Team Aon had a storming weekend at Silverstone, taking victory in all three races, despite more restrictions to the LPG turbo engine after the Ford Focus locked out the front row of the grid in qualifying.

But team orders were extensively employed, and to questionable effect. The BTCC standings before this weekend looked like this:

Tom Onslow-Cole – The OC, if you will – was the team’s highest place driver, and took pole position. Despite that, the team favoured Tom Chilton, and The OC moved over to let Chilton win both races one and two. Missing a gear was the excuse trotted out by The OC after the first race, but Chilton acknowledged team orders after race two.

Team orders are legal in the BTCC, though it is frustrating when teams try to hide it. But in this case, the team orders seem wrong as far as the championship is concerned. The only conclusion is that Chilton has something in his contract.

Regardless, after today’s final race, which The OC won with Chilton down in 6th, this is how the standings look:

But how different would it be – for both drivers – had The OC won all three races today, as he really should have? Swap the two Toms’ finishing positions in today’s races, and the points would look like this:

It wouldn’t change the position of either driver, but The OC would be more comfortable in 2nd, and within sniffing distance of Jason Plato at the top of the standings. Chilton’s 5th in the championship would be more vulnerable, but really, if you’re 44 points or 52 points off the lead of the championship, what difference does it make?

All Team Aon have done is make Plato’s life at the top a little easier, and similarly Matt Neal’s task of retaking 2nd overall. Getting behind The OC is the best chance they have of taking the title. If they miss out by a few points to one of those two seasoned campaigners, they’ll only have themselves to blame.