1994 British Touring Car Championship season

Gabriele Tarquini with Alfa Romeo 155 in Thruxton.

The 1994 Auto Trader RAC British Touring Car Championship season was the 37th British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season.

Changes for 1994

• The number of double header meetings were increased from three to seven
• Double headers now awarded full points in both races instead of half, as had previously been the case

Season summary

The lead up to the 1994 season saw both consolidation and major news amongst the manufacturers. Reigning champions BMW retained Joachim Winkelhock and Steve Soper, and the team would again be managed by works outfit Schnitzer Motorsport. Soper however would miss some races when they clashed with his JTCC programme; his place would then be taken by Roberto Ravaglia. Ford were looking to build on their late 1993 success with Paul Radisich and Andy Rouse, while Toyota added Tim Sugden to their 1993 drivers Will Hoy and Julian Bailey. While Vauxhall retained drivers John Cleland and Jeff Allam they had handed over the running of their works team to Ray Mallock Ltd., who had previously run semi-works cars as Ecurie Ecosse.
Renault also retained their drivers Alain Menu and Tim Harvey, but replaced their Renault 19’s with more modern Lagunas. Keith O’Dor continued with Nissan but was joined by ex-Formula One driver Eric van de Poele, who replaced Win Percy. Patrick Watts moved from Mazda to Peugeot, replacing Robb Gravett, while Mazda expanded to a two-car line up with drivers Matt Neal and David Leslie.
Two new manufacturers joined the championship. Tom Walkinshaw made a comeback with Volvo, the Swedish manufacturer surprisingly choosing to run the estate version of their 850 model. 1988 Le Mans winner Jan Lammers and Swedish Formula Three racer Rickard Rydell would be the team’s two drivers. Alfa Romeo was the other manufacturer to join; Italian works outfit Alfa Corse would run two cars for Gabriele Tarquini and Giampiero Simoni. Alfa had produced a unique homologation special version of their 155 model complete with wings and spoilers, significantly improving the aerodynamics of the car. The 155 was to revolutionize Super Touring racing.

The start of the season showed that Alfa Romeo had a substantial advantage over their opponents as Gabriele Tarquini dominated, taking the first five wins of the season. Several complaints and protests were lodged by other manufacturers, and just prior to Oulton Park Alfa were told to run without the aerodynamic aids fitted. Alfa refused and left the circuit in protest, allowing Alain Menu to take Renault’s first win of the season.
Eventually matters were resolved and Alfa re-instated after agreeing to run with the spoilers lowered, but having lost out on any points from Oulton Park. Even with lowered spoilers, however, Tarquini was able to keep much of his advantage.

Silverstone hosted the twelfth round of the championship, and there rule changes were exploited by other manufacturers to add aerodynamic aids to their own cars. This levelled the playing field considerably and allowed Joachim Winkelhock to make a bid for victory, overtaking Tarquini and winning the race. Tarquini would only win one more race that season, but was always in contention: it was not so much a matter of if but when the Italian would become champion. When turned out to be the penultimate weekend at Silverstone, where Tarquini’s second place in the first race of the day secured the title for him. The main battle going into the final rounds at Donington Park was for second place, and would stand between Alain Menu and Paul Radisich. Radisich won the first race of the day bringing him up to level on points with Menu, but mechanical gremlins put a stop to his challenge in the second race. Menu thus finished second in the championship from Radisich, with John Cleland in fourth and Simoni in fifth.

