to set their fastest laps on the first or second lap.
09:31Here we go, back with the battle for fourth position, and Neill is starting to have a nibble now at the fourth place man, James Thompson.
09:37He was nearly looking to have a go, and also in the distance I saw that Colin Turkington was thinking of having the pop at Reid as well,
09:43so Jonathan's nowhere to look.
09:44Well, having said that, Turkington dropping away a bit.
09:46Now let's concentrate on the battle for fourth, with Thompson still there at the moment.
09:50Matt Neill, very spectacular, got the flame out as he came through the corner, and trying to hunt them down.
09:54Through Dunlop again they come, this is five laps, so just over one third distance in pound 13.
09:59Oh, and Matt Neill, I saw a little bit of a lunge, and he's got alongside Thompson.
10:03It was a very late lunge into the final corner, but he looks to have done it.
10:07Good effort by Matt Neill, but will Thompson replay the move that Matt Neill did on Plato around the outside?
10:13I don't think so, I think James will be a little bit more circumspect.
10:16Yeah, Thompson is indeed, slots back in, so Thompson now down into fifth position, and up into fourth comes Matt Neill.
10:23The question is now, can Matt Neill get a bit of a run on and try and catch down the MGs?
10:27This is going to be interesting to see. There's Neill up into fourth place, Thompson down into fifth.
10:31Oh!
10:32Well, well held, well held.
10:34The rallying experience coming in again.
10:36Yeah, exactly, I mean, just got a little bit wide on the way.
10:39You are braking very hard on the approach to that bend.
10:42It's called turn three, and you brake on the bend, and you've just got a little bit wide,
10:46a little bit perhaps too much rear brake, and just got the back twitching, but held it very well rally style, as you say.
10:51So now he's got Plato breathing down his neck, so he's got a little bit of work to do.
10:55Muller is pulling away, there's a gap now between Reid and Turkington.
10:58He's got a problem, I think, Tom.
11:00Well, another big slide there, yeah, definitely.
11:01I mean, it could be that in sliding wide he picked up some dirt on that left rear tyre,
11:06and then, of course, the next time he leans on it, the car does oversteer,
11:09but it's going to make it very hard to defend now until he gets the grip back.
11:13Thompson in fifth place now, battling with Jason Plato in the Seat.
11:16He's going to try and see if he can get past.
11:18We've got another one of the VX racing cars.
11:20That's Luke Hines behind Plato, who's poised as well,
11:23but at the moment Thompson hangs onto this place.
11:25Plato putting him under pressure.
11:26There's Matt Neill, who got past a lap or so earlier on.
11:29He's now reeling in Colin Turkington in third place to see if we can catch him down,
11:32but Muller looking comfortable out front at the moment.
11:34Yeah, this is going to be a bit of a crushing blow if Muller wins this
11:37and Thompson ends up fighting back for a minor place
11:40because, as we say, Thompson carrying the weight,
11:43Muller carrying the weight, Thompson will be absolutely devastated if this happens.
11:47There they come, Thompson again leading,
11:49and there's a great big queue behind Thompson now.
11:51Just having a look at the inside was Luke Hines there on Jason Plato
11:53as they came out of Dunlop.
11:55Can't quite do anything about it now.
11:56Onto the main straight they come.
11:57This is two complete six laps, and through they go,
12:00and Plato's still trying to just get on turns with Thompson.
12:03Can't do it, Thompson seems to settle down now,
12:05but there's a challenge as well down the inside just behind there.
12:07Yeah, Luke Hines is getting in here.
12:09Rob Huff at the back, we know he's not shy of having an attack,
12:12but he's got to try and get past Tom Chilton,
12:16who's a bit of a...
12:17They're side by side now coming down to this third three,
12:20which is the very fast braking area down to the right.
12:23So he's struggling to get past,
12:25but Matt Neill's definitely catching up that front three, isn't he?
12:28Yeah, Neill's getting away.
