2001 British Touring Car Championship

2001 BTCC season
Previous: 2000 Next: 2002

The 2001 theAA.com MSA British Touring Car Championship season was the 44th British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season and marked the beginning of a new era of lower-cost rules and regulations for the series.

Changes for 2001

2001 saw a complete overhaul of the BTCC, aimed at reducing the cost of competition and making the series more appealing to the fans.

New regulations

The spectacular but expensive Supertouring car regulations were finally ditched at the end of 2000. 2001 saw the field divided into two classes: BTC-T and BTC-P. The latter was a simple renaming of 2000's "Class B" Super Production specification cars, whereas BTC-T (T for Touring) was a completely new set of rules designed to produce closer racing and cheaper cars to build.

Teams and drivers

The new rules provoked different reactions from the three remaining manufacturers in the BTCC. Ford withdrew completely, Honda took a year out to develop a car to the new rules while Vauxhall immediately set to work on a new car and entered four new-regulation Astra Coupes built and run by Triple 8 Racing. Yvan Muller and Jason Plato remained in first two entries under the Vauxhall Motorsport banner, while James Thompson moved from Honda to partner Phil Bennett, debuting in the BTCC, in Egg Sport-liveried cars. Two new manufacturers were attracted to the series: Peugeot entered a trio of Vic Lee Racing-prepared 406 Coupes driven by Matt Neal (who left after the first round to compete in the European Touring Car Championship for Team Dynamics), Class B graduate Dan Eaves and touring car veteran Steve Soper. The team re-expanded to three cars for Donington, as superbike racer Aaron Slight made a guest appearance whilst evaluating a full-time switch to four wheels the following year. MG began development of a ZS built to the new regulations courtesy of West Surrey Racing, this made guest appearances in the hands of ex-Ford and Nissan driver Anthony Reid and former Formula 3 racer Warren Hughes during closing rounds of the season in preparation for a full campaign in 2002. Two small independent teams filled out the Touring class grid ambitiously entering new cars: JSM fielded a pair of Alfa Romeo 147s in an assault headed by 1992 BTCC champion Tim Harvey in a driver/team manager role. Across the year Tom Ferrier, David Pinkney and Mark Blair would all appear in the second car. ABG Motorsport entered a Lexus IS200 for Kurt Luby, with plans to expand to a second car for Brazilian GT racer Thomas Erdos later in the year. This did not come off and instead Erdos took Luby's drive mid-season while the running of the car was taken over by Total Motorsport. Driver-turned-motoring journalist Steve Sutcliffe drove the car as a guest entry in the final round.

With a low entry in the top class, the grid relied largely on the road-going based Production class (formerly Class B) for numbers, the Peugeot 306 GTi and Honda Accord proved the most popular machines in this class. HTML headed the Peugeot entry with Roger Moen and Simon Harrison returning for their second seasons in the class, Tech-Speed Motorsport also entered a pair of 306s for MG racers Annie Templeton and young gun Paul O'Neill, and teenager Tom Boardman drove a fifth 306 for his family-run team. Barwell Motorsport's pair of cars for Peter Cate (who was replaced by Simon Graves following the first three rounds) and ex-Honda works driver James Kaye headed the Accord challenge, while single Accord entries were fielded by Total Control Racing for Clio Cup graduate Jim Edwards Jnr, and Synchro Motorsport for Dave Allan. The Honda contingent was also bolstered by businessman John Batchelor's pair of B&Q-backed Integras, entered for himself (as John B-and-Q) and Nick Beaumont. The Ford Focus was also competitive in the hands of GR Motorsport, who entered a quartet of cars for youngsters Gareth Howell and Mat Jackson, and veterans Rick Kraemer and Richard Meins, as was GA Janspeed's Alfa Romeo 156, campaigned by class returnees Gavin Pyper and Colin Blair, and Rob Collard's self-entered Renault Clio. Cranfield Automotive also entered a pair of Mitsubishi Carismas and Bintcliffe Sport a single Nissan Primera, but abandoned their efforts early in the year, while a third Integra, entered by Arnold James for his son Nick, appeared later on in the season, as did the first ever Proton entered in the BTCC, a Satria run by TH Motorsport for Steve Wood.