Teams and drivers

BTCC

Team Car No. Drivers Class Rounds BMW Motorsport Team Schnitzer BMW 318i 1 Joachim Winkelhock M All 2 Steve Soper M 1–3, 5, 7, 9, 11–13 21 Roberto Ravaglia M 4, 6, 8, 10 Team Mondeo Ford Mondeo Ghia 3 Paul Radisich M All 31 Robb Gravett M 13 32 Kelvin Burt M 12 33 Andy Rouse M All Vauxhall Sport Vauxhall Cavalier 16v 4 John Cleland M All 9 Jeff Allam M All Toyota Castrol Team Toyota Carina E 5 Julian Bailey M All 7 Will Hoy M All 57 Tim Sugden M 2–6, 8, 12–13 Team Mazda Mazda Xedos 6 8 David Leslie M 1–8 12 Matt Neal M 1–4 Renault Dealer Racing Renault Laguna 10 Alain Menu M All 11 Tim Harvey M All Peugeot Sport Peugeot 405 Mi16 13 Eugene O'Brien M 1, 3–12 18 Patrick Watts M All Volvo 850 Racing Volvo 850 SE/GLT 14 Jan Lammers M All 15 Rickard Rydell M All Maxted Motorsport Toyota Carina E 17 Ian Khan I 1–2 29 James Kaye I All Vauxhall Cavalier 16v 17 Ian Khan I 3, 5–8 Woodkirk Peugeot Peugeot 405 Mi16 19 James Thompson I 1–4, 7–13 Geoff Steel Racing BMW 318is 22 Geoff Steel I 1–3, 5–6, 10–11 Old Spice Nissan Racing Nissan Primera eGT 23 Kieth O'dor M All 24 Eric van de Poele M 1–8 34 Tiff Needell M 5, 7–13 Team HMSO Cavalier Vauxhall Cavalier 16v 25 Nigel Smith I All Hamish Irvine BMW 318is 26 Hamish Irvine I 4–13 Harlow Motorsport Renault 19 16v 27 Nigel Albon I All Roy Kennedy Racing Vauxhall Cavalier 16v 30 Chris Goodwin I 2–8, 10–13 Alfa Corse Alfa Romeo 155 TS 55 Gabriele Tarquini M 1–4, 6–13 56 Giampiero Simoni M 1–4, 6–13

Icon Class M Manufacturer I Independent

ToCA Shoot Out

Team Car No. Drivers Class Alfa Corse Alfa Romeo 155 TS 1 Gabriele Tarquini M 4 Giampiero Simoni M Team Mondeo Ford Mondeo Ghia 2 Paul Radisich M 31 Robb Gravett M Vauxhall Sport Vauxhall Cavalier 16v 3 John Cleland M 10 Jeff Allam M 20 Anthony Reid M BMW Motorsport Team Schnitzer BMW 318i 6 Steve Soper M Peugeot Sport Peugeot 405 Mi16 8 Patrick Watts M 18 Eugene O'Brien M Old Spice Nissan Racing Nissan Primera eGT 22 Tiff Needell M Team Mazda Mazda 323F 24 Matt Neal M Team HMSO Cavalier Vauxhall Cavalier 16v 25 Nigel Smith I Maxted Motorsport Toyota Carina E 29 James Kaye I Roy Kennedy Racing Vauxhall Cavalier 16v 30 Julian Westwood I

Icon Class M Manufacturer I Independent

Race calendar and winners

All races were held in the United Kingdom.

