2011 British Touring Car Championship

Matt Neal (pictured in 2012), the 2011 Drivers' Champion

Neal’s teammate, Gordon Shedden (pictured in 2007), finished the season in second

Jason Plato, finished third, 13 points behind Gordon Shedden

Gordon Shedden's Honda Civic.

The 2011 Dunlop^[1] MSA British Touring Car Championship was the 54th British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season.

Cars conforming to the Next Generation Touring Car (NGTC) specification were allowed to compete in the championship for the first time, in a phased transition from Super 2000 specification to the NGTC specification. The season was also the final time that cars built to the BTC Touring specification were allowed to compete, ending the specification's decade of competition in the BTCC.^[2]

Team Dynamics' Matt Neal claimed his third BTCC title after finishing 8th in the final round of the season, two places ahead of team mate and rival Gordon Shedden, who was beaten to the title by eight points. Reigning Champion Jason Plato finished third after suffering a puncture in the first race of the final meeting at Silverstone. With the Hondas claiming a 1–2, this all but eliminated Plato from the title fight.

Joint fourth in the outright championship were Independents' title protagonists Mat Jackson and James Nash, with Jackson finishing fourth on merit of race wins, four to Nash's one. Nash, however, claimed the Independents' title in the first race at Silverstone after Jackson also suffered a puncture. Both however had torrid races after, failing to score points in both races. Nash's team, Triple 8 Race Engineering also claimed the Independents Teams' championship.

With Neal and Shedden first and second in the Drivers' championship, Honda easily clinched both the Teams' and Manufacturers' championships.

Teams and drivers

The entry list for the 2011 season was revealed at the championship's Media Day held at Silverstone on 24 March 2011.^[3]

Team	Car	Engine	No.	Drivers	Rounds
Constructor Entries (NGTC Engine)
Honda Racing Team	Honda Civic	Honda/Neil Brown	2	Matt Neal	All
			52	Gordon Shedden	All
Team Aon	Ford Focus	Ford/Mountune Racing	4	Tom Onslow-Cole	5–10
			5	Tom Chilton	All
			44	Andy Neate	All
Constructor Entries (S2000 Engine)
Silverline Chevrolet	Chevrolet Cruze LT	Chevrolet/RML	1	Jason Plato	All
			20	Alex MacDowall	All
Independent NGTC Entries
Dynojet	Toyota Avensis	Toyota/C-Tech	11	Frank Wrathall	All
Rob Austin Racing	Audi A4	Audi/Ric Wood	12	David Pinkney	1
			13	Rob Austin	2–3
		Audi/Lehmann			4-10
			31	Chris Swanwick	9–10
Welch Automotive	Proton Gen-2	TOCA/Swindon	42	Daniel Welch	6–10
Speedworks Motorsport	Toyota Avensis	TOCA/Swindon	50	Tony Hughes	1–2, 4, 6, 9–10
Thorney Motorsport	Vauxhall Insignia	TOCA/Swindon	67	John Thorne	10
Independent S2000 Entries (NGTC Engine)
Airwaves Racing	Ford Focus ST	Ford/Mountune Racing	6	Michael Caine	8–9
				James Thompson	10
			7	Mat Jackson	All
			66	Liam Griffin	All
888 Racing with Collins Contractors	Vauxhall Vectra	TOCA/Swindon	14	James Nash	All
			34	Tony Gilham	1–6
			48	Ollie Jackson	9–10
			88	Árón Smith	7
Special Tuning Racing	SEAT León	Lehmann	17	Dave Newsham	4–10
			22	Tom Boardman	All
Geoff Steel Racing with Collins Contractors	BMW 320si	BMW	34	Tony Gilham	10
Pirtek Racing	Vauxhall Vectra	TOCA/Swindon	55	Jeff Smith	All
			77	Andrew Jordan	All
AmD Milltek Racing.com	Volkswagen Golf	Lehmann	99	Tom Onslow-Cole	1–4
				Shaun Hollamby	5
				Martin Byford	6–10
Independent S2000 Entries
WSR	BMW 320si	BMW	8	Rob Collard	All
			18	Nick Foster	All
Geoff Steel Racing	BMW 320si	BMW	17	Dave Newsham	1–2
Geoff Steel Racing with Collins Contractors			34	Tony Gilham	8–9
GoMobileUK.com with tech-speed	Chevrolet Cruze LT	Chevrolet/RML	28	John George	All
			29	Paul O'Neill	All
Team ES Racing	Chevrolet Lacetti	Chevrolet/RML	78	Chris James	All
Independent BTC-T Entries
Central Group Racing	Honda Integra Type-R	Honda	43	Lea Wood	4–6, 8–10

Driver changes

Changed teams

• Andy Neate will move from West Surrey Racing to partner Tom Chilton at Team Aon.
• Tom Onslow-Cole will move from Team Aon to race for AmD Milltek Racing with YourRacingCar.
• After driving for his own team in 2010, David Pinkney will drive an Audi for Rob Austin Racing.