Other changes

Teams and drivers

Team Car No. Drivers Rounds
Works Entries
MG Sport & Racing MG ZS 2 United Kingdom Anthony Reid 11–13
20 United Kingdom Warren Hughes 11–13
Vauxhall Motorsport Vauxhall Astra Coupé 4 France Yvan Muller All
5 United Kingdom Jason Plato All
egg:sport 9 United Kingdom James Thompson All
18 United Kingdom Andy Priaulx 10
27 United Kingdom Phil Bennett 1–9, 11–13
Peugeot Sport UK Peugeot 406 Coupé 8 United Kingdom Matt Neal 1
22 United Kingdom Dan Eaves All
44 United Kingdom Steve Soper All
111 New Zealand Aaron Slight 6
Independent Entries
JS Motorsport Alfa Romeo 147 14 United Kingdom Tom Ferrier 2, 7–9, 12–13
15 United Kingdom Dave Pinkney 1–4
16 United Kingdom Tim Harvey 3–4, 9–13
17 United Kingdom Mark Blair 10–11
ABG Motorsport Lexus IS200 41 United Kingdom Kurt Luby 2–6
42 Brazil Tommy Erdos 7–9
Total Motorsport 10–12
43 United Kingdom Steve Sutcliffe 13
Production Entries
HTML Peugeot 306 GTi 50 Norway Roger Möen All
60 United Kingdom Simon Harrison All
TCR/Interactive Network Solutions Honda Accord 51 United Kingdom Jim Edwards Jr. 1–4, 6–10
GR Motorsport Ford Focus 52 United Kingdom Gordon Shedden 7
94 United Kingdom Gareth Howell All
96 United Kingdom Rick Kraemer 1, 3–13
97 United Kingdom Richard Meins 1–6, 9–11, 13
98 United Kingdom Mat Jackson All
Team B&Q/Talksport Radio Honda Integra Type-R 53 United Kingdom Joanna Clarke 7–9
54 United Kingdom Nick Beaumont 1–4, 6–12
55 United Kingdom John B&Q 1–4, 6, 10, 12–13
Tech-Speed Motorsport Peugeot 306 GTi 58 United Kingdom Paul O'Neill All
59 United Kingdom Annie Templeton All
Collard Racing Renault Clio 172 62 United Kingdom Rob Collard 1–8, 10–11, 13
GA-Janspeed Racing Alfa Romeo 156 64 United Kingdom Gavin Pyper All
65 United Kingdom Colin Blair All
Team Kaliber Sport with Barwell Honda Accord 66 United Kingdom Peter Cate 1–3
88 United Kingdom James Kaye All
89 United Kingdom Tiff Needell 10
99 United Kingdom Simon Graves 4–9, 11–13
Synchro Motorsport Honda Accord 68 United Kingdom Mark Lemmer 8–9
70 United Kingdom Dave Allan 1–4, 6–7, 10–13
Tom Boardman Racing Peugeot 306 GTi 77 United Kingdom Tom Boardman All
Cranfield Automotive Management Mitsubishi Carisma 78 United Kingdom James Levy 3
79 Finland Toni Ruokonen 1–5
80 United Kingdom Andy Neate 1
Bintcliffe Sport Racing Nissan Primera 84 United Kingdom Matt Kelly 1, 4
Arnold James Sport Honda Integra Type-R 85 United Kingdom Nick James 4, 8, 12
TH Motorsport Proton Satria GTi 86 United Kingdom Steve Wood 11, 13

Not eligible for points.

There was no Independent Cup in 2001.

Race calendar and winners

All races were held in the United Kingdom (excepting Mondello Park round that held in Ireland).

