2005 British Touring Car Championship Explained

The 2005 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season was the 48th British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season. As in 2004, there were ten racing weekends at nine different circuits; each round comprising three races, making a thirty round competition in total.

Changes for 2005

Teams and drivers

After 2004 saw the BTCC boasting its largest number of entries since the height of the Super Touring era in the 1990s, the following season brought a significant decline in interest. Proton and Honda pulled their manufacturer support from the series, with many of the smaller independent teams also deciding against returning.

Reigning champions Vauxhall stayed on as one of the two remaining manufacturers, dropping its Astra Coupe after four straight titles with the chassis, and introducing the all new Astra Sport Hatch (again prepared by Triple 8). Reigning champion James Thompson had left the BTCC to contest the World Touring Car Championship with Alfa Romeo, leaving the 2004 runner-up and 2003 champion Yvan Muller to head the team. SEAT Cupra Cup graduate Gavin Smith joined the team after appearing in an Astra Coupe for GA Motorsport at one meeting in 2004, and Colin Turkington moved into Thompson's seat after two promising seasons with the WSR MG squad.

Their only manufacturer opposition came from SEAT, expanding their effort to three Super 2000-spec Toledos for their second season. 2001 champion Jason Plato remained as team leader, but Rob Huff departed to join the Chevrolet WTCC campaign. He was replaced by Luke Hines, moving from Vauxhall, with James Pickford taking the third seat as reward for winning the SEAT Cupra Cup in 2004.

Team Dynamics took a brave gamble by replacing their Honda Civic Type Rs with a pair of brand new, self-developed Integras. Matt Neal and Dan Eaves remained as drivers. A third car was entered late in the season for Gareth Howell in order to support Neal's title campaign. West Surrey Racing again campaigned the MG ZS as an independent entry after MG Rover withdrew their support at the end of 2003. Rob Collard moved from his self-run Astra Coupe to fill Colin Turkington's seat, but a second driver with sufficient budget could not be found.

Arena Motorsport also continued their campaign despite losing manufacturer support, entering a single Honda Civic Type-R for the returning Tom Chilton from the second round onwards. A second entry for Alan Morrison was also registered but never raced.

The only other full-time returnees were Synchro Motorsport, with James Kaye driving their ex-works Civic Type-R once again.

Two new squads joined the series, both on very low budgets. SpeedEquipe (as HPI Racing) graduated from the Renault Clio Cup together with their drivers Richard Williams and Ian Curley, to run Lexus IS200s, while Fast-Tec Motorsports and team owner/driver Mark Proctor moved from the SCSA stock car series to run the Astra Coupe that Rob Collard had taken to the Independents title in 2003.

Kartworld Racing returned mid-season with team principal Jason Hughes again racing an ex-works MG ZS, as did Tech-Speed Motorsport running their Astra Coupe (now bio-ethanol powered) for rookie Fiona Leggate. Daniels Motorsport entered another Astra Coupe for Andy Neate for the final round at Brands Hatch.

Gary Ayles' team intended to enter a single Alfa Romeo 156 for Jamie Spence (with a possible second entry for Stefan Hodgetts also mentioned) and John Batchelor intended to return to the driver's seat in the Super 2000 Honda Civic but this, under the Team Firstserve Group banner, neither of these entries eventuated.

Other changes

Dunlop were announced as the new title sponsor of the series^[1]
The grid for race three was determined by race two's finishing order but with the top ten positions reversed. In 2004 this rule had applied to race two based on the finishing order of race one.
The cars of the championship's top five drivers carried "Championship Ballast" for each race meeting's practice, qualifying and first race. Success Ballast was then carried in race two by the top five finishers from race one and in race three by the top five finishers from race two respectively.
'Negative' ballast for finishing outside the top five in races was abolished
Tyres were limited to 16 new slicks per race weekend, but with no limit on wet-weather tyres
All teams were permitted only up to four days' testing during the season
Teams were permitted to build their own Super 2000 specification cars and enter them for the championship even if they did not have proper FIA homologation. Provided they met all current S2000 requirements the BTCC was able to grant the cars 'local homologation'.

