Plato wins race 1

Jason Plato and James Thompson have finished 1-2 for SEAT in a dramatic opening Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship round at Snetterton, Norfolk.

Plato led from start to finish, but Thompson only took second near the end when Vauxhall's Gavin Smith damaged his car while lapping a backmarker and fell to fourth behind team-mate Fabrizio Giovanardi.

Smith at least set the race's fastest lap for a bonus point.

In the title race, Matt Neal survived two collisions with other drivers – including arch rival Colin Turkington – to finish sixth in his battered Team Halfords Honda. He has thus extended his series lead to 27 points over Turkington who retired his Team RAC MG with mechanical problems when he was in front of Neal.

Plato has moved back up to third ahead of Team Halfords' Gordon Shedden who span his car out of sight into a crop field.

The second of today's three races is scheduled to start at 12.45.