Johnny Herbert says he would love to secure a place on the podium at Brands Hatch as he prepares to race at the circuit for the first time since the accident which almost cost him his career.

Herbert was involved in a huge incident at the Kent circuit during a F3000 race back in 1988 and was lucky to race again – going on forge a successful career that saw him win on three occasions in F1 and also taste success in the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Amazingly, the 45-year-old hasn't raced at Brands Hatch since that shunt more than 20 years ago, but he insisted it wasn't something he was going to worry about when he hits the track for the final rounds of the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship this weekend.

"What happened happened and besides that was 20-odd years ago so I'm not phased about returning to Brands Hatch at all,” he said. “In fact I'm really looking forward to it. Brands has always been a classic track for motor sport and in particular for touring cars - a lot of the BTCC's history is there and the lay-out always brings out the best in the championship.

"I was always competitive there right through my junior days in Formula Fords and Formula 3 right up to the moment I had my crash in Formula 3000. I was leading when it happened... it would be nice if on my return I could end up on the podium."

Herbert heads to Brands Hatch on the back of a controversial coming together with defending champion – and title hopeful – Fabrizio Giovanardi at Rockingham, but despite coming under attack from the Italian, Herbert insisted he had done nothing wrong.

“I think Fabrizio in hindsight knows that,” the Team Dynamics man said. “I'm not a dirty driver. I don't go round smashing people up the back and all we did was rub doors and wheels a bit which is nothing new in this business.

"I was in there with all three of them and that was a good feeling. Of course I don't want to cause any problems but I'm not going to wave them past just because they're fighting for the title. I'm not going to change my ways. Motor racing has always meant to me that you have to beat everyone and that is one of the factors that will decide who wins it the title on Sunday - it will depend on who else is quick, starts getting in on the act and jumbling up the order."