BTC-T Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch

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BTC-T Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch
Vauxhall astra brands hatch.jpg
CategoryBTCC
ConstructorTriple 8 Race Engineering
Technical specifications
ChassisVauxhall Astra Mk V
Engine2,000 cc (122.0 cu in) In-line 4 NA front-mounted, FWD
Transmission6-speed Sequential
TyresDunlop
Competition history
Notable entrantsVXRacing
Arkas Racing
Debut2005 BTCC at Donington Park
RacesWinsPolesF.Laps
117 (2005-2008)1059
Teams' Championships0
Constructors' Championships1 (2005)
Drivers' Championships0

The BTC-T Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch is a BTC-Touring class racing car that was built for the 2005 British Touring Car Championship season by Triple 8 Race Engineering, who ran Vauxhall's official works program.

Works history[]

VXRacing BTC-T Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch at Brands Hatch
VXRacing BTC-T Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch at Brands Hatch

After campaigning the BTC-T Vauxhall Astra Coupe for 4 years, VX Racing took the decision to replace the car with the brand-new Astra SportHatch for the 2005 BTCC season.[1][2] An experimental BTC-T spec Vectra had been built in 2003, but the experiment was not continued due to the weight of the car.[3] 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, Colin Turkington and Fabrizio Giovanardi. The emergence of the BTC-T Honda Integra Type R proved to be a challenge too far for Vauxhall, despite a successful debut victory,[4] and Vauxhall's 100th BTCC win at Knockhill in 2006.[5] Despite the dominance of Matt Neal's Integra, however, the car did deliver the 2005 Manufacturer's championship to Vauxhall, as Team Dynamics were not competing in this championship.[6]

Later career[]

After the car's replacement with the Super 2000-spec Vectra,[7] the Turkish driver Erkut Kizilirmak bought three of the four chassis, and used them for his Arkas Racing team in the BTCC for 2007,[8] with some occasional races in the . In 2008, Erkut expanded the BTCC effort to a two-car team, being joined by Martyn Bell.[9]

Chassis history[]

Chassis CH12

  • 2005 – Yvan Muller (Rounds 1-3)/Two Seater
  • 2006 – Two Seater/Erkut Kizilirmak (Rounds 13-15/18-21)
  • 2007 onwards – Two Seater

Chassis CH14

Chassis CH15

  • 2005/06 – Gavin Smith
  • 2007 – Erkut Kizilirmak ()
  • 2008 – Erkut Kizilirmak (Rounds 10-30)

Chassis CH16

Chassis CH17

References[]

  1. ^ "Vauxhall To Defend BTCC Titles With New Astra". Carpages.co.uk. 17 January 2005. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  2. ^ BTCCPages.com. "PICS : New VX Racing Astra Sport Hatch in full livery - BTCC News". BTCCPages.com. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  3. ^ Autosport magazine feature 25 January 2007 'Tin-Tops That Never Raced'
  4. ^ "Victorious Race Debut For VX Racing Astra Sport Hatch". Carpages.co.uk. 12 April 2005. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  5. ^ Jonathan Gill (7 September 2006). "BTCC: Gio brings Vauxhall 100 up". Auto Express. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  6. ^ BTCCPages.com (5 April 2009). "2005 BTCC Points". BTCCPages.com. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  7. ^ "Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship". BTCC. 18 December 2006. Archived from the original on 21 February 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  8. ^ "BTCC: Turkish team enters BTCC". TouringCarTimes. Archived from the original on 5 February 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  9. ^ "Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship". BTCC. 4 February 2008. Archived from the original on 22 February 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
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