2001 British Touring Car Championship

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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. The season saw a rivalry between Vauxhall teammates Jason Plato and Yvan Muller for the title.

2001 saw a complete overhaul of the BTCC, aimed at reducing the cost of competition, improving the quality of racing and making the series more appealing to the fans. The running of the championship was taken over by British Motorsport Promoters (BMP), replacing TOCA who had run the series since 1992.

The escalating costs of Supertouring in the late 1990s had seen manufacturers withdrawing as they were no longer able to justify spending the vast amounts of money required to stay competitive and in the British championship in particular independent entries had dropped to an all time low. In 1999 TOCA had begun looking at the next generation of touring car with changes that included simplified aerodynamics, less expensive carbon fibre and more common parts. In June 2000 BMP unveiled plans for the new look formula designed to be "both spectacular and cost effective " for the sprint race at the following round but wouldn't compete in the feature race either as Vauxhall chose to withdraw him from the weekend. Formula 3 racer Andy Priaulx took over his seat for the two races. Peugeot re entered the series with 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 pair of ZS' built to the new regulations courtesy of West Surrey Racing, these made guest appearances in the hands of ex Ford and Nissan driver Anthony Reid and former Formula 3 and STW 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. After original intended driver Darren Malkin lost his sponsorship deal prior to the start of the season, the team hired Tom Ferrier after his deal to drive for Vauxhall fell through. It was planned for Harvey to drive the car when Ferrier was fulfilling other driving commitments in the European Super Production Championship. The second car was driven by David Pinkney until he walked away from the team after the Silverstone rounds in June which would see Harvey take over and drive alongside Ferrier. Former independent driver Mark Blair competed in two rounds in place of Ferrier later in the year. 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 when the Englishman walked away from the team, while the running of the car was taken over by Total Motorsport. After a failed attempt to hire former Volvo and Vauxhall works driver Vincent Radermecker, the car was driven by driver turned motoring journalist Steve Sutcliffe as a guest entry in the final round.

With a low entry in the top class, the grid relied largely on the super production specification base Production class (formerly Class B) to boost grid numbers in this transitional year. HTML headed the Peugeot entry with Roger Moen and Simon Harrison moving across from the National Saloon Cup, Tech Speed Motorsport also entered a pair of 306s for MG F racers Annie Templeton and young gun Paul O'Neill, and teenager Tom Boardman drove a fifth 306 for his family run team. Barwell Motorsport fielded a pair of Honda Accords for former works Honda driver 2000 Class B runner up James Kaye and Peter Cate who was replaced by Simon Graves following the first three rounds. Tiff Needell appeared in the second car at Oulton Park in August but was ineligible for points. There were also Accords for Total Control Racing's Jim Edwards Jnr and Synchro Motorsport's Dave Allan. Mark Lemmer raced in place of Allan at Croft and Snetterton. 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. Joanna Clarke raced in place of Batchelor for three rounds mid season. Nick James also appeared for a handful of rounds in the Integra he raced in the second half of 2000. 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. Mein's car was taken over by future champion Gordon Shedden for the Knockhill races. Phil Andrews was also listed as one of the team's intended drivers but never raced. GA Janspeed entered two Alfa Romeo 156's, campaigned by Gavin Pyper and Colin Blair, a third entry for Italian Antonio Russo was also entered but never raced. Rob Collard returned now driving a self entered Renault Clio. Cranfield Automotive entered Mitsubishi Carismas for reigning National Saloon champion Toni Ruokonen, James Levy and Sandro Proietti but the latter was replaced by Andy Neate before the season started. Neate only raced at Brands Hatch and Levy only raced at Oulton Park, the rest of the time, Ruokonen was the team's sole entry. Bintcliffe Sport ran a single Nissan Primera for Matt Kelly but abandoned their efforts early in the year. Later in the season the first Proton entered in the BTCC, a Satria run by TH Motorsport for Steven Wood, appeared at Silverstone and Brands Hatch.