Round Circuit Date Pole Position Fastest Lap Winning Driver Winning Team Production Class winner
1 R1 Brands Hatch (Indy), Kent 16 April France Yvan Muller France Yvan Muller Jason Plato France Yvan Muller Vauxhall Motorsport United Kingdom Simon Harrison
R2 France Yvan Muller France Yvan Muller United Kingdom James Thompson egg:sport United Kingdom James Kaye
2 R3 Thruxton Circuit, Hampshire 7 May United Kingdom Jason Plato France Yvan Muller United Kingdom Jason Plato Vauxhall Motorsport United Kingdom Simon Harrison
R4 United Kingdom James Thompson United Kingdom James Thompson France Yvan Muller Vauxhall Motorsport United Kingdom James Kaye
3 R5 Oulton Park (Island), Cheshire 20 May France Yvan Muller United Kingdom Jason Plato France Yvan Muller Vauxhall Motorsport United Kingdom Simon Harrison
R6 France Yvan Muller United Kingdom Jason Plato France Yvan Muller Vauxhall Motorsport United Kingdom Gavin Pyper
4 R7 Silverstone Circuit (International), Northamptonshire 2 June France Yvan Muller United Kingdom James Thompson United Kingdom Jason Plato Vauxhall Motorsport United Kingdom Simon Harrison
R8 France Yvan Muller France Yvan Muller United Kingdom Jason Plato Vauxhall Motorsport Norway Roger Möen
5 R9 Mondello Park 17 June France Yvan Muller France Yvan Muller France Yvan Muller Vauxhall Motorsport United Kingdom James Kaye
R10 France Yvan Muller France Yvan Muller France Yvan Muller Vauxhall Motorsport United Kingdom James Kaye
6 R11 Donington Park (Grand Prix), Leicestershire 1 July United Kingdom James Thompson United Kingdom James Thompson United Kingdom James Thompson egg:sport Norway Roger Möen
R12 United Kingdom James Thompson United Kingdom James Thompson United Kingdom Jason Plato Vauxhall Motorsport United Kingdom Mat Jackson
7 R13 Knockhill Circuit, Fife 22 July United Kingdom Jason Plato United Kingdom Jason Plato United Kingdom Jason Plato Vauxhall Motorsport United Kingdom Simon Graves
R14 United Kingdom Jason Plato United Kingdom Jason Plato United Kingdom Jason Plato Vauxhall Motorsport United Kingdom Gordon Shedden
8 R15 Snetterton Circuit, Norfolk 4 August United Kingdom Jason Plato France Yvan Muller France Yvan Muller Vauxhall Motorsport United Kingdom Simon Graves
R16 United Kingdom Jason Plato United Kingdom Jason Plato United Kingdom James Thompson egg:sport United Kingdom Gareth Howell
9 R17 Croft Circuit, North Yorkshire 12 August United Kingdom Phil Bennett France Yvan Muller United Kingdom Jason Plato Vauxhall Motorsport Norway Roger Möen
R18 United Kingdom James Thompson France Yvan Muller France Yvan Muller Vauxhall Motorsport United Kingdom Jim Edwards Jr
10 R19 Oulton Park (Island), Cheshire 26 August United Kingdom Andy Priaulx United Kingdom Jason Plato France Yvan Muller Vauxhall Motorsport Norway Roger Möen
R20 United Kingdom Andy Priaulx United Kingdom Jason Plato United Kingdom Jason Plato Vauxhall Motorsport Norway Roger Möen
11 R21 Silverstone Circuit (International), Northamptonshire 9 September United Kingdom Phil Bennett United Kingdom Phil Bennett United Kingdom Phil Bennett egg:sport Norway Roger Möen
R22 United Kingdom Phil Bennett France Yvan Muller United Kingdom James Thompson egg:sport United Kingdom James Kaye
12 R23 Donington Park (Grand Prix), Leicestershire 23 September United Kingdom Jason Plato United Kingdom Jason Plato United Kingdom Phil Bennett egg:sport United Kingdom Simon Graves
R24 United Kingdom Jason Plato France Yvan Muller France Yvan Muller Vauxhall Motorsport Norway Roger Möen
13 R25 Brands Hatch (Indy), Kent 7 October France Yvan Muller France Yvan Muller United Kingdom Anthony Reid MG Sport & Racing United Kingdom Simon Graves
R26 United Kingdom Warren Hughes United Kingdom Jason Plato United Kingdom Phil Bennett egg:sport United Kingdom Gavin Pyper

† Both classes had their own separate races.

