2004 British Touring Car Championship season

2004 BTCC season
Previous:	2003	Next:	2005

The 2004 Green Flag MSA British Touring Car Championship season was the 47th British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season.

Changes for 2004

Teams and drivers

With the admittance of Super 2000-spec cars into the championship, the BTCC welcomed with it a new manufacturer, with SEAT Sport's UK division entering a pair of Toledos identical to those used in the European Touring Car Championship, run by RML. At the wheel were Jason Plato, returning to the championship for the first time since his title victory in 2001, and youngster Rob Huff, who earned his drive through winning the inaugural SEAT Cupra UK Championship, for which Plato had acted as a driver coach.

They were joined by reigning champions of the last three seasons Vauxhall, with Triple 8 Engineering again running a trio of Astra Coupes. 2003 champion Yvan Muller remained along with runner-up and 2002 title winner James Thompson, with Luke Hines replacing Paul O'Neill in the third car on the back of claiming the Production class title in his debut season the previous year.

Honda cut its Arena Motorsport-run Civic Type-R campaign down to a single car for the returning Tom Chilton, but the Civic challenge was augmented by a pair of cars entered by Team Dynamics for Matt Neal, returning to his family team from the works Honda set-up, and Dan Eaves, who brought with him Halfords sponsorship after the withdrawal of Vic Lee Racing. Proton completed the line-up of works teams, its two Impians now driven by two newcomers to British motorsport; the experienced South African Shaun Watson-Smith and the young Malaysian Farique Hairuman.

Financial trouble forced MG Rover to pull its works backing from West Surrey Racing's MG ZS assault, but the team cut down from three to two cars and returned as an independent with young gun Colin Turkington and veteran Anthony Reid staying on board.

Ex-works Vauxhall Astra Coupes were a popular choice amongst the other independents, with Michael Bentwood stepping up from the Production ranks in a 'VXR Junior' team prepared by Tech-Speed Motorsport and 2003 Independents champion Rob Collard continuing to campaign an Astra for his self-run team.

GA Motorsport (now under the 'Team Sureterm' banner) continued to run a pair of Astra Coupes for the returning Paul Wallace and Renault Clio Cup graduate Charlie Butler-Henderson, while a Super 2000-spec Alfa Romeo 156 was also entered for Carl Breeze. Wallace was soon replaced by experienced former Ford and Volvo factory driver Kelvin Burt, then later Irishman Gavin Smith and Stefan Hodgetts (son of ex-BTCC champion Chris), the latter then stepping in to replace Butler-Henderson when his funds ran out. Hodgetts then swapped cars with Breeze, who himself was replaced by Gavin Pyper for the final round.

Synchro Motorsport again returned with an ex-works Honda Civic Type R for former works driver James Kaye. Jason Hughes stepped up from the Production class, racing an ex-WSR MG ZS for his Kartworld Racing team, and John Batchelor's 'Team Varta' also switched classes, running Richard Marsh from the second round onwards in first a Super 2000 Civic Type-R, then later an ex-Vic Lee Racing Peugeot 307. Marsh was replaced by Jay Wheals for the final round, for which the team returned to the Civic.

Mardi Gras Motorsport had an abortive campaign, entering a Super 2000 Civic and later an ex-works Peugeot 406 Coupe, both LPG-powered, for businessman John George, and Edenbridge Racing briefly entered a Super 2000 BMW 320i for Justin Keen.

Other changes

• The number of total races was increased from 20 to 30 by holding three races at each meeting instead of two
• The grid for the second race of each meeting was decided by the results of the first but with the top ten reversed; the grid for the third race was simply the finishing order of the second race
• Cars built to Super 2000 specification were allowed, with an equivalency formula designed to ensure that they would have similar performance to their BTCC counterparts
• Points penalties for engine changes now apply only to the team, not the driver
• The "production class" and its associated championship was abolished