Team Car No. Drivers Rounds Works Entries MG Sport & Racing MG ZS 2 Anthony Reid† 11–13 20 Warren Hughes† 11–13 Vauxhall Motorsport Vauxhall Astra Coupé 4 Yvan Muller All 5 Jason Plato All egg:sport 9 James Thompson All 18 Andy Priaulx 10 27 Phil Bennett 1–9, 11–13 Peugeot Sport UK Peugeot 406 Coupé 8 Matt Neal 1 22 Dan Eaves All 44 Steve Soper All 111 Aaron Slight† 6 Independent Entries JS Motorsport Alfa Romeo 147 14 Tom Ferrier 2, 7–9, 12–13 15 Dave Pinkney 1–4 16 Tim Harvey 3–4, 9–13 17 Mark Blair 10–11 ABG Motorsport Lexus IS200 41 Kurt Luby 2–6 42 Tommy Erdos 7–9 Total Motorsport 10–12 43 Steve Sutcliffe† 13 Production Entries HTML Peugeot 306 GTi 50 Roger Möen All 60 Simon Harrison All TCR/Interactive Network Solutions Honda Accord 51 Jim Edwards Jr. 1–4, 6–10 GR Motorsport Ford Focus 52 Gordon Shedden 7 94 Gareth Howell All 95 Phil Andrews None 96 Rick Kraemer 1, 3–13 97 Richard Meins 1–6, 9–11, 13 98 Mat Jackson All Team B&Q/Talksport Radio Honda Integra Type R 53 Joanna Clarke 7–9 54 Nick Beaumont 1–4, 6–12 55 John B&Q 1–4, 6, 10, 12–13 Tech Speed Motorsport Peugeot 306 GTi 58 Paul O'Neill All 59 Annie Templeton All Collard Racing Renault Clio 172 62 Rob Collard 1–8, 10–11, 13GA Janspeed RacingAlfa Romeo 156 63 Antonio Russo None 64 Gavin Pyper All 65 Colin Blair All Team Kaliber Sport with Barwell Honda Accord 66 Peter Cate 1–3 88 James Kaye All 89 Tiff Needell† 10 99 Simon Graves 4–9, 11–13 Synchro Motorsport Honda Accord 68 Mark Lemmer 8–9 70 Dave Allan 1–4, 6–7, 10–13 Tom Boardman Racing Peugeot 306 GTi 77 Tom Boardman All Cranfield Automotive Management Mitsubishi Carisma 78 James Levy 3 79 Toni Ruokonen 1–5 80 Andy Neate 1 Bintcliffe Sport Racing Nissan Primera 84 Matt Kelly 1, 4 Arnold James Sport Honda Integra Type R 85 Nick James 4, 8, 12 TH Motorsport Proton Satria GTi 86 Steve Wood 11, 13

† Not eligible for points. There was no Independent Cup in 2001. Antonio Russo and Phil Andrews were on the official entry list but neither raced. (https://www. crash. net/btcc/news/6776/1/bumper btc entry lists announced)

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 Yvan Muller Yvan Muller Jason Plato Yvan Muller [[Triple 8 Race Engineering R2 Yvan Muller Yvan Muller James Thompson egg:sport James Kaye 2 R3 Thruxton Circuit, Hampshire 7 May Jason Plato Yvan Muller Jason Plato Vauxhall Motorsport Simon Harrison R4 James Thompson James Thompson Yvan Muller Vauxhall Motorsport James Kaye 3 R5 Oulton Park (Island), Cheshire 20 May Yvan Muller Jason Plato Yvan Muller Vauxhall Motorsport Simon Harrison R6 Yvan Muller Jason Plato Yvan Muller Vauxhall Motorsport Gavin Pyper 4 R7 Silverstone Circuit (International), Northamptonshire 2 June Yvan Muller James Thompson Jason Plato Vauxhall Motorsport Simon Harrison R8 Yvan Muller Yvan Muller Jason Plato Vauxhall Motorsport Roger Möen 5 R9 Mondello Park 17 June Yvan Muller Yvan Muller Yvan Muller Vauxhall Motorsport James Kaye R10 Yvan Muller Yvan Muller Yvan Muller Vauxhall Motorsport James Kaye 6 R11 Donington Park (Grand Prix), Leicestershire 1 July egg:sport Roger Möen R12 James Thompson James Thompson Jason Plato Vauxhall Motorsport Mat Jackson 7 R13 Knockhill Circuit, Fife 22 July Jason Plato Jason Plato Jason Plato Vauxhall Motorsport Simon Graves R14 Jason Plato Jason Plato Jason Plato Vauxhall Motorsport Gordon Shedden 8 R15 Snetterton Circuit, Norfolk 4 August Jason Plato Yvan Muller Yvan Muller Vauxhall Motorsport Simon Graves R16 Jason Plato Jason Plato James Thompson egg:sport Gareth Howell 9 R17 Croft Circuit, North Yorkshire 12 August Phil Bennett Yvan Muller Jason Plato Vauxhall Motorsport Roger Möen R18 James Thompson Yvan Muller Yvan Muller Vauxhall Motorsport Jim Edwards Jr. 10 R19 Oulton Park (Island), Cheshire 26 August Andy Priaulx Jason Plato Yvan Muller Vauxhall Motorsport Roger Möen R20 Andy Priaulx Jason Plato Jason Plato Vauxhall Motorsport Roger Möen 11 R21 Silverstone Circuit (International), Northamptonshire 9 September Phil Bennett Phil Bennett Phil Bennett egg:sport Roger Möen R22 Phil Bennett Yvan Muller James Thompson egg:sport James Kaye 12 R23 Donington Park (Grand Prix), Leicestershire23 September Jason Plato Jason Plato Phil Bennett egg:sport Simon Graves R24 Jason Plato Jason Plato Yvan Muller Vauxhall Motorsport Roger Möen 13 R25 Brands Hatch (Indy), Kent 7 October Yvan Muller Yvan Muller Anthony Reid MG Sport & Racing Simon Graves R26 Warren Hughes Jason Plato Phil Bennett egg:sport Gavin Pyper

† Both classes had their own separate races.