2002 British Touring Car Championship

2002 BTCC season
Previous: 2001 Next: 2003

The 2002 Green Flag MSA British Touring Car Championship season was the 45th British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season.

Changes for 2002

Teams and drivers

In its second year under new rules, the entry of the touring class swelled with 5 marques represented on the 2002 grid. Reigning champions Vauxhall again entered four Triple 8-run Vauxhall Astra Coupes. With 2001 champion Jason Plato not returning, 2001 runner-up Yvan Muller was partnered by James Thompson in the Vauxhall Motorsport entries while Thompson's place in the Egg Sport entry was taken by Matt Neal, fresh from a season in the European Touring Car Championship, alongside Production class graduate Paul O'Neill. They would be challenged by MG, who had trialled their West Surrey Racing-prepared ZS in the closing stages of 2001 and again had experienced touring car hand Anthony Reid and Warren Hughes at the wheel.

After, a year off developing a car built to the new rules, Honda returned with a pair of Arena Motorsport-prepared Honda Civic Type Rs for Guernseyman Andy Priaulx, who crossed over from Formula 3 after impressing on a one off BTCC outing for Vauxhall in 2001, with Northern Irishman Alan Morrison, the 2000 Production (then Class B) champion, alongside him. Proton completed the works team contingent, entering the BTCC for the first time with a pair of Impians for returning Scottish veteran David Leslie and Phil Bennett, who had been dropped by Vauxhall.

With Peugeot withdrawing their factory backing, Vic Lee Racing now headed the independents field with their pair of 406 Coupes, Dan Eaves remained and was joined by 1992 champion Tim Harvey, who had endured a difficult 2001 with the struggling JSM Alfa Romeo. The pair were joined later in the year by Formula Renault driver Carl Breeze in a third car. The works MG squad was supported from second meeting onwards by a WSR-run squad carrying the name of the girl band Atomic Kitten as part of a sponsorship deal. This team ran the young pairing of Colin Turkington and Production graduate Gareth Howell. Barwell Motorsport stepped up from the Production class to complete the Touring grid with a pair of ex-works Vauxhall Astra Coupes driven by New Zealand superbike racer Aaron Slight, who switched to car racing after a successful guest appearance for Peugeot in 2001, and 17-year-old rookie Tom Chilton.

In the Production class Synchro Motorsport gained the upper hand by stepping up from the Honda Accord to the brand new Civic Type R, recruiting former Honda factory driver James Kaye from Barwell alongside the returning Dave Allan. The Accords were still campaigned by new squad Beacon Motorsport with Lotus Elise championship graduates Mark Thomas and Spencer Marsh, and John Batchelor's team swapped from Integras to a pair of Accords for Jim Edwards Jnr and Batchelor (again under the name of John B-and-Q), who was injured in a crash during the second meeting at Oulton Park and replaced by Peter Cate and later Hyla Breese. Tech-Speed Motorsport continued their Peugeot 306 campaign, with Lotus Elise champion Mark Fullalove replacing Vauxhall-bound Paul O'Neill alongside Annie Templeton, and GA Motorsport also returned with their Alfa Romeo 156s, this time campaigned by series newcomers Graham Saunders and Alan Blencowe, accompanied by 2001 driver Gavin Pyper at circuits with enough grid space to accommodate a third car. Rob Collard also returned in his self-entered Renault Clio but did not contest a full programme. The big new arrival to the class was Edenbridge Racing's pair of BMW 320is, driven by teenager Tom Boardman in his second year in the class, and experienced German production saloon racer Norman Simon. TH Motorsport also appeared at selected rounds with a Mitsubishi Carisma for Steve Wood.