Championship results tables

Points system
 1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th   6th   7th   8th   9th   10th  Pole Position Fastest Lap Lead a lap
in feature race
15 12 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1 1 1 1

Drivers' Championship

(key)

Pos. Driver BHI THR OUL SIL MON DON KNO SNE CRO OUL SIL DON BHI Pts
Touring Class (BTC-T)
1 United Kingdom Jason Plato 2 2* 1 2* 9 Ret* 3 1* 17 2* 2 1* 2 1* 3 3* 2 2 3 1* 3 3* 5 3 3 2 336
2 France Yvan Muller 1 Ret* 2 1* 7 1* 4 3* 1 1* 3 3* 4 Ret 2 2* 3 1* 1 Ret 2 2* 6 1* 4 Ret* 318
3 United Kingdom James Thompson 3 1* 3 4* 8 2 5 4 3 3 1 2 7 3 6 1* 5 3* 4 2 4 1 Ret 2 5 Ret 276
4 United Kingdom Phil Bennett 4 3* 4 3* 11 Ret 6 2 15 4 4 Ret 9 2* Ret 6 19 Ret 1 Ret* 4 Ret 6 1* 173
5 United Kingdom Dan Eaves 5 6 16 Ret 18 Ret* 10 Ret 10 Ret 5 4* Ret DNS 21 Ret 13 5 9 3 10 4 Ret 5 8 3* 115
6 United Kingdom Steve Soper 7 4* Ret Ret 16 Ret 11 6 4 Ret 6 5* Ret 4* 20 4 12 Ret Ret Ret* 20 8 20 Ret Ret DNS 93
7 Brazil Thomas Erdos 8 Ret 11 5 8 4 11 6* 14 6 14 4 72
8 United Kingdom Tim Harvey 17 3* DNS Ret DNS DNS DNS DNS Ret Ret 8 5 16 Ret 13 Ret 7 Ret 43
9 United Kingdom Kurt Luby Ret 6 20 5 15 5 8 Ret Ret DNS 33
10 United Kingdom Tom Ferrier Ret DNS Ret DNS Ret DNS 20 Ret 12 Ret* Ret 4 20
11 United Kingdom Andy Priaulx 2 Ret* 15
12 United Kingdom Mark Blair 15 4 15 Ret 15
13 United Kingdom David Pinkney Ret Ret 12 Ret Ret DNS 19 7 14
14 United Kingdom Matt Neal 6 5 11
drivers ineligible for points
  United Kingdom Anthony Reid 12 7 10 Ret 1 Ret 0
  United Kingdom Warren Hughes Ret 5* 11 8 Ret Ret* 0
  New Zealand Aaron Slight 7 Ret* 0
  United Kingdom Steve Sutcliffe 9 Ret 0
Production Class (BTC-P)
1 United Kingdom Simon Harrison 1 Ret* 5 Ret 1 7 1 10* 9 8 17 Ret 5 7 8 10 18 12 6 8* 6 10 Ret 7* 14 10 227
2 United Kingdom James Kaye Ret 7* 7 5* 2 Ret 9 9* 2 5* 12 Ret 6 6 9 Ret 6 10 13 10 Ret 9* 3 14 10 7 220
3 Norway Roger Möen 2 8* Ret Ret* 3 Ret 2 8* 6 11 8 7* Ret 10 17 14 1 Ret 5 7* 5 Ret 2 6* Ret NC 212
4 United Kingdom Mat Jackson 4 9 10 8 12 Ret 8 Ret 11 7 10 6* Ret Ret 7 9 16 7 10 13 8 Ret Ret 9* Ret 12 151
