2001 British Touring Car Championship season

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.

Changes for 2001

2001 saw a complete overhaul of the BTCC, aimed at reducing the cost of competition and making the series more appealing to the fans.

New regulations

The spectacular but expensive Supertouring car regulations were finally ditched at the end of 2000. 2001 saw the field divided into two classes: BTC-T and BTC-P. The latter was a simple renaming of 2000's "Class B" Super Production specification cars, whereas BTC-T (T for Touring) was a completely new set of rules designed to produce closer racing and cheaper cars to build.

Teams and drivers

The new rules provoked different reactions from the three remaining manufacturers in the BTCC. Ford withdrew completely, Honda took a year out to develop a car to the new rules while Vauxhall immediately set to work on a new car and entered four new-regulation Astra Coupes built and run by Triple 8 Racing. Yvan Muller and Jason Plato remained in first two entries under the Vauxhall Motorsport banner, while James Thompson moved from Honda to partner Phil Bennett, debuting in the BTCC, in Egg Sport-liveried cars. Two new manufacturers were attracted to the series: Peugeot entered 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 ZS built to the new regulations courtesy of West Surrey Racing, this made guest appearances in the hands of ex-Ford and Nissan driver Anthony Reid and former Formula 3 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. Across the year Tom Ferrier, David Pinkney and Mark Blair would all appear in the second car. 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 while the running of the car was taken over by Total Motorsport. Driver-turned-motoring journalist Steve Sutcliffe drove the car as a guest entry in the final round.

With a low entry in the top class, the grid relied largely on the road-going based Production class (formerly Class B) for numbers, the Peugeot 306 GTi and Honda Accord proved the most popular machines in this class. HTML headed the Peugeot entry with Roger Moen and Simon Harrison returning for their second seasons in the class, Tech-Speed Motorsport also entered a pair of 306s for MG racers Annie Templeton and young gun Paul O'Neill, and teenager Tom Boardman drove a fifth 306 for his family-run team. Barwell Motorsport's pair of cars for Peter Cate (who was replaced by Simon Graves following the first three rounds) and ex-Honda works driver James Kaye headed the Accord challenge, while single Accord entries were fielded by Total Control Racing for Clio Cup graduate Jim Edwards Jnr, and Synchro Motorsport for Dave Allan. 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. 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, as was GA Janspeed's Alfa Romeo 156, campaigned by class returnees Gavin Pyper and Colin Blair, and Rob Collard's self-entered Renault Clio. Cranfield Automotive also entered a pair of Mitsubishi Carismas and Bintcliffe Sport a single Nissan Primera, but abandoned their efforts early in the year, while a third Integra, entered by Arnold James for his son Nick, appeared later on in the season, as did the first ever Proton entered in the BTCC, a Satria run by TH Motorsport for Steve Wood.

Other changes

• Alan Gow stepped down as the series boss, replaced by Richard West.
• BF Goodrich replaced Michelin as the control tyre for the series.
• Honda and Ford left the series, although Peugeot returned as a works entry after withdrawing at the end of the 1998 season.
• More conventional qualifying sessions returned, replacing the one-lap showdown system of previous years
• Initially a three-race format was proposed for BTCC race-day: BTC-P and BTC-T to have one 'sprint' race each before the two classes combined for a longer 'feature' race in which the Touring class cars would be required to make a pit-stop. However, after the first race meeting it was decided that the two classes should combine for the sprint race as well.

