Reigning champions Fabrizio Giovanardi and Vauxhall have completed an intensive three-day test at the Pembrey circuit in Wales, the Italian claiming his team has already made “a very positive step” with its title-winning Vectra.

Two weeks after his championship victory at Thruxton, Giovanardi had been in action last Friday at Silverstone (above) where he sported the Champion’s hallowed Number One on his car for the first time. He stayed on in the UK for VX Racing’s journey to former BTCC race track Pembrey in Wales.

It is understood that VXR used the tests to experiment with more radical settings on its Vectra that it was unable to try during the heat of the championship battle.

“I said during the year that the car could still be developed to be even better,” said Giovanardi. “But we had no time in the championship to explore. We were in the fight from beginning to end.

“The changes they have made so far are not big but I am happy; it is a very positive step.”

Giovanardi added: “I was obviously happy to see the Number One! But the team and myself are already fully focused on next year. Only if we put 100 per cent into the winter testing now will we be number one again next year, and this is our aim.

“We have finished the 2007 championship very late. It’s better to run in Britain before we have winter.

“Last year we went to Spain during the winter; the weather is good but the circuit is completely different so the feedback is different. We decided to make a few tries in Britain before Spain this year to modify the car.”