DOnington Park

As the light turned green for race 1 Cammish was beaten away by the fast-starting rear-wheel-drive car of Ashley Sutton, the Honda man settling into third as Sutton challenged leader Turkington. On lap 4 the two leaders squeezed each other, opening a gap that Cammish happily dived into to snatch the lead.

Not even a late safety-car period prevented a victorious start to the 2020 campaign for Honda, Cammish finally banishing memories of his previous BTCC race last October, when he lost the 2019 title in an accident just 14 corners from the chequered flag. To add to the Halfords Yuasa Racing joy, Matt Neal fought his way up to fifth.

Race two proved more challenging – with his Honda Civic Type R weighed down by 60kg of success ballast, Cammish spun the wheels at the start and Turkington beat him away. The weight then told and the Honda slipped back to finish just ahead of the sister car of Neal.

Sixth and seventh places at the chequered flag earned another useful clutch of championship points for the team, and the same spots on the race 3 grid after the reverse grid draw swapped round the first 12 places.

Following a frantic mid-pack start Cammish had to give best to eventual race winner Sutton but then set about rival Stephen Jelley, the Honda moving ahead at the chicane and Jelley then spinning, promoting Neal. But as the race wore on Cammish was unable to hold back Tom Ingram and eventually finished seventh. Neal was just behind in eighth having held off Tom Oliphant and his team-mate, championship leader Turkington.

The productive day's work saw the Halfords Yuasa Racing team leave Donington with Cammish just six points behind Turkington at the top of the drivers' points, while Honda heads the manufacturers' championship on equal points with its closest rival. But there is little time to enjoy the success, the team heading south to Kent for the second three races in the series at Brands Hatch in just one week's time.