Entering/re-entering BTCC

• Nick Foster will début in the series, partnering Rob Collard at West Surrey Racing.
• Tony Gilham will enter the series after three years in the Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain, with Triple 8.
• Having competed for Motorbase Performance in the Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain, Liam Griffin will step up into the championship.
• Tony Hughes will enter the series with Speedworks Motorsport, having driven for the team in the Ginetta G50 Cup.
• Chris James, who previously raced in the Mini Challenge, will race for his own Team ES Racing.
• Renault Clio Cup champion Dave Newsham moved into the BTCC with Geoff Steel Racing.
• Jeff Smith will move into the series full-time – having finished eighth in the Renault Clio Cup – after contesting the Knockhill round for Triple 8 in 2010. He will join Pirtek Racing.
• Ginetta G50 Cup champion Frank Wrathall will also graduate into the championship with his family-run Dynojet team.

Leaving BTCC

• Shaun Hollamby will revert to a team principal role within the AmD Milltek Racing with YourRacingCar team.
• Steven Kane will move into sportscars, racing in the SPEED EuroSeries with HMR.

Team changes

• Rob Austin will enter the series, with his own team running two Audi A4s to NGTC specification.
• Dynojet will enter the series, running a single NGTC Toyota Avensis.
• Speedworks Motorsport will enter the series, becoming the first team to commit to the new Next Generation Touring Car, running two cars.
• Motorbase Performance will switch from BMWs to Fords, running under the Airwaves Racing banner.^[4]
• Geoff Steel will enter the series running a BMW for Dave Newsham.^[5]

Mid-season changes

Driver changes

• After originally joining the series as team principal of his own team, Rob Austin made his début at Donington Park replacing David Pinkney, due to the latter's business commitments.^[6]
• During the fourth round at Oulton Park, Tom Onslow-Cole left AmD Milltek Racing with YourRacingCar and later announced a return to Team Aon alongside Tom Chilton and Andy Neate.^[7]
• Prior to the Oulton Park round Dave Newsham left Geoff Steel Racing and moved to Special Tuning Racing.^[8]
• Shaun Hollamby made a return for one round at Croft for his own team AmD Milltek Racing with YourRacingCar. From Snetterton and onwards Martin Byford took the seat.
• Daniel Welch entered the series with his famimily-run team Welch Racing running NGTC Proton Gen-2 from Snetterton and onwards.
• After Snetterton Tony Gilham left Triple 8 and at Rockingham he returned with GSR.
• Árón Smith made his series début, replacing Gilham at Triple 8 for the round at Knockhill only.
• Michael Caine made his series début at Rockingham for Airwaves Racing, after six years racing in the Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain.
• Ollie Jackson entered for the final 2 rounds of the season with Triple 8.
• James Thompson returned for the final round at Silverstone with Airwaves Racing, replacing Caine.
• John Thorne entered the series with Thorney Motorsport.

Team changes

• Geoff Steel Racing were absent from Truxton to Rockingham after failing to secure a replacement for the departed Newsham. From Rockingham Tony Gilham was the sole entry for the team, inclung NGTC engine swap for the final round.
• Welch Motorsport entered a single NGTC Proton Gen-2 in the second half of the 2011 season, with a debut at Snetterton. The car was driven by Daniel Welch.^[9]
• Triple 8 entered a single car for James Nash at Rockingham.
• Thorney Motorsport entered the series at the Silverstone round, running NGTC Vauxhall Insignia for the team owner John Thorne.

Race calendar and results

All races were held in the United Kingdom. The calendar was announced by the championship organisers on 8 September 2010, with no major changes from 2010.^[10]

