1999 British Touring Car Championship

1999 BTCC season
Previous: 1998 Next: 2000

The 1999 Auto Trader RAC British Touring Car Championship season was won by Laurent Aïello in his debut season driving for the Nissan works team, with team mate David Leslie in second place. Rickard Rydell, the 1998 champion came third, with James Thompson and Jason Plato coming fourth and fifth.

One of the big stars and big surprises was the independent driver Matt Neal. Driving for his father's Team Dynamics in a 1998 Nissan Primera, Neal became the first independent driver to win a championship race in the feature race of the first Donington round; TOCA had put up a reward for £250,000 for this achievement.

Changes for 1999

For the 1999 season both the works teams of Peugeot and Audi had departed since competing in the previous year. Indeed, this would prove to be the last year for Renault, Volvo and Nissan, the three previous champions from the last three years. The BTCC would never see more than four works teams together in one season again.

Night racing was introduced to the BTCC for the first time for the rounds at Snetterton in July. The pit lane and main spectator areas were floodlit, whilst other parts of the circuit were in total darkness. To aid the drivers eyesight for the sharp changes from light to dark, the cockpits had a soft red light glowing inside.

Entry list

Team Car No. Drivers Rounds
Manufacturers
Volvo S40 Racing Volvo S40 1 Sweden Rickard Rydell All
11 Belgium Vincent Radermecker All
Ford Team Mondeo Ford Mondeo 2 United Kingdom Anthony Reid All
4 Switzerland Alain Menu All
Team Honda Sport Honda Accord 3 United Kingdom James Thompson All
33 Netherlands Peter Kox All
55 Italy Gabriele Tarquini 10–11
Nescafé Blend 37 Williams Renault Renault Laguna 5 United Kingdom Jason Plato All
37 France Jean-Christophe Boullion All
Vodafone Nissan Racing Nissan Primera GT 6 United Kingdom David Leslie All
23 France Laurent Aïello All
Vauxhall Motorsport Vauxhall Vectra 7 France Yvan Muller All
8 United Kingdom John Cleland All
Independents
ADR Motorsport Vauxhall Vectra 15 United Kingdom Mark Blair All
Arena International Renault Laguna 17 United Kingdom Russell Spence 1–7
United Kingdom Will Hoy 8–13
DC Cook Motorsport Honda Accord 22 United Kingdom Paula Cook 1–8
Max Power Racing Team Dynamics Nissan Primera GT 77 United Kingdom Matt Neal All
Brookes Motorsport Honda Accord 99 United Kingdom Lee Brookes 1–3, 6–9

Calendar

All races were held in the United Kingdom.

