2002 British Touring Car Championship season

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

Contents

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 entered their West Surrey Racing-prepared ZS on trial 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 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. 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 for three events 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-run 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 select rounds with a Mitsubishi Carisma for Steve Wood.

Other changes

Teams and drivers

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

† Not eligible for points.

Championship results tables

Touring Class (BTC-T)
Pos. Driver BHGP OUL THR SIL MON CRO SNE KNO BHI DON Penalties Pts
1 James Thompson Ret 1* 3 7* 1 2 8 1* 2 2 1 Ret 1 2 3 3 Ret Ret 1 3 -15 183
2 Yvan Muller 5 2* 1 10* Ret 1* 9 10 Ret 1* Ret 1* 2 1* 4 2 3 6 5 Ret -5 163
3 Matt Neal 1 4 4 Ret* 2 3* 6 3* 1 3 Ret Ret Ret Ret* 1 4 4 8 3 Ret -5 145
4 Anthony Reid 4 3 5 Ret 3 Ret* DSQ 2* 5 4* Ret 3 4 10 2 6* 1 5* 4 8 136
5 Andy Priaulx 12 5 7 Ret 4 5 4 6 6 Ret 4 2* 3 Ret 7 1* 11 7* 2 4* -10 116
6 Warren Hughes Ret 8* 2 2 11 10 1 11 10 7 5 11 7 3 Ret Ret 2 1* 7 2* -5 110
7 David Leslie Ret Ret 8 3 9 9 3 9 3 11 2 7 5 Ret 9 8* 9 Ret 6 6 79
8 Paul O'Neill Ret Ret Ret 1* 8 7 2 4* 4 5* Ret 6* 11 16 6 5* 10 4 Ret 5 -15 77
9 Alan Morrison Ret Ret 10 5 12 8 5 Ret* Ret 6 6 Ret* 6 Ret 5 10 8 2 10 1* -5 68
10 Dan Eaves 2 13 20 Ret 6 6 12 7 Ret Ret 9 4 13 7 12 Ret Ret 21 9 Ret 43
11 Tim Harvey Ret 7* Ret 6 5 4* Ret 5 7 DSQ Ret Ret Ret DNS 11 9 6 3 Ret Ret* -5 43
12 Gareth Howell 9 4 10 11 Ret 8 Ret 10 Ret 9 10 5 Ret 13* 5 Ret* Ret Ret 32
13 Aaron Slight 9 12 6 8 7 DNS 10 Ret DNS 8 7 10 12 9 Ret 12 24 9 Ret Ret 32
14 Colin Turkington 19 Ret Ret Ret Ret 12 DNS DNS 3 5 9 4 8 Ret Ret 16 11 Ret 29
15 Tom Chilton 3 Ret 11 9 13 Ret 11 Ret 9 Ret Ret Ret Ret 8* 10 7 12 10 12 Ret -10 14
16 Phil Bennett 11 6 Ret DNS 14 Ret 7 13 8 9 12 8 8 18 Ret DNS 7 12 8 9 -25 9
17 Carl Breeze DNS 16 Ret 18 8 12* 14 6 Ret 14 Ret DNS 13 7 -5 8
Independent's Championship
1 Dan Eaves 2 13 20 Ret 6 6 12 7 Ret Ret 9 4 13 7 12 Ret Ret 21 9 Ret 145
2 Aaron Slight 9 12 6 8 7 DNS 10 Ret DNS 8 7 10 12 9 Ret 12 24 9 Ret Ret 142
3 Tim Harvey Ret 7 Ret 6 5 4 Ret 5 7 DSQ Ret Ret Ret DNS 11 9 6 3 Ret Ret -10 126
4 Gareth Howell 9 4 10 11 Ret 8 Ret 10 Ret 9 10 5 Ret 13 5 Ret Ret Ret 126
5 Tom Chilton 3 Ret 11 9 13 Ret 11 Ret 9 Ret Ret Ret Ret 8 10 7 12 10 12 Ret -10 113
6 Colin Turkington 19 Ret Ret Ret Ret 12 DNS DNS 3 5 9 4 8 Ret Ret 16 11 Ret 108
7 Carl Breeze DNS 16 Ret 18 8 12 14 6 Ret 14 Ret DNS 13 7 -5 72
Production Class (BTC-P)
1 James Kaye Ret NC 12 Ret 15 12 16 15 17 Ret 11 14 17 11 16 17 14 13 16 11 210
2 Norman Simon 6 Ret 15 13 Ret DNS 13 Ret Ret Ret 10 13 16 Ret 14 15 13 11 15 10 180
3 Spencer Marsh 8 Ret 16 11 17 Ret 20 17 Ret 12 Ret 15 22 Ret 15 Ret 17 15 19 13 122
4 Gavin Pyper Ret Ret Ret 20 15 Ret Ret DNS 15 12 13 11 15 14 14 12 -20 107
5 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 Tom Boardman Ret 10 16 17 Ret 22 16 15 18 Ret 19 13 20 22 16 Ret 17 15 98
7 Alan Blencowe Ret Ret 14 Ret Ret 13 21 18 19 17 13 Ret Ret 20 18 21 19 18 Ret Ret 76
8 Mark Fullalove Ret Ret 13 14 18 Ret 18 Ret Ret Ret 16 Ret Ret 19 Ret 16 18 20 18 Ret 69
9 Dave Allan Ret 18 26 19 20 16 15 Ret 18 15 17 19 Ret 19 Ret 17 61
10 Mark Thomas Ret Ret 18 15 19 16 19 Ret Ret 19 Ret 17 21 17 19 23 21 Ret 21 16 61
11 Graham Saunders Ret 11 22 15 22 21 Ret Ret 14 Ret 20 14 21 18 20 Ret Ret DNS 60
12 Rob Collard 7 9 DNS DNS 14 Ret DNS DNS -5 34
13 Annie Templeton 13 Ret Ret 17 24 19 25 Ret DNS DNS 19 18 25 Ret 22 24 23 22 22 Ret 26
14 Peter Cate 20 21 24 20 Ret 14 23
15 Steve Wood Ret 16 23 Ret 23 23 23 Ret 12
16 John B&Q DNS DNS Ret DNS 0
17 Kelvin Burt 15 14 0† (25)
18 Hyla Breese DNS DNS 23 21 DNS DNS Ret DNS DNS DNS -20 -16
Pos. Driver BHGP OUL THR SIL MON CRO SNE KNO BHI DON Penalties Pts
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver 2nd place
Bronze 3rd place
Green Finished, in points
Blue Finished, no points
Not classified (NC)
Purple Did not finish (Ret)
Red Did not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
Black Disqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not participate
Excluded (EX)

