1997 British Touring Car Championship season

1997 BTCC season
Previous:	1996	Next:	1998

The 1997 Auto Trader RAC British Touring Car Championship was won by Alain Menu of the Williams Renault Dealer Racing team, driving a Renault Laguna. The runner up was Frank Biela of Audi Sport UK in an Audi A4 Quattro. Third place was Menu's teammate, Jason Plato. In the independent class the championship was won by Robb Gravett in a Honda Accord.

Entry List

BTCC

Team	Car	No.	Drivers	Class	Rounds
Audi Sport UK	Audi A4 quattro	1	Frank Biela	M	All
		7	John Bintcliffe	M	All
Williams Renault Dealer Racing	Renault Laguna	2	Alain Menu	M	All
		22	Jason Plato	M	All
Volvo S40 Racing	Volvo S40	3	Rickard Rydell	M	All
		11	Kelvin Burt	M	All
Vodafone Nissan Racing	Nissan Primera GT	4	David Leslie	M	All
		23	Anthony Reid	M	All
Vauxhall Sport	Vauxhall Vectra	8	John Cleland	M	All
		88	Derek Warwick	M	All
Team Mondeo	Ford Mondeo	9	Will Hoy	M	All
		15	Paul Radisich	M	All
Team Honda Sport	Honda Accord	10	James Thompson	M	All
		20	Gabriele Tarquini	M	All
Esso Ultron Team Peugeot	Peugeot 406	12	Tim Harvey	M	All
		14	Patrick Watts	M	All
Brookes Motorsport	Peugeot 406	17	Lee Brookes	I	All
Janco Motorsport	Opel Vectra	18	Jan Brunstedt	I	2
Team DCRS	BMW 318i	19	Colin Gallie	I	All
Mint Motorsport	Vauxhall Cavalier	25	Jamie Wall	I	All
ProMotor Sport	Vauxhall Cavalier	28	Ian Heward	I	6, 9–10, 12
Rock-It Cargo	Honda Accord	29	Robb Gravett	I	2–12
Team Dynamics	Ford Mondeo	77	Matt Neal	I	1–5
	Nissan Primera eGT				6–12

Icon	Class
M	Manufacturer
I	Independent

RAC Tourist Trophy

Team	Car	No.	Drivers	Class
Williams Renault Dealer Racing	Renault Laguna	1	Alain Menu	M
		22	Jason Plato	M
Audi Sport UK	Audi A4 quattro	2	Frank Biela	M
		7	John Bintcliffe	M
	Audi A4	18	Yvan Muller	M
Volvo S40 Racing	Volvo S40	4	Rickard Rydell	M
		14	Armin Hahne	M
Vodafone Nissan Racing	Nissan Primera GT	8	David Leslie	M
		11	Anthony Reid	M
		17	Paula Cook	M
Vauxhall Sport	Vauxhall Vectra	12	John Cleland	M
Team Mondeo	Ford Mondeo	15	Paul Radisich	M
		16	Will Hoy	M
Team Honda Sport	Honda Accord	21	Aaron Slight	M
		22	Jonny Kane	M
Abt Sportsline	Audi A4 quattro	23	Christian Abt	I
		24	Kris Nissen	I
Mint Motorsport	Vauxhall Cavalier	25	Tim Sugden	I
Janco Motorsport	Opel Vectra	27	Jan Brunstedt	I
Tord Linnerud	Opel Vectra	28	Tord Linnerud	I
Team Dynamics	Ford Mondeo	77	Matt Neal	I
	Nissan Primera eGT	78	Kari Mäkinen	I

Icon	Class
M	Manufacturer
I	Independent

Calendar

All races were held in the United Kingdom.

