BTC-T Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch
   HOME

TheInfoList



Click Here for Items Related To - BTC-T Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch
OR:
BTC-T Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch on:   [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Amazon]

The BTC-T Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch is a BTC-Touring class
racing car Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, or automobile racing) is a motorsport involving the racing of automobiles for competition. Auto racing has existed since the invention of the automobile. Races of various sorts were organise ...
that was built for the
2005 British Touring Car Championship season The 2005 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season was the 48th British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season. As in 2004, there were ten racing weekends at nine different circuits; each round comprising three races, making a thirty rou ...
by
Triple 8 Race Engineering Triple Eight Racing was a motorsports team formed in 1996 as Triple Eight Race Engineering, which competed in the British Touring Car Championship and the British GT Championship. The team's original focus was to design, build and race Vaux ...
, who ran
Vauxhall Vauxhall ( ) is a district in South West London, part of the London Borough of Lambeth, England. Vauxhall was part of Surrey until 1889 when the County of London was created. Named after a medieval manor, "Fox Hall", it became well known for ...
's official works program.


Works history

After campaigning the
BTC-T Vauxhall Astra Coupe The Vauxhall Astra Coupe is a BTC-Touring class racing car that was built for the 2001 British Touring Car Championship season by Triple 8 Race Engineering, who ran Vauxhall's official works program. It was the first BTC Touring-specification c ...
for 4 years,
VX Racing Triple Eight Racing was a motorsports team formed in 1996 as Triple Eight Race Engineering, which competed in the British Touring Car Championship and the British GT Championship. The team's original focus was to design, build and race Vaux ...
took the decision to replace the car with the brand-new Astra SportHatch for the 2005 BTCC season. An experimental BTC-T spec Vectra had been built in 2003, but the experiment was not continued due to the weight of the car. Replacing such a successful car proved difficult, however; and the car only won ten out of the sixty races it contested as a works entry, in the hands of
Yvan Muller Yvan Muller (born 16 August 1969 in Altkirch, Haut-Rhin) is a French auto racing driver most noted for success in touring car racing. He is a four-time World Touring Car Champion, winning the title in 2008 with SEAT, in 2010 and 2011 with Chevro ...
,
Colin Turkington Colin Henry Turkington (born 21 March 1982) is a British racing driver from Northern Ireland who competes in the British Touring Car Championship for Team BMW. He is a 4 time BTCC champion, winning the title in 2009, 2014, 2018 and 2019, havi ...
and
Fabrizio Giovanardi Fabrizio Giovanardi (born 14 December 1966 in Sassuolo) is an Italian racing driver. During his career he has won ten touring car titles, including European and British crowns making him the most successful touring car driver worldwide. He has s ...
. The emergence of the
BTC-T Honda Integra Type R In 2005, Team Dynamics took advantage of a loophole in the British Touring Car Championship regulations that allowed cars to enter, whether they were on sale in the United Kingdom or not. They converted a pair of Honda Integra Japanese imports int ...
proved to be a challenge too far for Vauxhall, despite a successful debut victory, and
Vauxhall Vauxhall ( ) is a district in South West London, part of the London Borough of Lambeth, England. Vauxhall was part of Surrey until 1889 when the County of London was created. Named after a medieval manor, "Fox Hall", it became well known for ...
's 100th
BTCC The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom, currently organised and administered by TOCA. It was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and was renamed as ...
win at
Knockhill Knockhill Racing Circuit is a motor racing circuit in Fife, Scotland. It opened in September 1974 and is Scotland's national motorsport centre. The circuit is located in the countryside about north of Dunfermline. It is the only FIA approved ...
in 2006. Despite the dominance of
Matt Neal Matthew Neal (born 20 December 1966) is a British motor racing driver. Neal is a triple BTCC Champion having won the British Touring Car Championship in 2005, 2006 and 2011. Neal is also a record 6 time BTCC Independents Champion having won the ...
's Integra, however, the car did deliver the 2005 Manufacturer's championship to Vauxhall, as
Team Dynamics Team Dynamics Motorsport is a UK-based motor-racing team based in Droitwich, Worcestershire; best known for their successes in the British Touring Car Championship, including winning the Overall Drivers title in 2005, 2006 and 2011 with Matt Nea ...
were not competing in this championship.


