JAMES Thompson's hopes of retaining his British Touring Car crown are slipping away.

The York driver didn't finish on the podium in the fifth round at Rockingham yesterday as fellow Vauxhall driver Yvan Muller increased his lead in the Green Flag MSA Touring Car Championship.

The Frenchman now has amassed 142 points to Thompson's 111 after victory in race two and third place in the opening race.

Honda did what they have threatened to do all season in that opening race - win.

Matt Neal stormed to victory followed by team-mate Alan Morrison, with the Vauxhaull;s off the pace for the first time in the campaign.

However Muller came good in the second race, beating MG's Anthony Reid in a sprint to the flag following a safety-car period. Warren Hughes took third place for MG ahead of Thompson, who had finished fifth in the opening race.

Updated: 11:27 Monday, June 23, 2003