5 United Kingdom Gareth Howell 3 11 Ret Ret 4 6 Ret 11 5 Ret Ret DNS Ret DNS 4 7* 7 8 12 11 13 Ret 7 Ret 18 6* 139
6 United Kingdom Gavin Pyper 7 10 Ret DNS 5 4* Ret Ret 7 Ret 9 Ret* 11 Ret Ret Ret* 4 Ret 7 9 9 12* 9 Ret Ret 5* 120
7 United Kingdom Simon Graves 14 Ret Ret Ret* Ret 8* 1 Ret* 1 8* 9 11 Ret Ret 1 Ret* 2 8* 111
8 United Kingdom Paul O'Neill Ret 12 Ret Ret Ret DNS 7 12 Ret 6 Ret Ret 12 11 13 Ret 10 Ret Ret DNS Ret 11 8 DNS 17 9 74
9 United Kingdom Jim Edwards, Jr. Ret 15 9 9 14 Ret 13 13 13 12 15 9 12 11 14 6* Ret Ret 71
10 United Kingdom Rick Kraemer 12 16 15 9 18 15 13 10 14 10 13 13 Ret 15 15 13 17 12 Ret 13 15 15 11 15 70
11 United Kingdom Tom Boardman 8 17 Ret 10 10 8 Ret 17 12 Ret 18 Ret 14 Ret 15 13 DNS DNS 16 18 7 Ret* 16 12 12 11 66
12 United Kingdom Dave Allan 10 19 8 15 21 11 16 14 15 9 Ret DNS 18 14 17 14 19 Ret 16 13 49
13 United Kingdom Rob Collard 6 DNS Ret NC Ret DNS 12 Ret Ret DNS 11 Ret 10 8 5 Ret DNS DNS DNS DNS 11 Ret DNS DNS 15 Ret 46
14 United Kingdom Richard Meins 13 Ret 11 11 19 10 Ret 18 14 Ret Ret Ret Ret 9 20 15 19 NC 13 14 34
15 United Kingdom Gordon Shedden 3 5* 30
16 United Kingdom Nick Beaumont 11 18 6 12 Ret Ret 20 19 DNS Ret Ret 12 14 12 Ret DNS Ret DNS Ret 16 Ret 11 29
17 United Kingdom Peter Cate 9 13 15 7 6 12 27
18 United Kingdom Colin Blair Ret DNS Ret Ret 22 13 17 Ret Ret 9 Ret Ret Ret Ret 16 Ret 17 Ret 19 Ret 18 Ret 17 10 Ret Ret 22
19 United Kingdom Annie Templeton 14 Ret 13 13 Ret Ret 21 Ret 16 12 16 11 Ret Ret 19 Ret Ret 14 21 16 21 Ret 18 Ret 19 17 21
20 Finland Toni Ruokonen 5 14 Ret Ret 13 Ret NC 20 Ret Ret 11
21 United Kingdom Mark Lemmer 10 16 11 Ret* 10
22 United Kingdom John B&Q 15 20 14 14 23 14 22 21 Ret 13 Ret 17 DNS DNS Ret Ret Ret Ret 8
23 United Kingdom Nick James Ret DNS Ret Ret DNS DNS NC 13 4
24 United Kingdom Steve Wood 22 15 Ret 16 4
25 United Kingdom Joanna Clarke 16 14 18 Ret Ret DNS 2
26 United Kingdom Matt Kelly Ret DNS 23 16 2
  United Kingdom Andy Neate Ret Ret DNS DNS 0
  United Kingdom James Levy Ret Ret 0
drivers ineligible for points
  United Kingdom Tiff Needell 14 DNS 0
Pos. Driver BHI THR OUL SIL MON DON KNO SNE CRO OUL SIL DON BHI Pts

