Robert Huff and Alain Menu head the field into the first corner at Brands Hatch on Sunday Picture: Peter Still

Reigning World Touring Car champion and current leader Yvan Muller had a weekend to forget as Brands Hatch hosted the British round of the championship.

A collision at the start of race one led to the Frenchman’s retirement and he could only claim a seventh place finish in the second race on Sunday, leaving him with only two points.

His lead at the top was closed to five points by Gabriele Tarquini and sitting just one point further back is Augusto Farfus who won race two.

Swiss driver Alain Menu took the honours in the opening race after making a pass on teammate Robert Huff early in the race. A vicious scrap for the second podium position eventually ended with Huff winning the battle ahead of Andy Priaulx.

The SEAT cars of Gabriele Tarquini and Rickard Rydell came home fourth and fifth followed by Jörg Müller and Tiago Montiero.

Farfus led race two from the pole and was followed over the finishing line by his teammate Müller. Tarquini won a tough fight for third ahead of Priaulx and Rickard Rydell.

Tarquini and Priaulx gave the Brands crowd a real treat, with bumper to bumper action in the second race.

*Two laps of the second race were held under safety car conditions while the ambulance helicopter took off with Formula 2 driver Henry Surtees onboard. The driver was involved in an incident on the track and died from his injuries. Click here for more.