Despite this 33 per cent increase, the cost of competing in the series was reduced, the advertised price of £55,000 plus VAT[1] being a reduction of nearly £3,000 on the 2006 season.
They would be forced to hold station for the opening laps as the safety car was deployed for a collision between Jack Clarke and Andreas Demetriou at Becketts.
On lap six Clarke spun at Luffield and resumed in sixth (where he would finish the race), leaving Bacheta to take the victory.
Friday's qualifying sessions for the first two races of the weekend saw Jolyon Palmer and Tim Bridgman take the pole positions, with points leader Luciano Bacheta having to settle for a pair of fourths.
In Round 4 on Saturday afternoon, Bridgman held first place from the start, while Stefan Wilson kept his second-place grid position as he stayed in touch with the leader.
Round 5 took place on Sunday, with Palmer being awarded pole position for setting the fastest lap over the previous day's races.
That fight never materialised, a red flag being thrown on the last lap for a spinning backmarker at the Esses, ensuring Bacheta's third win of the season from Bradshaw and Bridgman.
Bacheta, meanwhile, suffered his first retirement of the season, tangling with polesitter Clarke at the Esses on the opening lap while fighting for second.
Tom Bradshaw inherited second and held it to the end, securing pole for the Round 8 in the process with fastest lap, while Stefan Wilson came out on top of a battle with friend Richard Plant for third.
When the race finally got underway with a rolling start, poleman Bradshaw left the door open for Bridgman at Riches, who made a robust move to take the lead.