Manufacturers Championship

Pos Manufacturer BHI THR OUL SIL MON DON KNO SNE CRO OUL SIL DON BHI Pts
1 Vauxhall / Vauxhall Motorsport/egg:sport 1 1 1 1 7 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 5 1 3 2 886
2 2 2 2 8 2 4 3 3 2 2 2 4 3 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 6 2 4 Ret
3 Ret 3 4 9 Ret 5 4 17 3 3 3 7 Ret 6 3 5 3 4 Ret 4 3 Ret 3 5 Ret
2 Peugeot / Peugeot Sport UK 5 4 15 Ret 16 Ret 10 5 4 Ret 5 4 Ret 4 20 4 12 5 9 3 10 4 20 5 8 3 271
6 5 Ret Ret 18 Ret 11 Ret 5 Ret 6 5 Ret DNS 21 Ret 13 Ret Ret Ret 20 8 Ret Ret Ret DNS
7 6 7 Ret
manufacturers ineligible for points
  MG / MG Sport & Racing 12 5 10 8 1 Ret 0
Ret 7 11 Ret Ret Ret
Pos Manufacturer BHI THR OUL SIL MON DON KNO SNE CRO OUL SIL DON BHI Pts

Touring Teams Championship

Pos Team BHI THR OUL SIL MON DON KNO SNE CRO OUL SIL DON BHI Pts
1 Vauxhall Motorsport 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 2 269
Ret 2 Ret 3 2 3 Ret 3 2 Ret 3 3 Ret
2 egg:sport 1 3 2 2 3 2 2 1 3 2 1 2 1 211
3 4 Ret 4 4 Ret 3 6 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret
3 Peugeot Sport UK 4 Ret Ret 5 Ret 4 4 4 5 3 4 5 3 95
5 Ret Ret Ret Ret 5 DNS Ret Ret Ret 8 Ret DNS
4 JS Motorsport Ret Ret 3 6 DNS DNS DNS Ret 4 Ret Ret 4 37
DNS DNS Ret DNS Ret 5 Ret Ret Ret
5 ABG Motorsport 6 5 6 Ret DNS Ret 5 4 32
6 Total Motorsport 6 6 4 Ret 19
teams ineligible for points
  MG Sport & Racing 5 8 Ret 0
7 Ret Ret
Pos Team BHI THR OUL SIL MON DON KNO SNE CRO OUL SIL DON BHI Pts

† Not eligible for points

Production Teams Championship

Pos Team BHI THR OUL SIL MON DON KNO SNE CRO OUL SIL DON BHI Pts
1 GR Motorsport 9 8 6 11 7 6 5 7 7 11 13 9 6 205
11 11 9 15 10 10 13 9 8 12 NC 15 12
2 HTML 8 Ret 7 8 8 7 7 10 12 7 10 6 10 173
Ret Ret Ret 10 11 Ret 10 14 Ret 8 Ret 7 NC
3 Team Kaliber Sport with Barwell 7 5 12 9 5 8 6 8 10 10 9 14 7 164
13 7 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 11 DNS Ret Ret 8
4 Tech-Speed Motorsport 12 13 Ret 12 6 11 11 Ret 14 16 11 Ret 9 62
Ret Ret DNS Ret 12 Ret Ret Ret Ret DNS Ret DNS 17
5 GA Janspeed Racing 10 Ret 4 Ret 9 Ret Ret Ret Ret 9 12 10 5 59
DNS DNS 13 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret
6 TCR/Interactive Network Solutions 15 9 Ret 13 12 9 11 6 Ret 46
7 Synchro Motorsport 19 15 11 14 9 DNS 16 Ret 14 14 Ret 13 31
8 Tom Boardman Racing 17 10 8 17 Ret Ret Ret 13 DNS 18 Ret 12 11 30
9 Team B&Q/Talksport Radio 18 12 14 19 13 12 12 DNS 17 16 11 Ret 26
20 14 Ret 21 Ret 14 Ret DNS DNS DNS Ret
10 Arnold James Sport DNS Ret DNS 13 4
11 TH Motorsport 15 16 4
12 Cranfield Automotive Management 14 Ret Ret 20 Ret 3
Ret Ret
13 Collard Racing DNS NC DNS Ret DNS Ret 8 Ret DNS DNS Ret DNS Ret 3
14 Bintcliffe Sport Racing DNS 16 2
Pos Team BHI THR OUL SIL MON DON KNO SNE CRO OUL SIL DON BHI Pts

External links

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