British Touring Car Championship series opener 2002: Brands Hatch. Story by TOCA News Team, images by Kelvin Fagan.
Matt Neal and James Thompson took a win apiece in their Vauxhall Astra Coupés today after two storming opening rounds of the Green Flag MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC). A crowd of 18,500 were treated to two incident-packed races as the 2002 BTCC season kicked off in style at the Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit.
Sprint Race
Egg Sport’s Matt Neal claimed his third BTCC career race win this afternoon after a terrific race long battle with Vauxhall Motorsport’s Yvan Muller. Pole-sitter Muller, who led for 16 of the 19 laps, looked to have the race in hand, but picked up a puncture and was forced to pull into the pits.
Said Neal:
"I’m speechless! I thought it was going to be Yvan’s day. I kept with him for the first two thirds of the race and could only hope that he’d make a mistake, but he didn’t. When I realised he had a puncture, I was concerned because I’d been pushing just as hard … but it was all sweet to the end."
Second place and recipient of the Independents Cup for Drivers was Dan Eaves for Team Halfords. Eaves struggled with understeer in the first part of the race and consequently lost his qualifying advantage to team mate Tim Harvey. However his Peugeot 406 Coupé improved as the race progressed enabling Eaves to regain his position and take the flag in a superb second place overall.
The youngest ever driver to enter a BTCC race also became the youngest ever driver to step onto a BTCC podium today as Tom Chilton sensationally claimed third position for Barwell Motorsport. Chilton, who was in the thick of the action throughout, declared his result to be "just awesome".
Also in the thick of the race action was Paul O’Neil for Egg Sport. O’Neill drove a storming race from ninth on the grid, even managing to out-fox the hugely experienced Harvey with a stunning manoeuvre into Druids. Similarly pressurising Eaves for second with just a lap to go, O’Neill looked determined to make his move – but the only move he made was into the gravel trap at Clearways as he picked up a puncture.
Other drivers who suffered incidents during the race included Harvey, who was nicely positioned in fourth place for Team Halfords but retired in the Druids gravel trap on lap 19 and Warren Hughes who put in a tremendous performance for MG Sport and Racing to haul his MG ZS up from ninth on the grid to third before an incident forced him into retirement.
Vauxhall Motorsport’s James Thompson completed just one lap before succumbing to further engine dramas in his Astra Coupé.
The Touring cars were not the only ones keeping spectators on their toes with Edenbridge’s Norman Simon, Collard Racing’s Robert Collard and Beacon Motorsport’s Spencer Marsh sharing the spoils of victory in first, second and third place respectively.
The racing was fraught from the off with pole man Mark Fullalove being relegated into third position after the superior rear wheel traction of Edenbridge Racing’s BMW 320is powered Tom Boardman into first position and his team-mate Norman Simon into second. The Alfa 156s of Gary Ayles Motorsport’s Graham Saunders and Alan Blencowe, who had started in second and third place on the grid, made contact with each other just behind the front runners at Graham Hill bend, tussling with Beacon Motorsport’s Mark Thomas along the way. As a result the safety car was out, both Alfas were forced to retire and a pit visit for Thomas was inevitable.
When the racing resumed, the 2001 Lotus Elise Champion, Fullalove, was hot on the tail of Simon and passed him at Dingle Dell. In a counter attack at Clearways, Fullalove’s Tech-speed prepared Peugeot 306 was nursed off the track by the nose of the German’s BMW, ending his hopes for a debut BTCC win.
On lap 12, Boardman’s lead was broken as contact between his BMW and Mark Thomas’ Honda Accord at Paddock Hill bend forced both drivers out of the race. Simon replaced his team mate at the front of the Production pack, followed very closely by the Renault Clio of Robert Collard.
Simon said:
"That was great! We had problems during free practice on Friday with rear suspension failure and I didn’t have a good qualifying session either so I really didn’t expect to do well. I hope I can repeat my performance during the Feature Race."
Collard was very quick in a straightline and the Hook based driver managed to hold onto second place for the remainder of the race, his best ever BTCC finish.
Feature Race
Vauxhall Motorsport’s James Thompson made up for the bitter disappointment of the preceding Sprint Race by storming to his first race win of the year from the back of the Touring car grid.
Aided by the first of two Safety Car interventions, covering two separate incidents on the opening lap at Druids with Paul O’Neill and Tom Chilton, Thompson was up to sixth place as the round of pitstops began. Promoted to race leader as his rivals dived into the pits, Thompson made an early stop, subsequently benefiting as the Safety Car was actioned for the second time. Rejoining in third behind Aaron Slight for Barwell Motorsport and race leader Warren Hughes, Thompson was sitting pretty as both Slight and Hughes had yet to stop. However, when racing resumed, Thompson found his mirrors full of team mate Muller and had to work hard for several laps to maintain his advantage. With Muller electing to back off over the final part of the race, Thompson took the flag with two seconds in hand.
Said Thompson:
"We’ve had a terrible weekend up until now and even though we’ve won the race – and I’m very pleased about that – the non-finish earlier today has hurt us in the early part of the season. It was nice to win from last on the grid though!"
Poleman Muller looked every bit as dominant as in the Sprint Race, as he headed the jostling pack over the initial laps. The first to make his pit stop, Muller rejoined down the order but as a result of the second Safety Car intervention and Thompson’s timing of his own stop, Muller found himself behind his team mate when racing resumed. The identical Vauxhall Astra Coupés lapped as a pair over the latter part of the race, holding off a late charge from Anthony Reid’s MG ZS.
