N.Technology Alfa Romeo’s James Thompson delivered a crowd pleaser at Brands Hatch today, finishing on the podium for his home fans and consolidating fifth in the FIA World Touring Car Championship. Only the BMW manufacturer drivers and SEAT’s Yvan Muller are ahead of Thompson, an incredible achievement for N.Technology’s small operation, which is holding the might of Chevrolet and SEAT’s four other drivers at bay.

Thompson’s Brands Hatch experience shone through in today’s races as he battled with Alain Menu for the win in today’s first outing. The Chevrolet driver, however, is no novice to the Kent track’s twists and turns having won eight touring car races there in his racing career and today added a ninth.

That meant Thompson started from seventh in the day’s second race courtesy of the reverse grid rule. The race momentum was interrupted twice by safety car periods, but the Alfa Romeo 156 held position fending off fierce competition from his earlier sparring partner and Augusto Farfus during the first half of the race. Jörg Müller inherited eighth place from Menu, however, following the Chevrolet driver’s disqualification for failing to observe safety car procedure in an incident that resulted in Farfus’ retirement. Thompson continued his defence, but had to concede two laps from the end with technical difficulties, finishing eighth. The two points he receives mean Thompson pulls clear of Menu, who had been level on points, and has now secured fifth place in the Championship table.

N.Technology team-mate Olivier Tielemans, meanwhile, had a good second race after a disappointing debut to the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit saw him finish 20th earlier in the day. From that starting position in race two, the 23-year-old made his way from 20th on the grid up to 14th in the 16-lap race. At the front Andy Priaulx took his first ever win at the wheel of a touring car at Brands Hatch. The reigning champion dedicated his success to the late Colin McRae and his family. After a successful home weekend Priaulx leads the championship by 12 points.

The man from Guernsey shot off the line from third and after the first corner had overtaken fellow BMW driver Félix Porteiro for the lead. Porteiro crossed the line second followed by Briton Rob Huff at the wheel of his Chevrolet Lacetti. Just as in the first race, there was a car stranded in the gravel at the first corner which meant deployment of the safety car. This time it was Alex Zanardi who suffered a premature end to his race. Safety car conditions were applied for a single lap but an incident between Alain Menu and Augusto Farfus ahead of the restart meant the safety car was required once again. At Clark Curve Farfus and Menu were side by side when they made contact. The BMW Team Germany car was sent into a spin and crashed into the pit wall. Three laps were completed behind the safety car before Menu was shown a black flag.