BTCC 2010 Preview
Tuesday saw the teams embark on the first official test session at the Media Day at Brands Hatch. It was announced that there will be 23 entrants in the BTCC this season despite fears that the economic climate may hamper the number of drivers that we see on the grid.
2010 will see two manufacturers come to the fold with Team Honda returning as a works team along with works debutants Silverline Chevrolet. Both teams have fielded a strong line up with both having past champions with Matt Neal at Team Honda and Jason Plato at Silverline Chevrolet. Gordan Sheddon will be partnering Neal whilst Alex MacDowall will be making his debut in the BTCC alongside Plato in the Chevrolet Cruze after making the step up from the Elf Renault Clio Cup.
Jason will be looking to make it title number two as he looks set to take Andy Rouse’s record for the most all time number of wins of 60, requiring just 8 wins this season but will be pushed all the way by Matt Neal who will be racking up his fair share of race wins himself. Gordan Shedden will be given his best chance yet of making an impression on the championship whilst MacDowall will be out to prove himself in the BTCC in what could be the strongest car in the field,
BMW will have six of their cars battling it out this season with three different teams all using the BMW 320si, the car that took Colin Turkington to the title last season. The teams in question are West Surrey Racing, Airwaves BMW and newcomers to the series Forster Motorsport.
West Surrey Racing know what to do to win the BTCC and will be looking to emulate their feat of 2009 again in 2010 with a whole new driver line up. Rob Collard has made the switch over from Airwaves BMW and will partner Andy Neate who will be making his return to racing after his horrific crash earlier in his career. Collard has very much been at the forefront of the majority of the races throughout his BTCC career but has failed to make consistent race wins. His move to the WSR team could give him the break that Collard needs. Colin Turkington was surprisingly missing off the list with reports suggesting that he has failed to find the funding however WSR were open to announce that they have a third car for Colin if and when he finds the budget.
Airwaves BMW have also seen a big change in drivers with Mat Jackson and Steven Kane driving for Dave Bartrums Motorbase Performance outfit. Mat Jackson will be returning to the BMW after a short stint with the Chevrolet and will be looking for a strong season. Mat will be partnered by Steven Kane who will be making his return to BTCC after a year out of competitive racing. Kane is familiar with the Airwaves UK setup after spending two seasons with the team in 2007 and 2008 so there will be problem with him gelling with the team.
Forster Motorsport will also be entering two BMW 320si’s into the BTCC after making the step up from the MINI Challenge in which they competed in last season. Forster Motorsport will be using the ex-Mat Jackson BMW’s from the ’07 and ’08 season with drivers Arthur Forster and Martin Depper. Forster Motorsport have openly spoke about their chances in the 2010 season and will be just looking to give it their best shot and not expecting any major shocks in their debut season.
One of the big stories of the pre-season is the announcement that Team AON will be using an alternative fuel source to power their Ford Focus this season. After extensive testing in Spain, Mike Earle decided to go ahead with the decision to run the LPG fuel in association with one of their main sponsors, Calor. The team will also be allowed to use a turbocharged engine for the 2010 season due to the LPG providing a lower power output. The team have stayed loyal to their drivers that ended the back end of last season on a high and have signed Tom Chilton and Tom Onslow-Cole for what they hope will be a successful season.
Two drivers have also took up Alan Gows cost-cutting scheme and gone for the TOCA-NGTC engine supplied by Swindon Engines. Gow claims that using the engine, along with the new rules which come into effect in 2011, will help cut the running costs down by over half over the duration of the season. The two drivers in question are Andrew Jordan with Pirtek Racing and David Pinkney driving in his own Pinkney Motorsport team. Both drivers will be driving the ex-VXR Vauxhall Vectra’s both with striking liveries.
Tech Speed will again run under the Sunshine.co.uk banner with Paul O’Neill extended his stay at the team driving the Honda Integra. Paul will be joined by BTCC veteran, John George.
AmD Milltek Racing will bring a smile to all the Volkswagen fans out there as they will be running the VW Golf Mk5 with their driver Shaun Hollamby. This will be the first time that the BTCC has seen a VW since 1989. Shaun Hollamby will be making his debut in the BTCC after winning the Dunlp Sportmaxx driving a SEAT Leon. AmD hope to secure the funding for a second driver but at the moment they are concentrating on just the one.
Another 19 year old will be looking to make his mark on the BTCC this season. Matt Hamilton, who tasted the BTCC at the back end of last season will be driving a BTC-spec Honda Civic prepared by TH Motorsport. Matt was unsure whether he was going to make it onto the grid this year but he was able to confirm his entry a week before the deadline.
In 2008 we saw SEAT at the head of the pack more times than not. This season only one driver will be using the SEAT Leon. Tom Boardman, who has experienced the WTCC will enter the BTCC returning to the series which he first entered back in 2001 when he became the youngest driver in the BTCC at the age of 17.
Martin Johnson and Lea Wood have also been confirmed as official entrants in the BTCC. Martin Johnson will be racing for Boulevard Team Racing in his BTC-spec Vauxhall Astra Coupe whilst Lea Wood will be driving one of the three Honda Integras this season for his Central Racing team.
Photo Credit: Pete Mainey
James Mappin