Teams and drivers

Team	Car	No.	Drivers	Rounds
Works BTC-T Entries
VX Racing	Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch	2	Yvan Muller	All
	6	Colin Turkington	All
	88	Gavin Smith	All
Works S2000 Entries
SEAT Sport UK	SEAT Toledo Cupra	11	Jason Plato	All
		12	James Pickford	All
		57	Luke Hines	All
Independent BTC-T Entries
Team Halfords	Honda Integra Type-R	5	Matt Neal	All
		8	Dan Eaves	All
		25	Gareth Howell	8–10
Arena Motorsport	Honda Civic Type-R	9	Tom Chilton	2–9
Arena Motorsport	Honda Civic Type-R	99	Alan Morrison	None
Synchro Motorsport	Honda Civic Type-R	10	James Kaye	1–9
Synchro Motorsport	Honda Civic Type-R	31	James Kaye	10
West Surrey Racing	MG ZS	21	Rob Collard	All
Fast-Tec Motorsport	Vauxhall Astra Coupé	23	Mark Proctor	1, 3–10
Kartworld Racing	MG ZS	36	Jason Hughes	6, 8, 10
Team Nuts with Daniels Motorsport	Vauxhall Astra Coupé	44	Andy Neate	10
Tech-Speed Motorsport	Vauxhall Astra Coupé	82	Fiona Leggate	5–10
Independent S2000 Entries
GA Motorsport	Alfa Romeo 156	15	Jamie Spence	None
Team Firstserve Group	Honda Civic Type-R	33	John Batchelor	None
	Lexus IS200	77	nowrap	Richard Williams	All
	Lexus IS200	78	Ian Curley	3–10

GA Motorsport, Team Firstserve Group and Alan Morrison all appeared on the official entry list but none of these entries eventuated.

Season Calendar

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
1	R1	Donington Park National	10 April	Colin Turkington	Yvan Muller	Matt Neal	Team Halfords
	R2				Rob Collard	Yvan Muller	VX Racing
	R3				Dan Eaves	Matt Neal	Team Halfords
2	R4	Thruxton Circuit, Hampshire	1 May	Tom Chilton	Tom Chilton	Dan Eaves	Team Halfords
	R5				Dan Eaves	Dan Eaves	Team Halfords
	R6				Jason Plato	Dan Eaves	Team Halfords
3	R7	Brands Hatch Indy, Kent	5 June	Matt Neal	James Pickford	Matt Neal	Team Halfords
	R8				Dan Eaves	Matt Neal	Team Halfords
	R9				Tom Chilton	Yvan Muller	VX Racing
4	R10	Oulton Park Island, Cheshire	19 June	Jason Plato	Matt Neal	Jason Plato	SEAT Sport UK
	R11				Matt Neal	Matt Neal	Team Halfords
	R12				Jason Plato	Tom Chilton	Arena Motorsport
5	R13	Croft Circuit, Yorkshire	17 July	nowrap	Colin Turkington	nowrap	Colin Turkington	nowrap	Colin Turkington	VX Racing
	R14				Yvan Muller	Yvan Muller	VX Racing
	R15				Dan Eaves	Dan Eaves	Team Halfords
6	R16	Mondello Park	24 July	Yvan Muller	Yvan Muller	Yvan Muller	VX Racing
	R17				Matt Neal	Colin Turkington	VX Racing
	R18				Yvan Muller	Yvan Muller	VX Racing
7	R19	Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit, Norfolk	7 August	Tom Chilton	Matt Neal	Tom Chilton	Arena Motorsport
	R20			Matt Neal	Tom Chilton	Arena Motorsport
	R21			Yvan Muller	Jason Plato	SEAT Sport UK
8	R22	Knockhill Racing Circuit, Fife	28 August	Colin Turkington	Matt Neal	Yvan Muller	VX Racing
	R23				Matt Neal	Matt Neal	Team Halfords
	R24				Matt Neal	Rob Collard	nowrap	West Surrey Racing
9	R25	Silverstone National	18 September	Gareth Howell	Jason Plato	Tom Chilton	Arena Motorsport
	R26			Gareth Howell	Luke Hines	SEAT Sport UK
	R27			Gareth Howell	Gareth Howell	Team Halfords
10	R28	Brands Hatch GP, Kent	2 October	Dan Eaves	Dan Eaves	Dan Eaves	Team Halfords
	R29				Matt Neal	Jason Plato	SEAT Sport UK
	R30				Rob Collard	Rob Collard	West Surrey Racing

Championship Standings

Points system
1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th	Fastest Lap	Lead a lap
15	12	10	8	6	5	4	3	2	1	1	1

No driver may collect more than one "Lead a Lap" point per race no matter how many laps they lead.
Race 1 polesitter receives 1 point.