Teams and drivers

Team Car No. Drivers Class Rounds MG Sport & Racing MG ZS 2 Anthony Reid† M 11–13 20 Warren Hughes† M 11–13 Vauxhall Motorsport Vauxhall Astra Coupé 4 Yvan Muller M All 5 Jason Plato M All egg:sport 9 James Thompson M All 18 Andy Priaulx M 10 27 Phil Bennett M 1–9, 11–13 Peugeot Sport UK Peugeot 406 Coupé 8 Matt Neal M 1 22 Dan Eaves M All 44 Steve Soper M All 111 Aaron Slight† M 6 JS Motorsport Alfa Romeo 147 14 Tom Ferrier I 2, 7–9, 12–13 15 Dave Pinkney I 1–4 16 Tim Harvey I 3–4, 9–13 17 Mark Blair I 10–11 ABG Motorsport Lexus IS200 41 Kurt Luby I 2–6 42 Tommy Erdos I 7–9 Total Motorsport 10–12 43 Steve Sutcliffe† I 13 HTML Peugeot 306 GTi 50 Roger Möen P All 60 Simon Harrison P All TCR/Interactive Network Solutions Honda Accord 51 Jim Edwards Jr. P 1–4, 6–10 GR Motorsport Ford Focus 52 Gordon Shedden P 7 94 Gareth Howell P All 96 Rick Kraemer P 1, 3–13 97 Richard Meins P 1–6, 9–11, 13 98 Mat Jackson P All Team B&Q/Talksport Radio Honda Integra Type-R 53 Joanna Clarke P 7–9 54 Nick Beaumont P 1–4, 6–12 55 John B&Q P 1–4, 6, 10, 12–13 Tech-Speed Motorsport Peugeot 306 GTi 58 Paul O'Neill P All 59 Annie Templeton P All Collard Racing Renault Clio 172 62 Rob Collard P 1–8, 10–11, 13 GA-Janspeed Racing Alfa Romeo 156 64 Gavin Pyper P All 65 Colin Blair P All Team Kaliber Sport with Barwell Honda Accord 66 Peter Cate P 1–3 88 James Kaye P All 89 Tiff Needell† P 10 99 Simon Graves P 4–9, 11–13 Synchro Motorsport Honda Accord 68 Mark Lemmer P 8–9 70 Dave Allan P 1–4, 6–7, 10–13 Tom Boardman Racing Peugeot 306 GTi 77 Tom Boardman P All Cranfield Automotive Management Mitsubishi Carisma 78 James Levy P 3 79 Toni Ruokonen P 1–5 80 Andy Neate P 1 Bintcliffe Sport Racing Nissan Primera 84 Matt Kelly P 1, 4 Arnold James Sport Honda Integra Type-R 85 Nick James P 4, 8, 12 TH Motorsport Proton Satria GTi 86 Steve Wood P 11, 13

Icon Class M Manufacturer I Independent P Production

^† Not eligible for points.

Race calendar and winners

All races were held in the United Kingdom (excepting Mondello Park round that held in Ireland).

Round		Circuit	Date	Pole Position	Fastest Lap	Winning Driver	Winning Team	Production Class winner
1	R1	Brands Hatch (Indy), Kent	16 April	Yvan Muller	Yvan Muller Jason Plato	Yvan Muller	Vauxhall Motorsport	Simon Harrison†
	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	James Thompson	James Thompson	James Thompson	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), Leicestershire	23 September	Jason Plato	Jason Plato	Phil Bennett	egg:sport	Simon Graves
	R24			Jason Plato	Yvan Muller	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.

Championship results tables

• No driver may collect more than one "Lead a Lap" point per race no matter how many laps they lead.
• Any Production class drivers who lead in their class for at least a lap will get awarded a point.

Drivers' Championship

(key)