Round Circuit Date Pole Position Fastest Lap Winning Driver Winning Team Winning Independent
1 R1 Donington Park (National), Leicestershire 5 April United Kingdom James Thompson United Kingdom David Leslie United Kingdom James Thompson Team Honda Sport United Kingdom Matt Neal
R2 United Kingdom Matt Neal United Kingdom Anthony Reid United Kingdom Matt Neal Max Power Racing Team Dynamics United Kingdom Matt Neal
2 R3 Silverstone Circuit (International), Northamptonshire 18 April United Kingdom David Leslie United Kingdom David Leslie France Laurent Aïello Vodafone Nissan Racing United Kingdom Matt Neal
R4 France Laurent Aïello France Laurent Aïello United Kingdom Jason Plato Nescafé Blend 37 Williams Renault United Kingdom Paula Cook
3 R5 Thruxton Circuit, Hampshire 3 May Sweden Rickard Rydell France Laurent Aïello France Laurent Aïello Vodafone Nissan Racing United Kingdom Matt Neal
R6 Sweden Rickard Rydell Belgium Vincent Radermecker France Laurent Aïello Vodafone Nissan Racing United Kingdom Lee Brookes
4 R7 Brands Hatch (Indy), Kent 16 May Switzerland Alain Menu United Kingdom Jason Plato France Yvan Muller Vauxhall Motorsport United Kingdom Mark Blair
R8 France Laurent Aïello United Kingdom Jason Plato France Laurent Aïello Vodafone Nissan Racing United Kingdom Matt Neal
5 R9 Oulton Park (Fosters), Cheshire 31 May France Laurent Aïello Sweden Rickard Rydell France Laurent Aïello Vodafone Nissan Racing United Kingdom Matt Neal
R10 France Laurent Aïello United Kingdom David Leslie France Laurent Aïello Vodafone Nissan Racing United Kingdom Matt Neal
6 R11 Donington Park (Grand Prix), Leicestershire 20 June United Kingdom James Thompson Sweden Rickard Rydell United Kingdom James Thompson Team Honda Sport United Kingdom Matt Neal
R12 United Kingdom David Leslie United Kingdom David Leslie United Kingdom David Leslie Vodafone Nissan Racing United Kingdom Matt Neal
7 R13 Croft Circuit, North Yorkshire 4 July United Kingdom James Thompson United Kingdom David Leslie United Kingdom James Thompson Team Honda Sport United Kingdom Matt Neal
R14 United Kingdom James Thompson Sweden Rickard Rydell Sweden Rickard Rydell Volvo S40 Racing United Kingdom Matt Neal
8 R15 Snetterton Circuit, Norfolk 17 July France Laurent Aïello United Kingdom David Leslie United Kingdom David Leslie Vodafone Nissan Racing United Kingdom Matt Neal
R16 France Laurent Aïello France Laurent Aïello Netherlands Peter Kox Team Honda Sport United Kingdom Matt Neal
9 R17 Thruxton Circuit, Hampshire 1 August Sweden Rickard Rydell Sweden Rickard Rydell France Laurent Aïello Vodafone Nissan Racing United Kingdom Matt Neal
R18 Sweden Rickard Rydell Sweden Rickard Rydell United Kingdom David Leslie Vodafone Nissan Racing United Kingdom Will Hoy
10 R19 Knockhill Circuit, Fife 15 August France Laurent Aïello France Laurent Aïello France Laurent Aïello Vodafone Nissan Racing United Kingdom Matt Neal
R20 Switzerland Alain Menu Italy Gabriele Tarquini Switzerland Alain Menu Ford Team Mondeo United Kingdom Mark Blair
11 R21 Brands Hatch (Indy), Kent 30 August France Laurent Aïello United Kingdom David Leslie Sweden Rickard Rydell Volvo S40 Racing United Kingdom Matt Neal
R22 Sweden Rickard Rydell France J-C Boullion France Laurent Aïello Vodafone Nissan Racing United Kingdom Matt Neal
12 R23 Oulton Park (Island), Cheshire 12 September United Kingdom David Leslie United Kingdom David Leslie France Laurent Aïello Vodafone Nissan Racing United Kingdom Matt Neal
R24 United Kingdom David Leslie United Kingdom James Thompson United Kingdom James Thompson Team Honda Sport United Kingdom Matt Neal
13 R25 Silverstone Circuit (International), Northamptonshire 19 September France Laurent Aïello United Kingdom Jason Plato Sweden Rickard Rydell Volvo S40 Racing United Kingdom Will Hoy
R26 France Laurent Aïello Sweden Rickard Rydell Sweden Rickard Rydell Volvo S40 Racing United Kingdom Matt Neal