Reid, who finished just a second adrift of Muller, had a terrific scrap with Harvey in his Team Halfords Peugeot and his own MG Sport and Racing team mate Warren Hughes. Up to fourth with eight laps to go, Reid made the most of the success ballast being carried by Sprint Race winner Neal, to nip past on lap 18 and secure third overall.
Harvey, who proved again the pace of the Peugeot 406 Coupé this season, couldn’t add to Team Halford’s podium result from the first race, having picked up a drive through penalty for speeding in the pitlane. He did however finish as top Independent Driver.
Rounding out the top six was Egg Sport’s Matt Neal, followed by Honda Racing’s Andy Priaulx and Team Petronas Syntium Proton’s Phil Bennett, who entered into a terrific battle over the final couple of laps.
The battle for the top spot was also tense in the Production category. Collard Racing’s Robert Collard claimed his debut BTCC win after running a very strong race in his Renault Clio with 30kg of success ballast. Edenbridge Racing’s Tom Boardman claimed second place and Gary Ayles Motorsport’s Graham Saunders claimed third.
An exuberant Collard said:
"I am absolutely ecstatic. My confidence has taken such a beating after last year’s bad luck but this is great! What a brilliant start to the year. I had doubts from pre-season testing but this is a great result for all of us. A lot of people have questioned my decision to stay with the Clio but everyone should look out as WSR and the Collard team are on only stage one of working on the engine."
From the off Collard pushed hard and took poleman Mark Fullalove at Druids bend. Fullalove fought back and overtook Collard but on entering the GP circuit at Surtees, engine problems forced the Tech-speed Motorsport driver to retire from the race. Collard tried to open up the gap between himself and Boardman, who had moved in close behind him but the Safety Car was out on the track re-grouping the pack. Boardman and Collard continued to play cat and mouse but Collard managed to hold the lead and bought his Clio home in first place.
Rounds three and four of the BTCC action will kick off at Oulton Park, Cheshire, on 21st April.
Sprint Race Provisional Results
1 Matt Neal GBR Vauxhall Astra Coupe
2 Dan Eaves GBR Peugeot 406 Coupe
3 Tom Chilton GBR Vauxhall Astra Coupe
4 Anthony Reid GBR MG ZS
5 Yvan Muller FRA Vauxhall Astra Coupe
6 Norman Simon GER BMW 320i
7 Robert Collard GBR Renault Clio
8 Spencer Marsh GBR Honda Accord
9 Aaron Slight NZL Vauxhall Astra Coupe
10 Jim Edwards Jnr GBR Honda Accord
11 Phil Bennett GBR Proton Impian
12 Andy Priaulx GBR Honda Civic Type-R
13 Annie Templeton GBR Peugeot 306
DNF Paul O’Neill GBR Vauxhall Astra Coupe
DNF Tim Harvey GBR Peugeot 406 Coupe
DNF Warren Hughes GBR MG ZS
DNF David Leslie GBR Proton Impian
DNF Tom Boardman GBR BMW 320i
DNF Mark Thomas GBR Honda Accord
DNF Alan Morrison GBR Honda Civic Type-R
DNF James Kaye GBR Honda Civic Type-R
DNF Mark Fullalove GBR Peugeot 306
DNF James Thompson GBR Vauxhall Astra Coupe
DNF Graham Saunders GBR Alfa 156
DNF Alan Blencowe GBR Alfa 156
BTC Touring fastest lap: Yvan Muller 1:33.267 BTC Production fastest lap: Mark Thomas 1:39.301
Feature Race Provisional Results
1 James Thompson GBR Vauxhall Astra Coupe
2 Yvan Muller FRA Vauxhall Astra Coupe
3 Anthony Reid GBR MG ZS
4 Matt Neal GBR Vauxhall Astra Coupe
5 Andy Priaulx GBR Honda Civic Type-R
6 Phil Bennett GBR Proton Impian
7 Tim Harvey GBR Peugeot 406 Coupe
8 Warren Hughes GBR MG ZS
9 Robert Collard GBR Renault Clio
10 Tom Boardman GBR BMW 320i
11 Graham Saunders GBR Alfa 156
12 Aaron Slight NZL Vauxhall Astra Coupe
13 Dan Eaves GBR Peugeot 406 Coupe
DNF Mark Thomas GBR Honda Accord
DNF Alan Morrison GBR Honda Civic Type-R
DNF Annie Templeton GBR Peugeot 306
DNF James Kaye GBR Honda Civic Type-R
DNF David Leslie GBR Proton Impian
DNF Jim Edwards Jnr GBR Honda Accord
DNF Alan Blencowe GBR Alfa 156
DNF Spencer Marsh GBR Honda Accord
DNF Norman Simon GER BMW 320i
DNF Tom Chilton GBR Vauxhall Astra Coupe
DNF Paul O’Neill GBR Vauxhall Astra Coupe
DNF Mark Fullalove GBR Peugeot 306
BTC Touring fastest lap: Yvan Muller 1:33.262 BTC Production fastest lap: James Kaye 1:38.379
Kelvin Fagan, our BTCC photographer, has photographs from every round of the 2002 championship for sale - send us an email for your exact requirements.
2002 BTCC season calendar
30/03 - 01/04 - Brands Hatch GP by KF
20/04 - 21/04 - Oulton Park by KF
05/05 - 06/05 - Thruxton by KF
01/06 - 03/06 - Silverstone by KF
21/06 - 23/06 - Mondello Park by KF
13/07 - 14/07 - Croft by KF
27/07 - 28/07 - Snetterton by KF
10/08 - 11/08 - Knockhill by KF
25/08 - 26/08 - Brands Hatch Indy by KF
20/09 - 22/09 - Donington Park by KF
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