Drivers Championship

(key)

Pos	Driver	DON			THR			BHI			OUL			CRO			MON			SNE			KNO			SIL			BHGP			valign=middle	Pts
1	Matt Neal	1*	3	1*	3	2	4	1*	1*	6	2	1*	2	3	6	2	3	3	7	3	3	4	2	1*	2	9	4	7	4	3	5	316
2	Yvan Muller	2*	1*	3	6	3	3	3	4	1*	4	2	Ret	2	1*	8	1*	6	1*	4	4	3	1*	2*	Ret	4	Ret	5	2	11	Ret	273
3	Dan Eaves	3	4	2	1*	1*	1*	Ret	3	2	3	3	6	5	10	1*	6	2	4	2	2	5	4	Ret	6	Ret	3	4	1*	2*	Ret	269
4	Jason Plato	6	5	6*	2*	5	5*	4	2	3	1*	10*	3	4	13	3	2	10	Ret	Ret	10	1*	6	8	5	3	DSQ	6	3	1*	Ret	208
5	Tom Chilton				10*	6	Ret	7	NC	7	5	5	1*	6	3	9	9	8*	2*	1*	1*	7	5	3	3	1*	8*	3				175
6		5	Ret	8	4	7	2	2	5	5	10	6	Ret	1*	2	7	4	1*	5	7	7	Ret	3	4	7	7	Ret	9	7	Ret	6	174
7	Rob Collard	4	2	4	5	11	Ret	6	6	Ret	8	4	4*	7	4	5	5	4	3	5	5	12	9	9	1*	10	10	2*	Ret	9	1*	173
8	James Pickford	9	7	7	7	4	6	9	8	DSQ	9	7	7	10	8	4	11	9	Ret	6	9	2	Ret	12	Ret	2	6	8	9	5	2	116
9	Luke Hines	7	8	9	8	8	8*	5	Ret	Ret	7	Ret	5	Ret	9	6	12	5	Ret	10	8	Ret	7	5	Ret	6	1*	Ret	Ret	7	Ret	87
10	Gavin Smith	8	6	5	9	10	Ret	10	7	Ret	6	11	Ret	8	7	Ret	7	Ret	6	9	11	8	8	Ret	Ret	11	2	11	6	4	3	86
11	James Kaye	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	9	7	8	Ret	4	11	DNS	Ret	9	5	Ret	8	Ret	11	8	6	6	10	Ret	Ret	8	Ret	10	8	6	7	58
12	Gareth Howell																						Ret*	6	4	5	Ret*	1*	5	DSQ	4	54
13	Jason Hughes																10	7	8				11	7	8				10	8	8	22
14	align=left nowrap	Richard Williams	NC	9	11	DNS	DNS	DNS	Ret	DNS	9	13	9	Ret	13	12	Ret	15	12	13	13	12	9	DNS	Ret	DNS	12	7	Ret	11	Ret	9	14
15	Mark Proctor	10	Ret	10				Ret	DNS	8	12	8	Ret	Ret	DNS	DNS	14	Ret	10	12	Ret	11	13	10	10	Ret	9	12	NC	Ret	13	13
16	Fiona Leggate													11	14	10	13	13	9	11	13	DNS	14	11	9	13	5	13	13	Ret	10	12
17	Ian Curley							NC	9	NC	DNS	DNS	DNS	12	11	Ret	16	11	12	14	Ret	10	12	Ret	DNS	14	11	14	14	12	12	3
18	Andy Neate																												12	10	11	1
Pos	Driver	DON			THR			BHI			OUL			CRO			MON			SNE			KNO			SIL			BHGP			valign=middle	Pts

Note: bold signifies pole position (1 point given in first race only, and race 2 and 3 poles are based on race results), italics signifies fastest lap (1 point given all races) and * signifies at least one lap in the lead (1 point given all races).

