BTCC

TCF BTCC Fans Top 10 Drivers ’00-’09: Number 3

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With 27kgs of ballast, filling the bottom step of the podium is a driver who contested races in 4 different championships in 2009, won the one off ETC Title, finished 3rd in the WTCC Championship in 2007, and won his second British title by one bonus point in 2004. He is one of the world's best, and his name is James Thompson. Thommo gained 31 votes to take 3rd.

Thompson, a double BTCC Champion from 2002 and 2004, was a very busy guy in 2009. After losing his N-Technology drive after the team pulled out of WTCC he was without a drive. February saw him agree to do selected Australian V8 Races before agreeing to race for Hartmann Racing in Denmark. Thruxton saw Thompson return to the BTCC in place of Gordon Shedden and Team Dynamics, taking third place in the third race. Lada came knocking on his door as they launched their new car.

In the end, Thompson finished 9th in the BTCC with 3 wins, 3rd in the DTC with 4 race wins, losing the title by 9 points, finished 17th in WTCC with 6 points, a double sixth place for LADA, the first points for a Russian manufacturer in WTCC and competed in 2 Australian V8 races.

Thompson was part of BTCC history, at Donington Park, as he took the win in Race 1 and became the seventh different winner in 7 races, before leading home all the Champions on the grid, Thompson, Neal, Giovanardi and Plato in race 2.

Away from 2009, Thompson had been in WTCC, taking the first win for a Japanese manufacturer in 2008, when he won the second race at Imola for Honda, finished 3rd in 2007 and went into the final race at Macau as Andy Priaulx's only title contender. Thompson also took a double win for Alfa Romeo in 2007, at Valencia.

2006 saw another part BTCC campaign, for Seat, and took 3 wins for the team, while 2005 saw him take one WTCC win for Alfa Romeo.

2004 – The second of his BTCC titles, won in dramatic style. Finishing third in the final race, behind Team mate Yvan Muller and Jason Plato, he claimed the title due to gaining the point for the fastest lap.

Every season, apart from 2005, saw Thompson take part in more than one series, and in the first couple of years, combined BTCC Campaigns with Rallying! A Jack of all trades is Thompson, one of the BTCC's icons, for his personality and ability.

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