Round		Circuit	Date	Pole Position	Fastest Lap	Winning driver	Winning team
1	R1	Brands Hatch (Indy), Kent	3 April	Matt Neal	James Nash	Jason Plato	Silverline Chevrolet
	R2				Matt Neal	Jason Plato	Silverline Chevrolet
	R3				Matt Neal	Matt Neal	Honda Racing Team
2	R4	Donington Park (National), Leicestershire	17 April	Matt Neal	Matt Neal	Matt Neal	Honda Racing Team
	R5				Tom Boardman	Andrew Jordan	Pirtek Racing
	R6				Mat Jackson	Mat Jackson	Airwaves Racing
3	R7	Thruxton Circuit, Hampshire	1 May	Gordon Shedden	Mat Jackson	Gordon Shedden	Honda Racing Team
	R8				Alex MacDowall	Matt Neal	Honda Racing Team
	R9				Jason Plato	Jason Plato	Silverline Chevrolet
4	R10	Oulton Park (Island), Cheshire	5 June	Gordon Shedden	Dave Newsham	Gordon Shedden	Honda Racing Team
	R11				Gordon Shedden	Jason Plato	Silverline Chevrolet
	R12				Matt Neal	Mat Jackson	Airwaves Racing
5	R13	Croft Circuit, North Yorkshire	19 June	Jason Plato	Mat Jackson	Matt Neal	Honda Racing Team
	R14				Matt Neal	Matt Neal	Honda Racing Team
	R15				Rob Collard	Mat Jackson	Airwaves Racing
6	R16	Snetterton (300) Circuit, Norfolk	7 August	Jason Plato	Jason Plato	Jason Plato	Silverline Chevrolet
	R17				Rob Austin	Gordon Shedden	Honda Racing Team
	R18				Mat Jackson	Mat Jackson	Airwaves Racing
7	R19	Knockhill Racing Circuit, Fife	4 September	Tom Chilton	Tom Chilton	Tom Chilton	Team Aon
	R20				Mat Jackson	Gordon Shedden	Honda Racing Team
	R21				Frank Wrathall	Tom Boardman	Special Tuning Racing
8	R22	Rockingham Motor Speedway, Northamptonshire	18 September	Jason Plato	Frank Wrathall	Jason Plato	Silverline Chevrolet
	R23				Gordon Shedden	Gordon Shedden	Honda Racing Team
	R24				Jason Plato	James Nash	888 Racing with Collins Contractors
9	R25	Brands Hatch (GP), Kent	2 October	Jason Plato	Jason Plato	Jason Plato	Silverline Chevrolet
	R26				Jason Plato	Jason Plato	Silverline Chevrolet
	R27				Matt Neal	Matt Neal	Honda Racing Team
10	R28	Silverstone (National), Northamptonshire	16 October	Matt Neal	Mat Jackson	Matt Neal	Honda Racing Team
	R29				Mat Jackson	Gordon Shedden	Honda Racing Team
	R30				James Thompson	Tom Chilton	Team Aon

Championship standings

• 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

(key)