Round		Circuit	Date	Pole Position	Fastest Lap	Winning Driver	Winning Team	Winning Independent
1	R1	Donington Park (Grand Prix), Leicestershire	31 March	Jason Plato	Alain Menu	Alain Menu	Williams Renault Dealer Racing	Colin Gallie
	R2			Jason Plato	Alain Menu	Alain Menu	Williams Renault Dealer Racing	Colin Gallie
2	R3	Silverstone Circuit (International), Northamptonshire	20 April	Jason Plato	Jason Plato	Alain Menu	Williams Renault Dealer Racing	Robb Gravett
	R4			Alain Menu	Alain Menu	Alain Menu	Williams Renault Dealer Racing	Robb Gravett
3	R5	Thruxton Circuit, Hampshire	5 May	Alain Menu	James Thompson	Frank Biela	Audi Sport UK	Matt Neal
	R6			Alain Menu	James Thompson	Gabriele Tarquini	Team Honda Sport	Matt Neal
4	R7	Brands Hatch (Indy), Kent	18 May	Alain Menu	Alain Menu	Alain Menu	Williams Renault Dealer Racing	Robb Gravett
	R8			Gabriele Tarquini	Alain Menu	James Thompson	Team Honda Sport	Robb Gravett
5	R9	Oulton Park (Fosters), Cheshire	26 May	Alain Menu	Alain Menu	Alain Menu	Williams Renault Dealer Racing	Colin Gallie
	R10			Alain Menu	Alain Menu	Alain Menu	Williams Renault Dealer Racing	Lee Brookes
6	R11	Donington Park (National), Leicestershire	15 June	Alain Menu	Alain Menu	Frank Biela	Audi Sport UK	Lee Brookes
	R12			Alain Menu	Gabriele Tarquini	Alain Menu	Williams Renault Dealer Racing	Lee Brookes
7	R13	Croft Circuit, North Yorkshire	29 June	Alain Menu1	Gabriele Tarquini	Alain Menu	Williams Renault Dealer Racing	Matt Neal
	R14			Alain Menu1	Alain Menu	Alain Menu	Williams Renault Dealer Racing	Lee Brookes
8	R15	Knockhill Racing Circuit, Fife	3 August	John Bintcliffe	Frank Biela	John Bintcliffe	Audi Sport UK	Robb Gravett
	R16			Frank Biela	Frank Biela	Frank Biela	Audi Sport UK	Robb Gravett
9	R17	Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit, Norfolk	10 August	Alain Menu	Alain Menu	Alain Menu	Williams Renault Dealer Racing	Lee Brookes
	R18			Alain Menu	Alain Menu	Jason Plato	Williams Renault Dealer Racing	Matt Neal
10	R19	Thruxton Circuit, Hampshire	25 August	Rickard Rydell	Gabriele Tarquini	John Bintcliffe	Audi Sport UK	Lee Brookes
	R20			James Thompson	Frank Biela	Frank Biela	Audi Sport UK	Lee Brookes
11	R21	Brands Hatch (Indy), Kent	7 September	Frank Biela2	Anthony Reid	Frank Biela	Audi Sport UK	Lee Brookes
	R22			Anthony Reid3	Rickard Rydell	Rickard Rydell	Volvo S40 Racing	Lee Brookes
12	R23	Silverstone Circuit (International), Northamptonshire	21 September	Jason Plato	Anthony Reid	Alain Menu	Williams Renault Dealer Racing	Matt Neal
	R24			Alain Menu	Alain Menu	Jason Plato	Williams Renault Dealer Racing	Matt Neal

¹Qualifying cancelled. Grids set by championship standings.
²Qualifying cancelled. Grid set by fastest times in Sunday warm-up.
³Qualifying cancelled. Grid set by fastest laps in race 1.

Championships

Drivers Championship

Note: bold signifies pole position (1 point awarded all races), italics signifies fastest lap.
Drivers top 20 results count towards the championship.