Other changes

Teams and drivers

Team Car No. Drivers Rounds
Works Entries
Vauxhall Motorsport Vauxhall Astra Coupé 2 France Yvan Muller All
3 United Kingdom James Thompson All
egg:sport 0 United Kingdom Matt Neal All
29 United Kingdom Paul O'Neill All
MG Sport & Racing MG ZS 11 United Kingdom Anthony Reid All
12 United Kingdom Warren Hughes All
Petronas Syntium Proton Proton Impian 15 United Kingdom David Leslie All
20 United Kingdom Phil Bennett All
Honda Racing Honda Civic Type-R 27 United Kingdom Alan Morrison All
28 United Kingdom Andy Priaulx All
Independent Entries
Team Halfords Peugeot 406 Coupé 5 United Kingdom Dan Eaves All
8 United Kingdom Tim Harvey All
23 United Kingdom Carl Breeze 4–10
Team Atomic Kitten MG ZS 21 United Kingdom Gareth Howell 2–10
22 United Kingdom Colin Turkington 2–10
Barwell Motorsport Vauxhall Astra Coupé 17 United Kingdom Tom Chilton All
111 New Zealand Aaron Slight All
Production Entries
Collard Racing Renault Clio 172 51 United Kingdom Rob Collard 1–4, 6
Synchro Motorsport Honda Civic Type-R 52 United Kingdom James Kaye All
53 United Kingdom Dave Allan 3–10
Gary Ayles Motorsport Alfa Romeo 156 55 United Kingdom Graham Saunders All
56 United Kingdom Alan Blencowe All
57 United Kingdom Gavin Pyper 2–3, 5–10
58 United Kingdom Kelvin Burt 4
Tech-Speed Motorsport Peugeot 306 GTi 59 United Kingdom Annie Templeton All
60 United Kingdom Mark Fullalove All
Beacon Motorsport Honda Accord 62 United Kingdom Spencer Marsh All
63 United Kingdom Mark Thomas All
Edenbridge Racing BMW 320i 77 United Kingdom Tom Boardman All
78 Germany Norman Simon All
Team B&Q Jet York City Honda Accord 79 Australia Hyla Breese 6–10
88 United Kingdom John B&Q 1–2
89 United Kingdom Peter Cate 3–5
99 United Kingdom Jim Edwards Jr. All
TH Motorsport Mitsubishi Carisma 81 United Kingdom Steve Wood 1–4, 10

Not eligible for points.

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 (Grand Prix), Kent 1 April France Yvan Muller France Yvan Muller United Kingdom Matt Neal egg:sport Germany Norman Simon
R2 France Yvan Muller France Yvan Muller United Kingdom James Thompson Vauxhall Motorsport United Kingdom Rob Collard
2 R3 Oulton Park (Island), Cheshire 21 April United Kingdom Matt Neal United Kingdom Matt Neal France Yvan Muller Vauxhall Motorsport United Kingdom James Kaye
R4 United Kingdom Matt Neal United Kingdom Matt Neal United Kingdom Paul O'Neill egg:sport United Kingdom Spencer Marsh
3 R5 Thruxton Circuit, Hampshire 6 May France Yvan Muller United Kingdom James Thompson United Kingdom James Thompson Vauxhall Motorsport United Kingdom James Kaye
R6 France Yvan Muller France Yvan Muller France Yvan Muller Vauxhall Motorsport United Kingdom James Kaye
4 R7 Silverstone Circuit (International), Northamptonshire 3 June United Kingdom Matt Neal United Kingdom James Thompson United Kingdom Warren Hughes MG Sport & Racing Germany Norman Simon
R8 United Kingdom Anthony Reid United Kingdom James Thompson United Kingdom James Thompson Vauxhall Motorsport United Kingdom James Kaye
5 R9 Mondello Park 23 June France Yvan Muller France Yvan Muller United Kingdom Matt Neal egg:sport United Kingdom Gavin Pyper
R10 United Kingdom James Thompson France Yvan Muller France Yvan Muller Vauxhall Motorsport United Kingdom Spencer Marsh
6 R11 Croft Circuit, North Yorkshire 14 July United Kingdom James Thompson United Kingdom James Thompson United Kingdom James Thompson Vauxhall Motorsport Germany Norman Simon
R12 United Kingdom James Thompson France Yvan Muller France Yvan Muller Vauxhall Motorsport Germany Norman Simon
7 R13 Snetterton Circuit, Norfolk 28 July United Kingdom Matt Neal United Kingdom Matt Neal United Kingdom James Thompson Vauxhall Motorsport United Kingdom Gavin Pyper
R14 United Kingdom James Thompson United Kingdom Matt Neal France Yvan Muller Vauxhall Motorsport United Kingdom James Kaye
8 R15 Knockhill Circuit, Fife 11 August United Kingdom Andy Priaulx United Kingdom Matt Neal United Kingdom Matt Neal egg:sport United Kingdom Gavin Pyper
R16 United Kingdom Andy Priaulx France Yvan Muller United Kingdom Andy Priaulx Honda Racing United Kingdom Gavin Pyper
9 R17 Brands Hatch (Indy), Kent 26 August United Kingdom Anthony Reid United Kingdom Anthony Reid United Kingdom Anthony Reid MG Sport & Racing Germany Norman Simon
R18 United Kingdom Warren Hughes United Kingdom Andy Priaulx United Kingdom Warren Hughes MG Sport & Racing Germany Norman Simon
10 R19 Donington Park (Grand Prix), Leicestershire 22 September United Kingdom James Thompson United Kingdom James Thompson United Kingdom James Thompson Vauxhall Motorsport United Kingdom Gavin Pyper
R20 United Kingdom Andy Priaulx United Kingdom Alan Morrison United Kingdom Alan Morrison Honda Racing Germany Norman Simon

