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2005 British Touring Car Championship

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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

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Teams and drivers

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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. RML Group which prepared the cars in 2004 were unable to continue in 2005, having secured the contract to run Chevrolet's World Touring Car Championship programme. Instead, Northern South, which had been preparing cars in the 2003 and 2004 SEAT Cupra Championship stepped in to run the SEAT BTCC programme. 2001 champion Jason Plato remained as team leader, but Rob Huff departed with RML 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

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  • 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

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

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

Championship Standings

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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

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(key)

Pos Driver DON THR BHI OUL CRO MON SNE KNO SIL BHGP Pts
1 United Kingdom 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 France 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 United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom Colin Turkington 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 United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom 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 Republic of Ireland 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 United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom Gareth Howell Ret* 6 4 5 Ret* 1* 5 DSQ 4 54
13 United Kingdom Jason Hughes 10 7 8 11 7 8 10 8 8 22
14 United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom Fiona Leggate 11 14 10 13 13 9 11 13 DNS 14 11 9 13 5 13 13 Ret 10 12
17 United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom Andy Neate 12 10 11 1
Pos Driver DON THR BHI OUL CRO MON SNE KNO SIL BHGP 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

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Pos Manufacturer DON THR BHI OUL CRO MON SNE KNO SIL BHGP 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 3 781
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 2 629
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

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Pos Team DON THR BHI OUL CRO MON SNE KNO SIL BHGP 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 4 573
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 3 470
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 2 306
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 3 157
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 49
7 Kartworld Racing 10 7 8 11 7 8 10 8 8 29
8 HPI Racing with Friends Reunited 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
Ret DNS NC DNS DNS DNS 13 12 Ret 16 12 13 14 Ret 10 DNS Ret DNS 14 11 Ret 14 Ret 12
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 Team Nuts with Daniels Motorsport 12 10 11 3
Pos Team DON THR BHI OUL CRO MON SNE KNO SIL BHGP Pts

Independents Trophy

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Pos Driver DON THR BHI OUL CRO MON SNE KNO SIL BHGP Pts
1 United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom Fiona Leggate 11 14 10 13 13 9 11 13 DNS 14 11 9 13 5 13 13 Ret 10 69
9 United Kingdom Gareth Howell Ret 6 4 5 Ret 1 5 DSQ 4 67
10 United Kingdom Jason Hughes 10 7 8 11 7 8 10 8 8 57
11 United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom Andy Neate 12 10 11 12
Pos Driver DON THR BHI OUL CRO MON SNE KNO SIL BHGP Pts

Independent Teams Championship

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Pos Team DON THR BHI OUL CRO MON SNE KNO SIL BHGP 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
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 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 HPI Racing with Friends Reunited 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
Ret DNS NC DNS DNS DNS 13 12 Ret 16 12 13 14 Ret 10 DNS Ret DNS 14 11 Ret 14 Ret 12
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 Team Nuts with Daniels Motorsport 12 10 11 13
Pos Team DON THR BHI OUL CRO MON SNE KNO SIL BHGP Pts

References

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  1. ^ Meissner, John (17 March 2005). "Dunlop main sponsor for BTCC". TouringCarTimes. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
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