INSIDEBTCC.COM issue 16: oct 2012
PLUS - SILVERSTONE SUCCESS FOR JASON PLATO
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H C T A SH D N A BR T A T D A E P D A I SG DEC E S E O B O CL T O E T L A PL TIT R E T F A E L FINA NE O T S R SILVE BRANDS HATCH PREVIEW / LATEST RESULTS & POINTS / MUCH MORE...
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WELCOME... After a season full of drama and intrigue, the BTCC title fight comes down to the final round of the year once again with four men - mathematically at least - still in contention for honours. Gordon Shedden is the man to beat with a 15 point lead that could prove to be the deciding factor given how strong closest rival Jason Plato has been on the Brands Hatch GP circuit in the past; with no fewer than seven wins to his name over the years. Don’t discount Matt Neal either - he may now be more than 30 points behind but his Silverstone disaster was a harsh lesson that anything can happen.
look behind the scenes with Rob Tickner - number one mechanic on the AmDTuning.com VW Golf. We’ll be trackside all weekend at Brands Hatch so follow us on @InsideBTCC to follow the action and feel free to tweet us your thoughts on who will be champion. You can also get in touch to give us your feedback on contact@ insidebtcc.com, while you can also sign up for our newsletter to make sure you never miss a future issue of the magazine. Until next time...
In this latest edition of Inside BTCC, we look back at how the action unfolded at Silverstone to set up the title fight that is now so eagerly anticipated by race fans and have a full preview of the weekend ahead. We also speak to former BTCC racers David Brabham and James Nash, while there is a
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S T TEN
N O C
IN THIS ISSUE... BRANDS HATCH PREVIEW Looking ahead to rounds 28, 29 & 30
6-9
SILVERSTONE REVIEW We look back at all the action from Silverstone
10 - 15
GOING IN A FRESH DIRECTION How David Brabham went from F1 to V8 Supercars, via Le Mans and the BTCC
16 - 19
TAKING ON THE WORLD We catch up with WTCC star James Nash
20 - 23
THE MECHANIC’s TALE Behind the scenes with AmDTuning.com’s Rob Tickner
24 - 27
NEWS IN BRIEF Latest from inside the BTCC paddock
28 - 29
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS Points tables after Knockhill
34 - 35
THE SEASON SO FAR Results at-a-glance
36 - 37
ABOUT INSIDE BTCC... Inside BTCC is an independent publication that is in no way endorsed by, or affiliated to the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship or its organisers.
Photos are credit PSP IMAGES (www.psp-images. co.uk) or JAKOB EBREY (www.jakobebrey.com) unless otherwise stated.
To get in touch, please email: CONTACT@INSIDEBTCC.COM. Written, produced and edited by Matt Salisbury and Matt Lamprell. Front cover images: Main - Title contenders (jakobebrey.com); Top right - Caption (Credit). Back cover:Grid girl (jakobebrey.com).
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BRANDS HATCH PREVIEW
Dzenis/PSP
Still/PSP
LOOKING AHEAD TO ROUNDS 28, 29 & 30 After 27 races, the fight for the 2012 BTCC title now comes down to just three races around one of the most popular circuits on the calendar as the iconic Grand Prix layout at Brands Hatch plays host to the season finale for the first time since 2009.
record Shedden will hope to maintain.
Despite a difficult weekend for Honda at Silverstone last time out, Gordon Shedden heads the pack as the field heads for Kent having managed to not only retain his championship lead in the penultimate meeting of the year but also extend his advantage out front.
Interestingly though, Brands Hatch is the only circuit on the BTCC calendar where Shedden hasn’t tasted victory in the past, although he did finish just 0.009secs behind Tom Onslow-Cole in race two in 2010.
The Scot has been in championship contention going into Finals Day before but has never been the man to beat, although history would appear to be on his side as he bids to add his name to the list of men to have been crowned champion. On only one occasion in the past decade has the man leading the championship going into the final round failed to secure the title and that is a Inside BTCC
Brands Hatch should be better suited to the Civic than Silverstone, which will aid Shedden in his title bid as he seeks to become the first Scot to win the title since John Cleland back in 1995.
“I’m feeling relaxed and actually quietly confident,” he admits. “Silverstone was our car’s bogey circuit and we came out of it still ahead. I’d rather have the points in the bag any day of the week. As championship leader it means I’ll have to start the weekend with maximum success ballast in my car but the Civic’s chassis around Brands’ high-speed corners should really come into its own.” The 15 point advantage Shedden currently holds could be the difference given that
closest rival Jason Plato has a record around the Brands Hatch GP circuit that none of his rivals can match. The last time that circuit hosted the final back in 2009, Plato took all three wins at the wheel of a Chevrolet Lacetti and fell just five points shy of beating Colin Turkington to the crown – despite the fact he went into the weekend trailing his rival by 28 points. The MG driver heads to Brands Hatch buoyed by his double victory at Silverstone and has nothing to lose given that he could pick up a maximum score of 67 points from the weekend and it still not be enough… Plato has the best record of the title contenders at Brands Hatch, with seven wins on the GP circuit in the past. “We’ve had some rotten luck along the way but our persistence eventually paid off at Silverstone when finally we split the Hondas in the points table,” he said. “I believe we have an even www.insidebtcc.com
better chassis than Honda. Fifteen points is a big ask but I missed the title by five points on the Brands GP track three years ago having gone into the day 28 behind. Hello, Gordon…”
against him as Honda looks to ensure that it doesn’t allow Plato through to steal the crown at the death.
Finals Day at Silverstone last year saw Matt Neal crowned champion for a third time, but his hopes of joining Andy Rouse as only the second four-time champion in series history took a huge hit at the same circuit this time around when he failed to finish any of the three races.
“There’s no way I’m giving up on defending my title and, after a tough time at Silverstone which we didn’t deserve, I’m really fired up,” he said. “I’ll have less success ballast in my car and hopefully that might give me a small edge. Our chief objective is to get a Honda over the line first and Gordon should be the priority because of his stronger position.”
Neal is now 31 points off top spot heading into the final weekend of the season and remains hopeful of defending his title, although the fact his team-mate is one of the two drivers ahead could well work
Andrew Jordan also retains a chance of winning the overall title, although the fact he is 61 points behind means it would take a monumental swing – the likes of which haven’t been seen before
BRANDS HATCH RECENT HISTORY 2011 Pole
Jason Plato, Chevrolet Cruze
Race One
Jason Plato, Chevrolet Cruze
Race Two
Jason Plato, Chevrolet Cruze
Race Three
Matt Neal Honda Civic
– for the Pirtek Racing man to become the youngest champion in series history. What is much more achievable however is the Independents’ title, with Jordan leading Rob Collard by 28 points with a maximum of 60 still on offer. The pair are split by just ten points in the overall standings, meaning Collard could well overhaul Jordan in one points race but have to settle for second in the other. Both will also want to score well for their respective teams in the Independents’ Teams Trophy, where Collard’s eBay Motors squad are just five points clear of Jordan’s Pirtek team – with Redstone Racing five further back. Brands will of course be the second home race of the season for the Motorbaserun Redstone squad, which will aim to end the season with another victory after Mat Jackson took to the top step of the podium with the team’s new NGTC Ford Focus at Silverstone. With Aron Smith also breaking onto the podium for the first time in the penultimate meeting of the year, hopes are high of a successful conclusion to the campaign for the Wrothambased squad.