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

Pos. Driver BHGP OUL THR SIL MON CRO SNE KNO BHI DON Pts
Touring Class (BTC-T)
1 United Kingdom James Thompson Ret 1* 3 7* 1 2 8 1* 2 2 1 Ret 1 2 3 3 NC Ret 1 3 183
2 France Yvan Muller 5 2* 1 10* Ret 1* 9 10 Ret 1* Ret 1* 2 1* 4 2 3 6 5 Ret 163
3 United Kingdom Matt Neal 1 4 4 Ret* 2 3* 6 3* 1 3 Ret Ret Ret Ret* 1 4 4 8 3 Ret 145
4 United Kingdom Anthony Reid 4 3 5 Ret 3 Ret* DSQ 2* 5 4* Ret 3 4 10 2 6* 1 5* 4 8 136
5 United Kingdom Andy Priaulx 12 5 7 Ret 4 5 4 6 6 Ret 4 2* 3 Ret 7 1* 11 7* 2 4* 116
6 United Kingdom Warren Hughes Ret 8* 2 2 11 10 1 11 10 7 5 11 7 3 Ret Ret 2 1* 7 2* 110
7 United Kingdom David Leslie Ret Ret 8 3 9 9 3 9 3 11 2 7 5 Ret 9 8* 9 Ret 6 6 79
8 United Kingdom Paul O'Neill Ret Ret Ret 1* 8 7 2 4* 4 5* Ret 6* 11 16 6 5* 10 4 Ret 5 77
9 United Kingdom Alan Morrison Ret Ret 10 5 12 8 5 Ret* Ret 6 6 Ret* 6 Ret 5 10 8 2 10 1* 68
10 United Kingdom Dan Eaves 2 13 20 Ret 6 6 12 7 Ret Ret 9 4 13 7 12 Ret Ret 21 9 Ret 43
11 United Kingdom Tim Harvey Ret 7* Ret 6 5 4* Ret 5 7 DSQ Ret Ret Ret DNS 11 9 6 3 Ret Ret* 43
12 United Kingdom Gareth Howell 9 4 10 11 Ret 8 Ret 10 Ret 9 10 5 Ret 13* 5 Ret* Ret Ret 32
13 New Zealand Aaron Slight 9 12 6 8 7 DNS 10 Ret DNS 8 7 10 12 9 Ret 12 Ret 9 Ret Ret 32
14 United Kingdom Colin Turkington 19 Ret Ret Ret Ret 12 DNS DNS 3 5 9 4 8 Ret Ret 16 11 Ret 29
15 United Kingdom Tom Chilton 3 Ret 11 9 13 Ret 11 Ret 9 Ret Ret Ret Ret 8* 10 7 12 10 12 Ret 14
16 United Kingdom Phil Bennett 11 6 Ret DNS 14 Ret 7 13 8 9 12 8 8 18 Ret DNS 7 12 8 9 9
17 United Kingdom Carl Breeze DNS 16 Ret 18 8 12* 14 6 Ret 14 Ret DNS 13 7 8
Independent's Championship
1 United Kingdom Dan Eaves 2 13 20 Ret 6 6 12 7 Ret Ret 9 4 13 7 12 Ret Ret 21 9 Ret 145
2 New Zealand Aaron Slight 9 12 6 8 7 DNS 10 Ret DNS 8 7 10 12 9 Ret 12 Ret 9 Ret Ret 142
3 United Kingdom Tim Harvey Ret 7 Ret 6 5 4 Ret 5 7 DSQ Ret Ret Ret DNS 11 9 6 3 Ret Ret 126
