The Ultimate BTCC 2010 Preview
Like it’s never been away, the British Touring Car Championship is back with new cars, new faces and new liveries to make 2010 one to look forward to. The only dark cloud on the horizon is the fact that for the first time since 2005 the reigning champion looks set to not defend their title.
The absence, for now, of Colin Turkington is a blow, but one that is softened by an official Chevrolet entry and a manufacturer entry for Honda in the hands of Team Dynamics. Likewise the presence of three or four Vauxhall Vectras the season after the manufacturer withdrew is heartening
It’s also the year when the BTCC begins its brave new world, with turbocharged Next Generation Touring Car engines joining the grid in a nod towards the future direction of the series. The Swindon Racing Engines turbo goes up against an LPG powered turbo as well as the standard BTC-spec and S2000 engines familiar to the series in recent seasons, so expect to hear plenty of talk of waivers and unfair advantages.
Ten varieties of car will take the green flag at Thruxton in a varied grid that should, as always, provide exciting racing with several interesting battles to keep an eye on.
Can Airwaves assert themselves as top BMW team? Who’ll score more points, a standard Vectra or an NGTC Vectra? Can Shedden and Onslow-Cole outperform their more established teammates? Will Glew of MacDowall come out on top in a continuation of their Clio Cup battles?
All these and more will be answered trackside over the next six months, so without further ado, let’s look at the BTCC 2010 Runners and Riders.
Silverline Chevrolet – Chevrolet Cruze
#2 Jason Plato; #20 Alex MacDowall
It’s hard to look beyond the Cruze for the title, or more specifically it’s hard to look beyond the Cruze of Plato for the title. Yes it’s new to the series and yes the deal was only announced late, but both things were said about the Silverline Lacetti in 2009, and look what happened there!
Seven wins shy of Andy Rouse’s all-time BTCC record, Plato has on five occasions scored seven BTCC wins in a season, going even better in ’01, ’06 and ’08, so that should be one record falling his way this season.
MacDowall was outshone by Phil Glew in Clios last year, but in turn outshone everyone else in a series that has proved a good predictor of BTCC form. In tests in the Lacetti, Cruze and BMW he went well and impressed those present, which bodes well for the new season. He may have the toughest driver to beat as a teammate, but he has the best car in which to do so.
The only slight doubt is how quick can RML get the Cruze used to running on BTCC Dunlops instead of WTCC Yokohamas, but that should prove academic.
Honda Racing Team – Honda Civic
#4 Matt Neal; #52 Gordon Shedden
Is it a works entry? Is it semi-works? Manufacturer? Independent? Oh who cares, all that really matters is that Dynamics return with a pair of reworked Civics that promise to perform much better than in 2009. The prodigal son returns to the team where he made his name and looks likely to be a championship contender.
The car is getting on in years but Steve Neal gave TouringCarTimes a long list of aero, mechanical and structural parts that have changed over the winter, while a revised engine is also expected soon, so the car should be right on the pace.
In the second Civic, Shedden returns to the team, with the main question being can he make it beyond Round One this season, after being abruptly dumped by the squad last year. A full season and a top car should equal race wins for the Scot who will push Neal hard.
Airwaves BMW – BMW 320si E90
#5 Mat Jackson; #11 Steven Kane
First they were Airwaves, then they weren’t and now they are again. There aren’t as many Airwaves vinyl’s on the car at present, but inside the cockpit the quality has undoubtedly gone up with Mat Jackson and series returnee Steven Kane joining up on the driving front to present one of, if not the, strongest driver line-up.
With his BMW experience and last season’s storming end to the year, despite his relative inexperience when compared to the likes of Plato, Neal and Turkington, Jackson has to be considered a dark horse for the title as Motorbase look to kick up a gear from race wins to championship contenders.
A year away from the BTCC means Kane will be keen to prove himself, firstly against his teammate and then the rest of the grid. A first BTCC win should be a certainty.
West Surrey Racing – BMW 320si E90
#6 Rob Collard; #44 Andy Neate
No Turkington gives a strange feel to WSR this season, but another former driver in Rob Collard does ensure at least one driver familiar to the Sunbury team is present. Twelfth in 2008, sixth in 2009, does that make it first in 2010?
It’s unlikely, but Collard should definitely record his best ever Championship finish and add to his tally of race wins. In fact the only dark cloud on the horizon would be if he was suddenly joined in the team by a quicker, experienced former BTCC Champion, but where WSR would find one of them is anybodies guess!
On track expect to see fireworks the first time Collard has an on track altercation with one of the Motorbase cars, as team boss David Bartrum wasn’t overjoyed to see Collard allegedly go back on his word to sign for their rivals.