Elsewhere, Brands Hatch marks the final chance this season for a number of drivers to sample victory champagne for the first time thus season, with the likes of Tom Onslow-Cole, Frank Wrathall and Rob Austin all keen to try and make a visit to the top step of the podium before the year is out. For Onslow-Cole, a victory could help him get ahead of Jackson into the top six overall, while Wrathall will be eager to try and reclaim a top ten championship position; the Lancashire racer going into Finals Day 16 points down on eBay Motors man Nick Foster. While Brands Hatch marks the final race of the year, there will be at least one new name in action in the shape of Aaron Williamson in the Team HARD’s Honda Civic on what will be the first race meeting for the team running two cars after it was confirmed that the team has purchased the Thorney Motorsport Vauxhall Insignias – one of which will now race at Brands Hatch (see news in brief).
2010 Pole
Tom Chilton, Ford Focus ST
Race One
Tom Chilton, Ford Focus ST
Race Two
Tom Onslow-Cole, Ford Focus ST
Race Three
Mat Jackson, BMW 320si
Pole
Tom Chilton Ford Focus ST
Race One
Jason Plato, Chevrolet Lacetti
Race Two
Jason Plato, Chevrolet Lacetti
Race Three
Jason Plato, Chevrolet Lacetti Still/PSP
2009
2005 Pole
Dan Eaves, Honda Integra
Race One
Dan Eaves, Honda Integra
BRANDS HATCH STATS
Race Two
Jason Plato, SEAT Toledo
LENGTH
2.30 miles
Race Three
Rob Collard, MG ZS
2012 RACE LAPS
15
RACE DISTANCE
34.50 miles
LAP RECORD (QUALIFYING)
1m 31.604s (Tom Chilton, 2010)
LAP RECORD (RACE)
1m 32.619s (Jason Plato, 2011)
MOST WINS (1991-)
7 – Jason Plato
2002 Pole
Yvan Muller, Vauxhall Aster (x2)
Sprint Race
Matt Neal, Vauxhall Astra
Feature Race
James Thompson, Vauxhall Astra
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E H T Pics: jakobebrey.com
CONTENDERS GORDON J A S O N SHEDDEN PLATO
MATT NEAL
364 POINTS 349 POINTS 333 POINTS EIGHT FIVE FOUR RACE WINS
RACE WINS
RACE WINS
ZERO FIVE ONE
POLE POLE POLE
POSITIONS POSITIONS POSITION
SEVEN SEVEN ZERO FASTEST LAPS FASTEST LAPS FASTEST LAPS
ZERO TWO THREE
BTCC BTCC BTCC
TITLES TITLES TITLES Inside BTCC
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BTCC.net
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Still/PSP
PLATO STRIKES
MG STAR WINS TWICE AS MATT NEAL ENDURES POINT-LESS WEEKEND Inside BTCC 10
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Dzenis/PSP
MATT LAMPRELL REPORTS
NEAL’S TITLE HOPES UP IN SMOKE TWO WINS BRING PLATO INTO CONTENTION AS TITLE FIGHT GOES TO THE WIRE AT BRANDS
After winning the first and third races at Silverstone, Plato sits just 15 points behind Gordon Shedden, who remains at the top of the table. Plato’s performance saw him leapfrog Shedden Honda Yuasa Racing teammate Matt Neal and move into second position. Neal failed to score in any of the three races at Silverstone and looks set to be left playing a supporting role when the title www.insidebtcc.com
gets decided at Brands Hatch. RACE ONE Plato’s fifth win of the year came in the first race at Silverstone, after starting from pole position.
putting in a trademark fast start to move up to second behind the MG. Jackson emerged in third, with Dave Newsham fourth.
It looked like the MG KX Momentum Racing driver would to have to settle for second after losing the lead to Mat Jackson. However, Jackson was forced to wait for his first victory in the NGTC Ford Focus after retiring with throttle problems, just a handful of laps from the chequered flag.
As Collard challenged Plato at the front, there was an early safety car period for the pack to deal with. Two separate incidents occurred almost simultaneously on track. The first saw Chris James hit Howard Fuller as the ES Racing driver attempted to pass on the inside. Andy Neate and Andrew Jordan also clashed, with the MG tapping the rear of the Honda.
At the start, it was Plato who led away from pole position, with Rob Collard
James and Jordan both retired from the race, with their cars being recovered Inside BTCC 11
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Two wins at Silverstone have brought Jason Plato right back into contention in the title battle – and in true Plato style, it has come right at the crucial time.
Once the race restarted, Collard lost second place to Mat Jackson, who then went on to challenge Plato at the front. It took the Redstone Racing driver a few laps, but Plato didn’t put up too much of a fight and Jackson claimed the lead on lap 10.
Collard dropped further down the order as Dave Newsham and Aron Smith both got the better of the BMW. Having started 10th and 19th on the grid respectively, Honda Yuasa Racing Team drivers Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden both endured tough races. Neal was running ninth when he slowed. While he continued for a few laps more, it was eventually retirement for the triple-champion. Shedden struggled to make up places, but eventually finished in seventh position. Jackson held a steady gap to Plato until lap 21, when the
NGTC-spec Focus lost power and coasted into retirement. Plato was in the main beneficiary of Jackson’s misfortune, claiming the lead and ultimately his fifth win of the year. Dave Newsham finished second and Aron Smith third for his first appearance on the BTCC podium. Collard claimed fourth, ahead of Rob Austin in fifth and Nick Foster in sixth. Seventh was Shedden, while Jeff Smith was Pirtek Racing’s sole finisher in eighth. Lea Wood and Tom Onslow-Cole completed the top ten.
1 Jason Plato (NGTC) 27:03.052; 2 Dave Newsham (S2000) +2.434; 3 Aron Smith (S2000) +3.292; 4 Rob Collard (S2000) +4.127; 5 Rob Austin (NGTC) +15.472; 6 Nick Foster (S2000) +15.795; 7 Gordon Shedden (S2000) +17.167; 8 Jeff Smith (NGTC) + 18.020; 9 Lea Wood (S2000) +18.956; 10 Onslow-Cole (S2000) +19.184. Independent winner: Dave Newsham Fastest lap: Mat Jackson (59.147) RACE TWO 1 Mat Jackson (NGTC) 26:14.885; 2 Rob Collard (S2000) +1.796; 3 Dave Newsham (S2000) +4.116; 4 Aron Smith (S2000) +4.581; 5 Rob Austin (NGTC) +5.276; 6 Tom Onslow-Cole (S2000) +9.361; 7 Gordon Shedden (NGTC) +10.452; 8 Daniel
For the second race in a row, the leader retired with
mechanical problems. This time it was Jason Plato’s turn to suffer misfortune as he attempted to repeat his race one victory. Plato started from pole position and led until there were just five laps remaining, when his MG6 lost power and he cruised to a halt on the startfinish straight. In a
RACE TWO
RACE RESULTS - TOP 10s RACE ONE
After retiring from the lead in race one, Mat Jackson looked like he would have to wait for his first win in the NGTC-spec Ford Focus, but an amazing run from 17th on the grid saw him victorious in the very next race.