4 United Kingdom Gareth Howell 9 4 10 11 Ret 8 Ret 10 Ret 9 10 5 Ret 13 5 Ret Ret Ret 126
5 United Kingdom Tom Chilton 3 Ret 11 9 13 Ret 11 Ret 9 Ret Ret Ret Ret 8 10 7 12 10 12 Ret 123
6 United Kingdom Colin Turkington 19 Ret Ret Ret Ret 12 DNS DNS 3 5 9 4 8 Ret Ret 16 11 Ret 108
7 United Kingdom Carl Breeze DNS 16 Ret 18 8 12 14 6 Ret 14 Ret DNS 13 7 72
Production Class (BTC-P)
1 United Kingdom James Kaye Ret NC 12 Ret 15 12 16 15 17 Ret 11 14 17 11 16 17 14 13 16 11 210
2 Germany Norman Simon 6 Ret 15 13 Ret DNS 13 Ret Ret Ret 10 13 16 Ret 14 15 13 11 15 10 180
3 United Kingdom Spencer Marsh 8 Ret 16 11 17 Ret 20 17 Ret 12 Ret 15 22 Ret 15 Ret 17 15 19 13 122
4 United Kingdom Gavin Pyper Ret Ret Ret 20 15 Ret Ret DNS 15 12 13 11 15 14 14 12 107
5 United Kingdom Jim Edwards, Jr. 10 Ret 17 12 21 14 17 Ret 18 13 17 16 24 Ret DSQ 20 22 17 20 14 101
6 United Kingdom Tom Boardman Ret 10 DNS DNS 16 17 Ret 22 16 15 18 Ret 19 13 20 22 16 Ret 17 15 98
7 United Kingdom Alan Blencowe Ret Ret 14 Ret Ret 13 21 18 19 17 13 Ret Ret 20 18 21 19 18 Ret Ret 76
8 United Kingdom Mark Fullalove Ret Ret 13 14 18 Ret 18 Ret Ret Ret 16 Ret Ret 19 Ret 16 18 20 18 Ret 69
9 United Kingdom Dave Allan Ret 18 26 19 20 16 15 Ret 18 15 17 19 Ret 19 Ret 17 61
10 United Kingdom Mark Thomas Ret Ret 18 15 19 16 19 Ret Ret 19 Ret 17 21 17 19 23 21 Ret 21 16 61
11 United Kingdom Graham Saunders Ret 11 DNS DNS 22 15 22 21 Ret Ret 14 Ret 20 14 21 18 20 Ret Ret DNS 60
12 United Kingdom Rob Collard 7 9 DNS DNS DNS DNS 14 Ret DNS DNS 34
13 United Kingdom Annie Templeton 13 Ret Ret 17 24 19 25 Ret DNS DNS 19 18 25 Ret 22 24 23 22 22 Ret 26
14 United Kingdom Peter Cate 20 21 24 20 Ret 14 23
15 United Kingdom Steve Wood DNS DNS Ret 16 23 Ret 23 23 23 Ret 12
  United Kingdom John B&Q DNS DNS Ret DNS 0
  Australia Hyla Breese DNS DNS 23 21 DNS DNS Ret DNS DNS DNS -16
guest drivers ineligible for points
  United Kingdom Kelvin Burt 15 14 0
Pos. Driver BHGP OUL THR SIL MON CRO SNE KNO BHI DON Pts

Not eligible for points.

