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British Touring Car Championship
Brands Hatch (GP) - Race 1 Report - 12/10/14

By MJP Media | 12 October 2014

Jason Plato wins the first race of the day at Brands Hatch as Colin Turkington achieves an unbeatable lead in the Drivers' Championship.

Jason Plato wins the first race from Brands Hatch

With everything to play for and with the sun beating down on a packed Brands Hatch circuit it was time for race 1 of the final weekend of the 2014 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

Off the line it was a clean start by Jason Plato and Colin Turkington, however it was Sam Tordoff who took the lead into the first bend. Behind the leaders there was a massive shunt involving 8 cars at Paddock Hill bend, the first corner, which caused a safety car period and the immediate retirement of Matt Neal, Rob Austin, Gordon Shedden, Hunter Abbott and Jack Goff with Dave Newsham and Alain Menu sustaining serious damage. The safety car was deployed for 3 laps and so this became an 18 lap race.

Colin Turkington had to battle with both the MGs

On the restart it was Sam Tordoff leading from Jason Plato, Colin Turkington, Adam Morgan, Mat Jackson and Fabrizio Giovanardi. Morgan and Jackson were really pressuring Turkington as the 2 MGs maintained a slight lead. The man on the charge was Rob Collard who was up to 7th on track from 23rd on the grid with an amazing drive. Jason Plato was starting to look increasingly frustrated as Sam Tordoff failed to let him past with Plato even attempting some dangerous passing moves as his team mate refused to yield.

On lap 8 and under team orders, Sam Tordoff let Jason Plato through for the lead and then set about holding up Colin Turkington. There then followed a second safety car period after Warren Scott went off after contact with Nick Foster, stopping on the circuit at Pilgrims Drop. With Plato earning a point for leading the race and Turkington in 3rd with the fastest lap, this result would seal the championship for Turkington and eBay Motors.

Colin Turkington now has an unbeatable lead in the Drivers' Championship

No one gained an advantage on the second restart however Colin Turkington was looking to pass Sam Tordoff who drove very defensively to keep him behind. Rob Collard continued his charge and passed Fabrizio Giovanardi for 6th. On lap 13, Jason Plato had increased his lead to over half a second as team-mate Sam Tordoff continued to block Turkington with Tordoff being described by the circuit commentary as "rather obstructive!".

As the top 3 maintained their order for the remainder of the race, there was further carnage down the field as the two United Autosports Toyotas went out after contact with each other. At the chequered flag it was Jason Plato in 1st place, Sam Tordoff 2nd and Colin Turkington 3rd. This was the result that Turkington and eBay Motors had wanted as it meant that Colin had won the 2014 Dunlop MSA Touring Car Championship with two races to spare, subject to the post-race technical checks on the car. Congratulations to Colin and the fantastic team behind this momentous victory. This will be Colin's second BTCC championship win and his second in a BMW.

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