In the second BMW is Andy Neate, completing an amazing comeback from his terrible Britcar accident in 2008. Neate’s now looking to the future and has a blank canvas on which to perform, as no-one really knows how he’ll go.
Like the Airwaves BMWs, WSR have a predominantly white car that’s not over engulfed with sponsors labels, so expect some confusion from commentators in the heat of on-track battle!
Team Aon – Ford Focus ST
#21 Tom Onslow-Cole; #23 Tom Chilton
Already causing controversy thanks to their turbo LPG engine and we’ve not even had a race yet. As a hatchback the car should in theory be less aerodynamic than the Cruze, but at Brands Hatch was 3mph quicker down the straight, and Jason Plato isn’t happy!
All this bodes well for the opener at high-speed Thruxton, so expect to hear more if the Focus’ are just too quick this weekend.
Chilton is the leader of the Twin-Tom attack, but with a full pre-season in the car Onslow-Cole should be able to run his more experienced teammate close and beat him.
Both are proven race winners, but for one that first Ford BTCC win for ten year’s awaits!
Special Tuning UK – SEAT Leon TFSi
#22 Tom Boardman
Former WTCC runner Boardman returns to the BTCC for the first time since 2003 with his family team. No longer equipped with his distinctive pink Peugeot, Boardman is now firmly a SEAT man, and is currently due to be the sole flag bearer for the Spanish marque.
On paper Boardman and the Leon are a strong proposition, but we’ve seen SEATs promising a lot and then disappointing in the UK before. The experience of working with SUNRED at World level should help, while Boardman knows the car and tracks well and proved on his previous BTCC outings that he wasn’t afraid to get stuck in.
He languished well down the time sheets on Media Day, so is he still readjusting to the BTCC or is the series much stronger than the WTCC midfield?
Boulevard Team Racing – Vauxhall Astra Coupe
#27 Martin Johnson
The BTCC’s historic Astra Coupe returns with fan favourite Martin Johnson at the wheel. The bad news is the car’s a year older so isn’t going to be any quicker, but the good news is Johnson should have some new playmates towards the back of the pack in the likes of Hamilton, George, Wood, Hollamby and the Forster Motorsport boys.
If he can pass Giovanardi at Rockingham then he can hold his own against the majority of those names and another popular points scoring finish should happen again at some stage.
Sunshine.co.uk with Tech-Speed Motorsport – Honda Integra
#28 John George; #29 Paul O’Neill
With Thruxton as the season opener, Paul O’Neill has an excellent chance to get his Championship off to the best of starts with a podium finish on a track that suits the Integra well and is close to sponsor Sunshine.co.uk’s HQ.
If you can remember the emotional outpouring on scoring a podium at Snetterton then imagine what will happen if O’Neill wins – there won’t be a dry eye in the house. Bad luck let O’Neill down on several occasions last year, so maybe 2010 will be payback time?
Once again O’Neill’s teammate won’t challenge him for pace, though with a newer model, George should be looking at troubling the scorers this season providing he doesn’t get involved in any incidents in what looks to be a highly competitive mid-to-rear pack.
Forster Motorsport – BMW 320si E90
#30 Martin Depper; #37 Arthur Forster
Running pair of ex-Mat Jackson BMWs, Arthur Forster and Martin Depper have got plenty of adjusting to do to get used to the rear-wheel drive cars, as was proved on several occasions in testing. That they make the grid though is testament to their enthusiasm and shows that the UK’s premier racing series is still in achievable target for the top club racers.
Both are former Mini Cooper champions, so will be familiar with close racing in tight packs, but not at BTCC level. There are doubts as well over the engines which could prevent one or both cars making the grid at Thruxton, so not the best start to the season for a team who have worked and tested tirelessly over the winter.
Central Group Racing – Honda Integra
#43 Lea Wood
An under the radar entry, the former Clio Cup and Hot Rod racer announced his plans early but then nothing more was heard until the car broke cover for testing last month.
Wood joins the BTCC at Brands Hatch in May, which will come as a disappointment to miss the Thruxton rounds that have proved to be perfectly suited to the Integra and could have allowed the family-run team to make an instant impact.
Wood has already proved doubters wrong by making the grid, and should continue to do so during the season by being the second quickest Integra on track and towards the front of the older generation of cars.
Pinkney Motorsport – Vauxhall Vectra
#55 David Pinkney
Being back with his own team seems to make David Pinkney much happier so the question is will that rub off on his driving. A BTCC stalwart, the distinctive black and pink livery is back so are the good times too?
The biggest question mark is over the engine, with Pinkney and Jordan both TOCA guinea pigs to an extent. If pre-season engine problems can be overcome and the NGTC unit is competitive then that should be enough to see Pinkney comfortably in front of the Golf-Astra-Integra-Civic group. He’s twice finished 11th in the series, most recently in 2006, if he can do that once again 2010 then it’ll have been a very good season indeed.