Manufacturers Championship

Pos	Manufacturer	DON			THR			BHI			OUL			CRO			MON			SNE			KNO			SIL			BHGP			valign=middle	Pts
1	Vauxhall / VX Racing	2	1	3	4	3	2	2	4	1	4	2	Ret	1	1	7	1	1	1	4	4	3	1	2	7	4	2	5	2	4	3
	5	6	5	6	7	3	3	5	5	6	6	Ret	2	2	8	4	6	5	7	7	8	3	4	Ret	7	Ret	9	6	11	6
	8	Ret	8	9	10	Ret	10	7	Ret	10	11	Ret	8	7	Ret	7	Ret	6	9	11	Ret	8	Ret	Ret	11	Ret	11	7	Ret	Ret
2	SEAT / SEAT Sport UK	6	5	6	2	4	5	4	2	3	1	7	3	4	8	3	2	5	Ret	6	8	1	6	5	5	2	1	6	3	1	2
	7	7	7	7	5	6	5	8	Ret	7	10	5	10	9	4	11	9	Ret	10	9	2	7	8	Ret	3	6	8	9	5	Ret
	9	8	9	8	8	8	9	Ret	DSQ	9	Ret	7	Ret	13	6	12	10	Ret	Ret	10	Ret	Ret	12	Ret	6	DSQ	Ret	Ret	7	Ret

Teams Championship

Pos	Team	DON			THR			BHI			OUL			CRO			MON			SNE			KNO			SIL			BHGP			valign=middle	Pts
1	Team Halfords	1	3	1	1	1	1	1	1	2	2	1	2	3	6	1	3	2	4	2	2	4	2	1	2	5	3	1	1	2	4
1	3	4	2	3	2	4	Ret	3	6	3	3	6	5	10	2	6	3	7	3	3	5	4	6	4	9	4	4	4	3	5
2	VX Racing	2	1	3	4	3	2	2	4	1	4	2	Ret	1	1	7	1	1	1	4	4	3	1	2	7	4	2	5	2	4	3
2	5	6	5	6	7	3	3	5	5	6	6	Ret	2	2	8	4	6	5	7	7	8	3	4	Ret	7	Ret	9	6	11	6
3	SEAT Sport UK	6	5	6	2	4	5	4	2	3	1	7	3	4	8	3	2	5	Ret	6	8	1	6	5	5	2	1	6	3	1	2
3	7	7	7	7	5	6	5	8	Ret	7	10	5	10	9	4	11	9	Ret	10	9	2	7	8	Ret	3	6	8	9	5	Ret
4	West Surrey Racing	4	2	4	5	11	Ret	6	6	Ret	8	4	4	7	4	5	5	4	3	5	5	12	9	9	1	10	10	2	Ret	9	1	172
5	Arena Motorsport				10	6	Ret	7	NC	7	5	5	1	6	3	9	9	8	2	1	1	7	5	3	3	1	8	3
6	Synchro Motorsport	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	9	7	8	Ret	4	11	DNS	Ret	9	5	Ret	8	Ret	11	8	6	6	10	Ret	Ret	8	Ret	10	8	6	7
7	Kartworld Racing																10	7	8				11	7	8				10	8	8	29
8		NC	9	11	DNS	DNS	DNS	NC	9	9	13	9	Ret	12	11	Ret	15	11	12	13	12	9	12	Ret	DNS	12	7	14	11	12	9	27
8							Ret	DNS	NC	DNS	DNS	DNS	13	12	Ret	16	12	13	14	Ret	10	DNS	Ret	DNS	14	11	Ret	14	Ret	12		27
9	Fast-Tec Motorsport	10	Ret	10				Ret	DNS	8	12	8	Ret	Ret	DNS	DNS	14	Ret	10	12	Ret	11	13	10	10	Ret	9	12	NC	Ret	13	21
10	Tech-Speed Motorsport													11	14	10	13	13	9	11	13	DNS	14	11	9	13	5	13	13	Ret	10	17
11	align=left nowrap	Team Nuts with Daniels Motorsport																												12	10	11	3
Pos	Team	DON			THR			BHI			OUL			CRO			MON			SNE			KNO			SIL			BHGP			valign=middle	Pts