12:29There's Plato, and Hines having a bit of a dice.
12:31Plato just dropping away at the moment from James Thompson,
12:33who goes through down.
12:34There goes Plato.
12:35Then we go to Tom Chilton.
12:36Rob Huff trying to reel him down in the second of the Seats,
12:39and trying to put him under pressure.
12:40Certainly in a position to challenge, isn't he?
12:42There's Plato.
12:43Hines right behind him.
12:44Buller out front still, remember.
12:45From Anthony Reid.
12:46Colin Turking to third.
12:47Matt Neill in fourth place.
12:48James Thompson in fifth.
12:49Yeah, and you can see now it looks as though James Thompson's managed
12:53to just regroup himself.
12:54Get that grip back in that dirty left rear tyre.
12:57Get his grip back and pull a little bit of a gap.
12:59But here we are.
13:00Reid. Reid all over Muller.
13:02Yeah, Reid's getting a bit of second wind here, isn't he?
13:04Seems to have dumped Turkington for a moment.
13:06That gives him a bit of breathing space.
13:07And now he can start to put the pressure on Ivan Muller.
13:09Here comes Muller.
13:10Kicks up a bit of dirt as he goes through 7A, 7B.
13:13Muller is still there.
13:14Drops away a bit to Reid at this stage.
13:16Wide a line in.
13:17Tries to carry some speed out.
13:18Muller still out front.
13:19Reid in second place.
13:20Turkington.
13:21Couple of legs back now in third place.
13:22Remember it's Neill still four.
13:24And then Thompson fifth.
13:25Well, I said we'd see the gaps ebb and flow
13:27as drivers make small mistakes around this track.
13:30And that's certainly what's happened.
13:31Oh, that's Stefan Hodgetts out now.
13:33That's a great shame.
13:34So him and Gavin Smith both retiring
13:36in their first Touring Car Championship race.
13:39A big shame for them.
13:40But let's concentrate on this back at the front.
13:42It's the race leader then.
13:43Here they come.
13:44Down into the Hewlett Packard hairpin once again.
13:47Ivan Muller under big pressure now.
13:49From Anthony Reid there.
13:50Reid will pick up a bit of dirt there as he comes through.
13:53Then it's Colin Turkington.
13:55Matt Neill next up.
13:56Top five.
13:57Jake Thompson's fit.
14:08Back to the front.
14:09Ivan Muller breaking round that turn.
14:11Difficult turn.
14:12Turn three is a real tightening apex.
14:14And so you need to go in wide and come out tight.
14:17That invites the car behind to have a nose up the inside.
14:20That was Anthony Reid still trying to put it under some pressure in that lighter car.
14:24Remember if he finished as well in this one.
14:26He'll start down towards the tenth position in the second race of the day.
14:29And carry more ballast as well.
14:30That's not going to help him.
14:31But of course he desperately wants to get his first win of the year.
14:34So far we've seen three wins, two wins, beg your pardon, for Ivan Muller.
14:39There is Reid still trying to chase down Muller as they make their way round the far side of the circuit.
14:44Reid just dropped it away a little bit now.
14:46And Matt Neill's on a bit of a mission.
14:47He's still trying to reel in Turkington but a lot of work to do.
14:50Yeah, Matt Neill's gradually catching Turkington.
14:53And further back we should concentrate also on the race for tenth.
14:56The race within the race.
14:58At the moment we've got Rob Huff on nine.
15:00And Sean Watson-Smith on tenth.
15:02And Dan Eves on eleven.
15:04So Dan Eves trying to repeat what he did at Auckland.
15:07Get on the front row for the second race.
15:09Sean Watson-Smith and Rob Huff at the moment occupying that front row for the second race.
15:14Yeah, that could be interesting, couldn't it?
15:16Watson-Smith, we've seen him have the pace.
15:17He had the fastest lap at Brad Tatch earlier in the year.
15:19So the Proton team certainly have the pace.