Round		Circuit	Date	Pole Position	Fastest Lap	Winning Driver	Winning Team	Winning Privateer
1	R1	Thruxton Circuit, Hampshire	4 April	Gabriele Tarquini	Gabriele Tarquini	Gabriele Tarquini	Alfa Corse	James Kaye
2	R2	Brands Hatch (Indy), Kent	17 April	Gabriele Tarquini	Gabriele Tarquini	Gabriele Tarquini	Alfa Corse	Nigel Smith
	R3				Giampiero Simoni	Gabriele Tarquini	Alfa Corse	Chris Goodwin
3	R4	Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit, Norfolk	2 May	Giampiero Simoni	Gabriele Tarquini	Gabriele Tarquini	Alfa Corse	James Kaye
4	R5	Silverstone Circuit (National), Northamptonshire	15 May	Alain Menu	Paul Radisich	Gabriele Tarquini	Alfa Corse	Chris Goodwin
	R6				Alain Menu	Paul Radisich	Team Mondeo	James Kaye
5	R7	Oulton Park (International), Cheshire	30 May	Alain Menu	Alain Menu	Alain Menu	Renault Dealer Racing	Chris Goodwin
6	R8	Donington Park (Grand Prix), Leicestershire	12 June	Paul Radisich	John Cleland	John Cleland	Vauxhall Sport	James Kaye
	R9				Paul Radisich	John Cleland	Vauxhall Sport	James Kaye
7	R10	Brands Hatch (Grand Prix), Kent	26 June	Giampiero Simoni	Gabriele Tarquini	Gabriele Tarquini	Alfa Corse	James Kaye
	R11				Gabriele Tarquini	Gabriele Tarquini	Alfa Corse	James Thompson
8	R12	Silverstone Circuit (Grand Prix), Northamptonshire	10 July	Joachim Winkelhock	Gabriele Tarquini	Joachim Winkelhock	BMW Motorsport Team Schnitzer	James Thompson
9	R13	Knockhill Racing Circuit, Fife	31 July	Paul Radisich	Steve Soper	Alain Menu	Renault Dealer Racing	James Kaye
	R14				Steve Soper	Steve Soper	BMW Motorsport Team Schnitzer	Nigel Smith
10	R15	Oulton Park (International), Cheshire	14 August	Alain Menu	Joachim Winkelhock	Joachim Winkelhock	BMW Motorsport Team Schnitzer	Nigel Albon
11	R16	Brands Hatch (Indy), Kent	29 August	Joachim Winkelhock	Joachim Winkelhock	Joachim Winkelhock	BMW Motorsport Team Schnitzer	James Kaye
	R17				Gabriele Tarquini	Joachim Winkelhock	BMW Motorsport Team Schnitzer	Nigel Smith
12	R18	Silverstone Circuit (Grand Prix), Northamptonshire	11 September	Tim Harvey	Steve Soper	Tim Harvey	Renault Dealer Racing	Nigel Smith
	R19				Gabriele Tarquini	Gabriele Tarquini	Alfa Corse	James Kaye
13	R20	Donington Park (Grand Prix), Leicestershire	18 September	Joachim Winkelhock	Paul Radisich	Paul Radisich	Team Mondeo	Chris Goodwin
	R21				Paul Radisich	Giampiero Simoni	Alfa Corse	James Kaye

Championship results

Drivers Championship

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

• Race 2 grid for Double Headers are based on Race 1 results.