† Not eligible for points.

Manufacturers Championship

Pos Manufacturer BHGP OUL THR SIL MON CRO SNE KNO BHI DON Penalties 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 -25 471
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 Ret 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 -5 320
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 -15 212
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 -25 145
Ret Ret Ret DNS 14 Ret 7 14 8 11 12 8 8 Ret Ret DNS 9 Ret 8 9
Pos Manufacturer BHGP OUL THR SIL MON CRO SNE KNO BHI DON Penalties Pts

Touring Teams Championship

Pos Team BHGP
 OUL
 THR
 SIL
 MON
 CRO
 SNE
 KNO
 BHI
 DON
 Penalties Pts
1 Vauxhall Motorsport 1 7 1 1 1 1 1 2 6 3 -20 161
2 10 2 10 2 Ret 2 3 Ret Ret
2 MG Sport & Racing 3 2 10 2 4 3 3 6 1 2 -5 107
8 Ret Ret 11 7 11 10 Ret 5 8
3 Egg Sport 4 1 3 3 3 6 16 4 4 5 -20 87
Ret Ret 7 4 5 Ret Ret 5 8 Ret
4 Honda Racing 5 5 5 6 6 2 Ret 1 2 1 -20 78
Ret Ret 8 Ret Ret Ret Ret 10 7 4
5 Team Halfords 7 6 4 5 Ret 4 7 9 3 Ret -10 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 -25 14
Ret DNS Ret 13 11 8 Ret DNS Ret 9
8 Barwell Motorsport 12 8 Ret Ret 8 10 8 7 9 Ret -10 12
Ret 9 DNS Ret Ret Ret 9 12 10 Ret
Pos Team BHGP
 OUL
 THR
 SIL
 MON
 CRO
 SNE
 KNO
 BHI
 DON
 Penalties Pts

Production Teams Championship

Pos Team BHGP
 OUL
 THR
 SIL
 MON
 CRO
 SNE
 KNO
 BHI
 DON
 Penalties 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 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 -20 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 -20 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 Ret DNS -5 10
8 TH Motorsport 16 Ret 23 Ret 8
Pos Team BHGP
 OUL
 THR
 SIL
 MON
 CRO
 SNE
 KNO
 BHI
 DON
 Penalties Pts
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