15:21If he gets out front who knows what he can do.
15:23But Muller still there coming through Dunlop again.
15:26We're already at half distance.
15:27Lap seven completed last time around.
15:29This is the completion of lap eight.
15:30And Muller still there.
15:31Who goes?
15:32Jason Plato.
15:33And now we've got a real challenge for the lead coming across the line.
15:36And Anthony Reid's going to try and go to the outside of Ivan Muller as they come down into the hairpin.
15:40Side by side into the hairpin.
15:41Can Reid hang on to it as they come around there?
15:43And the answer is no, he can't quite do it.
15:45Muller gets across in front, holds on to that.
15:47But fair play.
15:48Feinheart never kissed a pig, did he?
15:50Absolutely.
15:51That was Muller using all his experience there.
15:54The normal line there is to go a little bit slowly on the apex and hold the car into the inside.
15:59So you get a good run through.
16:01Here we see a repeat.
16:02Anthony brakes very late and actually holds a quite tight line.
16:06But Muller lets the car drift out wide a little bit there.
16:09Pushes Anthony out and drops back.
16:12Normally you see the cars following.
16:13Hold the car a little bit tighter to the right so they get a good line through the next left.
16:17So the challenge is now on.
16:19Yeah this is great stuff.
16:20Great driving for both these guys from Norway.
16:22This is what we saw earlier on with Plato and Neil of course who were hard at it.
16:27But actually Reid really is on the case now.
16:29And all over the back of Ivan Muller.
16:30Still fastest up with circuit.
16:31As you said the tyres really do come under pressure here.
16:34I don't think we're going to see the lap times better.
16:36One tenth of a second as they came around last time.
16:38What can Reid do about Muller out front?
16:41Yeah the lap times now dropped off by well over a second.
16:44The second and a half.
16:45That is quite normal here as we said.
16:47And this is where Muller is now running into tyre degradation problems.
16:51Bearing in mind the extra weight he's got on the car.
16:53And he's having to use more and more of the kerb to stay in front of Anthony Reid.
16:57As you say yeah Muller's car running a lot heavier of course.
16:59He managed to put the car at maximum ballast on pole position.
17:03Remarkable.
17:04He's running at maximum ballast because he won the last race of course.
17:06At Alkpark third race.
17:07At Alkpark in the last round.
17:09And Reid all over the kerb.
17:10Bouncing everywhere.
17:11Desperately trying to get on terms with Ivan Muller up front.
17:13Here they come into the lap again.
17:14Reid having a look down the inside.
17:15Doesn't quite work for him.
17:16Muller holds on to it.
17:17And they almost touch.
17:18They're trying to get a bit of paint there.
17:19And Reid's now going to try and go from the inside.
17:21But Muller comes as well and holds on.
17:23Yeah what Anthony's trying to do now.
17:25Is he's trying to just ease Muller wide on the corner.
17:28He knows he can't really get round the outside.
17:30He's tried that before.
17:31This is an identical manoeuvre.
17:32Muller will again ease him out wide.
17:34Well even wider that time.
17:35So what he's trying to do after that last corner Dunlop.
17:38Is just ease Muller wide.
17:40So he can get up the inside.
17:41If he can get up the inside.
17:42He will manage to out drag him and hold.
17:44And get him to the first corner first.
17:46But this could allow Turkington and Neil to get up to their tail.
17:50That's right.
17:51These two are slowing each other up out front.
17:52So now Turkington and Neil are going to come up into play as well.
17:54But it's great to see these guys really thinking about this.
17:57And you can see Reid really is harrying the championship lead at Ivan Muller.
18:00He's a championship by Thompson.
18:02Or Port Thompson by one point as they come into this race.
18:05And Reid is right on him.
18:06And that is really, really close.
18:08He's been on it all the way through this race.
18:10Long break.
18:11Dropping back a little bit to regroup himself now.
18:13And he's going to have a little dip down the inside.
