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2003 British Touring Car Championship

46th season of the British Touring Car Championship

2003 British Formula Ford 2003 Porsche Carrera Cup GB 2003 Formula Renault UK 2003 Renault Clio Cup UK

The 2003 Green Flag MSA British Touring Car Championship season was the 46th British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season.

Changes for 2003

Team and driver changes - Touring

For 2003 all three main manufacturers in the premier Touring class ran three cars. Reigning champions Vauxhall cut down to three Astra Coupes by axing its Egg Sport squad and entering three VX Racing-liveried cars, run once again by Triple 8. 2002 champion James Thompson and runner-up Yvan Muller remained, and Paul O'Neill moved across from Egg Sport to take the third seat.

MG expanded to three West Surrey Racing-run ZSs, with Colin Turkington joining 2002 drivers Anthony Reid and Warren Hughes after impressing in his debut season with the Team Atomic Kitten MG squad, which had also been run by WSR.

Mandatory pit stops became a feature for all races in the 'Touring' class

Arena Motorsport ran three Civic Type Rs for Honda, with only Irishman Alan Morrison remaining from the 2002 line-up. Matt Neal replaced Andy Priaulx (who left to contest the European Touring Car Championship with BMW) after moving from Vauxhall, and teenager Tom Chilton filled the third seat after an impressive debut year in the Barwell Motorsport-run Astra. Proton again returned as a fourth manufacturer, retaining both David Leslie and Phil Bennett in its two Impians.

Vic Lee Racing switched from the ex-works Peugeot 406 Coupe's to a pair of brand new Peugeot 307 designed by Sergio Rinland, former chief designer at the Sauber Formula 1 team. Reigning independents cup champion Dan Eaves was retained alongside Carl Breeze who raced for the team for most of 2002. Meanwhile, Tim Harvey swapped his crash helmet for a microphone, joining ITV's commentary team. Breeze would leave the team after the Rockingham races, moving to GA Motorsport in the seat vacated by Gavin Pyper. Daniel Buxton would in turn take Breeze's seat at VLR, graduating from the Clio Cup which he had been dominating at the time.

Gavin Pyper had started the season strongly in the GA Motorsport Vauxhall Astra Coupe, winning the independents class five times in the ten races he contested and leading the class when he was forced to withdraw due to a lack of funding. With Breeze now in Pyper's car Paul Wallace switched from GA's production Alfa Romeo to a second Astra which the team had entered for Gareth Howell at Silverstone after a failed attempt to hire 2001 Champion Jason Plato.

Howell himself later reappeared in another ex-Triple 8 Astra for Team Dynamics from the Snetterton rounds onwards.

Production class champions Synchro Motorsport graduated to the touring class with champion driver James Kaye running an ex-works Honda Civic Type R.

Also stepping up was Rob Collard with his self-run team, entering an ex-works Vauxhall Astra Coupe that had been driven by Aaron Slight in 2002.

Team and driver changes - Production

Barwell Motorsport headed the Production class field after stepping back down from the Touring class and acquiring Synchro Motorsport's title winning Honda Civic Type Rs, which were driven by young debutante Luke Hines, and Alan Blencowe, moving from GA Motorsports. Edenbridge Racing cut down to a single BMW 320i for single seater convert Michael Bentwood, with Tom Boardman switching to John Batchelor's team (now known as Team Varta) in a new Peugeot 307. Jim Edwards Jnr returned in a Honda Accord as the team's second driver. A Peugeot 306 GTi and a second 307 joined the Varta line-up midway through the season together with Jay Wheals and Richard Marsh, and each of the four drivers raced more than one of these chassis across the remainder of the year.

GA Motorsport campaigned Alfa Romeo 156s for a fourth year, with Chris Ryan and Paul Wallace driving. However, Ryan withdrew after an expensive crash in the second round at Brands Hatch, and Wallace was called up to the team's Touring class assault mid-season. Mark Fullalove joined the grid mid-season with his own team, driving the Peugeot 306 he had raced for Tech-Speed Motorsport in 2002, while Jason Hughes was another late entry in a Nissan Primera run by his own Kartworld Racing team.

CMS Motorsport registered an entry with support from Macmillan Cancer for Nick Leason in a Ford Focus previously run by GR Motorsport in the 2001 Season but they were forced to delay their debut and ultimately never raced.

