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Rounds 1, 2 & 3Brands Hatch (Indy), Kent; Date: 1 April; Qualifiers: 26

Colin Turkington is on pole position in Team RAC’s new BMW, but it is Jason Plato and SEAT who win races 1 and 2 to gain an early advantage. The big shock, though is reigning champion Matt Neal’s win in race 3 in Team Halfords Honda Civic – completed only a week before. Two emerging names star – Matt Jackson in his family run BMW is on front-running pace and takes third in round 3, while Adam Jones leaves as the leading Independent after strong showings in his Air Cool SEAT Toledo. There’s frustration for SEAT as Darren Turner is excluded from round 3 for punting Turkington in to retirement. Vauxhall also leaves scratching its head, its new Vectra apparently struggling for pace, but the tiny BTC camp is all smiles as Chris Stockton achieves a points finish in its Lexus IS200 (race 2). Tom Onslow-Cole (RAC BMW) and Matt Allison (Motorbase Toledo) also bag points on their debut BTCC weekend. The event marks the appearance of the BTCC’s first diesel-powered car, AFM Racing’s BMW 120d driven by Rick Kerry.

Rounds 4, 5 & 6, Rockingham (International Super Sports Car), Northants: Date: 22April; Qualifiers 25

Turner qualifies on pole only for his Leon then to falter on the grid. The way is clear for Giovanardi to give the Vectra its first win ahead of team-mate Chilton in a VXR 1-2 result, but only after he ad many others briefly slither off track on fluid dropped by Fiona Leggate’s smoking Kartworld MG. Giovanardi then wins again in race 2, this time ahead of the excellent Onslow-Cole. An aggressive start enables Plato to redress the balance in race 3 with victory from Jackson who takes over as leading Independent from Jones – sidelined by a blown engine on Saturday. Vauxhall and VXR leave leading the manufacturers and Teams tables. Turkington’s weekend is a disaster – stripped of his qualifying times, he then crashes out of race 2 with Neal. In race 3, his car stops out on track. Eoin Murray stars in qualifying with the 5^th fastest time in Quest’s Alfa Romeo. Dave Pinkney (A-Tech Alfa), Jason Huges (Kartworld MG) and John George (JAG/TH Integra) all achieve top ten results and there’s a first-ever point for a jubilant Simon Blanckley in his Sibsport Team Honda Integra.

Rounds 7, 8 & 9, Thruxton, Hampshire; Date; 6 May; Qualifiers; 24

Giovanardi, achieving his and the Vectra’s first pole, romps to 2 more wins, in races 1 and 2. Plato follows him home in the first, but a drive-through penalty for a grid rules infringement drops him back in the second. The SEAT driver hits back with victory in race 3, however. Mike Jordan shows strongly all weekend, pushing Giovanardi for the win in race 1 until his Eurotech Honda slows with a punctured tyre and then taking fourth in race 2. Jordan becomes the third different Independent leader as Jackson is sidelined by engine failure in race 1. Notably, Halfords Civic appears to make a performance gain as Neal and Shedden each record second places. Motorbase’s Toledo’s are also in fine form until Allison, accidentally tagged by team-mate Gareth Howell, crashes heavily with the factory SEAT of Turner. There are more points for Pinkney and Hughes, the former actually leading race 3’s opening laps from pole thanks to the reversed grid starting positions.

Rounds 10, 11 & 12, Croft, North York’s: Date 3 June; Qualifiers 23

Shedden underlines the Civic’s increasing competitiveness with its first pole, but it is Turkington, using his BMW’s superior rear-wheel-drive traction, who takes command at the start of race 1 and, with it, his first win of 2007. It’s also the first win for a BMW in the BTCC since 1996. Turkington looks to be comfortably heading for victory in race 2 but, without warning, suddenly slips wide on oil and falls back into the pack. To add insult to injury, he’s then spun around by Plato and collected by Giovanardi. Shedden takes over at the front until a problem with the Civic’s steering forces him out. Turner moves into the lead, relinquishing the position to Plato to give his team-mate a bonus point for leading before being handed it back on the run to the line for his first BTCC race victory. Howell gives Motorbase a boost with fifth spot and, after all sorts of engine drama’s in qualifying, Stockton rewards the hard-trying BTC team with another point. Onslow-Cole leads at the start of race 3 but, following a quick safety car period, is passed by Giovanardi who moves clear for the win. Plato, only eighth in race 3 and angry at having been muscled out by team-mate Turner, continues to lead the championship, but Giovanardi has cut the gap down to just two points.