18:15Ivan Muller.
18:16Muller leaves half a gap there.
18:17Reid can't quite get through.
18:18Muller hangs on to it.
18:19This is great racing.
18:20Well that's not normally an overtaking place.
18:22And Muller saw the little lunge and actually gave a car length room on the inside.
18:26Which is the right thing to do.
18:27Had he got into the apex I'm sure Anthony would have hit him.
18:30But he gave a car width room.
18:32And that meant he kept the position in the lead.
18:34But this battle.
18:35Look at Turkington and Neil.
18:37Right up behind now.
18:38Yeah this is great isn't it.
18:39We've got two battles going on now.
18:41Matt Neil all over the back of Turkington as well.
18:43But we focus on the battle for the lead at the moment.
18:45Because, well here we go.
18:46Back to third and fourth.
18:47College Turkington there.
18:48A little bit ragged.
18:49Here come Finitas.
18:50Matt Neil's all over the back of him.
18:51Not quite.
18:52I don't think as close as Muller is to the race leader.
18:54But certainly there.
18:55If there's any tears at the front.
18:57Then Matt Neil's going to come out this exceptionally well.
18:59Absolutely.
19:00And Matt Neil will be trying very hard to get on the podium anyway.
19:02Let's see if Reid attempts another outbreak.
19:04Or a little nudge.
19:05No.
19:06He's quite disciplined that time.
19:08Very gentlemanly of Anthony Reid that time wasn't it.
19:10Just hangs back.
19:11Maybe he's going to think about it on the next lap.
19:12This is going to conclude lap number 10.
19:14Four laps to go.
19:15Van Muller the race leader.
19:16Anthony Reid in second place.
19:17Holland Turkington third.
19:18Matt Neil fourth.
19:19James Thompson in fifth place.
19:21Ned Luke Hines.
19:22Jason Plato in seventh.
19:23Rob Chilton in eighth.
19:24This is the battle for third.
19:25Matt Neil in the orange car.
19:27Chasing down the third place car.
19:29Holland Turkington.
19:30Here goes Turkington.
19:31Under massive pressure.
19:32Really is standing up to it well.
19:34Yeah, I mean, it was fairly calm at the start, wasn't it?
19:37As they all held their positions.
19:39But touring car drivers can't hold themselves in check for very long.
19:43And the paint's starting to be exchanged.
19:45And the rubbing started as we get down to the last four laps.
19:50Jason Plato dropping down the order at the moment.
19:52We've got to pick up on what the problem is from the SEAT team.
19:55But Matt Neil still trying to challenge Thompson.
20:00Matt Neil driving, I mean, sorry, apologies.
20:03Jason Plato driving one of his canny races just like he did at Thruxton.
20:07He realises he hasn't got the pace to run the front.
20:09So he's elected to drop back.
20:11He came across the line behind his teammate, Rottenhub.
20:13He's in ninth place.
20:14So I'm sure that Jason is driving a tactical race to get on the front road for race two.
20:19Yeah, we're seeing how difficult it is to overtake here.
20:21And it seems to be some cracking battles.
20:23But Plato really thinking positively.
20:25And it's going to be good for saying, of course, for him to get a win.
20:28He knew this year it's going to be about taking individual race wins rather than the championship.
20:32It's a development year for them.
20:33Absolutely.
20:34And so he might as well play the development game and sacrifice races where he's not as competitive like this one.
20:40And go for race wins when he can do.
20:42So sensible thinking by him.
20:44We'll get back to that battle.
20:46The front four is split now into a pair at the front and a pair in second and third.
20:51Yeah, Turkington seems to have seen off the challenge from Matt Neill for the moment.
20:54But Anthony Reid is still very much in the mirrors of Ivan Müller out front.
20:58We go back to Thompson in a reasonably lowly fifth position.
21:02Sixth is Luke Hines in the third of the Vauxhalls.
21:05This time Reid is some way back.