Teams and drivers

Team Car Car Spec. No. Drivers Class Rounds VX Racing Vauxhall Astra Coupé BTC-T 1 Yvan Muller M All 2 James Thompson M All 57 Luke Hines M All Computeach Racing with Halfords Honda Civic Type-R BTC-T 3 Matt Neal I M All 4 Dan Eaves I M All West Surrey Racing MG ZS BTC-T 6 Anthony Reid I All 8 Colin Turkington I All Team Honda Honda Civic Type-R BTC-T 9 Tom Chilton M All Collard Racing Vauxhall Astra Coupé BTC-T 10 Rob Collard I All SEAT Sport UK SEAT Toledo Cupra S2000 11 Jason Plato M All 12 Rob Huff M All VXR Junior Vauxhall Astra Coupé BTC-T 14 Michael Bentwood I 1–6, 8–10 Petronas Syntium Proton Proton Impian BTC-T 15 Fariqe Hairuman M All 20 Shaun Watson-Smith M All Synchro Motorsport Honda Civic Type-R BTC-T 16 James Kaye I All Mardi Gras Motorsport Honda Civic Type-R S2000 17 John George I 1–3 Peugeot 406 Coupé BTC-T 6–10 Team Sureterm GA Motorsports Vauxhall Astra Coupé BTC-T 21 Paul Wallace I 1–2 22 Charlie Butler-Henderson I 1–4, 6 23 Carl Breeze I 8–9 24 Kelvin Burt I 3–4 25 Gavin Smith I 5 26 Stefan Hodgetts I 5–6 44 Gavin Pyper I 10 Alfa Romeo 156 S2000 23 Carl Breeze I 1–7 26 Stefan Hodgetts I 8–10 Team Quest/Varta Peugeot 307 BTC-T 40 Richard Marsh I 8–9 Honda Civic Type-R S2000 2–7 41 Jay Wheals I 10 Edenbridge Racing BMW 320i S2000 46 Justin Keen I 2–4 Kartworld Racing MG ZS BTC-T 77 Jason Hughes I All

Icon Class M Manufacturer I Independent Icon Specification S2000 Super 2000 BTC-T BTC Touring

Season Calendar

All races were held in the United Kingdom (excepting Mondello Park round that held in Ireland).

Round		Circuit	Date	Pole Position	Fastest Lap	Winning Driver	Winning Team
1	R1	Thruxton Circuit, Hampshire	11 April	James Thompson	James Thompson	James Thompson	VX Racing
	R2				Jason Plato	Jason Plato	SEAT Sport UK
	R3				Colin Turkington	Yvan Muller	VX Racing
2	R4	Brands Hatch (Indy), Kent	25 April	Colin Turkington	Anthony Reid	Matt Neal	Computeach Racing with Halfords
	R5				Shaun Watson-Smith	Luke Hines	VX Racing
	R6				Matt Neal	James Thompson	VX Racing
3	R7	Silverstone Circuit (International), Northamptonshire	9 May	Jason Plato	Yvan Muller	Matt Neal	Computeach Racing with Halfords
	R8				Colin Turkington	James Thompson	VX Racing
	R9				Anthony Reid	Tom Chilton	Team Honda
4	R10	Oulton Park (Island), Cheshire	23 May	James Thompson	James Thompson	Yvan Muller	VX Racing
	R11				Dan Eaves	Dan Eaves	Computeach Racing with Halfords
	R12				James Thompson	Yvan Muller	VX Racing
5	R13	Mondello Park	13 June	Yvan Muller	Colin Turkington	Yvan Muller	VX Racing
	R14				Anthony Reid	Jason Plato	SEAT Sport UK
	R15				Anthony Reid	Colin Turkington	West Surrey Racing
6	R16	Croft Circuit, Yorkshire	25 July	Anthony Reid	Anthony Reid	Anthony Reid	West Surrey Racing
	R17				Anthony Reid	Jason Plato	SEAT Sport UK
	R18				Anthony Reid	Jason Plato	SEAT Sport UK
7	R19	Knockhill Circuit, Fife	8 August	Anthony Reid	Colin Turkington	Anthony Reid	West Surrey Racing
	R20				Dan Eaves	Jason Plato	SEAT Sport UK
	R21				Anthony Reid	Anthony Reid	West Surrey Racing
8	R22	Brands Hatch (Indy), Kent	22 August	Matt Neal	Matt Neal	Matt Neal	Computeach Racing with Halfords
	R23				Jason Plato	Jason Plato	SEAT Sport UK
	R24				Robert Huff Shaun Watson-Smith	Robert Huff	SEAT Sport UK
9	R25	Snetterton Circuit, Norfolk	5 September	James Thompson	James Thompson	James Thompson	VX Racing
	R26				Jason Plato	Luke Hines	VX Racing
	R27				James Thompson	Robert Huff	SEAT Sport UK
10	R28	Donington Park (National), Leicestershire	26 September	Jason Plato	Jason Plato	Jason Plato	SEAT Sport UK
	R29				Yvan Muller	Tom Chilton	Team Honda
	R30				James Thompson	Yvan Muller	VX Racing

