Preview: rounds 21&22 - Silverstone.

This weekend the British Touring Car Championship returns to Silverstone for Rounds 21 and 22, which will see the series welcome MG Sport and Racing's pair of ZS EX259 Touring cars to the grid for the first time.

The long awaited arrival of the British marque is sure to make a big impact with the BTCC fans. The pair of brightly liveried MG ZSs will be piloted by the 2000 BTCC runner-up Anthony Reid and his team-mate Warren Hughes - both of whom contested the 2001 Le Mans race earlier in the year for MG/Lola.

The team will compete in the last three rounds of this year's calendar and will use the meetings as a valuable data gathering exercise, while keeping a keen eye on the opposition to evaluate the work that is required to launch a full assault on the 2002 Championship.

David Jones, Commercial Manager of MG Sport and Racing, is aiming to impress - even if their pre-race preparation hasn't gone exactly as planned.

''Unfortunately our test schedule has been hampered somewhat by weather conditions," explained Jones, "but we are going to Silverstone confident we can put up a good performance. We need a pointer in terms of the competition hence the reason why we are at the last three rounds. We need to gauge how much development work is required prior to next year, as our focus is on 2002''

Meanwhile, Anthony Reid, driver of the No 2 machine, expressed his delight with the cars progress: ''I am really pleased. The MG ZS EX259 has all the ingredients of being a great race car, it is taut, responsive and consistent''

Reid's team-mate, Sunderland-based Warren Hughes and driver of car No 20, is also eager to go to work: ''The car looks great and feels great, and I can't wait to go racing this weekend at Silverstone,'' he commented.

But while the newcomers settle in, the stalwarts of the grid will be concentrating on wrapping up the season as the Championship starts its final countdown.

Over the recent months, Oxford-based Jason Plato and team-mate Yvan Muller have been fighting for the Drivers' Championship honours. Since the first round in April, the duo has continued to delight the crowds as the Driver's crown has been passed back and forth between the pair. Plato, who returns to Silverstone ahead of the game, has led the Championship five times, as has Muller.

Plato, however, currently leads Muller by ten points, with tally of 260. Both drivers have had their fair share of bad luck recently. Plato incurred a 30 second penalty at Snetterton, which temporarily lost him the lead and Muller failed to finish in the last race at Oulton Park.

Plato, like Muller, is hoping that he will not suffer any more misfortune and will have a clear run ahead of him while his team concentrate on preparing race perfect Vauxhall Astras for the remainder of the season.

Team Boss Derek Warwick explained: ''The pressure to prepare the cars is the same now as it was at the beginning of the season. However, the passion of the Triple Eight mechanics to have their driver as Champion this year is immense but at the same time we have managed to get a good balance within the team, despite the competitiveness of the crews working on the cars having intensified at race weekends.''

Team Egg Sport's Phil Bennett returns from his one race ban and will once more be behind the wheel of his Vauxhall Astra Coupe along side team-mate James Thompson.

It may not, however, be all plain sailing this weekend as the recent form of Team Peugeot Sport's 406s of Steve Soper and Dan Eaves recently caused a bit of storm. At Oulton Park, Soper narrowly missed out on claiming Peugeot's first win after leading the race, but team-mate Eaves went on to claim his first podium of the season with a third place finish.

The team has clearly made a big step forward with the revisions to Soper's car and have now extended the chassis and engine developments to Eaves' Peugeot. With a win being so close they now know that they are more than capable of challenging the might of the Vauxhalls.

''Obviously I am pleased with the car's progress not only in the speed but also in the handling," said Soper. "I finished fifth and sixth last time at Silverstone, so with all the changes since then I am confident of a strong result this weekend.''

In the Production category, the BFGoodrich Tires BTC Production Teams' Championship could be sewn up at Silverstone. GR Motorsport is currently leading with 171 points and it is mathematically possible that the Telford-based team could return home this weekend as Champions. However, to do this, they would have to finish one-two in the Feature Race to claim the full 27 points with closest rivals Team Kaliber Sport with Barwell and HTML finishing in sixth and fourth place or lower respectively.

GR Motorsport Team Boss Paul Ridgeway stated: ''It would be excellent if we could come away Champions this weekend as it is 'mathematically possible.' Everyone has been working extremely well this year and our consistent points scoring form has shown that the team is more than capable of winning the Championship this year, even if we don't manage it this weekend''

In the Drivers' Championship there is only a mere ten points that separate the top three drivers, with Silverstone-based HTML taking up two of the slots. Drivers Simon Harrison and Roger Moen are currently sitting comfortably in first and third place respectively with Team Kaliber Sport with Barwell's James Kaye separating the pair of HTML drivers.

At Silverstone, the three cars will be lining up on the grid with a similar amount of success ballast putting them all on a level footing. The HTML prepared Peugeots notched up two firsts and one second place finishes at Silverstone earlier in the year and if their current form holds true they may well be on for another brace of wins.

Harrison approaches Silverstone with a clear target in mind: ''My aim this weekend is to maintain my lead in the Drivers' Championship. We know that the car is particularly strong at Silverstone, the Team has been producing an almost faultless car and as long as that remains, I am confident of a good finish at the weekend.''