Tozer/PSP
under the safety car. Tony Gilham – a late replacement for Chris Stockton in the Thorney Motorsport Vauxhall Insignia – also left the race early after spinning to a halt under the safety car. Redstone Racing’s Liam Griffin also retired from the race in the early stages, following contact with Lea Wood.
Welch (NGTC) +10.718; 9 Andrew Jordan (NGTC) +11.353; 10 Nick Foster (S2000) +11.496. Independent winner: Mat Jackson. Fastest lap: Mat Jackson (59.056) RACE THREE 1 Jason Plato (NGTC) 22:02.547; 2 Mat Jackson (NGTC) +3.378; 3 Rob Collard (S2000) + 5.268; 4 Nick Foster (S2000) +5.965; 5 Tom Onslow-Cole (S2000) +6.206; 6 Gordon Shedden (NGTC) +6.732; 7 Andrew Jordan (NGTC) +9.405; 8 Adam Morgan (NGTC) + 9.795; 9 Aron Smith (S2000) +14.495; 10 Jeff Smith (NGTC) +15.704. Independent winner: Mat Jackson. Fastest lap: Jason Plato (59.225).
FIFTH POLE OF THE SEASON FOR PLATO Jason Plato claimed pole position at Silverstone – the third consecutive time that he has topped qualifying. As Plato headed the field, his title rivals Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden struggled in 10th and 19th positions respectively. Plato’s lap of lap of 58.717s was a new BTCC qualifying lap record around Silverstone’s 1.64-mile National circuit.
Wrathall in third. Rob Collard claimed fourth for eBay Motors, ahead of Dave Newsham’s Team ES Racing.com Vauxhall Vectra and Daniel Welch’s Welch Motorsport Proton Persona. Aron Smith took seventh for Redstone Racing, ahead of Tom Onslow-Cole, Adam Morgan and the disappointed Matt Neal.
Redstone Racing’s Mat Jackson joined Plato on the front row of the grid for the first race of the weekend, with Dynojet’s Frank
Good weekend: Jason Plato Two wins and Plato is right back in contention for the title - at just the right moment.
Inside BTCC 12
Mat Jackson After retiring from the lead in race one, came from the back to take first NGTC Focus win in race two.
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Jackson had already done the hard work by that point, having climbed from 17th on the grid up to second. This time, there was no repeat of his race one disaster and he held on for victory. Matt Neal’s frustrating weekend continued, as the Honda Yuasa Racing Team driver suffered another retirement. It was a spectacular one this time, as the NGTCspec Civic caught fire just after the halfway point in the race.
Neal pulled off the track and grabbed a fire extinguisher from the nearby marshals as he sought to limit the damage to his car. The Honda flash fire triggered a safety car period that bunched the pack right up. If Jackson needed any help on his way to victory then that was it. Up to fifth by this point, it just closed up the gaps ahead of Jackson – which he made light work of closing once the race resumed. At the chequered flag, it was victory for Jackson, ahead of Rob Collard, Dave Newsham and Aron
Smith. Fifth place went to Rob Austin, with Tom OnslowCole sixth and Gordon Shedden the lone championship contender to finish the race, in seventh. Daniel Welch took eighth place, ahead of Andrew Jordan in ninth and Nick Foster in tenth.
Ebay Motors’ Nick Foster started the race
from pole position, thanks to the top 10 finishers from race two being reversed to form the grid for the final race of the day. Foster held the lead off the line, with Andrew Jordan in second for Pirtek Racing. Rob Austin and Daniel
RACE THREE Jason Plato scored a spectacular second win of the day in the final race at Silverstone, ensuring that the title will be decided at the final meeting of the season at Brands Hatch.
Bad weekend: Matt Neal No points; it doesn’t get any worse when you’ve got your sights on a third BTCC title.
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Plato started 20th on the grid, but just as Mat Jackson managed in race two, the MG KX Momentum driver worked his way through the pack to claim victory at the end of the 22-lap race.
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reversal of race one, Plato’s retirement handed the lead to Mat Jackson.
Rob Austin Excluded from race three and apologised for contact with Dan Welch.
Inside BTCC 13
Welch moved past Jordan to go second and third respectively, before coming together to drop down the order as early as the third lap of the race.
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Plato’s early progress was impressive. Lap six saw him pass Tom Onslow-Cole to take sixth position. The next time around he was past Newsham for fifth, and it was just one more lap before he took fourth from Jordan. The next target for Plato was championship leader Gordon Shedden. The championship battle was playing out on track for a few minutes, before Shedden conceded and Plato claimed the spot. That was a podium spot secured for Plato, Inside BTCC 14
but there were still two BMWs ahead of him. Foster continued to lead the race ahead of teammate Rob Collard. Unsurprisingly given the pace he had shown so far in the race, Plato made light work of the two eBay Motors cars, taking the lead at the start of lap 12. The only driver who looked like taking the challenge to Plato was race two winner Mat Jackson. The Redstone Racing star started the race from tenth and while the extra 45kg of ballast he was carrying after his win had clearly slowed him down, he managed to climb to second behind Plato. Plato’s pace at the front proved too much even for Jackson. Victory went to the MG KX Momentum racer – his sixth of the
season. It could prove a crucial result in the championship, with Shedden down in sixth and Matt Neal failing to finish. Neal’s weekend to forget ended with a third straight pointless finish. This time he ended up off the track after contact with Lea Wood. Plato celebrated his victory with his Triple Eight team, who completed a speedy engine change ahead of the race. Jackson claimed second place
behind the MG, with Collard, Foster and Tom Onslow-Cole making it a 3-4-5 for eBay Motors. Shedden had to settle for sixth, ahead of Jordan in seventh and Adam Morgan in eighth. Rob Austin and Aron Smith completed the top ten. Jason Plato said, “That sort of thing has happened to me a few times in my career. It’s been a good weekend, but it could have been even better. If we hadn’t had that problem, I
think we could have left here in the lead. The MG is going to be a potent weapon at Brands Hatch.” Gordon Shedden said, “I’ve just had no straight line speed all weekend. Hopefully with the way the rules work, we’ll get some boost back for Brands. We really need it. I’ll got to Brands full of confidence, though.” Matt Neal said, “What a frustrating weekend. It looks like I might be Flash’s wingman going into Brands. And I can be a good wingman. Getting Honda across the line first is our priority.” Gordon Shedden leads the championship on 364 points, ahead of Plato on 349 and Neal on 333.