Pos	Driver	BHI			DON			THR			OUL			CRO			SNE			KNO			ROC			BHGP			SIL			Pts
1	Matt Neal	Ret	7	1*	1*	3	7	2*	1*	5	8*	Ret	4	1*	1*	7	18	17	4	2	2*	4	4	3	6	18	7	1*	1*	2	8	257
2	Gordon Shedden	6	2	4	DSQ	6	Ret	1*	2*	6	1*	6*	2	5	4	6	3	1*	7	3	1*	5	6	1*	21	19	8	2*	2	1*	10	249
3	Jason Plato	1*	1*	5	18	Ret	6	Ret	8	1*	2	1*	11	4	Ret	11	1*	3	3	7	7	Ret*	1*	4*	5	1*	1*	6	Ret	7	2	236
4	Mat Jackson	4	3	2	5	10	1*	6	5	2	Ret	9	1*	2	5	1*	6	6	1*	19	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	13	2	2	5	20	26	21	191
5	James Nash	2	4	6	3*	2	3	8	6	4	4	2	13	8	11	5	5	2	6	6	8	15	9	6	1*	4	6	3	3	15	17	191
6	Andrew Jordan	16	6	20	2	1*	2	3	3	7	10	4	3	6	3	4	12	9	14	9	9	7	Ret	13	8	DNS	16	8	7	5	5	143
7	Tom Chilton	3	8	8	4	4	Ret	4	4	Ret	17	10	7	7	6	9	9	12	13	1*	4*	6	13	11	18	7	5	4	12	8	1*	135
8	Rob Collard	17	9	7	6	5	Ret	12	14	13	5	3	14	3	2	3	23	10	12	5	5	2	Ret	10	3	8	22	Ret	8	23	23	108
9	Alex MacDowall	5	13	16	9	9	4*	10	7	8	3	5	18	14	Ret	8	2	4	5	12	Ret	10	12	15	11	3	Ret	Ret	5	9	4	100
10	Paul O'Neill	7	5	3	8	Ret	8	13	11	14	13	7	Ret	9	Ret	Ret	7	5	2	13	14	Ret	2	7	4	6	4	Ret	Ret	Ret	12	91
11	Tom Boardman	Ret	Ret	10	7	Ret	Ret	5	9	3	Ret	NC	5	10	Ret	Ret	Ret	DNS	DNS	8	6	1*	8	Ret	10	Ret	11	9	Ret	6	3	76
12	Frank Wrathall	Ret	DNS	DNS	16	NC	NC	Ret	DNS	Ret	Ret	13	Ret	12	Ret	Ret	4	Ret	DNS	4	3	3	3	2	9	Ret	13	Ret	10	25	9	65
13	Tom Onslow-Cole	13	Ret	12	11	7	Ret	7	DNS	10	11	16	DNS	11	10	13	8	8	11	Ret	11	8	19	12	Ret	5	3	7	4	3	7	61
14	Nick Foster	12	14	14	12	Ret	10	15	16	17	6	8	9	13	7	2	13	11	9	11	10	9	5	5	12	10	10	10	13	Ret	16	47
15	Dave Newsham	10	11	11	Ret	15	Ret				12	17	8	19	8	10	10	7	8*	15	12	11	Ret	Ret	15	Ret	17	11	6	4	Ret	31
16	Rob Austin				Ret	Ret	13	Ret	DNS	DNS	Ret	12	16	Ret	NC	Ret	15	Ret	10	Ret	Ret	Ret	7	9	2*	13	14	13	Ret	12	6	26
17	Jeff Smith	9	16	13	10	13	5	9	12	11	Ret	Ret	10	15	Ret	14	11	16	17	16	18	14	14	8	7	Ret	24	14	17	16	25	19
18	Andy Neate	11	12	15	14	11	Ret	16	13	12	9	15	6	Ret	9	Ret	16	Ret	Ret	14	15	13	11	Ret	DNS	9	9	Ret	9	11	Ret	15
19	Tony Gilham	8	10	9	15	8	Ret	11	10	9	14	Ret	12	Ret	12	12	Ret	13	15				15	14	17	15	23	Ret	Ret	19	19	12
20	Lea Wood										7	11	15	16	15	19	Ret	15	18				DNS	DNS	DNS	Ret	21	Ret	18	17	20	4
21	Liam Griffin	Ret	18	18	13	Ret	9	14	17	15	15	18	Ret	18	Ret	16	17	14	Ret	Ret	Ret	16	16	16	19	16	19	15	15	14	13	2
22	Daniel Welch																22	18	19	NC	16	12	Ret	Ret	14	Ret	Ret	DSQ	11	10	14	1
23	Michael Caine																						10	Ret	20	12	12	12				1
24	Árón Smith																			10	13	Ret										1
25	James Thompson																												Ret	Ret	18	1
26	Ollie Jackson																									11	18	17	16	13	11	0
27	John George	14	15	17	Ret	12	11	17	15	16	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	14	17	19	Ret	Ret	17	Ret	Ret	17	19	22	14	20	20	14	20	22	0
28	Chris James	15	17	19	17	14	12	18	Ret	18	Ret	Ret	DNS	Ret	Ret	18	20	DNS	Ret	18	17	17	18	17	23	20	25	18	21	22	24	0
29	Shaun Hollamby													17	13	15																0
30	Martin Byford																14	Ret	16	Ret	Ret	Ret	20	18	16	22	15	16	Ret	24	15	0
31	Tony Hughes	Ret	19	21	19	16	Ret				16	14	17				21	Ret	DNS							21	26	21	19	21	Ret	0
32	Chris Swanwick																									17	27	19	22	18	Ret	0
	John Thorne																												Ret	DNS	DNS	0
	David Pinkney	DNS	DNS	DNS																												0
Pos	Driver	BHI			DON			THR			OUL			CRO			SNE			KNO			ROC			BHGP			SIL			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'/Constructors' Championship

