HAMPSHIRE'S Rob Collard achieved his best results in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship when he made a superb debut for the West Surrey racing team at Donington Park.

The 2005 Independents Cup champion from Eversley achieved his first BTCC podium when finishing a strong second to Yvan Muller after chasing the VX Racing driver hard to the finish. Former champion Muller was driving Vauxhall's new Sport Hatch.

Earlier in the day, Collard had gunned the black and green MG ZS to fifth place as Matt Neal, in the impressive Honda Integra took the first of two victories.

In the final race, Collard stormed through from eighth on the grid to second but, after harassing the leaders during the early stages, fell back with his weight handicap (the result of his second place in race two) to take fourth place.

The Halfords-backed Honda team completed a one-two with Dan Eaves following Neal home with Muller third, but Collard's impressive run of results left him fourth in the championship ahead of one of the 2005 favourites, Jason Plato, whose best result was a fifth place in the Seat Toledo.

A week earlier Collard teamed up with former Touring Car ace Tim Sugden in a Porsche to take eighth place in the first round of the FIA GT Championship at Monza.