21:07There is Jason Plato running in ninth place.
21:09The car behind him is Sean Watson-Smith in the Proton who will join him on the front road.
21:13Things stay as they are.
21:14That's the way it looks at the moment.
21:16Plato's certainly under no threat from behind.
21:18Sean Watson-Smith has Dan Eaves behind him.
21:20Dan Eaves in 11th.
21:22He'll be desperate to try and get that one place.
21:24That one place if he gets it will move him up ten places on the grid obviously for race two.
21:28So that battle is very much on.
21:31Back to the front though.
21:32Reid still with three more laps to try and find a way past Müller who's driven so impressively in his first race.
21:40Yeah, they both have. It's been a good race.
21:41Now Matt Neil seems to be getting back on a bit of a charge and reeling in Turkington again.
21:45We've seen him run under the back wing of the third place man.
21:49Matt Neil several laps on the top.
21:50He hasn't been able to do anything about making a move.
21:52And now Anthony Reid as well comes off line.
21:53Hasn't it down the inside?
21:54Doesn't quite work for him.
21:55Well, there's no gap there.
21:56Muller is very much wise to that and realises that Reid was going to make an attempt but kept it very well indeed.
22:02But Reid is still on a big charge, still attacking in that WSR run MG ZX.
22:07Now he's going to have a look round the outside is he? Is he going to be brave?
22:10No, he's just trying to set up a good exit from this second part of the corner here on the way up to Bahrain's.
22:15But it's really hard to pass here.
22:17The cars use a lot of grass on the way in, a lot of kerb.
22:20You'll see the cut right over there, over the grass and then cut the corner here.
22:24They had put some new barriers in on that second part of the chicane.
22:27I see they've all been removed during the course of the touring car race.
22:30That's fairly normal.
22:31But part of that was a reason why lap times were slower than last year.
22:36But I have to say Anthony has held himself in check very well so far this race.
22:41He's had opportunities to pump Muller but hasn't resorted to it.
22:46Oh, here we go with Matt Neil making the last late challenge up the inside of Turkington.
22:51Did he get there?
22:53Yeah, he did.
22:54Turkington tailed on, wasn't it?
22:55It was a very late move for Matt Neil, really having a go.
22:57And Turkington got away.
22:58Here they come across the line again.
22:59This is going to complete lap 12, so it's two to go.
23:02And Turkington's still there in third place.
23:05Matt Neil really did have a go.
23:06He's on a chance.
23:07Neil desperately wants to get onto the podium.
23:09Back we go, though, to the battle for the lead.
23:10Anthony Reid is challenging.
23:12Reid, the 47-year-old Scotsman from Oxford, is putting Muller under big pressure.
23:17Muller, the 34-year-old Frenchman, the reigning champion.
23:19He goes through that corner, kicks up the dirt, he's using all the curve,
23:22plus a little bit more in this defensive lead.
23:24Reid is desperately trying to hunt him down now.
23:26A little bit far back, trying different lines,
23:28trying to get the momentum out of the corners where perhaps Muller doesn't.
23:31What could he do?
23:32He's trying absolutely everything to try and get through.
23:34He's had to do it, but Muller hanging on well still.
23:36Yeah, I'm not convinced that taking quite as much dirt and dust on the inside of the tracks
23:41is necessarily the right thing for Muller to be doing.
23:43He's picking up a lot of dirt on his tyres by doing that.
23:46We saw how that compromised Thompson, it really does affect him for a couple of corners.
23:50Although it's a shorter line and a shorter distance.
23:53Oh, we've got Dan Eats out.
23:54He was trying to get that place from Sean Watson-Smith.
23:57So it looks to me like he's just locked up and gone straight on at Holliday and Ireland.
24:02That's a very difficult tightening hairpin and I think that's about where he would have been on that lap.
24:07Yeah, he's going to be way down the grid now.
24:09He was challenging to try and get that pole position off Sean Watson-Smith for the next race.