Drivers Championship

Points system
1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th	Fastest Lap	Lead a lap
15	12	10	8	6	5	4	3	2	1	1	1

• 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.

(key)

Pos	Driver	THR			BHI			SIL			OUL			MON			CRO			KNO			BHI			SNE			DON			Pts
1	James Thompson	1*	Ret	3	4	2	1*	4	1*	7*	2	5	3	5	2	4	4	4	4	3	Ret	4	3	4	12*	1*	7	3	2*	5	3	274
2	Yvan Muller	3	2	1*	5	3	3	2	2	Ret	1*	8	1*	1*	4	6	2	6	5	5	4	9	2	8	5	5	4	2	7	2	1*	273
3	Jason Plato	8	1*	4	Ret	DNS	Ret	3*	9	2	8	2	Ret*	9	1*	Ret*	9	1*	1*	10	1*	7*	9	1*	2*	11	3	10	1*	6	2	224
4	Anthony Reid	4	6	2	Ret	4	2	6	3	4*	10	3	Ret	2	5	9	1*	8	6	1*	7	1*	12	Ret	6	8	2	5	5	4	8	213
5	Matt Neal	2	Ret	9	1*	DNS	7	1*	8	8	3	4	2	4	10	Ret	3	5	Ret	9	2	8	1*	5	4	2	Ret	4	Ret	Ret	Ret	181
6	Colin Turkington	14	10	6	6	5	5	11	5	12	4	6	5	3	6	1*	6	7	3	4	Ret	3	10	2*	11*	4	5	7	3	7	6	173
7	Robert Huff	6	Ret	Ret	2*	11	4	10	7*	3	7	Ret	Ret	8	DSQ	Ret	5	2	2*	Ret	6	5	7	3	1*	12	8	1*	10	11	5	148
8	Dan Eaves	5	4*	12	8	8	8	5	6	6	9	1*	8	Ret	Ret	3	7	3	12	6	3	2*	Ret	9	Ret	6	11	6	8	3	4	148
9	Tom Chilton	10	Ret	10	3	6	6	18	10	1*	11	7	6	7	8	5	19	9	7	2	Ret	Ret	6	13	8	3	10	12	9	1*	12	116
10	Luke Hines	Ret	7	5	9	1*	10	8	14	11	Ret	9	11	6	3	2	8	14	8	15	5	6	5	10	7	10	1*	8	6	10	Ret	115
11	James Kaye	13	9	7	12	7	Ret	13	15	9	6	12	9	15	7	Ret	Ret	12	13	13	9	11	4	6	Ret	9	6	13	11	9	9	49
12	Rob Collard	11	5	8	10	15	15	Ret	13	DNS	5	Ret	4	13	11	Ret	15	Ret	9	8	11	Ret	15	Ret	9	7	9	11	13	8	7	44
13	Michael Bentwood	7	3	Ret	Ret	DNS	Ret	Ret	12	10	13	11	7	10	12	Ret	14	11	11				11	7	3	Ret	14	14	4	Ret	13	42
14	Shaun Watson-Smith	9	8	Ret	7	Ret	9	12	11	14	Ret	14	10	12	Ret	10	13	10	10	7	8	10	8	Ret	Ret	DSQ	12	15	14	12	Ret	28
15	Carl Breeze	Ret	Ret	11	Ret	DNS	DNS	7	16	5	Ret	13	Ret	11	Ret	8	11	13	14	Ret	Ret	DNS	13	12	10	14	Ret	Ret				14
16	Kelvin Burt							9	4*	Ret	12	Ret	Ret																			11
17	Jason Hughes	Ret	12	Ret	14	12	12	Ret	19	17	15	16	12	14	13	7	12	Ret	Ret	11	10	12	14	11	Ret	13	13	16	Ret	13	11	5
18	Stefan Hodgetts													Ret	DNS	Ret	10	Ret	Ret				Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	DNS	9	Ret	Ret	10	4
19	Justin Keen				13	9	Ret	14	18	16	Ret	15	Ret																			2
20	Gavin Smith													Ret	9	Ret																2
21	Charlie Butler-Henderson	12	11	Ret	11	Ret	11	Ret	Ret	13	Ret	10	Ret				Ret	15	Ret													1
22	Paul Wallace	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	10	13																									1
23	Fariqe Hairuman	Ret	DNS	Ret	Ret	13	14	15	17	15	14	17	13	16	Ret	11	16	Ret	Ret	Ret	12	Ret	17	14	Ret	Ret	15	Ret	NC	Ret	DNS	0
24	John George	15	13	Ret	Ret	DNS	DNS	17	20	Ret							17	Ret	15	12	13	13	Ret	Ret	Ret	15	16	17	Ret	DNS	DNS	0
25	Gavin Pyper																												12	Ret	Ret	0
26	Richard Marsh				15	14	16	16	DNS	DNS	Ret	DNS	DNS	17	Ret	DNS	18	16	16	14	14	14	16	Ret	Ret	NC	17	18				0
27	Jay Wheals																												15	14	DNS	0
Pos	Driver	THR			BHI			SIL			OUL			MON			CRO			KNO			BHI			SNE			DON			Pts