Teams' Championship

Independents' Trophy

Pos	Driver	BHI			DON			THR			OUL			CRO			SNE			KNO			ROC			BHGP			SIL			Pts
1	James Nash	2	4	6	3	2	3	8	6	4	4	2	13	8	11	5	5	2	6	6	8	15	9	6	1	4	6	3	3	15	17	268
2	Mat Jackson	4	3	2	5	10	1	6	5	2	Ret	9	1	2	5	1	6	6	1	19	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	13	2	2	5	20	26	21	236
3	Andrew Jordan	16	6	20	2	1	2	3	3	7	10	4	3	6	3	4	12	9	14	9	9	7	Ret	13	8	DNS	16	8	7	5	5	209
4	Tom Chilton	3	8	8	4	4	Ret	4	4	Ret	17	10	7	7	6	9	9	12	13	1	4	6	13	11	18	7	5	4	12	8	1	197
5	Rob Collard	17	9	7	6	5	Ret	12	14	13	5	3	14	3	2	3	23	10	12	5	5	2	Ret	10	3	8	22	Ret	8	23	23	157
6	Paul O'Neill	7	5	3	8	Ret	8	13	11	14	13	7	Ret	9	Ret	Ret	7	5	2	13	14	Ret	2	7	4	6	4	Ret	Ret	Ret	12	147
7	Tom Onslow-Cole	13	Ret	12	11	7	Ret	7	DNS	10	11	16	DNS	11	10	13	8	8	11	Ret	11	8	19	12	Ret	5	3	7	4	3	7	123
8	Tom Boardman	Ret	Ret	10	7	Ret	Ret	5	9	3	Ret	NC	5	10	Ret	Ret	Ret	DNS	DNS	8	6	1	8	Ret	10	Ret	11	9	Ret	6	3	117
9	Nick Foster	12	14	14	12	Ret	10	15	16	17	6	8	9	13	7	2	13	11	9	11	10	9	5	5	12	10	10	10	13	Ret	16	104
10	Frank Wrathall	Ret	DNS	DNS	16	NC	NC	Ret	DNS	Ret	Ret	13	Ret	12	Ret	Ret	4	Ret	DNS	4	3	3	3	2	9	Ret	13	Ret	10	25	9	96
11	Dave Newsham	10	11	11	Ret	15	Ret				12	17	8	19	8	10	10	7	8	15	12	11	Ret	Ret	15	Ret	17	11	6	4	Ret	77
12	Andy Neate	11	12	15	14	11	Ret	16	13	12	9	15	6	Ret	9	Ret	16	Ret	Ret	14	15	13	11	Ret	DNS	9	9	Ret	9	11	Ret	54
13	Jeff Smith	9	16	13	10	13	5	9	12	11	Ret	Ret	10	15	Ret	14	11	16	17	16	18	14	14	8	7	Ret	24	14	17	16	25	49
14	Rob Austin				Ret	Ret	13	Ret	DNS	DNS	Ret	12	16	Ret	NC	Ret	15	Ret	10	Ret	Ret	Ret	7	9	2	13	14	13	Ret	12	6	45
15	Tony Gilham	8	10	9	15	8	Ret	11	10	9	14	Ret	12	Ret	12	12	Ret	13	15				15	14	17	15	23	Ret	Ret	19	19	42
16	Lea Wood										7	11	15	16	15	19	Ret	15	18				DNS	DNS	DNS	Ret	21	Ret	18	17	20	11
17	Daniel Welch																22	18	19	NC	16	12	Ret	Ret	14	Ret	Ret	DSQ	11	10	14	11
18	Michael Caine																						10	Ret	20	12	12	12				9
19	Liam Griffin	Ret	18	18	13	Ret	9	14	17	15	15	18	Ret	18	Ret	16	17	14	Ret	Ret	Ret	16	16	16	19	16	19	15	15	14	13	8
20	Ollie Jackson																									11	18	17	16	13	11	8
21	Árón Smith																			10	13	Ret										5
22	John George	14	15	17	Ret	12	11	17	15	16	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	14	17	19	Ret	Ret	17	Ret	Ret	17	19	22	14	20	20	14	20	22	5
23	Chris James	15	17	19	17	14	12	18	Ret	18	Ret	Ret	DNS	Ret	Ret	18	20	DNS	Ret	18	17	17	18	17	23	20	25	18	21	22	24	2
24	Shaun Hollamby													17	13	15																0
25	Martin Byford																14	Ret	16	Ret	Ret	Ret	20	18	16	22	15	16	Ret	24	15	0
26	Tony Hughes	Ret	19	21	19	16	Ret				16	14	17				21	Ret	DNS							21	26	21	19	21	Ret	0
27	Chris Swanwick																									17	27	19	22	18	Ret	0
28	James Thompson																												Ret	Ret	18	0
	John Thorne																												Ret	DNS	DNS	0
	David Pinkney	DNS	DNS	DNS																												0
Pos	Driver	BHI			DON			THR			OUL			CRO			SNE			KNO			ROC			BHGP			SIL			Pts

Independent Teams' Trophy

References

External links

• Official website of the British Touring Car Championship
  • Meeting results from BTCC.net
    • Brands Hatch Indy
    • Donington Park
    • Thruxton
    • Oulton Park
    • Croft
    • Snetterton
    • Knockhill
    • Rockingham
    • Brands Hatch GP
    • Silverstone
• TouringCarTimes