Manufacturers Championship

Pos Manufacturer BHGP OUL THR SIL MON CRO SNE KNO BHI DON Pts
1 Vauxhall / Vauxhall Motorsport/egg:sport 1 1 1 7 1 1 6 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 6 1 3 471
5 2 3 10 2 2 8 3 2 2 Ret Ret 2 2 3 3 4 8 3 Ret
Ret 4 4 Ret Ret 3 9 10 Ret 3 Ret Ret Ret Ret 4 4 NC Ret 5 Ret
2 MG / MG Sport & Racing 4 3 2 2 3 10 1 2 5 4 5 3 4 3 2 6 1 1 4 2 320
Ret 8 5 Ret 11 Ret DSQ 11 10 7 Ret 11 7 10 Ret Ret 2 5 7 8
3 Honda / Honda Racing 12 5 7 5 4 5 4 6 6 6 4 2 3 Ret 5 1 8 2 2 1 212
Ret Ret 10 Ret 12 8 5 Ret Ret Ret 6 Ret 6 Ret 7 10 11 7 10 4
4 Proton / Team PSP 11 6 8 3 9 9 3 9 3 9 2 7 5 18 9 8 7 12 6 6 145
Ret Ret Ret DNS 14 Ret 7 13 8 11 12 8 8 Ret Ret DNS 9 Ret 8 9
Pos Manufacturer BHGP OUL THR SIL MON CRO SNE KNO BHI DON Pts

Touring Teams Championship

Pos Team BHGP OUL THR SIL MON CRO SNE KNO BHI DON Pts
1 Vauxhall Motorsport 1 7 1 1 1 1 1 2 6 3 161
2 10 2 10 2 Ret 2 3 Ret Ret
2 MG Sport & Racing 3 2 10 2 4 3 3 6 1 2 107
8 Ret Ret 11 7 11 10 Ret 5 8
3 egg:sport 4 1 3 3 3 6 16 4 4 5 87
Ret Ret 7 4 5 Ret Ret 5 8 Ret
4 Honda Racing 5 5 5 6 6 2 Ret 1 2 1 78
Ret Ret 8 Ret Ret Ret Ret 10 7 4
5 Team Halfords 7 6 4 5 Ret 4 7 9 3 Ret 47
13 Ret 6 7 DSQ Ret DNS Ret 21 Ret
6 Team Atomic Kitten 4 11 8 10 5 4 13 16 Ret 34
Ret Ret 12 DNS 9 5 Ret Ret Ret
7 Team Petronas 6 3 9 9 9 7 18 8 12 6 14
Ret DNS Ret 13 11 8 Ret DNS Ret 9
8 Barwell Motorsport 12 8 Ret Ret 8 10 8 7 9 Ret 12
Ret 9 DNS Ret Ret Ret 9 12 10 Ret
Pos Team BHGP OUL THR SIL MON CRO SNE KNO BHI DON Pts

Production Teams Championship

Pos Team BHGP OUL THR SIL MON CRO SNE KNO BHI DON Pts
1 Synchro Motorsport NC Ret 12 15 16 14 11 17 13 11 127
18 19 Ret Ret 15 19 19 17
2 Edenbridge Racing 10 13 17 22 15 13 13 15 11 10 115
Ret DNS DNS Ret Ret Ret Ret 22 Ret 15
3 Beacon Motorsport Ret 11 16 17 12 15 17 23 15 13 103
Ret 15 Ret Ret 19 17 Ret Ret Ret 16
4 Gary Ayles Motorsport 11 Ret 13 18 17 Ret 12 11 14 12 86
Ret Ret 15 21 Ret Ret 14 18 18 Ret
5 Team B&Q Jet York City Ret 12 14 20 13 16 21 20 17 14 59
DNS DNS 21 Ret 14 DNS Ret DNS DNS DNS
6 Tech-Speed Motorsport Ret 14 19 Ret Ret 18 19 16 20 Ret 43
Ret 17 Ret Ret DNS Ret Ret 24 22 Ret
7 Collard Racing 9 DNS DNS Ret DNS 10
8 TH Motorsport DNS 16 Ret 23 Ret 8
Pos Team BHGP OUL THR SIL MON CRO SNE KNO BHI DON Pts

External links

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