Pirtek Racing – Vauxhall Vectra
#77 Andrew Jordan
A fan favourite before, post-unveiling of his 2010 livery at the Autosport Show, Jordan seems to have attracted yet more fans, and quite rightly so for a design which catches the eye and shows off the Vectra.
Taking the brave decision to adopt NGTC power, Jordan runs the risk of incurring the ire of rivals teams should his car go too well, or being left behind should the turbocharged lump not be up to spec.
After a disappointing 2009, this year Jordan needs to recapture his form of a year previous. Back in his Dad’s team, he should do that and break his BTCC duck in the process. If he doesn’t then questions will have to be asked, either of him or the engine.
Triple Eight Racing Engineering – Vauxhall Vectra
#88 Phil Glew; #888 TBA
For those who thought we’d seen the last of Vauxhall in the BTCC, whilst the works team may have gone, the late addition of a pair of Triple Eight run Vectras means we actually have a Vauxhall more in 2010.
Triple Eight know the Vectra inside out and Glew seems a very promising touring car prospect, so once the duo have jelled and the driver is familiar with machine, then there seems no reason why he can’t challenge for victories later in the season.
One question mark is have the Vectras been left behind after a winter of development. Only the brilliance of Giovanardi kept the make in the hunt for the title last year, so is this a year too far? Glew though will surely draw massive motivation from trying to show RML they have the wrong Clio driver behind the wheel.
The second car has been tested by Formula Renault Champion Dean Smith, who seems destined for GP3, but as yet no driver announced.
Team boss Ian Harrison told Motorsport News, “We will definitely have two cars on the grid for the opening meeting. We’d like to think that will carry on for the rest of the season too, but we are still in talks”. This opens the way for whomever takes the wheel at Thruxton not necessarily being the full-time driver. With the likes of James Nash, Jonny Adam and a certain Italian double BTCC Champion currently out-of-work, Triple Eight could still end up with a very favourable outcome…
TH Motorsport – Honda Civic Type-R
#98 Matt Hamilton
Hopes are high as Hamilton begins his first full season of tin-top racing, with the youngster talking optimistically of causing some upsets and reaching the podium. Realistically that aim is likely to be points finishes, which certainly aren’t out of the question as he continue to adapt to front-wheel drive touring car racing.
The age of the Civic is likely to be an hindrance, but at the same time it’s the perfect car to continue his toruing car education in without too much pressure. On Media Day, his first and only pre-season test, Hamilton ran in 14th, so only four places shy of a point scoring position. With most BTCC rounds seeing more than that number of retirements, keeping it on the island should see Hamilton troubling the scorers. And with no Anthony Reid, that looks quite a likely prospect…
AmD Milltek Racing.com – VW Golf Mk5
#99 Shaun Hollamby
Regardless of results, AmD seem sure of publicity and results thanks to their choice to reintroduce the VW Golf to the BTCC after over 20 years away. Already proving highly popular with fans it’s going to be fascinating viewing to see how the Baltic Championship contender goes on British tracks.
The car has been seen very little on track with misfires twice causing problems at Brands Hatch, so that needs to be sorted if Shaun Hollamby is to have any hope of points scores. If friendliness and sheer enthusiasm were replacements for outright speed, then the BTCC would have its new champion sorted already, but sadly they’re not so a long, hard season awaits.
If an ageing Vauxhall Astra Coupe can score points though, surely a Mk5 Golf can get in on the act at some stage, can’t it?
Other Entries?
A number of teams have spoken across the winter of running additional entries, but as yet none have materialised, with the common reason being a lack of sponsors and money. Likewise there are also a number of BTCC favourites on the sidelines without drivers currently, including Jonny Adam, James Nash and Adam Jones.
Every man and his dog knows about the third WSR BMW that may or may not already have Turkington’s name stickered onto the rear window, but the reigning Champion says he doesn’t have the budget to compete, yet.
Tech-Speed are another team who declared they had a third car should a driver with budget be found, with Alan Blencowe admitting he was “very much trying to get back into the BTCC” and that Marvin Humphries team were his preferred option.
When announcing their BTCC return with Tom Boardman, Special Tuning said they hoped to secure a second driver to run alongside Boardman, but all is currently silent on the matter.
For all three of these teams, and Mike Earle’s Team Aon, then no doubt if a paying driver appeared mid-season an extra car could be seen on track. It wouldn’t be your average BTCC season without at least some driver changes.
For all the news and action from Thruxton this weekend, and every other round of the 2010 British Touring Car Championship, stay tuned to TouringCarTimes.com