Other changes

Dunlop were confirmed as the sole tyre supplier, replacing BF Goodrich
The series included a race meeting at Rockingham for the first time, replacing Knockhill
Qualifying sessions at each race meeting lasted 20 minutes (compared to the 43 minutes of 2002) and only determined the starting grid for the first race
The finishing positions of race 1 determined the grid for race 2
Mandatory pit-stops were introduced for all Touring class cars in both races
Alan Gow returned as series administrator midway through the season, replacing Richard West who became the championship's commercial manager.
In addition to the ITV coverage MotorsTV broadcast all races live.

Teams and drivers

Team	Car	No.	Drivers	Rounds	Works Entries
GBR VX Racing	Vauxhall Astra Coupé	1	nowrap	GBR James Thompson	All
2	FRA Yvan Muller	All
8	GBR Paul O'Neill	All
GBR Honda Racing	Honda Civic Type-R	3	GBR Matt Neal	All
7	GBR Tom Chilton	All
9	GBR Alan Morrison	All
GBR MG Sport & Racing	MG ZS	4	GBR Anthony Reid	All
5	GBR Colin Turkington	All
6	GBR Warren Hughes	All
MYS Petronas Syntium Proton	Proton Impian	15	GBR David Leslie	All
20	GBR Phil Bennett	All
GBR Team Halfords	Peugeot 307	0	GBR Dan Eaves	All
10	GBR Carl Breeze	1–5
30	GBR Danny Buxton	6–10
GBR GA Motorsports	Vauxhall Astra Coupé	10	GBR Carl Breeze	6–10
44	GBR Gavin Pyper	1–5
45	GBR Gareth Howell	4
46	GBR Paul Wallace	6–10
GBR Synchro Motorsport	Honda Civic Type-R	11	GBR James Kaye	All
GBR Collard Racing	Vauxhall Astra Coupé	21	GBR Rob Collard	All
GBR Team Dynamics	Vauxhall Astra Coupé	45	GBR Gareth Howell	7–10
GBR Barwell Motorsport	Honda Civic Type-R	52	GBR Luke Hines	All
53	GBR Alan Blencowe	All
GBR GA Motorsports	Alfa Romeo 156	54	GBR Paul Wallace	1–5
55	GBR Chris Ryan	1–2
GBR Mark Fullalove Racing	Peugeot 306 GTi	60	GBR Mark Fullalove	7–10
GBR Team Varta	Honda Accord	69	GBR Jim Edwards Jr.	1–6
71	GBR Richard Marsh	7–10
Peugeot 307	69	GBR Jim Edwards Jr.	7–10
70	GBR Tom Boardman	All
Peugeot 306 GTI	71	GBR Richard Marsh	6
72	GBR Jay Wheals	7–10
GBR Edenbridge Racing	BMW 320i	77	GBR Michael Bentwood	All
GBR Kartworld Racing	Nissan Primera	99	GBR Jason Hughes	6–10