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Inside BTCC 15
Pic: David Lord
GOING IN A FRESH DIRECTION How a move into the BTCC helped David Brabham make the first step towards sportscar stardom Inside BTCC 16
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what followed.
It’s hard to imagine someone from the 2012 F1 grid making the switch into the BTCC for 2013, but in the 1990s it wasn’t uncommon to see someone with F1 experience lining up on the grid.
“My first attempt at F1 in 1990 with Brabham had been at the wrong time as the team was imploding and then 1994 was difficult with Simtek, so both of my experiences of F1 were with teams in dire situations,” he told Inside BTCC while visiting Silvertone to watch nephew Matthew race in Formula Renault BARC. “Formula One just didn’t work out for me. I’d never – and never have been – in
For the 1995 season, David Brabham was one of those men. The Australian had endured a difficult season in F1 in 1994 with the underfunded Simtek team, with his second attempt at F1 being overshadowed by the events of round three of the year at Imola – when team-mate Roland Ratzenberger and triple champion Ayrton Senna both lost their lives in accidents during the San Marino GP weekend. At the end of the season, Brabham called time on his attempt to follow his father Sir Jack Brabham in forging an F1 career, and a move to something completely different was www.insidebtcc.com
a position to take money to a team, so it was time to move on. “When I left F1 at the end of the 1994 season, I knew that it had been my last year and I suppose a lot of the passion that I felt for it had disappeared. My two years on the grid had been very tough, particularly 1994 after Roland’s death at Imola and then Senna’s accident a day later. That whole period was hugely emotional.
“After that, making the switch to the BTCC with BMW was like a breath of fresh air, although the F1 car and two-litre touring car couldn’t have been more different. I can remember when I first drove the touring car, I found it impossible to hit an apex in the corners as the thing just didn’t stop like the F1 car I’d been used to!” Teaming up alongside another ex-F1 man in Johnny Cecotto, expectations were high that BMW would be right in contention for the title, especially as Cecotto had taken victory in the German series the previous year. However, having started the year with the aim of trying to reclaim the titles it had won in 1993, BMW endured a year to forget, with neither driver able to finish on the podium all year and the pair finishing the campaign well down the championship order.
Inside BTCC 17
Highcroft Racing
BY MATT SALISBURY
Peugeot
“There were high expectations at the start of the year, but the car just wasn’t that competitive,” Brabham – who came away from the season with a pair of fourth places being his best results of year – recalls. “It was a real shame as BMW had such a great history of success in touring cars and the one year it didn’t work out was the year that I joined them. “However, it was a great opportunity to work with BMW and race alongside Johnny, who was one of the main stars at the time after his success in Germany the previous year. Even though it didn’t go to plan, I struck up a good relationship with BMW and ended up going to race in Japan in 1996 in a McLaren GTR – which had a BMW engine – and we won the championship. It was at that moment that my sportscar career really took off…”
Inside BTCC 18
Since making the move to sportscars, Brabham has firmly established himself as one of the top drivers around. Amongst his career highlights are two GT1 class wins at Le Mans with Aston Martin, an overall victory at the Circuit de la Sarthe with Peugeot and two American Le Mans Series titles with Highcroft Racing. – giving him the kind of success he had
been unable to achieve in F1. “Although I had competed in sportscars in 1991 and 1992, I still harboured those ambitions of F1,” he said. “After it became apparent that F1 wasn’t going to happen, sportscars was where I wanted to be and it was what I aimed for. When I got into it full-time after my season in the BTCC, I absolutely loved it and
found it more enjoyable than anything I’d done before.” Although more at home in sportscars than he was during his season in Britain back in 1995 – admitting that ‘I didn’t enjoy driving the BMW like I do the bigger cars but I enjoyed the racing’ – Brabham does still take part in touring car racing back in his native Australia, with outings in the V8 Supercar Championship enduro events in recent years. His lone appearance this season will come in the Armor All Gold Coast 600 event this weekend, with Brabham will be one of the international drivers in action for an event where each of the V8 regulars is joined by a driver who normally competes in a different discipline elsewhere. Tonio Liuzzi, Sebastien Bourdais, Will Power and Darren Turner are amongst www.insidebtcc.com
Stone Brothers Racing
international drivers to go and experience what the series is all about.
“I always enjoy going back there to race,” Brabham admits. “I missed Bathurst this season (which was on the same weekend as the BTCC event at Silverstone) at I couldn’t do [the other enduro event at] Sandown and teams want you there for both – and I would prefer that as well. It just didn’t work out and also didn’t fit in well with my campaign with JRM in the World Endurance Championship, which is my main focus this season.
“It’s a fantastic event and the drivers who go down to compete in can do so knowing they can do a good job.”
“However, I’m looking forward to the Gold Coast event. V8 Supercars is something that loads of drivers from around the world want to try but not everyone can. Previously, it was hard to get a drive down there as the teams wanted people with experience, but the event on the Gold Coast has opened the door for www.insidebtcc.com
As in the BTCC, the V8 series is undergoing something of a change, with the introduction of the new Car of Tomorrow next season coming at
the same time as Nissan and Mercedes join the grid – the latter with the Stone Brothers Racing team that will run Brabham on the Gold Coast. “V8 Supercars has been successful because of the Holden v Ford battle, which is part of its heritage,” he said. “I can remember when Nissan were in it previously with the GTR and they weren’t very popular – particularly if
they won. The Aussies have a different mentality should we say and you are very much either red (Holden) or blue (Ford). Now there is Nissan coming back with the Kelly Racing team and there is Mercedes with Stone Brothers and it will be interesting to see how the crowed reacts. “Deep down I think they’ll still support Holden or Ford for a while, and it will be tough for the new marques coming in. Things will certainly be different, but on what scale, I don’t know.” You can follow Brabham’s exploits on the Gold Coast via Twitter by following him at @brabsracer or by following V8 Supercars at @v8supercars
Still/PSP
the other international drivers who will be in action for the event.
Inside BTCC 19
TAKING ON THE WORLD
FIAWTCC.com
INSIDE BTCC’s Matt Salisbury talks to FIA WTCC racer James Nash...