Pos	Driver	THR	BHI		SNE	SIL		OUL	DON		BHGP		SIL	KNO		OUL	BHI		SIL		DON		Pts
1	Gabriele Tarquini	1	1	1	1	1	DNS	WD	3	DNS	1	1	2	Ret	DNS	3	2	2	2	1	Ret	4	298
2	Alain Menu	6	18	Ret	Ret	3	2	1	5	4	9	6	5	1	3	2	7	7	3	2	2	2	222
3	Paul Radisich	Ret	5	4	2	2	1	2	2	2	Ret	Ret	3	2	2	Ret	14	DSQ	Ret	DNS	1	9	206
4	John Cleland	2	3	2	Ret	7	4	7	1	1	5	4	DNS	5	6	Ret	Ret	DNS	4	4	8	5	177
5	Giampiero Simoni	11	2	DSQ	3	Ret	DNS	WD	Ret	DNS	2	2	Ret	Ret	9	4	3	3	6	3	3	1	156
6	Joachim Winkelhock	3	Ret	7	Ret	14	14	8	Ret	8	8	7	1	Ret	11	1	1	1	Ret	DNS	4	3	147
7	Steve Soper	4	10	6	8			4			4	14		3	1		5	4	22	5	12	Ret	102
8	Patrick Watts	7	7	8	5	5	3	3	7	11	3	3	6	15	Ret	8	6	DNS	Ret	Ret	7	11	98
9	Tim Harvey	10	Ret	DNS	Ret	Ret	8	Ret	9	10	Ret	11	4	DSQ	4	6	4	Ret	1	18	5	8	77
10	Jeff Allam	14	6	5	6	12	9	6	6	3	19	10	7	4	5	12	13	Ret	8	9	9	13	76
11	Andy Rouse	21	4	3	DNS	4	19	Ret	4	6	6	5	Ret	11	15	Ret	11	DNS	13	8	20	10	66
12	Julian Bailey	20	19	10	Ret	10	5	10	8	5	11	9	DNS	8	7	9	10	6	5	6	6	6	66
13	Will Hoy	5	9	9	12	6	6	Ret	10	7	Ret	17	9	9	8	11	12	DNS	7	7	18	7	48
14	Rickard Rydell	15	22	15	Ret	19	13	5	11	Ret	10	8	8	6	10	Ret	15	8	10	12	10	12	27
15	Jan Lammers	Ret	12	16	11	Ret	16	13	14	15	7	16	12	NC	12	7	9	5	16	17	13	16	18
16	Keith O'Dor	9	11	Ret	4	8	DNS	11	13	12	12	13	DNS	14	14	10	16	DNS	11	Ret	22	18	16
17	Eugene O'Brien	Ret			7	11	10	9	16	20	13	Ret	Ret	7	13	14	8	Ret	12	Ret			14
18	Roberto Ravaglia					Ret	Ret		12	9			Ret			5							10
19	Tim Sugden		20	12	Ret	9	7	12	15	14			Ret						9	10	19	14	9
20	David Leslie	8	8	11	17	16	11	Ret	Ret	DNS	Ret	19	11										6
21	Tiff Needell							17			Ret	18	DNS	10	16	13	17	9	15	14	15	15	3
22	Eric van de Poele	13	DNS	DNS	9	13	12	14	17	13	14	12	DNS										2
23	Matt Neal	12	15	17	10	15	DNS																1
24	James Thompson	Ret	16	18	Ret	21	DNS				18	15	10	Ret	DNS	Ret	20	Ret	18	Ret	16	19	1
25	Nigel Smith	18	13	14	15	20	Ret	16	20	18	16	20	13	Ret	17	17	19	10	17	16	23	20	1
26	Chris Goodwin		14	13	14	17	17	15	19	17	17	Ret	DNS			18	22	11	19	15	14	21	0
27	Kelvin Burt																		14	11			0
28	Robb Gravett																				11	Ret	0
29	James Kaye	16	17	19	13	18	15	Ret	18	16	15	21	15	12	18	Ret	18	Ret	20	13	17	17	0
30	Nigel Albon	17	Ret	DNS	16	22	18		22	Ret	DNS	DNS	Ret	Ret	DNS	15	Ret	12	21	DNS	Ret	22	0
31	Hamish Irvine					23	20	Ret	23	Ret	21	Ret	14	13	Ret	16	21	DNS	23	DNS	21	23	0
32	Geoff Steel	22	21	20	18			18	24	21						Ret	23	13					0
33	Ian Khan	19	DNS	DNS	Ret			Ret	21	19	20	22											0
Pos	Driver	THR	BHI		SNE	SIL		OUL	DON		BHGP		SIL	KNO		OUL	BHI		SIL		DON		Pts

Privateers Championship

Pos	Driver	THR	BHI		SNE	SIL		OUL	DON		BHGP		SIL	KNO		OUL	BHI		SIL		DON		Pts
1	James Kaye	16	17	19	13	18	15	Ret	18	16	15	21	15	12	18	Ret	18	Ret	20	13	17	17	340
2	Nigel Smith	18	13	14	15	20	Ret	16	20	18	16	20	13	Ret	17	17	19	10	17	16	23	20	308
3	Chris Goodwin		14	13	14	17	17	15	19	17	17	Ret	DNS			18	22	11	19	15	14	21	274
4	James Thompson	Ret	16	18	Ret	21	DNS				18	15	10	Ret	DNS	Ret	20	Ret	18	Ret	16	19	158
5	Nigel Albon	17	Ret	DNS	16	22	18		22	Ret	DNS	DNS	Ret	Ret	DNS	15	Ret	12	21	DNS	Ret	22	108
6	Hamish Irvine					23	20	Ret	23	Ret	21	Ret	14	13	Ret	16	21	DNS	23	DNS	21	23	108
7	Geoff Steel	22	21	20	18			18	24	21						Ret	23	13					72
8	Ian Khan	19	DNS	DNS	Ret			Ret	21	19	20	22											48
Pos	Driver	THR	BHI		SNE	SIL		OUL	DON		BHGP		SIL	KNO		OUL	BHI		SIL		DON		Pts

Manufacturers Championship

External links

• Full championship results