• Note: bold signifies pole position (1 point given in first race only, driver who finishes 10th in first race gets pole for race 2 and race 3 pole is for race 2 winner), italics signifies fastest lap (1 point given all races) and * signifies at least one lap in the lead (1 point given all races).

Manufacturers Championship

Pos	Manufacturer	THR			BHI			SIL			OUL			MON			CRO			KNO			BHI			SNE			DON			Pts
1	Vauxhall / VX Racing	1	2	1	4	1	1	2	1	7	1	5	1	1	2	2	2	4	4	3	4	4	2	4	5	1	1	2	2	2	1	732
		3	7	3	5	2	3	4	2	11	2	8	3	5	3	4	4	6	5	5	5	6	3	8	7	5	4	3	6	5	3
		Ret	Ret	5	9	3	10	8	14	Ret	Ret	9	11	6	4	6	8	14	8	15	Ret	9	5	10	12	10	7	8	7	10	Ret
2	Honda / Honda Racing/Computeach Racing with Halfords	2	4	9	1	6	6	1	6	1	3	1	2	4	8	3	3	3	7	2	2	2	1	5	4	2	10	4	8	1	4	548
		5	Ret	10	3	8	7	5	8	6	9	4	6	7	10	5	7	5	12	6	3	8	6	9	8	3	11	6	9	3	12
		10	Ret	12	8	DNS	8	18	10	8	11	7	8	Ret	Ret	Ret	19	9	Ret	9	Ret	Ret	Ret	13	Ret	6	Ret	12	Ret	Ret	Ret
3	Seat / Seat Sport UK	6	1	4	2	11	4	3	7	2	7	2	Ret	8	1	Ret	5	1	1	10	1	5	7	1	1	11	3	1	1	6	2	421
		8	Ret	Ret	Ret	DNS	Ret	10	9	3	8	Ret	Ret	9	DSQ	Ret	9	2	2	Ret	6	7	9	3	2	12	8	10	10	11	5
4	Proton / Petronas Syntium Proton	9	8	Ret	7	13	9	12	11	14	14	14	10	12	Ret	10	13	10	10	7	8	10	8	14	Ret	DSQ	12	15	14	12	Ret	96
		Ret	DNS	Ret	Ret	Ret	14	15	17	15	Ret	17	13	16	Ret	11	16	Ret	Ret	Ret	12	Ret	17	Ret	Ret	Ret	15	Ret	NC	Ret	DNS
Pos	Manufacturer	THR			BHI			SIL			OUL			MON			CRO			KNO			BHI			SNE			DON			Pts

