The 2006 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season was the 49th British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season. As in 2005, there were ten racing weekends at nine different circuits; each round comprising three races, making a thirty round competition in total.

Changes for 2006

Teams and drivers The Triple 8-run works Vauxhall effort continued with a trio of entries in their second season with the Astra Sport Hatch. Yvan Muller left the team after six seasons to contest the World Touring Car Championship for SEAT, and was replaced by Italian veteran Fabrizio Giovanardi, a multiple champion in several European series but contesting his first season in British touring cars. Tom Chilton replaced Colin Turkington in the second car after three seasons with the Arena Motorsport-run Honda programme, while Gavin Smith spent a second season in the third car. Turkish touring car champion Erkut Kizilirmak also appeared at two rounds in a fourth entry.

Vauxhall's only opposition for a sixth straight Manufacturers title came from SEAT, who replaced its trio of Toledos with a pair of new Leons. Jason Plato again headed their assault, while the second seat was alternated throughout the year between the returning James Thompson (also racing for SEAT in the WTCC) and sportscar star Darren Turner. Both drivers ran at the final meeting with Thompson using his WTCC car.

Reigning Teams and Independents champions Team Dynamics ran their pair of self-developed Honda Integra Type Rs for a second year, with champion Matt Neal remaining with his family team. Scottish driver Gordon Shedden graduated from the SEAT Cupra championship to replace Dan Eaves, while Gareth Howell again appeared in a third car later in the season as he had in 2005.

In its third year as an independent, West Surrey Racing continued to run its ex-works MG ZSs, in spite of (MG Rover in fact having gone out of business during 2005. Colin Turkington returned to the team after a disappointing year at Vauxhall, partnering Rob Collard, who had been the team's sole driver in 2005. A 3rd WSR entry appeared on the official entry list but never materialised.

Among the most competitive newcomers to the series were two teams making the transition from GT racing with Team Dynamics' 2005 title-winning Integras. Team Eurotech ran team boss Mike Jordan, the most experienced driver on the grid, back in the BTCC after well over a decade away in sportscar and GT racing. Motorbase Performance ran David Pinkney, another returning veteran, who was making his first BTCC appearance since 2001. Tom Ferrier also returned to the series with Motorbase in the final round, driving an ex-works SEAT Toledo.

Synchro Motorsport ran James Kaye in their Honda Civic Type-R for a fourth straight season, while Jason Hughes also returned driving an ex-works MG ZS for his Kartworld Racing team. Both Kartworld and the WSR team switched their MGs to bio-ethanol fuel later in the year. Running bio-ethanol fuel for a second year were Tech-Speed Motorsport, who once again ran Fiona Leggate in their Vauxhall Astra Coupe. Leggate was replaced by ex-Vauxhall works driver Paul O'Neill for the final two rounds.

Mark Proctor switched from his Astra Coupe for his second season, his Fast-Tec Motorsport team instead running the Honda Civic Type-R driven by Tom Chilton in 2005. BMW and Alfa Romeo were represented on the BTCC grid for the first time since 2004, with club racers Martin Bell (Geoff Steel Racing) and Mark Smith (In-Front Motorsport) making their debuts in ex-WTCC BMW 320i's and Alfa Romeo 156s respectively.

The championship welcomed several more entries across the course of the season. Xero Competition entered a Lexus IS200 (converted to Super 2000 rules from the Dutch touring car series) for British GT racer Adam Jones, Quest Racing ran young Irishman Eoin Murray in the ex-works Alfa Romeo 156 he won for taking the Alfa Romeo 147 Challenge title in 2005, while Richard Marsh returned to the field racing an ex-Vic Lee Racing Peugeot 307 for Team Griffin Racing. This car was converted to run on bioethanol fuel for the final meeting at Silverstone.

The final two rounds saw another raft of new entries, all of which were planning full campaigns in 2007. The pair of Lexus IS200s run by SpeedEquipe in 2005 were entered by BTC Racing for Chris Stockton and Darren Dowling, while a third Lexus was fielded by Team Forward Racing (a satellite squad of Xero Competition) for Mark Jones. Daniels Motorsport made a second late-season appearance with their Astra Coupe, with Nick Leason at the wheel.

Other changes Following a meeting between BTCC teams and series organiser TOCA, a number of changes to the technical and sporting regulations were introduced for 2006: The number of grid places reversed for race three's starting grid varied between six and ten. The actual number was unknown at each race meeting until it was randomly drawn by the winner of race two, immediately after that race. This replaced the previous season's rule of reversing the top ten finishers, which had seen drivers deliberately trying to drop to tenth place in race two in order to secure pole for race three. The base weight of BTC-spec cars was raised to 1175 kg, although the difference in base weight between BTC and S2000-spec cars remained the same as at the end of 2005. Cars of drivers who entered the BTCC late, or dipped in and out of the championship, were penalised with a maximum success ballast at their first meeting or on their return. The ballast amount was subsequently reduced at the second and third meetings in which that car competed.