Rounds 13, 14 & 15, Oulton Park (Island), Cheshire; Date: 24 June; Qualifiers: 24

Turkington this time takes pole ahead of Shedden, but in race 1 the Scott reverses what happened at Croft by muscling his way past for victory. An opportunist Giovanardi demotes Turkington further to move past Plato into the championship lead. A wet track causes chaos in race 2. Four drivers – Hughes, Pinkney, Blanckley and Erkut Kizilirmak (Arkas Vauxhall Astra) - are eliminated in a first corner pile-up, while Shedden also retires. As soon as the safety car pulls in it re-appears again as Howell slams into the barriers. The race comes down to a short sprint and ends with Turkington holding on for victory from Giovanardi by the closest winning margin ever in the BTTC – 0.046s. Giovanardi lead over Plato is now out to 13 points, but starting race 3 that is virtually wiped out as his car is damaged while avoiding the spinning Neal and Jordan. Step forward Jackson who, darting between front row starters Jones and Turner, takes the lead and draws away for his first BTCC win. Plato finishes second meaning he leaves Oulton just a point behind Giovanardi. Martyn Bell (Allaboutproperty BMW) takes his first point of the season in race 3. Nick Leason parts company with BTC, while Jim Pocklington and the tiny J-Team squad call time on their maiden BTCC campaign.

Rounds 16, 17 & 18, Donington Park (National), Liecs: Date; 15 July; Qualifiers 23

Shedden, continuing his strong form, is back on pole, this time ahead of Turner, but the title rivals are in trouble: in dry conditions, Plato’s Leon isn’t on the pace and only ninth while engine problems restrict Giovanardi to 15^th (and Vauxhall’s woes worsen when Chilton is relegated to last on the grid after his car fails a weigh check in qualifying). But monsoon conditions on race day will fall perfectly into Plato’s lap – the SEAT driver having stayed, almost Senna-esque, until nearly midnight with his team to re-think his car’s set-up. Shedden wins race 1 ahead of Jones in a best ever second. Plato rises to fifth and Giovanardi, his windscreen wipers playing up, eighth. Plato then demonstrates quite superb skill in races 2 & 3, winning both with stunning overtaking moves in the blinding spray. Giovanardi is third in race 2, behind Shedden, but then disaster strikes as those wipers play up again – without visibility, he falls off the track and to an eventual 11^th, out of the points. Having made up 24 points since Brands’ opener he is suddenly back to 25 behind with just four meetings to go. And Neal remains a threat to both – he takes second, third and fourth and a pair of fastest laps to hold third in the standings. SEAT Sport UK has regained the Team’s Championship lead from VXR. Howell is replaced at Motorbase by BTCC returnee Tom Ferrier.

Rounds 19, 20 & 21, Snetterton, Norfolk; Date: 29 July; Qualifiers 23

Turkington and Onslow-Cole head qualifying to line up 1 – 2 on race 1’s grid much to the RAC’s delight at its home track. Turkington wins race 1, but is later excluded for running an under-weight car. Shedden, second across the line, inherits the win ahead of Onslow-Cole. Giovanardi is fifth to close up slightly to Plato – eighth after being spun round by Neal. Leggate’s car becomes airborne and then stranded on track after a collision with Stockton at the start of race 2 – his abandoned car is then struck by Richard Marsh’s A-Tech Alfa, unsighted and needing to take avoiding action as the approaching field slows ahead of him for a safety car. Giovanardi wins while Neal aided by a second safety car period, brilliantly takes second from Plato after starting back in 18^th. Onslow-Cole then calmly leads all the way to win race 3 and restore the smiles to RAC guest’s faces. Behind Plato and Giovanardi dramatically take each other off the track… the Vectra rejoins ahead to pip the SEAT to third in what is arguably the season’s defining moment. Ferrier, Hughes, Murray (with a season’s best of seventh) and, on his home track, Allison all achieve handy points finishes.