Drivers Championship

Points system
 1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th   6th   7th   8th   9th   10th  Pole Position Lead a lap
in feature race
15 12 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1 1 1
Pos Driver DON SIL THR BHI OUL DON CRO SNE THR KNO BHI OUL SIL Pts
1 France Laurent Aïello 11 Ret 1 6 1 1* 3 1* 1 1* Ret 2* 5 3 Ret 7 1 5* 1 DSQ 2 1* 1 2 9 Ret 244
2 United Kingdom David Leslie 4 Ret 2 7 11 Ret 6 2 2 8* 2 1* 2 4 1 2* 4 1* 9 3 4 2* 2 4* 11 2 228
3 Sweden Rickard Rydell 7 Ret 3 Ret 2 2* Ret Ret 7 Ret Ret 4 4 1* 2 8 2 Ret* 6 5 1 5* 3 3 1 1* 192
4 United Kingdom James Thompson 1 2* 5 4 5 8 7 6* 11 Ret 1 3 1 2* 9 15 7 Ret 14 Ret 3 3 DSQ 1* 2 9 174
5 United Kingdom Jason Plato 3 3 6 1* Ret 4* 4 Ret* Ret Ret 3 8 6 6 4 6 5 4 Ret Ret 6 8 Ret 6 Ret Ret 122
6 France Yvan Muller 6 10 Ret 2 Ret 11 1 5 8 3 4 5 8 8 Ret 3 8 6 10 7 12 Ret 9 5 3 5 119
7 Netherlands Peter Kox 9 7 9 5 6 5 Ret 4 9 7 7 Ret 3 9 6 1* 9 9 Ret 2 9 4* 5 Ret 7 Ret 113
8 Belgium Vincent Radermecker 10 5 11 Ret 4 3 Ret Ret 5 4* 9 12 7 7 3 5 3 2 11 8 10 7 4 13 Ret 4 113
9 United Kingdom Matt Neal 5 1* 4 Ret 3 Ret Ret 3 10 2 10 7 10 5* 7 10 6 Ret 7 Ret 5 10 6 10 Ret 6 109
10 France Jean-Christophe Boullion Ret 6 8 3 9 7* 5 7 6 6 8 10 11 Ret 5 4 13 11 5 4 7 6 7 7 8 Ret 97
11 Switzerland Alain Menu 2 Ret 13 Ret Ret 6 12 Ret 3 Ret 5 6 Ret Ret 8 9* 11 3 3 1* Ret Ret Ret 9 12 Ret 84
12 United Kingdom Anthony Reid Ret Ret 7 DSQ 8 Ret 2 8 4 5 11 9 Ret 10* Ret 11 Ret 7* 4 Ret 8 12 12 8 4 3 78
13 United Kingdom John Cleland 8 4* 10 8 7 9 8 9 12 Ret 6 Ret 9 Ret 12 12 12 Ret 8 9 11 9 8 Ret 5 10 51
14 Italy Gabriele Tarquini 2 6 Ret Ret 17
15 United Kingdom Will Hoy 10 13 10 8 13 11 13 11 10 11 6 7 15
16 United Kingdom Mark Blair 13 Ret 12 11 12 12 9 10 13 9 12 11 12 Ret 13 DNS Ret 10 12 10 14 13 11 12 10 8 11
17 United Kingdom Lee Brookes 12 9 Ret 10 10 10 DNS DNS 13 Ret 13 12 11 16 14 Ret 5
18 United Kingdom Russell Spence 15 8 Ret Ret 13 14 11 Ret DNS DNS 14 Ret 15 11 3
19 United Kingdom Paula Cook 14 Ret Ret 9 Ret 13 10 Ret Ret Ret 15 13 14 13 Ret 14 3
Michelin Cup for Independents
1 United Kingdom Matt Neal 5 1 4 Ret 3 Ret Ret 3 10 2 10 7 10 5 7 10 6 Ret 7 Ret 5 10 6 10 Ret 6 353
2 United Kingdom Mark Blair 13 Ret 12 11 11 12 9 10 13 9 12 11 12 Ret 13 DNS Ret 10 12 10 14 13 11 12 10 8 183
3 United Kingdom Will Hoy 10 13 10 8 13 11 13 11 10 11 6 7 131
4 United Kingdom Lee Brookes 12 9 Ret 10 10 10 DNS DNS 13 Ret 13 12 11 16 14 Ret 78
5 United Kingdom Paula Cook 14 Ret Ret 9 Ret 13 10 Ret Ret Ret 15 13 14 13 Ret 14 41
6 United Kingdom Russell Spence 15 8 Ret Ret 13 14 11 Ret DNS DNS 14 Ret 15 11 25
Pos. Driver DON SIL THR BHI OUL DON CRO SNE THR KNO BHI OUL SIL Pts

Note: bold signifies pole position (1 point awarded all races), italics signifies fastest lap.

* signifies that driver lead feature race for at least one lap (1 point given). Note: All bonus leading points may not be added due to them being added after seeing Season Review footage and some race reports.