Pos.	Driver	BHI		THR		OUL		SIL		MON		DON		KNO		SNE		CRO		OUL		SIL		DON		BHI		Pen.	Pts
Touring Class (BTC-T)
1	Jason Plato	2	2*	1	2*	9	Ret*	3	1*	17	2*	2	1*	2	1*	3	3*	2	2	3	1*	3	3*	5	3	3	2		336
2	Yvan Muller	1	Ret*	2	1*	7	1*	4	3*	1	1*	3	3*	4	Ret	2	2*	3	1*	1	Ret	2	2*	6	1*	4	Ret*		318
3	James Thompson	3	1*	3	4*	8	2	5	4	3	3	1	2	7	3	6	1*	5	3*	4	2	4	1	Ret	2	5	Ret		276
4	Phil Bennett	4	3*	4	3*	11	Ret	6	2	15	4	4	Ret	9	2*	Ret	6	19	Ret			1	Ret*	4	Ret	6	1*		173
5	Dan Eaves	5	6	16	Ret	18	Ret*	10	Ret	10	Ret	5	4*	Ret	DNS	21	Ret	13	5	9	3	10	4	Ret	5	8	3*		115
6	Steve Soper	7	4*	Ret	Ret	16	Ret	11	6	4	Ret	6	5*	Ret	4*	20	4	12	Ret	Ret	Ret*	20	8	20	Ret	Ret	DNS		93
7	Thomas Erdos													8	Ret	11	5	8	4	11	6*	14	6	14	4				72
8	Tim Harvey					17	3*	DNS	Ret			DNS	DNS			DNS	DNS	Ret	Ret	8	5	16	Ret	13	Ret	7	Ret		43
9	Kurt Luby			Ret	6	20	5	15	5	8	Ret	Ret	DNS																33
10	Tom Ferrier			Ret	DNS									Ret	DNS	Ret	DNS	20	Ret					12	Ret*	Ret	4		20
11	Andy Priaulx																			2	Ret*								15
12	Mark Blair																			15	4	15	Ret						15
13	David Pinkney	Ret	Ret	12	Ret	Ret	DNS	19	7																				14
14	Matt Neal	6	5																										11
drivers ineligible for points
–	Anthony Reid																					12	7	10	Ret	1	Ret		0
–	Warren Hughes																					Ret	5*	11	8	Ret	Ret*		0
–	Aaron Slight											7	Ret*																0
–	Steve Sutcliffe																									9	Ret		0
Production Class (BTC-P)
1	Simon Harrison	1	Ret*	5	Ret	1	7	1	10*	9	8	17	Ret	5	7	8	10	18	12	6	8*	6	10	Ret	7*	14	10		227
2	James Kaye	Ret	7*	7	5*	2	Ret	9	9*	2	5*	12	Ret	6	6	9	Ret	6	10	13	10	Ret	9*	3	14	10	7		220
3	Roger Möen	2	8*	Ret	Ret*	3	Ret	2	8*	6	11	8	7*	Ret	10	17	14	1	Ret	5	7*	5	Ret	2	6*	Ret	NC		212
4	Mat Jackson	4	9	10	8	12	Ret	8	Ret	11	7	10	6*	Ret	Ret	7	9	16	7	10	13	8	Ret	Ret	9*	Ret	12		151
5	Gareth Howell	3	11	Ret	Ret	4	6	Ret	11	5	Ret	Ret	DNS	Ret	DNS	4	7*	7	8	12	11	13	Ret	7	Ret	18	6*		139
6	Gavin Pyper	7	10	Ret	DNS	5	4*	Ret	Ret	7	Ret	9	Ret*	11	Ret	Ret	Ret*	4	Ret	7	9	9	12*	9	Ret	Ret	5*	−15	120
7	Simon Graves							14	Ret	Ret	Ret*	Ret	8*	1	Ret*	1	8*	9	11			Ret	Ret	1	Ret*	2	8*	−5	111
8	Paul O'Neill	Ret	12	Ret	Ret	Ret	DNS	7	12	Ret	6	Ret	Ret	12	11	13	Ret	10	Ret	Ret	DNS	Ret	11	8	DNS	17	9		74
9	Jim Edwards, Jr.	Ret	15	9	9	14	Ret	13	13			13	12	15	9	12	11	14	6*	Ret	Ret								71
10	Rick Kraemer	12	16			15	9	18	15	13	10	14	10	13	13	Ret	15	15	13	17	12	Ret	13	15	15	11	15		70
11	Tom Boardman	8	17	Ret	10	10	8	Ret	17	12	Ret	18	Ret	14	Ret	15	13	DNS	DNS	16	18	7	Ret*	16	12	12	11		66
12	Dave Allan	10	19	8	15	21	11	16	14			15	9	Ret	DNS					18	14	17	14	19	Ret	16	13		49
13	Rob Collard	6	DNS	Ret	NC	Ret	DNS	12	Ret	Ret	DNS	11	Ret	10	8	5	Ret	DNS	DNS	DNS	DNS	11	Ret	DNS	DNS	15	Ret	−5	46
14	Richard Meins	13	Ret	11	11	19	10	Ret	18	14	Ret	Ret	Ret					Ret	9	20	15	19	NC			13	14		34
15	Gordon Shedden													3	5*														30
16	Nick Beaumont	11	18	6	12	Ret	Ret	20	19			DNS	Ret	Ret	12	14	12	Ret	DNS	Ret	DNS	Ret	16	Ret	11			−5	29
17	Peter Cate	9	13	15	7	6	12																						27
18	Colin Blair	Ret	DNS	Ret	Ret	22	13	17	Ret	Ret	9	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	16	Ret	17	Ret	19	Ret	18	Ret	17	10	Ret	Ret		22
19	Annie Templeton	14	Ret	13	13	Ret	Ret	21	Ret	16	12	16	11	Ret	Ret	19	Ret	Ret	14	21	16	21	Ret	18	Ret	19	17		21
20	Toni Ruokonen	5	14	Ret	Ret	13	Ret	NC	20	Ret	Ret																		11
21	Mark Lemmer															10	16	11	Ret*										10
22	John B&Q	15	20	14	14	23	14	22	21			Ret	13							Ret	17	DNS	DNS	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret		8
23	Nick James							Ret	DNS							Ret	Ret					DNS	DNS	NC	13				4
24	Steve Wood																					22	15			Ret	16		4
25	Joanna Clarke													16	14	18	Ret	Ret	DNS										2
26	Matt Kelly	Ret	DNS					23	16																				2
–	Andy Neate	Ret	Ret			DNS	DNS																						0
–	James Levy					Ret	Ret																						0
drivers ineligible for points
–	Tiff Needell																			14	DNS								0
Pos.	Driver	BHI		THR		OUL		SIL		MON		DON		KNO		SNE		CRO		OUL		SIL		DON		BHI		Pen.	Pts

• Note: bold signifies pole position in class (1 point awarded all races), italics signifies fastest lap in class (1 point awarded all races) and * signifies that driver lead feature race for at least one lap and also in the Production class when a driver leads the class for at least a lap (1 point given in both).
• ^† Not eligible for points

Manufacturers Championship

Touring Teams Championship

† Not eligible for points

Production Teams Championship