Points system
1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th	Pole Position
15	12	10	8	6	5	4	3	2	1	1

Pos.	Driver	DON		SIL		THR		BHI		OUL		DON		CRO		KNO		SNE		THR		BHI		SIL		Pts
1	Alain Menu	1	1	1	1	3	3	1	4	1	1	2	1	1	1	3	Ret	1	2	17	2	3	3	1	2	281
2	Frank Biela	Ret	3	7	Ret	1	Ret	9	6	3	Ret	1	3	4	17	2	1	3	9	2	1	1	5	8	15	171
3	Jason Plato	2	Ret	10	3	Ret	7	3	5	2	4	4	Ret	2	4	Ret	5	4	1	7	6	2	Ret	3	1	170
4	Rickard Rydell	Ret	2	2	2	5	5	7	16	6	3	5	7	3	9	4	7	5	5	Ret	7	15	1	18	7	137
5	James Thompson	Ret	6	Ret	9	6	Ret	2	1	Ret	2	6	11	5	2	6	Ret	2	4	3	3	Ret	Ret	7	4	132
6	Gabriele Tarquini	7	4	5	15	2	1	6	2	Ret	Ret	Ret	6	Ret	Ret	7	3	Ret	3	4	4	Ret	7	4	3	130
7	John Bintcliffe	5	5	Ret	Ret	4	8	Ret	12	4	5	3	4	9	6	1	2	12	11	1	5	4	11	11	Ret	119
8	David Leslie	4	11	3	Ret	7	11	4	3	10	6	9	Ret	Ret	3	11	Ret	9	6	8	10	6	8	6	6	87
9	Tim Harvey	10	Ret	11	4	9	2	Ret	10	Ret	8	7	2	10	7	14	9	8	15	6	13	5	9	13	Ret	66
10	Kelvin Burt	3	9	4	Ret	Ret	13	8	8	9	Ret	8	Ret	12	12	8	4	Ret	8	Ret	16	14	6	5	8	60
11	Anthony Reid	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	8	4	5	14	7	Ret	11	Ret	Ret	8	5	Ret	Ret	10	13	Ret	Ret	2	2	Ret	56
12	John Cleland	11	Ret	6	6	14	9	11	9	5	12	12	8	6	5	10	6	7	16	19	11	13	12	12	11	44
13	Paul Radisch	6	7	Ret	Ret	10	10	Ret	7	8	7	Ret	Ret	Ret	11	Ret	Ret	6	Ret	14	12	Ret	4	10	5	41
14	Derek Warwick	9	8	8	5	15	6	10	11	11	Ret	Ret	10	7	10	9	13	11	Ret	9	8	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	33
15	Will Hoy	Ret	DNS	12	7	11	12	DSQ	17	DNS	DNS	13	9	8	Ret	12	14	10	7	5	9	7	Ret	Ret	10	27
16	Patrick Watts	8	Ret	9	8	12	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	15	10	5	11	16	18	8	Ret	Ret	12	Ret	8	10	9	9	26
17	Lee Brookes	Ret	Ret	14	11	Ret	DNS	13	15	16	9	14	12	NC	13	17	15	13	Ret	10	14	9	13	15	16	5
18	Robb Gravett			13	10	16	16	12	13	14	13	17	Ret	15	14	13	10	14	13	16	Ret	10	14	16	14	3
19	Colin Gallie	12	10	15	12	17	15	DNS	DNS	12	10	15	15	16	15	15	11	15	14	15	17	11	15	17	13	2
20	Jamie Wall	13	Ret	16	13	18	17	14	Ret	13	11	18	14	14	Ret	16	12	Ret	DNS	18	15	12	17	19	17	0
21	Matt Neal	Ret	12	Ret	DNS	13	14	15	DNS	15	14	16	13	13	Ret	Ret	DNS	Ret	12	11	Ret	Ret	16	14	12	0
22	Jan Brunstedt			17	14																					0
23	Ian Heward											Ret	16					DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ			DNQ	DNQ	0
Pos.	Driver	DON		SIL		THR		BHI		OUL		DON		CRO		KNO		SNE		THR		BHI		SIL		Pts

