HOLDER Matt Neal picked up one podium place as Jason Plato continued his fine start in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

Vauxhall's Fabrizio Giovanardi and SEAT's Plato shared the victories at Thruxton in Hampshire - the fastest track on the BTCC calendar.

Droitwich driver Neal, who has won the title for the past two seasons, was runner-up in the second race with fifth and eighth places in the other two.

In Neal's best performance, he put pressure on Giovanardi whose car was carrying maximum success ballast.

But the Italian ace racked up his second win at the meeting to slash the gap from 18 points to just nine behind championship leader Plato.

Plato's victory in the third race, his 36th in the BTCC, moved him into second equal on the championship's all-time winners' chart with former team-mates Alain Menu and Yvan Muller.

But just as in 2001 when he beat Frenchman Muller to the title, Plato, himself one of the world's top touring car drivers, knows a second crown will again require him to eclipse another class act, this time Giovanardi.

The BTCC prepares for its next meeting at the Croft circuit in North Yorkshire on June 3.

Plato said: "I'm actually quite pleased with my results - a second, a sixth from the back of the field and a win on what we know is a circuit that is better suited to the Vauxhalls.

"Our SEAT Leon will be stronger at Croft which is a twistier circuit, but Fabrizio is a class act and this is turning into one heck of a fight.

"It's noticeable that finals day will be here at Thruxton in October - it would be nice to have the title sewn up before then."

Giovanardi, with seven Italian, Spanish and European touring car titles to his name, is confident of his chances.

He said: "Jason and I both now have four wins this season and if I hadn't had a bad couple of opening rounds at Brands Hatch I would probably be in front.

Drivers: Plato 107 points, Giovanardi 98, Tom Chilton 68, Neal 66, Colin Turkington 44, Darren Turner 40, Mike Jordan 38, Mat Jackson 35, Tom Onslow-Cole 34, Gordon Shedden 32.