Rounds 22, 23 & 24, Brands Hatch (Indy), Kent; Date 19 August; Qualifiers 24

Turkington takes his fourth pole of the season. But race 1 is red flagged within seconds of the start when, on a wet track, Jackson triggers an 11-car pile-up. Pinkney rams Neal at high speed and both need hospital treatment, although are later given the all clear. At the re-start, Turkington leads but then spins, handing victory to Giovanardi. Plato limits the damage with second. It’s the same result in race 2, but Plato has to drive his socks off after spinning on lap one in a tangle with Chilton. Also on a charge is Jackson – in a ‘bent’ BMW, patched up from its race 1 shunt, he finishes fourth having started almost last. Jordan then looks set for his first win of 2007 in race 3. He appears to have the following Giovanardi covered, but the Italian makes an error under braking and his Vectra swipes the Honda. Both slide sideways down Paddock Hill, the following Turkington somehow zipping between them for his third win of 2007. An “incandescent” Jordan finishes tenth – in the process losing the Independent lead to Jackson – but Giovanardi miraculously rescues from the moment to take fourth. Ever-present, in fifth, is Plato, although he’s aided by a bizarre three-car mix-up ahead of him in which Jones’ Toledo is momentarily hoisted into the air… Gavin Smith is in the points in all three races on his BTCC return in GR Asia’s SEAT Leon, Hughes manages a season’s best of eighth (race 2) and, at last, there is not one but two first-ever points finishes for an ecstatic Kizilirmak.

Rounds 25, 26 & 27, Knockhill, Fife; 2 September; Qualifiers: 18

Turner bags his second pole of the season and, despite intense pressure from local hero Shedden, converts it in to victory in race 1. Shedden noses ahead briefly, but contact between their cars damages his Civic’s suspension, forcing it instantly into the pits. Turner wins again in race 2, this time from Turkington. Shedden, as in race 1, again sets the fastest lap as he rises to eventual fourth. And in race 3 his dream of winning on home ground finally comes true – Jordan leads initially until being overtaken by Neal, but Shedden is not to be denied, passing his team-mate for a famous win. He again sets the fastest lap. In the title race, Plato is third in race1 and Giovanardi, after a knock from Onslow-Cole (who is later excluded) seventh. Each then takes a third and a fifth in the next two races to leave for Thruxton’s final rounds separated by nine points. Jordan moves back to the top of the Independent table ahead of new second-placed challenger Turkington. Alan Taylor and Robertshaw Racing make their BTCC debut with the ex-Blanckley Integra and, to their surprise score a point in race 1. The result, admittedly, is aided by several high-profile retirements, chiefly Neal and Jackson who eliminated themselves in a first-lap collision. George, in dynamic form, and Bell also achieve season bests of eighth and ninth respectively.

Rounds 28, 29 & 30, Thruxton, Hants; Date: 14 October; Qualifiers: 26

Vauxhall drafts in former double champion Alain Menu and SEAT Dutch ace Tom Coronel for this, the title-decider, while Rob Collard and Paul O’Neil make returns, the former replacing Smith at GR, the latter Ferrier at Motorbase. Vauxhall takes the top three spots in qualifying with Chilton heading Giovanardi and Menu and Plato in fourth. The latter is in pain from burns to his hands and face from a mid-week filming accident but denies it is holding him back… the Vauxhalls hold station in race 1 until, dramatically, Chilton and then, in sight of the flag, Menu suffer punctures. A relieved Giovanardi crosses the line first ahead of the rapidly closing Plato. In race 2, Plato shrugs off the challenging Neal and then hunts down Giovanardi. His overtaking attempt results in both their cars leaving the track before rejoining it with the Vauxhall still ahead. Giovanardi thus takes another win – his tenth of the season – and will go into the day’s final round just one point behind Plato. The title is effectively decided at the start – Giovanardi makes up places while Plato loses ground. He cannot get back on terms and second place for the Italian is enough to give him the driver’s title. Not to be overlooked, Jackson ends his stunning debut season with victory. Turkington challenges him before spinning, but not to worry – he is the new Independent champion. Race 3 is stopped early as a precaution so medical crews can attend Jordan’s crashed Integra but the driver is later given the all-clear. Within hours, Vauxhall confirms Neal will join Giovanardi in its 2008 driver line-up. Vauxhall, SEAT Sport UK and Team RAC win the Manufacturers’, Teams’ and Independent Teams’ titles.

Finally, here’s wishing everyone associated with the BTCC – our teams, drivers, sponsors, partners, media, officials, circuits and fans – a Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Roll on 2008