24:12And now he finds himself in the retirement and will go off the back.
24:15Muller still there though, out front looking for win number four this year.
24:18Not three, apologies to him as I said earlier on.
24:20Reid putting him under pressure.
24:21Now it's still Muller out front.
24:22Here he comes in the Vauxhall Astra Coupe.
24:24He's leading a familiar sight in British touring car racing, but he's doing a great job.
24:28Reid still putting him under pressure.
24:29Hopping over the curves, using all of them a bit more.
24:31Into Dunlop again now for the penultimate time.
24:33Ivan Muller still there in lead position.
24:35What can Reid do as they head towards the last lap?
24:37Out of Dunlop for the penultimate time.
24:39Onto the home straight again.
24:41Is Reid going to take a different line?
24:42Doesn't really seem close enough at the moment.
24:44Is he going to have a look around the outside?
24:45Holds it back at the moment.
24:46Down to Hewlett-Packard.
24:47Onto the last lap.
24:48What can Reid do?
24:49Well, he's going to put the most amount of pressure on.
24:52But similarly, Ivan Muller is going to drive all the way around the inside of this circuit.
24:56If that means he stays in front.
24:58It's going to be a very tense battle.
25:00Watch it down into turn three.
25:02Heavy braking here.
25:03Tightening inside line.
25:05And then into the next hairpin.
25:06These are two opportunities where if the driver doesn't hold a very tight line.
25:09Well, look at that.
25:10I told you he'd be on the inside.
25:11And he couldn't have been any closer, could he?
25:13No, Muller was right on it.
25:14And as you say, Anthony Reid's still trying to get him.
25:16But Muller driving very defensively.
25:18Hanging on to this one.
25:19Last lap of the 14 lapper.
25:21And Muller has led from the start.
25:23But it hasn't been a dull race.
25:24It's been an absolute cracker all the way down.
25:26Battle going on.
25:27Battle Royal for the lead here between Muller and Anthony Reid.
25:30The Battle of the Third has been raging between Turkington and Neil.
25:33But here is the battle for the lead.
25:34Muller still there.
25:35Reid goes right over the curbs.
25:36Right on the back bumper now of that lead car.
25:39Ivan Muller takes a wide line out of the corner.
25:40Tries to carry the speed out of that corner.
25:42And will he have another challenge with Muller here?
25:44Can't quite do it.
25:45Muller hangs on.
25:46Yeah, down into 7A and 7B.
25:48This is where I thought maybe, maybe, maybe there'd be a challenge.
25:51Reid is really close.
25:53They've got only three more corners to go.
25:55It's going to be very, very close.
25:57There's a possibility after the next Berrain chicane into MG.
26:00But again, I'm sure that Muller's going to hold a tight line.
26:03He's basically challenging Anthony.
26:05The only way you're going to get past is to push me off.
26:07Because Muller knows that Anthony can't risk it.
26:09Well, Reid knows that a metaphorical push is all he can do in the eyes of the motor racing regulations.
26:14And that's what he's been doing all the way through this race.
26:16Anthony Reid in second place.
26:18Ivan Muller is there.
26:20Still in lead position.
26:21It looks like Reid, of course, will take the independence win, which is important for him.
26:25He's going to have a go round the outside.
26:26Doesn't quite work for him.
26:27Muller hangs on to it.
26:28Muller the wily old Frenchman hangs on to it now.
26:30It's going to be the run to the flag.
26:31Ivan Muller in the voxel.
26:32Reid comes out of his line.
26:34Side by side as they cross the line.
26:35Reid's just got the legs up.
26:36Hasn't quite got the legs to get through Muller.
26:38Muller hangs on to it.
26:39Well done Muller.
26:40Absolutely brilliant drive by Muller.
26:42Matney will coast across the line in fourth.
26:45Not sure what the problem there is.
26:46We're going to wait to see who comes across the line in ninth and tenth.