Inside BTCC 20
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FIAWTCC.com
BY MATT SALISBURY When he arrived at Silverstone twelve months ago, James Nash was going for glory in the race for the BTCC title. As well as being a rank outsider for overall honours, Nash was firmly in contention for the Independents’ championship and successfully secured the title in the first race of the weekend when his seventh Indy victory of the year put him out of touch of closest rival Mat Jackson. Nash didn’t return to defend his title this season however, instead electing to switch to the World Touring Car Championship with Team Aon as it took its Global Ford Focus to the global stage. However, the 26-yearwww.insidebtcc.com
old was back in the paddock at Silverstone on a weekend off from his WTCC commitments to see what was going on, with Inside BTCC taking the chance to catch up and see how he is enjoying his new challenge… Inside BTCC: Twelve months ago you came to Silverstone going for the title with Triple Eight and here you are a year later back at the circuit as a spectator. You took the decision to switch to the WTCC with Team Aon for 2012, how do you feel it has been going so far? James Nash: At the start of the year, I knew we were going into a development season and that it was going to be really tough. Coming up to half way through the year I was
quite happy and we were starting to progress and get into the top twelve on a regular basis. We were scoring some points and had had some successes. We got on the front row of the grid in Morocco, qualified fourth in Slovakia and had a top six in Morocco so there were positives. We just haven’t carried that momentum into the second half of the year which has been a bit disappointing not only for me, but also for all the guys who work on my car. We are making big improvements and taking steps forward, but we aren’t always seeing them on the track straight away and it will be year two and three that they come to fruition. I still love it and the tracks are awesome. The weather is always better but it’s just a tough season. In terms of results, it hasn’t been the best for my CV but
that is something we’ll sort out next year and hopefully go and win some races. Inside BTCC: Do you think going into the series with an unproven package has made it difficult to compare yourself to your rivals? James Nash: Totally, that is probably the biggest problem I’ve had with the car and the team that I’m with. If I was team-mate to Yvan Muller and was qualifying in the same position, no-one would question the car. If he qualified at the back and I qualified there with him, people wouldn’t question the drivers, they would question the car. Me and Tom are unproven in World Touring Cars and people don’t know where to place the blame if Inside BTCC 21
FIAWTCC.com
things don’t go to plan – they don’t know if it’s the driver or the car. The only thing I can do is to out-qualify Tom and beat him in the races and I’ve done that in every round bar one when it comes to qualifying. So I’m doing my job, I believe, and now I just need some support from the package I’m being given to drive as we keep working to improve it. Inside BTCC: Where do you think the improvements will come from? James Nash: I think there are a lot of little areas. I think we can improve a little on the engine side of things, although I don’t think that is the biggest problem, and there is chassis development that will come with time. We Inside BTCC 22
have to go and test the parts and understand what the car is doing and where it is going wrong. When you bring in new parts you have to test them and life them, but it is a slow and expensive process. That is the big thing to do; sort out the chassis as there are a few issues that we need to tie down. There are only so many new parts we can bring in in a season so there is a limit on what we can do and that is why will take time to bring the car up to a representative level that shows what it is really capable of. Inside BTCC: You’d established yourself as a race winner in the BTCC and had lifted the Independents’ title, so what has been the biggest challenge for you as a driver
taking the step up to the WTCC? James Nash: It’s probably the regulations that follow. I was in my comfort zone in the BTCC. I knew the tracks, I was with a team that knew the British Touring Car regulations really and now I’m with a team that is new to the series and we are all learning together. You don’t have the background and momentum with a new team and we are learning day by day. The tracks are phenomenal and some of them have been difficult to learn, but it was a challenge I had to take on at some point in my career and I wanted to do it sooner rather than later. Inside BTCC: Which has been the most
difficult circuit so far? James Nash: Portimao, without a doubt. There were so many corners, and so many different types of corner. There were undulations and blind crests and our car struggled with cornering speed in every phase of the track. Coupled with the heat, it was a difficult weekend for us, but then when we went to a new circuit like Slovakia that people hadn’t been to before, we put the car on the second row. Maybe it’s just a case of needing time. Inside BTCC: Is the race you are most looking forward to still to come in the shape of Macau? James Nash:
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I’m really looking forward to Macau but it will be my first time and I have to hold a few reservations about performance there. I’ll need a strong car underneath me and one I feel really confident with given that it is a street circuit and I don’t quite have that yet so I’m a bit tentative about it. I’m looking forward to Japan though and I think it will be more suited to our car. Inside BTCC: Has there been some disappointment at not being able to race on home soil this season? James Nash: It’s always disappointing not to come home. Last year in the BTCC we had a lot of fans and people who were supportive and it is nice to come www.insidebtcc.com
and see those people again. Unfortunately we didn’t get the chance to come and race in front of them this season but they have followed us on TV and on Twitter, and we’ve been coming along to other events like Ford Fair to see the fans and trying to do it in different ways given that we haven’t been racing on British soil. Sadly we won’t be doing it next year either. Inside BTCC: Do you miss the competition and rivalry from the BTCC paddock? James Nash: I enjoyed the rivalry I had with Andrew Jordan last year, just because he was in the same car and is a quick driver. I couldn’t compete against the manufacturers which was a shame, but we
knew what our position was at the start of the year. But there are new rivalries to come in World Touring Cars and some high-class drivers – you can’t knock people like Yvan Muller and Alain Menu. They are people I watched on TV as a kid in touring cars and are phenomenal drivers. Inside BTCC: Is the bickering in the paddock something you don’t miss? James Nash: Actually that is something we don’t get in the WTCC. They try and treat it as a family and all the drivers get on well off-track. Here it is almost staged that they get on and on track in the WTCC, there isn’t as much banging and clattering going on. Yes there are forceful
moves and you know when it is going to come but that is part of racing. The behind the scenes political stuff is something I don’t miss. Inside BTCC: Going back to the car, you say this is the development year, so do you think wins will be achievable next year? James Nash: They need to be, otherwise there will be a few problems I’d imagine. I don’t think Ford would be too happy, I wouldn’t be too happy and various other people wouldn’t be. We know that there have to be improvements and I expect them to come over the winter.
Inside BTCC 23
THE MECHANIC’S TALE
Bob Knightley
Inside BTCC goes behind the scenes to discover what goes on over the course of the weekend through the eyes of a mechanic...
Inside BTCC 24
www.insidebtcc.com
Bob Knightley
BY MATT SALISBURY
double check everything.
On the back of our feature on BTCC team names at Rockingham, which came from a suggestion made by one of our readers, we had another request ahead of Silverstone when someone asked if it would be possible to feature a mechanic who works on the cars during a race weekend.
My role as we do that is to make sure that everything is ready on the car in time for practice; including making sure the right tyres are fitted, that the right amount of fuel has gone in, that the driver is happy and that everything is in working order.
Rob Tickner is no stranger to the BTCC paddock having previously worked with a number of teams, including Graham Hathaway Engineering (the team behind the Sibsport programme of a few years ago) and most recently, Special Tuning Racing. This season, Rob has returned to the paddock with AmDTuning.com, and here he talks through the Silverstone weekend from his perspective… Saturday: As soon as we arrived at the circuit on Saturday morning, we made a start with all the pre-practice checks on the car, which we had already been through on Friday but are repeated allow us to www.insidebtcc.com
When the car comes in after practice, we then set it down on the patch to check the geometry and to make sure that nothing has moved or changed, which can happen from hitting a kerb or from an incident on the circuit. That info is then passed to the engineer who will have spoken to the driver, and from their discussions, we will then look into what improvements can be made for FP2. In between the sessions, we spanner check the whole car from end-to-end, we drain the fuel and measure it, change the air filter and then refuel the car ready for the second session. Once again, my role is to make sure that everything is checked properly and that the car is ready to be out on track in time and that everything is in order.