Teams Championship

Pos	Team	THR			BHI			SIL			OUL			MON			CRO			KNO			BHI			SNE			DON			Pts
1	VX Racing	1	2	1	4	1	1	2	1	7	1	5	1	1	2	2	2	4	4	3	4	4	2	4	5	1	1	2	2	2	1	536
		3	7	3	5	2	3	4	2	11	2	8	3	5	3	4	4	6	5	5	5	6	3	8	7	5	4	3	6	5	3
2	Seat Sport UK	6	1	4	2	11	4	3	7	2	7	2	Ret	8	1	Ret	5	1	1	10	1	5	7	1	1	11	3	1	1	6	2	360
		8	Ret	Ret	Ret	DNS	Ret	10	9	3	8	Ret	Ret	9	DSQ	Ret	9	2	2	Ret	6	7	9	3	2	12	8	10	10	11	5
3	West Surrey Racing	4	6	2	6	4	2	6	3	4	4	3	5	2	5	1	1	7	3	1	7	1	10	2	6	4	2	5	3	4	6	325
		14	10	6	Ret	5	5	11	5	12	10	6	Ret	3	6	9	6	8	6	4	Ret	3	12	Ret	11	8	5	7	5	7	8
4	Computeach Racing with Halfords	2	4	9	1	8	7	1	6	6	3	1	2	4	10	3	3	3	12	6	2	2	1	5	4	2	11	4	8	3	4	303
		5	Ret	12	8	DNS	8	5	8	8	9	4	8	Ret	Ret	Ret	7	5	Ret	9	3	8	Ret	9	Ret	6	Ret	6	Ret	Ret	Ret
5	Team Honda	10	Ret	10	3	6	6	18	10	1	11	7	6	7	8	5	19	9	7	2	Ret	Ret	6	13	8	3	10	12	9	1	12	111
6	Synchro Motorsport	13	9	7	12	7	Ret	13	15	9	6	12	9	15	7	Ret	Ret	12	13	13	9	11	4	6	Ret	9	6	13	11	9	9	54
7	Collard Racing	11	5	8	10	15	15	Ret	13	DNS	5	Ret	4	13	11	Ret	15	Ret	9	8	11	Ret	15	Ret	9	7	9	11	13	8	7	50
8	GA Motorsports	12	11	11	11	10	11	7	4	5	12	10	Ret	11	9	8	10	13	14	Ret	Ret	DNS	13	12	10	14	Ret	9	12	Ret	10	44
		Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	13	9	16	13	Ret	13	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	11	15	Ret				Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	DNS	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret
9	VXR Junior	7	3	Ret	Ret	DNS	Ret	Ret	12	10	13	11	7	10	12	Ret	14	11	11				11	7	3	Ret	14	14	4	Ret	13	26
10	Petronas Syntium Proton	9	8	Ret	7	13	9	12	11	14	14	14	10	12	Ret	10	13	10	10	7	8	10	8	14	Ret	DSQ	12	15	14	12	Ret	11
		Ret	DNS	Ret	Ret	Ret	14	15	17	15	Ret	17	13	16	Ret	11	16	Ret	Ret	Ret	12	Ret	17	Ret	Ret	Ret	15	Ret	NC	Ret	DNS
11	Edenbridge Racing				13	9	Ret	14	18	16	Ret	15	Ret																			3
12	Mardi Gras Motorsport	15	13	Ret	Ret	DNS	DNS	17	20	Ret							17	Ret	15	12	13	13	Ret	Ret	Ret	15	16	17	Ret	DNS	DNS	0
13	Team Quest/Varta				15	14	16	16	DNS	DNS	Ret	DNS	DNS	17	Ret	DNS	18	16	16	14	14	14	16	Ret	Ret	NC	17	18	15	14	DNS	0
14	Kartworld Racing	Ret	12	Ret	14	12	12	Ret	19	17	15	16	12	14	13	7	12	Ret	Ret	11	10	12	14	11	Ret	13	13	16	Ret	13	11	-3
Pos	Team	THR			BHI			SIL			OUL			MON			CRO			KNO			BHI			SNE			DON			Pts

