JAMES Thompson intends to take his new-look works Honda Accord to a Manufacturers' title this season.

The young York driver starts his third British Touring Car Championship season with the manufacturer at Donington Park on Easter Monday confident that he has a much-improved car in his grasp.

But he is still wary of a repeat of last season when, after a storming start with podium finishes following in consecutive weeks, the car was unable to maintain its earlier pace and the drivers' championship title bid faded and while the car sank to fourth in the Manufacturers' league.

"We have had some good tests in our build up," said Thompson this week after two winning times in official testing at Brands Hatch.Although only fractions of seconds separated Thompson from other key drivers, the new Accord left the starting grid in front and maintained that position.

The Accord is the only all-new car in this season's championship and Thompson's reservation is that testing opportunities have been too few.

"I didn't get into the car for the first time until a couple of months ago and testing abroad was hit by the weather. But we have made good progress and we are developing well," he added.

Thompson, 24, ended last season with four victories and recorded three of the fastest laps before the car began to flag.

"I want to have more podium finishes, leading the way preferably, but also enough to put Honda at the head of the Manufacturers' table where they deserve to be," he said.

Last season saw Rickard Rydell (Volvo) finish in pole position, with Anthony Reid (Nissan) runner-up. Thompson was third, but the points gap separating him from the others was impressively wide.

This season opens with key drivers such as Alain Menu, the 1997 champion, and Reid forming the Ford partnership while Renault and Nissan blood new drivers to partner Jason Plato and David Leslie.

The build-up for Monday's programme begins tomorrow with qualifying round and the One Shot Showdown for grid position.

Monday's touring car programme starts with the warm-up at 9.30am, followed by public walkabout and the driver autograph sessions. The Round One 18-lap sprint is timed for 12.30pm, with Round Two, the 36-lap feature race with its obligatory pit stop, scheduled for 3.30pm.

Round One of the Yorkshire Auto Trader Harewood Speed Hillclimb Championships begins tomorrow with 150 drivers in the line-up. The entry has been split into 17 classes and among the drivers taking part will be York's Nigel Stubbs (Ferrari) and Michael Waters (Caterham).

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