Later career

After the car's replacement with the
Super 2000 Super 2000 is an FIA powertrain specification used in the World Rally Championship, the British Touring Car Championship, the World Touring Car Championship, and other touring car championships. The engines were originally 2 L naturally aspirate ...
-spec Vectra, the Turkish driver Erkut Kizilirmak bought three of the four chassis, and used them for his Arkas Racing team in the
BTCC The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom, currently organised and administered by TOCA. It was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and was renamed as ...
for 2007, with some occasional races in the
Turkish Touring Car Championship Turkish may refer to: *a Turkic language spoken by the Turks * of or about Turkey ** Turkish language *** Turkish alphabet ** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation *** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey *** Turkish communities and mi ...
. In 2008, Erkut expanded the BTCC effort to a two-car team, being joined by
Martyn Bell Martyn Bell (born 17 July 1964) is an auto racing driver. Since 2006 he has contested the British Touring Car Championship, but he spent the majority of his career racing BMWs in various championships. He won one overall title and 3 class titles ...
.


Chassis history

Chassis CH12 *2005 –
Yvan Muller Yvan Muller (born 16 August 1969 in Altkirch, Haut-Rhin) is a French auto racing driver most noted for success in touring car racing. He is a four-time World Touring Car Champion, winning the title in 2008 with SEAT, in 2010 and 2011 with Chevro ...
(Rounds 1-3)/Two Seater *2006 – Two Seater/ Erkut Kizilirmak (Rounds 13-15/18-21) *2007 onwards – Two Seater Chassis CH14 *2005 –
Colin Turkington Colin Henry Turkington (born 21 March 1982) is a British racing driver from Northern Ireland who competes in the British Touring Car Championship for Team BMW. He is a 4 time BTCC champion, winning the title in 2009, 2014, 2018 and 2019, havi ...
(Rounds 1-12) *2006 onwards – Unused Chassis CH15 *2005/06 – Gavin Smith *2007 – Erkut Kizilirmak (
Turkish Touring Car Championship Turkish may refer to: *a Turkic language spoken by the Turks * of or about Turkey ** Turkish language *** Turkish alphabet ** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation *** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey *** Turkish communities and mi ...
) *2008 – Erkut Kizilirmak (Rounds 10-30) Chassis CH16 *2005 –
Yvan Muller Yvan Muller (born 16 August 1969 in Altkirch, Haut-Rhin) is a French auto racing driver most noted for success in touring car racing. He is a four-time World Touring Car Champion, winning the title in 2008 with SEAT, in 2010 and 2011 with Chevro ...
(Rounds 4–30) *2006 –
Fabrizio Giovanardi Fabrizio Giovanardi (born 14 December 1966 in Sassuolo) is an Italian racing driver. During his career he has won ten touring car titles, including European and British crowns making him the most successful touring car driver worldwide. He has s ...
*2007/08 – Erkut Kizilirmak (Rounds 1–9, written off at Donington Park) Chassis CH17 *2005 –
Colin Turkington Colin Henry Turkington (born 21 March 1982) is a British racing driver from Northern Ireland who competes in the British Touring Car Championship for Team BMW. He is a 4 time BTCC champion, winning the title in 2009, 2014, 2018 and 2019, havi ...
(Rounds 13–30) *2006/07 –
Tom Chilton Thomas James Chilton (born 15 March 1985) is a British racing driver. He has spent most of his career competing in touring car racing; he was a former factory Vauxhall and Honda driver in the British Touring Car Championship, and currently driv ...
*2008 –
Martyn Bell Martyn Bell (born 17 July 1964) is an auto racing driver. Since 2006 he has contested the British Touring Car Championship, but he spent the majority of his career racing BMWs in various championships. He won one overall title and 3 class titles ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Btc-T Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch British Touring Car Championship Touring cars Cars introduced in 2005 Front-wheel-drive vehicles Astra Sport Hatch BTC-T