FATHER and son Rob and Ricky Collard enjoyed victories at Brands Hatch on the opening weekend of their championships.

Hook’s Rob Collard won the first British Touring Car race of the season, having just seen his teenage son Ricky take victory in the MSA Formula Championship.

Rob Collard said: “It was a nice piece of history to become the first father and son to win races at the same meeting.

“It was certainly an excellent way to start the year and it was nice to see Ricky to win.”

Rob Collard, who qualified fifth on the grid, made a super start in race one, moving up to second place behind his team mate, Andy Priaulx.

On lap 15 the Hook driver made his move and overtook to gain the lead, which he held until the chequered flag.

With the race two grid being decided on the fastest laps from race one, Collard was fourth on the grid with maximum success ballast of 75 kilograms and on the soft tyre.

Once again the Hook driver made a good start and moved up to second, but tyre wear with the heavy car proved too much of a handicap and he had to settle for 16th spot.

Another great start from Collard in race three saw him heading for the top 10 on the first lap until he was hit up the rear by rookie driver Josh Cook, contact that sent him into the gravel trap and out of the race.

Talking about an eventful first weekend of the season, Collard said: “I was really pleased to qualify in fifth and it was great to win the first race.

“The extra weight and soft tyres proved to be a double whammy in race two and I held my own for a while, but the tyres just fell off the cliff.”

“I got a cracking start in race three and then was spun round. The driver apologised to me, but it was the end of my race and I was really looking for a top six finish.”

At the end of the day, Collard had to settle for 10th in the championship after the first weekend.

His son Ricky’s first race saw him start 11th on the grid and finish sixth on Saturday afternoon.

The following day, he produced his best result of the weekend, storming from fourth to take the lead in the first lap and staying there until the end of the race.

He collected another sixth place in his third race, leaving him third overall in the championship.

The pair are back on the track at Donington Park on the weekend of April 18/19.