The two practice sessions at Silverstone didn’t pass without problems however. Before the weekend, we had our shakedown session, where we tried out some new ideas on the exhaust system. Some of these ideas are great on paper, but it is only when you actually try them out properly that you can see how well they work. We’d already tried the new Milltek exhaust set-up on AmD’s rolling road back at base, so the shakedown gave us a chance to examine it further. After the shakedown, we felt there was some improvement but when we came to running on the track on the Saturday, we found that certain things were uncontrollable with the boost. We changed some of the pipes to make sure that we were getting the most from the engine in a controlled manner as we didn’t want to risk a penalty for going over our boost level. Dave and Gayle Marshall from Milltek even made a Saturday afternoon dash back to the Milltek factory in Derby to make a new exhaust downpipe to a different spec for Sunday’s races, which worked well.
We managed to find a happy medium that we thought was suitable from both the performance side of things and that also meant we were within the boost levels we have to work with. Of course, we hoped to qualify higher up the grid and the fact is that the Golf isn’t any slower than it has been before; it’s just that there are newer cars on the grid that have moved things on slightly. You’ve also got to consider that we are running to a smaller budget to some of the other teams as well. Looking to race day however, the only way was up and we knew that anything could happen given this is the BTCC. Ollie is a consistent racer and just because you don’t have the fastest car, it doesn’t mean you are going to finish last. We knew a lot would happen and it would give us a chance to move forwards. Race day is basically an ongoing building process where you aim to make up places in each of the three races. Sunday: On arriving at the circuit on Sunday morning, we checked Inside BTCC 25
Bob Knightley the final set-up on the car, which is something we’d worked on before leaving on Saturday night. That set-up work came after the car had been taken down to the flat patch so that we could check the right height and the weight, and then we did a series of general checks from back-to-front and both inside and out. As well as prepping the car for race one, we also had to prep and prepare the toolbox and trolley to take out to the grid with things like cable ties, coil packs and the essential tools you might need if something goes wrong on the grid. When the race gets underway, it’s basically a case of sitting and watching on. We have contact with Ollie in the car and Shaun is talking to him all the time, with his engineer also chipping in where necessary. I try to stay out of it and leave the communication to them as much as possible. Race one may have passed without drama but the same couldn’t be said for race two. Ollie was forced in after the green flag lap with a Inside BTCC 26
driveshaft problem and in that situation, you rely on the feedback from the driver in the car to tell you what might be wrong and give you an idea of what to expect when the car arrives. He reported that it was a drive issue and that the driveshaft had gone, so from his radio messages, it was a case of rushing to get the parts and tools we needed ready for him coming in. We were able to get the driveshaft changed quickly and sent him back out again and even though he was a few laps down, we had the rest of the race to check that the work had been carried out correctly and to collect more data and information for the final race. We also suffered a puncture in the second race and in that situation, we already have the tyres ready and pressured correctly for each corner of the car in case you need to make a stop. The feedback from the driver tells you which tyre is punctured so you can have the correct tyre in place when he stops. Then it is a standard procedure to change the wheel and send him on his way.
I’d say we did a reasonable stop to get Ollie back out. It would have been quicker with an air gun but we just use a normal battery rattle gun. You can turn a car round in under 20 seconds with a puncture and with the right personnel and tools, you could do a full change in under 30 second. As was the case after race one, we then carried out a thorough check on the car, allowing us to double check the work we’d carried out and to get it ready for the final race of the day. Ollie made a good start to the race but then had contact from Andy Neate that dropped him to the back of the field. Of course that was disappointing for us in the pits but it is part of racing and in the BTCC, it’s one of those things that can happen. In that situation, the driver will come on the radio to tell you what has happened and I’ll then look over the pit wall to do a visual check on what the damage is – even if that means asking him to come closer to the pit wall so I can see better. From the outside, it’s all about seeing if there is damage that lead to a black flag and reassuring the driver
that all is okay and he can keep pushing. It is a difficult thing to do and you need to look for things like the front bumper being level as that will tell you if the car is sitting down at one side and if there could be damage that you can’t see underneath the bodywork. You also check for things like grass in the radiator that could lead to overheating; it’s all about risk analysis and relaying the information to the driver so he doesn’t need to worry and can focus on the job at hand. It wasn’t the easiest weekend on track, but I feel I’ve settled into the team well as a newcomer. I knew Shaun already from being in the paddock and the engineer, Russell, is someone I had worked with previously at Special Tuning. That is a good thing as it means we can work more efficiently but the whole team is a good bunch and hopefully I can help them progress with the experience I have. Roll on Brands Hatch!
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Inside BTCC 27
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NEWS IN BRIEF | NEWS IN BRIEF | NEWS IN BRIEF
BTCC announces S2000 award BTCC bosses have revealed that it plans to introduce a new award for 2013 for drivers using older S2000based machinery. S2000 cars remain eligible to compete next year but parity with cars built to the Next Generation Touring Car regulations won’t continue, with the older cars therefore not fighting for championship honours. To reward those teams and drivers who wish to use S2000 cars, the series is set to hand out an award to the top S2000 finisher in each race over the course of the season to go towards an overall trophy, although there won’t be a points classification in place. “There has been sufficient interest from competitors who wish to compete with current S2000 cars to warrant an award for their efforts,” BTCC boss Alan Gow said. “We made a commitment over two years ago for those cars to continue in the championship, albeit not with performance parity against NGTC cars.
Inside BTCC 28
“Therefore we will award silverware to the top S2000 finisher in each race which will accumulate to an overall trophy at the end of the season. It means those teams, drivers and sponsors who are looking to eventually move up to NGTC machinery can still actively participate in the BTCC and benefit from its profile. “It is important to stress this will not take the form of a separate points-based championship. However, we will announce the exact details and the name of the award in the near future.” eBay Motors, Redstone Racing and ES Racing are amongst those teams to have used S2000-based cars this season and have taken seven wins between them. The remaining 20 wins heading to Finals Day have all gone to NGTC-spec cars. NGTC Cruze for Stockton BTC Racing has announced that it plans to run RML’s NGTC-spec Chevrolet Cruze for the 2013 BTCC season. The car was in development when Chevrolet pulled the plug on its BTCC progamme,
with the Cruze – which Inside BTCC understands was being built on the new hatchback version of the car – then sitting untouched in the RML workshop ever since. Chris Stockton has now acquired the car, which will be built up by BTC for next season, when it is set to be one of at least two Chevrolets on the grid. Tech-Speed plans to run its S2000-based car complete with an NGTC turbo engine. “It is a very big opportunity for my sponsor Ningbo to buy this car,” Stockton said. “A lot of development work has already been completed by RML to get to this stage and it is nearly ready to start assembling the TOCA parts, subject to a final inspection by the BTCC. “Ningbo had the marketing budget in place for 2013’s BTCC, but have decided to spend a lot of it on buying the best equipment I can use, rather than running with an existing team. This might delay the first outing, but it is a price I think is worth paying. I’ve tried competing in older machinery and, without making excuses, it’s
impossible to take on the best in less developed machinery.” Stockton should have raced at Silverstone in the Thorney Motorsport Vauxhall Insignia but stood down from the drive after falling ill. AmDTuning.com is also planning for a possible switch to NGTC-spec machinery for 2013 having put its S2000spec Volkswagen Golf up for sale. Plato secures top qualifying honours Regardless of what happens on race day at Brands Hatch, Jason Plato will end the season as the best qualifier on the BTCC grid this season. Plato’s record of five pole positions can’t be equalled by any of his rivals while his qualifying average – which sits at 2.22 – also can’t now be bettered. Even if closest rival in the average stake, Andrew Jordan, was to take pole it would only improve his average qualifying result to 4.5 which would mean Plato would have to qualify 26th or lower to see Jordan beat his average score. www.insidebtcc.com
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NEWS IN BRIEF | NEWS IN BRIEF | NEWS IN BRIEF
Formula Ford added to TOCA bill
will see many more of those gloriously competitive races driven by some future F1 stars. “This is an incredibly positive step for the championship, its teams and our huge audiences and spectators. It’s very much a case of ‘welcome home’ Formula Ford.”