Manufacturers Championship

Pos Manufacturer DON SIL THR BHI OUL DON CRO SNE THR KNO BHI OUL SIL Pts
1 Nissan / Vodafone Nissan Racing 11 RET 1 6 1 1 3 1 1 1 RET 2 5 3 RET 7 1 5 1 EX 2 1 1 2 9 RET 464
4 Ret 2 7 11 Ret 6 2 2 8 2 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 9 3 4 2 2 4 11 2
2 Honda / Team Honda Sport 1 2 5 4 5 5 7 4 9 7 1 3 1 2 6 1 7 9 2 2 3 3 5 1 2 9 296
9 7 9 5 6 8 Ret 6 11 Ret 7 Ret 3 9 9 15 9 Ret 14 6 9 4 DSQ Ret 7 Ret
3 Volvo / Volvo S40 Racing 7 5 3 Ret 2 2 Ret Ret 5 4 9 4 4 1 2 5 2 2 6 5 1 5 3 3 1 1 295
10 Ret 11 Ret 4 3 Ret Ret 7 Ret Ret 12 7 7 3 8 3 Ret 11 8 10 7 4 13 Ret 4
4 Renault / Nescafé Blend 37 Williams Renault 3 3 6 1 9 4 4 7 6 6 3 8 6 6 4 4 5 4 5 4 6 6 7 6 8 Ret 227
Ret 6 8 3 Ret 7 5 Ret Ret Ret 8 10 11 Ret 5 6 13 11 Ret Ret 7 8 Ret 7 Ret Ret
5 Vauxhall / Vauxhall Motorsport 6 4 10 2 7 9 1 5 8 3 4 5 8 8 12 3 8 6 8 7 11 9 8 5 3 5 186
8 10 Ret 8 Ret 11 8 9 12 Ret 6 Ret 9 Ret Ret 12 12 Ret 10 9 12 Ret 9 Ret 5 10
6 Ford / Ford Team Mondeo 2 Ret 7 Ret 8 6 2 8 3 5 5 6 Ret 10 8 9 11 3 3 1 8 12 12 8 4 3 164
Ret Ret 13 DSQ Ret Ret 12 Ret 4 Ret 11 9 Ret Ret Ret 11 Ret 7 4 Ret Ret Ret Ret 9 12 Ret
Pos Manufacturer DON SIL THR BHI OUL DON CRO SNE THR KNO BHI OUL SIL Pts

Teams Championship

Pos Team DON SIL THR BHI OUL DON CRO SNE THR KNO BHI OUL SIL Pts
1 Vodafone Nissan Racing Ret 6 1 1 1 1 3 2 1 3 1 2 2 210
Ret 7 Ret 2 8 2 4 7 5 DSQ 2 4 Ret
2 Team Honda Sport 2 4 5 4 7 3 2 1 9 2 3 1 9 132
7 5 8 6 Ret Ret 9 15 Ret 6 4 Ret Ret
3 Volvo S40 Racing 5 Ret 2 Ret 4 4 1 5 2 5 5 3 1 127
Ret Ret 3 Ret Ret 12 7 8 Ret 8 7 13 4
4 Nescafé Blend 37 Williams Renault 3 1 4 7 6 8 6 4 4 4 6 6 Ret 108
6 3 7 Ret Ret 10 Ret 6 11 Ret 8 7 Ret
5 Vauxhall Motorsport 4 2 9 5 3 5 8 3 6 7 9 5 5 83
10 8 11 9 Ret Ret Ret 12 Ret 9 Ret Ret 10
6 Team Dynamics 1 Ret Ret 3 2 7 5 10 Ret Ret 10 10 6 55
7 Ford Team Mondeo Ret Ret 6 8 5 6 10 9 3 1 12 8 3 53
Ret DSQ Ret Ret Ret 9 Ret 11 7 Ret Ret 9 Ret
8 Arena International 8 Ret 14 Ret DNS Ret 11 13 8 11 11 11 7 10
9 ADR Motorsport Ret 11 12 10 9 11 Ret DNS 10 10 13 12 8 7
10 Brookes Motorsport 9 10 10 DNS Ret 12 16 Ret 4
11 DC Cook Motorsport Ret 9 13 Ret Ret 13 13 14 2
Pos Team DON SIL THR BHI OUL DON CRO SNE THR KNO BHI OUL SIL Pts

Points System

The points system used for the 1999 British Touring Car Championship was as follows. For the drivers championship, 15 points were awarded to the winner of each race, 12 to second place, 10 for third and 8,6,5,4,3,2,1 for fourth to tenth place respectively. At the end of the season, drivers would drop their four lowest scores. A point would be awarded to the driver who achieved pole position for each race, and a point was awarded to anyone who led the feature race.

For the manufactures championship, the same amount of points for the top ten finishing positions were awarded as for the drivers championship but only the top two per manufacturer would receive points for the manufacturer. At the end of the season, manufacturers would drop the points from their worst four rounds of the championship. No points were received for leading laps or pole position.[1]

References

  1. Vic Lennard (Editor). Auto Trader British Touring Car Championship – Donington Park Official Programme. (1999) p.30 The Really Motoring Group.

External links

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