Race calendar and winners

Round	Circuit	Date	Pole position	Fastest lap	Winning driver	Winning team	Production Class winner	1
Mondello Park	21 April	FRA Yvan Muller	nowrap	GBR James Thompson	nowrap	GBR James Thompson	VX Racing	GBR Chris Ryan
	GBR Warren Hughes	GBR James Thompson	VX Racing	nowrap	GBR Michael Bentwood
Brands Hatch (Indy), Kent	5 May	nowrap	GBR James Thompson	GBR Matt Neal	GBR Matt Neal	Honda Racing	GBR Michael Bentwood
	GBR James Thompson	FRA Yvan Muller	VX Racing	GBR Michael Bentwood
Thruxton Circuit, Hampshire	26 May	GBR Matt Neal	GBR Matt Neal	FRA Yvan Muller	VX Racing	GBR Tom Boardman
	GBR Warren Hughes	FRA Yvan Muller	VX Racing	GBR Tom Boardman
Silverstone Circuit
(International), Northamptonshire	8 June	GBR James Thompson	GBR James Thompson	GBR James Thompson	VX Racing	GBR Luke Hines
	GBR Matt Neal	FRA Yvan Muller	VX Racing	GBR Luke Hines
Rockingham Motor Speedway
(International Super Sports Car Long), Northamptonshire	22 June	GBR Alan Morrison	GBR Alan Morrison	GBR Matt Neal	Honda Racing	GBR Tom Boardman
	GBR Warren Hughes	FRA Yvan Muller	VX Racing	GBR Luke Hines
Croft Circuit, North Yorkshire	13 July	GBR James Thompson	GBR Matt Neal	GBR Matt Neal	Honda Racing	GBR Tom Boardman
	FRA Yvan Muller	GBR Anthony Reid	MG Sport & Racing	GBR Luke Hines
Snetterton Circuit, Norfolk	9 August	GBR James Thompson	GBR Alan Morrison	GBR Paul O'Neill	VX Racing	GBR Luke Hines
	GBR Matt Neal	GBR Matt Neal	Honda Racing	GBR Tom Boardman
Brands Hatch (Indy), Kent	25 August	FRA Yvan Muller	GBR Warren Hughes	GBR Warren Hughes	MG Sport & Racing	GBR Michael Bentwood
	GBR Colin Turkington	GBR Colin Turkington	MG Sport & Racing	GBR Tom Boardman
Donington Park (National), Leicestershire	7 September	GBR James Thompson	GBR Matt Neal	GBR Matt Neal	Honda Racing	GBR Luke Hines
	GBR Colin Turkington	FRA Yvan Muller	VX Racing	GBR Luke Hines
Oulton Park (Island), Cheshire	21 September	GBR James Thompson	GBR Anthony Reid	GBR James Thompson	VX Racing	GBR Alan Blencowe
	GBR Anthony Reid	GBR Matt Neal	Honda Racing	GBR Tom Boardman
Source:

Championship results

Points system	Fastest lap	Lead a lap
1st	2nd	3rd
15	12	10

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' Championships

Pos	Driver	MON	BRH	THR	SIL	ROC	CRO	SNE	BRH	DON	OUL	Pts	Touring Class (BTC-T)	1	233	2	199	3	148	4
FRA Yvan Muller	2*	2*	2	1*	1*	1*	2*	1*	3	1*	Ret	3	3	Ret	2*	5*	3	1*	3	2*
GBR James Thompson	1*	1*	5	2	4	5	1*	2	5	4	2	2	2*	Ret	5	10	2*	3	1*	Ret*
GBR Matt Neal	Ret*	Ret	1*	7	2*	11*	Ret*	Ret	1*	Ret	1*	5*	4*	1*	4	Ret	1*	10	12	1*
GBR Paul O'Neill	Ret	4	3*	3	3	3*	7	5*	10	6*	3	6*	1*	10*	6	2	6	4	Ret	5
GBR Alan Morrison	3	5	7	8*	5	2	4	Ret	2*	Ret*	Ret*	4	Ret*	2	14	3	5	5*	2*	Ret
GBR Anthony Reid	Ret	Ret	4	4	Ret	4*	10	4*	6	2*	5	1*	5	3	7	4	Ret	9	5	4
GBR Warren Hughes	4	Ret	Ret*	5*	Ret	6	Ret	3	8*	3	Ret	10	Ret	8	1*	6*	4	7	4	8
GBR Colin Turkington	DNS	Ret	6	Ret	8	Ret	3	8	Ret	Ret	4	7	Ret	4	3*	1*	19	2	6	3
GBR Tom Chilton	Ret	3	DNS	DNS	7	10	5	6	4	7	7	12	6	5	8*	7	7	6	Ret	DNS
GBR Rob Collard	6	7	13	Ret	Ret	DNS	Ret	9	7	5	Ret	8	8	6	Ret	Ret	9*	16	8	7
GBR David Leslie	5	9	9	6	17	8	Ret	10	11	Ret	9	19	Ret	9	9	8	Ret	Ret	Ret	DNS
GBR Gavin Pyper	Ret	6	8	Ret	6	Ret	6	7	9	Ret
GBR Carl Breeze	Ret	10	Ret	10	10	Ret	Ret	DNS	Ret	9	8	9	Ret	7	10	15*	8	8	15	11
GBR James Kaye	Ret	Ret	12	9	11	7	8	Ret	Ret	DNS	13	11	7*	11	11	Ret	10	11	10	12
GBR Dan Eaves	Ret	8	11*	Ret	9	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	10	6*	Ret	Ret	12	12	11	11	14	11	9
GBR Gareth Howell							9*	Ret					13	Ret	13	12	Ret	13	7*	6
GBR Phil Bennett	Ret	Ret	10	Ret	14	9	Ret	Ret	12	8	10	15	9	Ret	Ret	9	Ret	12	9	10
GBR Danny Buxton											12	Ret	Ret	Ret	15	14*	13	15	14	Ret
GBR Paul Wallace											11	Ret	DNS	Ret	17	13	12	Ret	13	Ret
GBR Luke Hines	Ret	DNS	15	12	13	13	11	11	18	11	16	13	10	14	18	18	14	17	17	14
GBR Alan Blencowe	8	Ret	17	15	15	15	13	12	14	12	15	16	12	15	19	20	16	18	16	17
GBR Michael Bentwood	10	11	14	11	16	14	12	14	16	Ret	17	14	Ret	DNS	16	17	17	19	18	16
GBR Jim Edwards Jr.	9	12	18	14	Ret	16	14	16	15	14	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	15	Ret	DNS	15
GBR Tom Boardman	Ret	Ret	Ret	DNS	12	12	Ret	15	13	DSQ	14	Ret	Ret	13	Ret	16	Ret	DSQ	Ret	13
GBR Paul Wallace	Ret	Ret	16	13	Ret	Ret	Ret	13	17	13
GBR Richard Marsh											18	17	Ret	Ret	22	22	20	21	19	19
GBR Mark Fullalove													11	Ret	20	19	18	Ret	Ret	18
GBR Jay Wheals													Ret	16	21	21	Ret	20	Ret	Ret
GBR Chris Ryan	7	Ret	Ret	Ret
GBR Jason Hughes											Ret	18	Ret	Ret	Ret	DNS	WD	WD	DNS	DNS
Sources:

Note: bold signifies pole position in class (1 point awarded in first race only), italics signifies fastest lap in class (1 point awarded all races) and * signifies at least one lap in the lead (1 point given all races).

Independents' Cup

Pos	Driver	MON	BRH	THR	SIL	ROC	CRO	SNE	BRH	DON	OUL	Pts	1	160	2	151	3	141	4	126
GBR Rob Collard	6	7	13	Ret	Ret	DNS	Ret	9	7	5	Ret	8	8	6	Ret	Ret	9	16	8	7
GBR James Kaye	Ret	Ret	12	9	11	7	8	Ret	Ret	DNS	13	11	7	11	11	Ret	10	11	10	12
GBR Carl Breeze	Ret	10	Ret	10	10	Ret	Ret	DNS	Ret	9	8	9	Ret	7	10	15	8	8	15	11
GBR Dan Eaves	Ret	8	11	Ret	9	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	10	6	Ret	Ret	12	12	11	11	14	11	9
GBR Gavin Pyper	Ret	6	8	Ret	6	Ret	6	7	9	Ret
GBR Gareth Howell							9	Ret					13	Ret	13	12	Ret	13	7	6
GBR Danny Buxton											12	Ret	Ret	Ret	15	14	13	15	14	Ret
GBR Paul Wallace											11	Ret	DNS	Ret	17	13	12	Ret	13	Ret
Sources:

Manufacturers Championship

Pos	Manufacturer	MON	BRH	THR	SIL	ROC	CRO	SNE	BRH	DON	OUL	Pts	1	Vauxhall / VX Racing	528	2	Honda / Honda Racing	318	3
1	1	2	1	1	1	1	1	3	1	2	2	1	10	2	2	2	1	1	2
2	2	3	2	3	3	2	2	5	4	3	3	2	Ret	5	5	3	3	3	5
Ret	4	5	3	4	5	7	5	10	6	Ret	6	3	Ret	6	10	6	4	Ret	Ret
3	3	1	7	2	2	4	6	1	7	1	4	4	1	4	3	1	5	2	1
Ret	5	7	8	5	10	5	Ret	2	Ret	7	5	6	2	8	7	5	6	12	Ret
Ret	Ret	DNS	DNS	7	11	Ret	Ret	4	Ret	Ret	12	Ret	5	14	Ret	7	10	Ret	DNS
4	Ret	4	4	8	4	3	3	6	2	4	1	5	3	1	1	4	2	4	3
Ret	Ret	6	5	Ret	6	10	4	8	3	5	7	Ret	4	3	4	19	7	5	4
DNS	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	8	Ret	Ret	Ret	10	Ret	8	7	6	Ret	9	6	8
5	9	9	6	14	8	Ret	10	11	8	9	15	9	9	9	8	Ret	12	9	10
Ret	Ret	10	Ret	17	9	Ret	Ret	12	Ret	10	19	Ret	Ret	Ret	9	Ret	Ret	Ret	DNS
Source:

Touring Teams Championship

Pos	Team	MON	BRH	THR	SIL	ROC	CRO	SNE	BRH	DON	OUL	Pts	1	438	2	299	3	216	4	70
VX Racing	1	1	2	1	1	1	1	1	3	1	2	2	1	10	2	2	2	1	1	2
2	2	3	2	3	3	2	2	5	4	3	3	2	Ret	5	5	3	3	3	5
Honda Racing	3	3	1	7	2	2	4	6	1	7	1	4	4	1	4	3	1	5	2	1
Ret	5	7	8	5	10	5	Ret	2	Ret	7	5	6	2	8	7	5	6	12	Ret
MG Sport & Racing	4	Ret	4	4	8	4	3	3	6	2	4	1	5	3	1	1	4	2	4	3
Ret	Ret	6	5	Ret	6	10	4	8	3	5	7	Ret	4	3	4	19	7	5	4
Petronas Syntium Proton	5	9	9	6	14	8	Ret	10	11	8	9	15	9	9	9	8	Ret	12	9	10
Ret	Ret	10	Ret	17	9	Ret	Ret	12	Ret	10	19	Ret	Ret	Ret	9	Ret	Ret	Ret	DNS
Collard Racing	6	7	13	Ret	Ret	DNS	Ret	9	7	5	Ret	8	8	6	Ret	Ret	9	16	8	7
Team Halfords	Ret	8	11	10	9	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	9	6	Ret	Ret	12	12	11	11	14	11	9
Ret	10	Ret	Ret	10	Ret	Ret	DNS	Ret	10	12	Ret	Ret	Ret	15	14	13	15	14	Ret
GA Motorsports	Ret	6	8	Ret	6	Ret	6	7	9	Ret	8	9	Ret	7	10	13	8	8	13	11
						9	Ret			11	Ret	DNS	Ret	17	15	12	Ret	15	Ret
Synchro Motorsport	Ret	Ret	12	9	11	7	8	Ret	Ret	DNS	13	11	7	11	11	Ret	10	11	10	12
Team Dynamics													13	Ret	13	12	Ret	13	7	6
Source:

Production Teams Championship

Pos	Team	MON	BRH	THR	SIL	ROC	CRO	SNE	BRH	DON	OUL	Pts	1	417	2	196	3	182	4	56
Barwell Motorsport	8	Ret	15	12	13	13	11	11	14	11	15	13	10	14	18	18	14	17	16	14
Ret	DNS	17	15	15	15	13	12	18	12	16	16	12	15	19	20	16	18	17	17
Team Varta	9	12	18	14	12	12	14	15	13	14	14	17	Ret	13	21	16	15	20	19	13
Ret	Ret	Ret	DNS	Ret	16	Ret	16	15	DSQ	18	Ret	Ret	16	22	21	20	21	Ret	15
Edenbridge Racing	10	11	14	11	16	14	12	14	16	Ret	17	14	Ret	DNS	16	17	17	19	18	16
GA Motorsports	7	Ret	16	13	Ret	Ret	Ret	13	17	13
Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret
Mark Fullalove Racing													11	Ret	20	19	18	Ret	Ret	18
Kartworld Racing											Ret	18	Ret	Ret	Ret	DNS	DNS	DNS	Ret	DNS
Source:

References

"F1 designer pens new Peugeot 307 - BTCC - Autosport". Autosport.com.
(2003-07-10). "Pyper's out, Breeze's in.". Crash.
https://www.crash.net/btcc/news/7632/1/wallace-moves-up-to-touring-class
(2003-03-28). "Synchro graduates to Touring Class with Kaye.". Crash.
"BTCT : Vauxhall Astra Coupé V2001-007".
http://cameronleason.co.uk/Nick_gallery.htm
Wilkins, Robert. (29 May 2003). "Gow returns to help run BTCC.". Crash.
(7 January 2003). "Live coverage for Satellite TV channel".
"British Touring Car Championship Results 2003". Motorsport Stats.
"Championship Standings". TouringCars.net.
(13 October 2003). "Championship Points". MST World.

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