Independents Championship

Pos	Driver	THR			BHI			SIL			OUL			MON			CRO			KNO			BHI			SNE			DON			Pts
1	Anthony Reid	4	6	2	Ret	4	2	6	3	4	10	3	Ret	2	5	9	1	8	6	1	7	1	12	Ret	6	8	2	5	5	4	8	312
2	Colin Turkington	14	10	6	6	5	5	11	5	12	4	6	5	3	6	1	6	7	3	4	Ret	3	10	2	11	4	5	7	3	7	6	300
3	Dan Eaves	5	4	12	8	8	8	5	6	6	9	1	8	Ret	Ret	3	7	3	12	6	3	2	Ret	9	Ret	6	11	6	8	3	4	254
4	Matt Neal	2	Ret	9	1	DNS	7	1	8	8	3	4	2	4	10	Ret	3	5	Ret	9	2	8	1	5	4	2	Ret	4	Ret	Ret	Ret	253
5	James Kaye	13	9	7	12	7	Ret	13	15	9	6	12	9	15	7	Ret	Ret	12	13	13	9	11	4	6	Ret	9	6	13	11	9	9	164
6	Rob Collard	11	5	8	10	15	15	Ret	13	DNS	5	Ret	4	13	11	Ret	15	Ret	9	8	11	Ret	15	Ret	9	7	9	11	13	8	7	152
7	Michael Bentwood	7	3	Ret	Ret	DNS	Ret	Ret	12	10	13	11	7	10	12	Ret	14	11	11				11	7	3	Ret	14	14	4	Ret	13	131
8	Jason Hughes	Ret	12	Ret	14	12	12	Ret	19	17	15	16	12	14	13	7	12	Ret	Ret	11	10	12	14	11	Ret	14	13	16	Ret	13	11	89
9	Carl Breeze	Ret	Ret	11	Ret	DNS	DNS	7	16	5	Ret	13	Ret	11	Ret	8	11	13	14	Ret	Ret	DNS	13	12	10	15	Ret	Ret				75
10	Charlie Butler-Henderson	12	11	Ret	11	Ret	11	Ret	Ret	13	Ret	10	Ret				Ret	15	Ret													33
11	John George	15	13	Ret	Ret	DNS	DNS	17	20	Ret							17	Ret	15	12	13	13	Ret	Ret	Ret	16	16	17	Ret	DNS	DNS	27
12	Richard Marsh				15	14	16	16	DNS	DNS	Ret	DNS	DNS	17	Ret	DNS	18	16	16	14	14	14	16	Ret	Ret	NC	17	18				27
13	Kelvin Burt							9	4	Ret	12	Ret	Ret																			22
14	Justin Keen				13	9	Ret	14	18	16	Ret	15	Ret																			18
15	Stefan Hodgetts													Ret	DNS	Ret	10	Ret	Ret				Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	DNS	9	Ret	Ret	10	17
16	Paul Wallace	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	10	13																									9
17	Gavin Smith													Ret	9	Ret																8
18	Jay Wheals																												15	14	DNS	7
19	Gavin Pyper																												12	Ret	Ret	5
Pos.	Driver	THR			BHI			SIL			OUL			MON			CRO			KNO			BHI			SNE			DON			Pts