26:49And who will occupy the front row of the grid for race two.
26:52And I think it's going to be Plato and Bentwood.
26:56Watson Smith losing out on that last lap.
26:58Yeah he's lost a couple of places Watson Smith.
27:02He's had a very, very good race up to that point.
27:05But Michael Bentwood in the number 14 car comes through.
27:09And takes the pole position for the second race alongside him.
27:13After a splendid tactical race.
27:15It's going to be the number 11 car.
27:18The SEAT of former champion Jason Plato.
27:21But we're looking now at Ivan Muller.
27:24Who took another win.
27:25His fourth win.
27:26Muller took his first win of the year at Thruxton.
27:29The third race of the day back in round one.
27:31And then at Brands Hatch was denied wins.
27:35Came back to winning former Alton Park the last round of the championship.
27:39Winning the opening race of the day of round four.
27:41And then taking the third race.
27:43And therefore carrying maximum ballast in this one.
27:46So Muller by virtue of the win.
27:48Will start back in tenth position.
27:51For the second race of the day.
27:53Which will be around about two o'clock this afternoon.
27:57So we're going to have a very interesting race.
27:59To see if Ivan Muller can work his way through the field.
28:04So here are the results.
28:06Confirmation of the win for the Frenchman Ivan Muller.
28:08Winning time 25 minutes 34.125.
28:11Anthony Reid second in car number six.
28:13A great drive. Good challenging drive from Anthony.
28:14Third place goes to Colin Turkington.
28:16Then Matt Neill in car number three.
28:18Followed by James Thompson.
28:20Luke Hines next up in 57.
28:22Tom Chilton, Rob Half, Jason Plato and Bentwood.
28:24Rounding off the top ten.
28:26British Touring Car Championship.
28:28In association with Seat.
28:30Autoemotion.
28:37British Touring Car Championship.
28:39In association with Seat.
28:40Autoemotion.
28:41So confirmation of that result and disappointment as we said in the closing stages for Dan Eves who was challenging for that tenth place.
28:53As we look at Jason Plato.
28:54And he will no doubt be looking forward.
28:56And his legion of fans that are here at Mondello.
28:58He's got a great following as Plato.
29:01And he will start on the front row of the grid alongside Michael Bentwood.
29:05And I'm just wondering what the possibilities are of perhaps having another first time winner this weekend.
29:12Perhaps with Michael Bentwood.
29:13And it will all be down on that run to the first corner.
29:16Plato of course will be finding himself on the outside of the front row.
29:20As the cars now make their way back into Parc Fermet.
29:25For the technical checks.
29:27In terms of the championship.
29:29That's another 16 points to Ivan Muller.
29:32Who's pulled out a little bit of a gap now over James Thompson.
29:35The 12 points for Anthony Reid of course extend his lead in the independence championship.
29:41The bonus point for the fastest lap on that one.
29:44Going to the second of BMG's Colin Turkington.
29:46Way back on lap two.
29:48And as we heard Tim describe the tyres going off very very quickly.
29:54So the fastest laps of the race being set early on.
29:56Turkington will pick up the point for that.
29:59So Muller's car going through the ligatory weighing and scrutineering.
30:05And the cars will make their way down towards the podium.
30:09Just looking back then the independence winner in that one was Anthony Reid.
30:13Two tenths of a second behind Muller as they came through.
30:18Colin Turkington's third place is actually his best result so far of the year.
30:25The previous best for Turkington in the WSR run MG ZS was a fourth position at Alton Park the last round.
30:31So really starting to see some progress from Colin Turkington.
30:35Muller then out of the car and declining a little bit of refreshment.
30:40He made it look terribly like very very light work.
30:43So congratulations from his team.
30:48Ivan Muller taking the plaudits of his colleagues there.
30:50Okay, yeah sure.
30:52Ivan, congratulations.
30:55Now that looked like a very very hard race.
30:59Yeah, it was a very hard race because you know it's a very twisted circuit.