Following the announcement that Formula Renault UK wouldn’t return to the TOCA bill next year, it has been confirmed that Formula Ford will take its place on the BTCC’s support package.
First support titles won
The single-seater series has competed alongside the BTCC in the past but has mainly been part of the F3/GT package in recent years.
In the Porsche Carrera Cup GB, victory in the 18th round of the season was good enough for Michael Meadows to secure the overall championship title.
Now however, a three-year deal has been agreed to see the series’ most-recent EcoBoost cars race at each of the ten BTCC meetings from next year onwards. “I am delighted to have Formula Ford back supporting the BTCC,” BTCC boss Alan Gow said. “For many seasons Formula Ford provided some of the best support event racing we have ever seen and I have no doubt that we www.insidebtcc.com
The penultimate meeting of the season at Silverstone saw the first titles wrapped up in the BTCC’s different support series.
“Today was a chance to do in style,” he said. “I’m relieved we’ve done it.” Meadows’ Redline Racing team-mate Ahmad Al Harthy meanwhile wrapped up the Pro-Am1 title in the same race. In the Ginetta GT Supercup, Mark Davies secured the G50 class title on a weekend when he took his 14th win of
the year. Davies’ Richardson Racing team also wrapped up the teams title. HARD to run Insignia in 2013 Team HARD will run a brace of Vauxhall Insignias in 2013 after purchasing two cars from Thorney Motorsport for next season. Ahead of 2013, Tony Gilham’s team will run the car that had been used by Thorney this season during the final meeting of the year at Brands Hatch while the second car will be built up over the winter. Gilham himself has experience of racing the Insignia having driven the car at both Snetterton and Silverstone. Thorney meanwhile plan to run a two-car team next year having secured what it refers to as ‘major sponsorship partners’ with discussions ongoing about possibly supplying cars to at least one additional team. “It’s always been our plan to build cars for other teams in the BTCC and this first deal is part of that plan,” Thorney boss John Thorne said. “Tony has had some seat time in
the car and loves it, so much so that he bought them both so that’s encouraging for us and demonstrates that we have built a potentially competitive car. “Its been a tough season for us in terms of racing but our plan was always to develop the car and make it available to other teams, however securing top level partners for next season will allow us to actually race rather than just build race cars so I’m delighted, the BTCC is not the place to be with no budget, this year certainly taught us that. “It will be strange seeing our first car racing in Team HARD colours and I will admit we are all a bit misty eyed about it as so much heart and soul has gone into the first car, however I’d like nothing more than seeing an all Insignia podium next season, ideally of course with Thorney Motorsport insignias taking the top two steps.” Team HARD has run an S2000-based Honda Civic this season, with Aaron Williamson set to debut in the car at Brands Hatch.
Inside BTCC 29
Jakob Ebrey
At the time of writing, a field of only 23 is expected to compete this weekend, which means Plato could qualify in last and would still end the year with the best qualifying average.
jakobebrey.com
Inside BTCC 30
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get involved! SEND US YOUR: •PHOTOS •QUESTIONS •SUGGESTIONS
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Inside BTCC 31
directory a who’s who of btcc on twitter... BTCC DRIVERS Matt Neal Mat Jackson Aron Smith Rob Collard Frank Wrathall Dan Welch Rob Austin Dave Newsham Adam Morgan Tony Gilham Tom Onslow-Cole Lea Wood Andy Neate Tony Hughes Gordon Shedden Andrew Jordan Chris James Jason Plato
@MattNealRacing @mat_jackson @AronSmith_ @CollardRob @FrankWrathall @BTCCDanWelch @RobertoAustini @NewshamRacing @AdamMorgan33 @TonyGilham @TomOnslowCole @TeamWoodRacing @AndyNeate @TonyHughesBTCC @GordonShedden @AndrewJordan77 @ChrisJamesBTCC @JasonPlato
AND A FEW MORE... Official BTCC Inside BTCC Tin Top Tuesday Alan Hyde Not Alan Gow Talking Point ITV Toby Moody Richard John Neill Tim Harvey YourRacingCar Unlap Brands Hatch Oulton Park Snetterton Silverstone Rockingham Knockhill Croft Thruxton Donington Park
@DunlopBTCC @InsideBTCC @TinTopTuesday @AlanHydeStudio @alan_gow_btcc @TPBroadcasting @ITVtouringcars @TobyMoody @richardjneil @TimHarvey7 @YourRacingCar @unlap @Brands_Hatch @Oulton_Park @SnettertonMSV @SilverstoneUK @RockinghamUK @krcircuit @CroftSupporters @thruxtonracing @DoningtonParkUK
BTCC TEAMS Honda Yuasa Racing MG KX Momentum Racing Redstone Racing eBay Motors Welch Motorsport ES Racing Rob Austin Racing Speedworks BINZ Racing AmDTuning.com Pirtek Racing Thorney Motorsport Toyota
Inside BTCC 32
@HondaRacingBTCC @official888race @RedstoneRacing @ebaymotorsbtcc @WelchMotorsport @teamESracing @RobAustinRacing @SpeedworksMS @CentralGroupRacing @AmDessex @andyjordanBTCC @ThorneyMS @ToyotaBTCC