Privateers Championship

Pos.	Driver	DON		SIL		THR		BHI		OUL		DON		CRO		KNO		SNE		THR		BHI		SIL		Pts
1	Robb Gravett			13	10	16	16	12	13	14	13	17	Ret	15	14	13	10	14	13	16	Ret	10	14	16	14	236
2	Lee Brookes	Ret	Ret	14	11	Ret	DNS	13	15	16	9	14	12	NC	13	17	15	13	Ret	10	14	9	13	15	16	225
3	Colin Gallie	12	10	15	12	17	15	DNS	DNS	12	10	15	15	16	15	15	11	15	14	15	17	11	15	17	13	225
4	Jamie Wall	13	Ret	16	13	18	17	14	Ret	13	11	18	14	14	Ret	16	12	Ret	DNS	18	15	12	17	19	17	168
5	Matt Neal	Ret	12	Ret	DNS	13	14	15	DNS	15	14	16	13	13	Ret	Ret	DNS	Ret	12	11	Ret	Ret	16	14	12	166
6	Jan Brunstedt			17	14																					12
7	Ian Heward											Ret	16					DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ			DNQ	DNQ	6
Pos.	Driver	DON		SIL		THR		BHI		OUL		DON		CRO		KNO		SNE		THR		BHI		SIL		Pts

Colour	Result
Gold	Winner
Silver	2nd place
Bronze	3rd place
Green	Points finish
Blue	Non-points finish
	Non-classified finish (NC)
Purple	Retired (Ret)
Red	Did not qualify (DNQ)
	Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
Black	Disqualified (DSQ)
White	Did not start (DNS)
	Withdrew (WD)
	Race cancelled (C)
Blank	Did not participate (DNP)
	Excluded (EX)

Manufacturers Championship

Pos	Manufacturer	DON		SIL		THR		BHI		OUL		DON		CRO		KNO		SNE		THR		BHI		SIL		Pts
1	Renault / Williams Renault Dealer Racing	1	1	1	1	3	3	1	4	1	1	2	1	1	1	3	5	1	1	7	2	2	3	1	1	278
2	Audi / Audi Sport UK	5	3	7	Ret	1	8	9	6	3	5	1	3	4	6	1	1	3	9	1	1	1	5	8	15	210
3	Honda / Team Honda Sport	7	4	5	9	2	1	2	1	Ret	2	6	6	5	2	6	3	2	3	3	3	Ret	7	4	3	209
4	Volvo / Volvo S40 Racing	3	2	2	2	5	5	7	8	6	3	5	7	3	9	4	4	5	5	Ret	7	14	1	5	7	191
5	Nissan / Vodafone Nissan Racing	4	11	3	Ret	7	4	4	3	7	6	9	Ret	Ret	3	5	Ret	9	6	8	10	6	2	2	6	155
6	Peugeot / Esso Ultron Team Peugeot	8	Ret	9	4	9	2	Ret	10	Ret	8	7	2	10	7	14	8	8	15	6	13	5	9	9	9	118
7	Ford / Team Mondeo	6	7	12	7	10	10	Ret	7	8	7	13	9	8	11	12	14	6	7	5	9	7	4	10	5	113
8	Vauxhall / Vauxhall Sport	9	8	6	5	14	6	10	9	5	12	12	8	6	5	9	6	7	16	9	8	13	12	12	11	106
Pos	Manufacturer	DON		SIL		THR		BHI		OUL		DON		CRO		KNO		SNE		THR		BHI		SIL		Pts

