BTCC News

In an ironic twist to the ongoing search for a TV home for next year's British Touring Car Championship coverage, the final two rounds of the series televised by the BBC achieved the highest viewing figures of the year.

MG Sport and Racing Director Rob Oldaker is a driving force behind the company's motorsport programmes. Here he gives an insight into some of the philosophies behind its motorsport campaigns - Touring Cars, Le Mans and rallying - and what's in store for 2002.

Legendary driver Steve Soper, who has this year contended the British Touring Car Championship, will be travelling to Macau next week along with Vic Lee and Team VLR to run in the prestigious Asian Street Race that will be taking place on Saturday 17th November.

The Peugeot Motor Company has announced its 2002 Motor Sport programme, which focuses on rallying, the company withdrawing from the British Touring Car Championship.

Proton will enter next season's British Touring Car Championship, series organisers BMP and the Malaysian company have confirmed.

Barwell Motorsport has become the first BTC Production class team to announce its graduation to the Touring class in 2002. The Surrey-based outfit will run the only new 2002-spec Vauxhall Astras that will be built by factory team, Triple Eight Race Engineering.

GR Motorsport - 2001 BTCC Production Class Teams' Champions - tested at Donington Park yesterday, putting three saloon champions in their cars.

It is looking increasingly likely the Honda marque will be returning to the BTCC in 2002, with a pair of Touring Class Civic Type Rs.

The final meeting of the 2001 British Touring Car Championship at Brands Hatch proved an unforgettable one for MG Sport & Racing.

Peugeot 406 Coup? BTCC works drivers Dan Eaves and Steve Soper experienced a challenging end to www.theAA.com British Touring Car Championship on the famous Indy Circuit at Brands Hatch yesterday.

MG win hints at future success.

Crash caught up with Jason Plato just minutes after second place in the final BTCC race of the year confirmed him as 2001 champion.

The British Touring Car Championship will not be seen on the BBC next season, after the corporation admitted that it could not guarantee the series regular airtime.

Paul O'Neill claimed his first ever BTCC Production Class pole position at Brands Hatch today.

With the 2001 BTCC drivers' championship guaranteed to go to either Vauxhall Motorsport's Jason Plato or Yvan Muller, the team arrived at the Brands Hatch season finale with the two Astra Coupes in an all blue livery - rather than the red and white colours they have worn all season.

The Peugeot 406 Coup? Race Team will travel to Kent this weekend for the final two rounds of the 2001 www.theAA.com British Touring Car Championship on the famous Indy Circuit at Brands Hatch (7th October).

Three-time BTCC winner, Simon Graves, will continue with Team Kaliber with Barwell Motorsport at Brands Hatch's season-closer next weekend.

The Peugeot 406 Coup? Race Team were proud to see Dan Eaves on the pace of the Vauxhalls on Sunday as he proved just what he is capable of at Round 23 of The www.theAA.com BTCC at Donington Park in front of a huge crowd.

Yvan Muller took his tenth win of the 2001 BTCC in Donington Park's Feature Race, the Frenchman closing to just six points behind team-mate Jason Plato - who finished third.

The Silverstone British Touring Car Championship paddock was full of speculation at the possibility of other manufacturers following the lead of MG and joining the series.

After an instruction from the BTCC Clerk of the Course, in accordance with the championship engine usage regulations, Barwell Motorsport/Team Kaliber Sport and Simon Graves have lost five points off their scores in the BTCC Production Teams and Drivers Championships respectively.

After Anthony Reid brought the new MG ZS EX259 home in both races at the car's debut British Touring Car Championship meeting at Silverstone, we took the opportunity to ask Anthony for his thoughts and impressions on the car and the BTCC...

Jason Plato initially claimed victory in the BTCC Feature Race at Silverstone, but a last lap clash with Vauxhall team-mate Yvan Muller, which saw the Englishman take the lead, was later judged by the Stewards to be unfair, costing Plato a 30-second penalty and dropping him to third.

The British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) 2001 (September 8/9) is earmarked to be an exciting event as the MG ZS EX259 makes its first public appearance, drawing thousands of MG fans to the Silverstone circuit.