Independents Trophy

Pos	Driver	DON			THR			BHI			OUL			CRO			MON			SNE			KNO			SIL			BHGP			valign=middle	Pts
1	Matt Neal	1	3	1	3	2	4	1	1	6	2	1	2	3	6	2	3	3	7	3	3	4	2	1	2	9	4	7	4	3	5	367
2	Dan Eaves	3	4	2	1	1	1	Ret	3	2	3	3	6	5	10	1	6	2	4	2	2	5	4	Ret	6	Ret	3	4	1	2	Ret	313
3	Rob Collard	4	2	4	5	11	Ret	6	6	Ret	8	4	4	7	4	5	5	4	3	5	5	12	9	9	1	10	10	2	Ret	9	1	256
4	Tom Chilton				10	6	Ret	7	NC	7	5	5	1	6	3	9	9	8	2	1	1	7	5	3	3	1	8	3				230
5	James Kaye	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	9	7	8	Ret	4	11	DNS	Ret	9	5	Ret	8	Ret	11	8	6	6	10	Ret	Ret	8	Ret	10	8	6	7	140
6	align=left nowrap	Richard Williams	NC	9	11	DNS	DNS	DNS	Ret	DNS	9	13	9	Ret	13	12	Ret	15	12	13	13	12	9	DNS	Ret	DNS	12	7	Ret	11	Ret	9	79
7	Mark Proctor	10	Ret	10				Ret	DNS	8	12	8	Ret	Ret	DNS	DNS	14	Ret	10	12	Ret	11	13	10	10	Ret	9	12	NC	Ret	13	70
8	Fiona Leggate													11	14	10	13	13	9	11	13	DNS	14	11	9	13	5	13	13	Ret	10	69
9	Gareth Howell																						Ret	6	4	5	Ret	1	5	DSQ	4	67
10	Jason Hughes																10	7	8				11	7	8				10	8	8	57
11	Ian Curley							NC	9	NC	DNS	DNS	DNS	12	11	Ret	16	11	12	14	Ret	10	12	Ret	DNS	14	11	14	14	12	12	52
12	Andy Neate																												12	10	11	12
Pos	Driver	DON			THR			BHI			OUL			CRO			MON			SNE			KNO			SIL			BHGP			valign=middle	Pts

Independent Teams Championship

Pos	Team	DON			THR			BHI			OUL			CRO			MON			SNE			KNO			SIL			BHGP			valign=middle	Pts
1	Team Halfords	1	3	1	1	1	1	1	1	2	2	1	2	3	6	1	3	2	4	2	2	4	2	1	2	5	3	1	1	2	4	725
1	3	4	2	3	2	4	Ret	3	6	3	3	6	5	10	2	6	3	7	3	3	5	4	6	4	9	4	4	4	3	5		725
2	West Surrey Racing	4	2	4	5	11	Ret	6	6	Ret	8	4	4	7	4	5	5	4	3	5	5	12	9	9	1	10	10	2	Ret	9	1	256
3	Arena Motorsport				10	6	Ret	7	NC	7	5	5	1	6	3	9	9	8	2	1	1	7	5	3	3	1	8	3				230
4	Synchro Motorsport	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	9	7	8	Ret	4	11	DNS	Ret	9	5	Ret	8	Ret	11	8	6	6	10	Ret	Ret	8	Ret	10	8	6	7	143
5		NC	9	11	DNS	DNS	DNS	NC	9	9	13	9	Ret	12	11	Ret	15	11	12	13	12	9	12	Ret	DNS	12	7	14	11	12	9	134
5							Ret	DNS	NC	DNS	DNS	DNS	13	12	Ret	16	12	13	14	Ret	10	DNS	Ret	DNS	14	11	Ret	14	Ret	12		134
6	Fast-Tec Motorsport	10	Ret	10				Ret	DNS	8	12	8	Ret	Ret	DNS	DNS	14	Ret	10	12	Ret	11	13	10	10	Ret	9	12	NC	Ret	13	73
7	Tech-Speed Motorsport													11	14	10	13	13	9	11	13	DNS	14	11	9	13	5	13	13	Ret	10	72
8	Kartworld Racing																10	7	8				11	7	8				10	8	8	60
9	align=left nowrap	Team Nuts with Daniels Motorsport																												12	10	11	13
Pos	Team	DON			THR			BHI			OUL			CRO			MON			SNE			KNO			SIL			BHGP			valign=middle	Pts

External links

Notes and References

Web site: Dunlop main sponsor for BTCC. Meissner. John. 17 March 2005. TouringCarTimes. 6 April 2018.