Teams Championship

Pos	Team	DON		SIL		THR		BHI		OUL		DON		CRO		KNO		SNE		THR		BHI		SIL		Pts
1	Williams Renault Dealer Racing	1	1	1	1	3	3	1	4	1	1	2	1	1	1	3	5	1	1	7	2	2	3	1	1	422
		2	Ret	10	3	Ret	7	3	5	2	4	4	Ret	2	4	Ret	Ret	4	2	17	6	3	Ret	3	2
2	Audi Sport UK	5	3	7	Ret	1	8	9	6	3	5	1	3	4	6	1	1	3	9	1	1	1	5	8	15	283
		Ret	5	Ret	Ret	4	Ret	Ret	12	4	Ret	3	4	9	17	2	2	12	11	2	5	4	11	11	Ret
3	Team Honda Sport	7	4	5	9	2	1	2	1	Ret	2	6	6	5	2	6	3	2	3	3	3	Ret	7	4	3	254
		Ret	6	Ret	15	6	Ret	6	2	Ret	Ret	Ret	11	Ret	Ret	7	Ret	Ret	4	4	4	Ret	Ret	7	4
4	Volvo S40 Racing	3	2	2	2	5	5	7	8	6	3	5	7	3	9	4	4	5	5	Ret	7	14	1	5	7	191
		Ret	9	4	Ret	Ret	13	10	16	9	Ret	8	Ret	12	12	8	7	Ret	8	Ret	16	15	6	18	8
5	Vodafone Nissan Racing	4	11	3	Ret	7	4	4	3	7	6	9	Ret	Ret	3	5	Ret	9	6	8	10	6	2	2	6	142
		Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	8	11	5	14	10	Ret	11	Ret	Ret	8	11	Ret	Ret	10	13	Ret	Ret	8	6	Ret
6	Esso Ultron Team Peugeot	8	Ret	9	4	9	2	Ret	10	Ret	8	7	2	10	7	14	8	8	15	6	13	5	9	9	9	92
		10	Ret	11	8	12	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	15	10	5	11	16	18	9	Ret	Ret	12	Ret	8	10	13	Ret
7	Vauxhall Sport	9	8	6	5	14	6	10	9	5	12	12	8	6	5	9	6	7	16	9	8	13	12	12	11	77
		11	Ret	8	6	15	9	11	11	11	Ret	Ret	10	7	10	10	13	11	Ret	19	11	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret
8	Team Mondeo	6	7	12	7	10	10	Ret	7	8	7	13	9	8	11	12	14	6	7	5	9	7	4	10	5	62
		Ret	DNS	Ret	Ret	11	12	DSQ	17	DNS	DNS	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	10	Ret	14	12	Ret	Ret	Ret	10
9	Brookes Motorsport	Ret	Ret	14	11	Ret	DNS	13	15	16	9	14	12	NC	13	17	15	13	Ret	10	14	9	13	15	16	5
10	Rock-It Cargo			13	10	16	16	12	13	14	13	17	Ret	15	14	13	10	14	13	16	Ret	10	14	16	14	3
11	Team DCRS	12	10	15	12	17	15	DNS	DNS	12	10	15	15	16	15	15	11	15	14	15	17	11	15	17	13	2
12	Mint Motorsport	13	Ret	16	13	18	17	14	Ret	13	11	18	14	14	Ret	16	12	Ret	DNS	18	15	12	17	19	17	0
13	Team Dynamics	Ret	12	Ret	DNS	13	14	15	DNS	15	14	16	13	13	Ret	Ret	DNS	Ret	12	11	Ret	Ret	16	14	12	0
14	Janco Motorsport			17	14																					0
15	ProMotor Sport											Ret	16					DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ			DNQ	DNQ	0
Pos	Team	DON		SIL		THR		BHI		OUL		DON		CRO		KNO		SNE		THR		BHI		SIL		Pts

RAC Tourist Trophy Results

Pos.	Driver	DON
		H1	H2	F
1	Alain Menu	4	1	1
2	Jason Plato	2	14	2
3	Rickard Rydell	3	5	3
4	Frank Biela	6	6	4
5	Yvan Muller	9	4	5
6	Anthony Reid	1	17	6
7	Will Hoy	12	3	7
8	Armin Hahne	15	13	8
9	John Bintcliffe	10	7	9
10	Kris Nissen	8	8	10
11	Matt Neal	Ret	10	11
12	Christian Abt	13	9	12
13	Paula Cook	17	12	13
14	Jonny Kane	11	11	14
15	Tim Sugden	14	15	15
16	Kari Mäkinen	16	Ret	16
17	Jan Brunstedt	19	16	17
–	David Leslie	7	2	Ret
–	John Cleland	18	Ret	Ret
–	Paul Radisich	5	Ret	Ret
–	Tord Linnerud	Ret	Ret	DNS
–	Aaron Slight	Ret	DNS	DNS
Pos.	Driver	H1	H2	F
		DON

External links

• BTCC Pages
• Touring-Cars.net
• Super Touring Register
• 1997 Teams Championship Results