31:04Many opportunities to overtake.
31:06And Anthony was 60 and something more kilo lighter than me.
31:13So I could manage for a few laps and then in the end it was hard on tire and brake and everything.
31:18So that victory cost a lot.
31:21Now you've come back, your tires are pretty much smoky.
31:24I mean, did that weight make a really big effect on you?
31:27Yeah, I was pushing under 10%, you know.
31:30And even I don't know for the two last laps if I don't have a small punch on the rear axle, I'm not sure.
31:36But to be honest I was focused on my drive and nothing else.
31:40And you must have been a bit focused on Anthony Reid there towards the latter stages.
31:44Yeah, but on the same time it's quite difficult this kind of race because I could see Jimmy where he was.
31:51And I fight with him for the championship.
31:53So I can't take too much risk with Anthony.
31:56But I was decided to win this race.
31:59I would never let him pass.
32:01Brilliant, thank you very much Ivan.
32:03Thank you. Back to Tim and Richard for the minute.
32:05Thanks very much Vicky.
32:07Just looking at the point standings and getting very interesting on the independence.
32:11Because Matt Neill held the lead on the independence championship with 87 points.
32:15Anthony Reid on 82.
32:17And certainly Reid is chipping away.
32:20Let's go down and join Vicky. Who's with Anthony Reid down in pit lane?
32:23Anthony, you're huffing and puffing. Was that a good one?
32:26If I enjoyed it, I would have enjoyed it a lot more if I'd won.
32:30Basically in qualifying is where I lost the race yesterday.
32:33I made a mistake which cost me a tenth, which effectively cost me pull.
32:36Ivan's, you know, great defensive driver.
32:39His car was a lot slower than the MG.
32:41You know, if I'd got in front of him, I would have disappeared.
32:44But that's racing.
32:45So you reckon if you'd have been on pole, you'd have gone ahead and that would have been it?
32:49Absolutely. I mean, that's why I was able to stick on his bumper all the way around through the race.
32:52You know, the MG's just working. It's getting better and better every time we go.
32:56You know, we didn't have the winter testing, but now the car's starting to really get good.
32:59And we can start winning races soon.
33:01You were trying quite a few moves to get past Muller, but nothing quite paid off.
33:06Yeah, I could sense that all the officials were watching that particular dust-up very closely.
33:13So it's a very different style of circuit, you know, this Mondela.
33:17It's much narrower and much more bumpier than any other type of circuit that we visit this year.
33:21And, you know, as I say, a good defensive driver like Ivan can hold someone who's much quicker off.
33:26It's just not too difficult.
33:28Now, how aware are you that you have got quite a few penalty points?
33:34Does that change your driving style?
33:36Well, you know, it's a difficult situation.
33:39I mean, early on, you know, we had a car that was largely undeveloped
33:42and I really had to kind of carry the car, so to speak, with my own driving.
33:47Now the car's coming to me and the car's beginning to carry me.
33:49So for the rest of the season, you're going to see the car becoming a lot, lot stronger.
33:53Right. Lovely. Thank you very much. Thank you.
33:56Now, if I have a quick look around to see if Colin Turkington, Anthony's teammate, is around.
34:01And he is. Colin, well done.
34:04A podium finish at your home circuit in front of your friends and family.
34:07Yeah, it's fantastic to get my first podium of the season here in Mondela
34:12and all my folks here.
34:14I think it's a special place to do it at your home circuit.
34:17So I'm really pleased with third, with a good balance in the car
34:21and I just managed to hold Matt Neil off.
34:25But the other two were just a wee bit too quick and I just struggled midway through the race to keep in touch.
34:31But I'm very happy.
34:33Brilliant. Well done. Thank you very much.
34:35Thanks.
34:36Tim and Richard.
34:37Thanks very much, Vicky. Great stuff from Colin Turkington fending off those late advances of Matt Neil for third position and second position overall in the Independence Cup.
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