www.insidebtcc.com
jakobebrey.com
2012 BTCC CALENDAR 31 March-1 April, Brands Hatch Indy 14-15 April, Donington Park National 28-29 April, Thruxton 9-10 June, Oulton Park Island 23-24 June, Croft 11-12 August, Snetterton 300 25-26 August, Knockhill 22-23 September, Rockingham 6-7 October, Silverstone 20-21 October, Brands Hatch GP www.insidebtcc.com
Inside BTCC 33
RACE FOR
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDING
DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
Gordon Shedden Jason Plato Matt Neal Andrew Jordan Rob Collard Mat Jackson Tom Onslow-Cole Dave Newsham Aron Smith Nick Foster Jeff Smith Frank Wrathall Rob Austin Lea Wood Dan Welch Andy Neate Tony Gilham Ollie Jackson Adam Morgan Paul O’Neill Liam Griffin Will Bratt Chris James Howard Fuller Tony Hughes Robb Holland John Thorne
Inside BTCC 34
364 349 333 303 293 264 255 183 159 158 143 142 107 97 79 72 71 51 46 36 32 27 26 16 13 6 0
MANUFACTURER/CONSTRUCTOR 1 2
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Honda/Dynamics MG/Triple Eight
811 651
TEAMS CHAMPIONSHIP Honda Yuasa Racing eBay Motors Pirtek Racing Redstone Racing MG KX Momentum Racing Team ES Racing.com Dynojet Rob Austin Racing Speedworks BINZ Racing Team HARD Welch Motorsport AmDTuning.com Thorney Motorsport
663 568 452 447 412 222 136 120 116 103 98 84 61 3
www.insidebtcc.com
THE TITLE
GS AFTER 27 OF 30 RACES INDEPENDENT DRIVERS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Andrew Jordan Rob Collard Mat Jackon Tom Onslow-Cole Dave Newsham Nick Foster Aron Smith Frank Wrathall Jeff Smith Rob Austin Lea Wood Dan Welch Tony Gilham Ollie Jackson Adam Morgan Chris James Tony Hughes Liam Griffin Will Bratt Paul O’Neill Howard Fuller Robb Holland John Thorne
www.insidebtcc.com
371 343 325 312 223 222 207 201 200 158 150 118 108 99 76 70 65 59 47 46 31 17 5
INDEPENDENT TEAMS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
eBay Motors Pirtek Racing Redstone Racing Team ES Racing Speedworks Dynojet Team HARD BINZ Racing Rob Austin Racing Welch Motorsport AmDTuning.com Thorney Motorsport
426 421 416 292 231 224 206 195 186 156 144 19
Inside BTCC 35
THE SEASON
RACE-BY-RACE RESULTS FOR THE 2012 DUNLOP
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Matt Neal
2
1
7
3
2
DNF
10
5
2
1
5
1
1
Mat Jackson
7
4
DNF
1
3
EXC
1
3
6
5
DNF
7
8
Aron Smith
DNF
DNF
8
8
9
11
7
8
14
DNF
16
DNF
10
Liam Griffin
14
12
11
DNF
DNF
14
DNF
17
12
DNF
8
DNF
14
Rob Collard
1
6
6
10
8
4
4
7
7
3
14
6
2
DNF
DNS
13
9
14
7
5
4
3
12
17
9
DNF
Dan Welch
17
11
DNF
12
DNF
8
DNF
6
4
DNF
DNF
Rob Austin
8
5
5
DNF
Will Bratt
/
/
/
/
Frank Wrathall
Dave Newsham
DNS DNS /
/
DNS DNS
DNF
18
13
/
/
/
5
/
/
/
8
DNF
11
9
DNF
9
3
7
4
DNF
2
6
18
DNF
10
DNF
DNF
Nick Foster
9
DNF
DNS
11
11
12
14
14
11
9
6
8
18
Howard Fuller
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
Paul O’Neill
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
17
DNF
DNS
DNF
15
13
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
15
Tony Gilham
18
13
10
14
7
3
11
9
DNF
DNF
11
10
12
Robb Holland
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
Tom Onslow-Cole
3
10
DNF
5
10
9
8
13
10
DNF
9
3
7
Lea Wood
11
15
9
DNF
15
10
9
12
8
10
7
5
13
Andy Neate
12
14
14
16
12
DNF
16
16
DNF
7
DNF
DNF
6
Ollie Jackson
13
8
DNF DNC DNS DNS
12
15
15
11
15
15
11
Tony Hughes
16
16
15
DNC
19
16
13
12
14
/
Adam Morgan
Gordon Shedden
DNF
16
15
DNF DNC DNF
5
DNF
EXC
2
1
1
6
1
1
4
1
4
3
10
7
4
13
6
5
13
11
9
DNF
DNS
12
DNF
DNF
17
16
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
6
2
2
6
5
6
DNF
10
5
2
2
DNF
4
Chris James
15
DNF
12
17
DNF
13
15
DNS
17
DNF
13
13
16
Jason Plato
4
3
1
4
DNC
2
3
2
4
DNC
3
2
DNC
Jeff Smith John Thorne Andrew Jordan
Inside BTCC 36
DNS DNS DNS
www.insidebtcc.com
SO FAR
P MSA BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
2
4
4
4
8
7
8
3
6
2
2
DNF DNF DNF
DNF
12
8
6
4
5
DNF
10
4
4
6
DNF
1
2
14
10
6
4
6
8
DNF
6
5
3
4
9
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
DNF
13
DNF
9
1
1
9
5
11
13
4
2
3
11
5
12
DNF
12
DNF
DNF DNF 14
DNF
5
5
8
15
2
5
7
17
10
5
17
12
3
7
12
18
DNF
/
12
16
EXC
10
8
11
/
/
/
DNF
13
/
20
14
11
DNF
13
/
/
DNF
14
6
2
6
7
19
DNF
9
9
9
9
15
12
15
15
15 /
DNF DNC
/
16
26
27
12
DNF
12
/
/
/
DNF
8
14
/
/
/
9
16
10
5
5
EXC
/
/
/
/
15
13
DNF
13
8
1
11
10
1
12
15
DNF
2
3
DNF
13
13
8
5
7
10
10
9
6
10
4
/
/
/
/
/
14
12
16
11
DNC
11
/
/
6
4
6
/
/
/
/
/
/
10
10
DNF
11
DNC
9
11
16
14
8
/
/
/
/
/
/
17
DNF
14
14
/
/
/
/
/
/
2
2
2
5
8
14
7
10
6
5
13
13
/
/
/
9
16
15
DNF
12
15
7
DNF
14
12
18
DNF
14
/
/
/
DNC
8
8
14
DNC
16
16
16
/
/
/
15
17
17
15
17
17
DNF DNF /
DNF DNF
DNF DNF
DNF DNS DNS
25
DNF DNF
DNF DNF
DNF DNF
1
6
7
2
EXC
3
3
DNF
3
1
1
7
7
6
11
10
11
11
14
9
2
DNF
13
DNF
8
11
10
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
4
3
3
1
5
9
7
4
2
7
4
DNF
9
7
16
17
13
DNF
16
13
18
15
12
7
1
DNF
11
DNF
1
3
DNF
1
1
www.insidebtcc.com
3
3
DNF DNF 3
29
DNF DNF DNF
13
DNF DNF DNF
28
1
Inside BTCC 37
30