Teams and drivers

Team Car No. Drivers Rounds Works BTC-T Entries VX Racing Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch 5 Tom Chilton All 10 Gavin Smith All 11 Fabrizio Giovanardi All 90 Erkut Kızılırmak 5, 7 Works S2000 Entries SEAT Sport UK SEAT León 4 Jason Plato All 14 James Thompson 1–3, 5, 7, 10 24 Darren Turner 4, 6, 8–10 Independent BTC-T Entries Team Halfords Honda Integra Type-R 1 Matt Neal All 25 Gareth Howell 7–10 52 Gordon Shedden All Team RAC MG ZS 6 Colin Turkington All 7 Rob Collard All Fast-Tec Motorsport Honda Civic Type-R 12 Mark Proctor 1–3, 5, 7–8 Peugeot 307 16 Richard Marsh 6–10 NJL Racing with Daniels Motorsport Vauxhall Astra Coupé 19 Nick Leason 9–10 Synchro Motorsport Honda Civic Type-R 20 James Kaye All Kartworld Racing MG ZS 28 Jason Hughes All Motorbase Performance Honda Integra Type-R 55 Dave Pinkney All Team Eurotech Racing with John Guest Honda Integra Type-R 77 Mike Jordan All Thurlby Motors Boston Bowl with Tech-Speed Vauxhall Astra Coupé 82 Fiona Leggate 1–7 Paul O'Neill 9–10 Independent S2000 Entries Geoff Steel Racing BMW 320i 15 Martyn Bell All Quest Racing Alfa Romeo 156 17 Eoin Murray 5–7, 9–10 Xero Competition Lexus IS200 21 Adam Jones 3–6, 8–10 Team Forward Racing 79 Mark Jones 9–10 Motorbase Performance SEAT Toledo Cupra 23 Tom Ferrier 10 BTC Racing Lexus IS200 42 Darren Dowling 9–10 43 Chris Stockton 9–10 InFront Motorsport Alfa Romeo 156 66 Mark Smith 1, 3–7, 9–10

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 Brands Hatch Indy, Kent 9 April Tom Chilton Tom Chilton James Thompson SEAT Sport UK R2 Jason Plato James Thompson SEAT Sport UK R3 Gordon Shedden Jason Plato SEAT Sport UK 2 R4 Mondello Park 23 April Matt Neal Matt Neal Matt Neal Team Halfords R5 Jason Plato Matt Neal Team Halfords R6 Rob Collard Mike Jordan Team Eurotech Racing 3 R7 Oulton Park Island, Cheshire 14 May Jason Plato Jason Plato Gordon Shedden Team Halfords R8 Colin Turkington Matt Neal Team Halfords R9 Jason Plato Jason Plato SEAT Sport UK 4 R10 Thruxton Circuit, Hampshire 4 June Gordon Shedden Gordon Shedden Gordon Shedden Team Halfords R11 David Pinkney Matt Neal Team Halfords R12 Colin Turkington Colin Turkington Team RAC 5 R13 Croft Circuit, Yorkshire 16 July James Thompson James Thompson Jason Plato SEAT Sport UK R14 Gordon Shedden Matt Neal Team Halfords R15 Gordon Shedden James Thompson SEAT Sport UK 6 R16 Donington Park National 30 July Gordon Shedden Gordon Shedden Gordon Shedden Team Halfords R17 Rob Collard Gordon Shedden Team Halfords R18 Colin Turkington Colin Turkington Team RAC 7 R19 Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit, Norfolk 13 August Jason Plato Gavin Smith Jason Plato SEAT Sport UK R20 Colin Turkington Jason Plato SEAT Sport UK R21 Gordon Shedden Matt Neal Team Halfords 8 R22 Knockhill Racing Circuit, Fife 3 September Jason Plato Gordon Shedden Jason Plato SEAT Sport UK R23 Colin Turkington Fabrizio Giovanardi VX Racing R24 Gordon Shedden Matt Neal Team Halfords 9 R25 Brands Hatch Indy, Kent 24 September Jason Plato Jason Plato Jason Plato SEAT Sport UK R26 Jason Plato Jason Plato SEAT Sport UK R27 Tom Chilton Fabrizio Giovanardi VX Racing 10 R28 Silverstone National 15 October Gareth Howell Gareth Howell Gareth Howell Team Halfords R29 Gordon Shedden Matt Neal Team Halfords R30 Gareth Howell Gareth Howell Team HalfordsSource:

Championship standings

Drivers' Championship

Pos Driver BHI MON OUL THR CRO DON SNE KNO BHI SIL Pts 1 Matt Neal 3 3 Ret 1* 1* 3 4 1* 8 2 1* 2 3 1* 4 4 5 7 6 8 1* 2 5 1* 2 2 Ret 4 1* Ret 289 2 Jason Plato Ret 5 1* 2 2 8 14* 6 1* Ret Ret 3 1* 2* 3 7 Ret Ret 1* 1* 6 1* Ret* DNS 1* 1* 3 8 Ret 4 241 3 Colin Turkington 4 2 2 4 3 2 7 17 5 8 6 1* 4 3 2 2* 8 1* Ret 3 4 7 9 Ret* 3 3 4 2 2 240 4 Gordon Shedden Ret Ret 4 5 6 1* 3 Ret 1* 2 11 12 4 17 1* 1* 3 Ret 6 5 6 Ret 2* 7 4 2 6 2 Ret 204 5 Fabrizio Giovanardi Ret 8 6 7 Ret 5 5 2 9 Ret 8 12 6 Ret 5 3 4* 2 3 Ret Ret 4 1* 6 6 5 1* 7 3 16 163 6 James Thompson 1* 1* 5 3 Ret 4 11 4 2* 2* 5 1* 2 2 2 5 Ret 5 162 7 Tom Chilton 2* 7 3* 6 Ret 9 9 7 3* 4 9 8 Ret 8 6 5 Ret 6 Ret 7 3* 12 Ret Ret 4 6 8* 3 Ret 3 139 8 Gavin Smith 6 4 7 8 5 7 8 10 6 6 12 7 9 6 8* 6 2 5 4 Ret 7 Ret 2 5 Ret NC 10 11 4 10 123 9 Rob Collard 7 6 Ret 10 Ret 6 5 4 5 3 6 5 Ret 10 9 13 Ret 11 5 Ret Ret Ret 7 5 7 6 10 5 7 97 10 Mike Jordan 5 Ret Ret 9 7 1* 2 12 7 Ret Ret Ret 11 10 7 8 3 Ret 5 4 12 5 Ret DNS 8 Ret 7 9 Ret DNS 91 11 Gareth Howell 7 9 Ret 3 7 3 Ret 8 5 1* 6* 1* 80 12 James Kaye 8 9 Ret 10 6 DNS 3 9 DNS 7 7 4 8 7 9 10 7 8 9 Ret 8 Ret Ret DNS 11 13 Ret DNS Ret Ret 61 13 David Pinkney Ret 10 8 13 4 10 10 8 Ret Ret 4 5 7 9 Ret 11 Ret 9 12 Ret 11 Ret 3 9 9 9 Ret 13 11 12 56 14 Darren Turner 3 5 Ret 12 9 4 10 4 Ret Ret DNS Ret 10 6 41 15 Jason Hughes 9 11 9 11 DNS Ret 12 Ret 10 9 10 9 14 12 11 15 Ret Ret 10 Ret 15 8 4 Ret Ret 10 9 15 9 11 27 16 Mark Proctor Ret Ret DNS 12 8 Ret 13 11 13 DNS DNS DNS Ret 14 Ret 8 11 9 9 6 8 18 17 Eoin Murray 10 11 12 13 6 Ret Ret 10 10 Ret DNS DNS Ret DNS DNS 8 18 Martyn Bell 10 Ret Ret 15 9 11 Ret 13 14 12 Ret DNS 16 15 16 14 12 10 14 Ret 13 Ret 8 10 14 Ret 13 16 Ret 15 8 19 Tom Ferrier 12 7 8 7 20 Paul O'Neill 10 11 11 14 8 9* 7 21 Fiona Leggate Ret 12 10 14 Ret DNS 15 14 11 10 13 10 Ret 16 14 DNS DNS DNS 13 12 Ret 3 22 Adam Jones Ret 15 12 11 11 13 13 13 13 16 10 Ret 11 Ret DNS 12 Ret 12 DNS DNS DNS 1 23 Mark Smith 11 Ret DNS 16 16 Ret NC 14 14 17 17 18 17 11 Ret Ret Ret 16 17 14 14 18 13 13 0 24 Chris Stockton 13 12 Ret 19 16 Ret 0 25 Richard Marsh 18 Ret DNS DNS DNS DNS Ret DNS Ret DNS DNS DNS 17 12 14 0 26 Erkut Kizilirmak 15 Ret 15 Ret 13 14 0 27 Darren Dowling 16 Ret 15 20 14 Ret 0 28 Nick Leason 15 DNS DNS NC 15 DNS 0 29 Mark Jones 18 Ret 16 Ret NC Ret 0 Pos Driver BHI MON OUL THR CRO DON SNE KNO BHI SIL PtsSources:

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 Championship