1990 British Touring Car Championship
33rd season of the British Touring Car Championship
Robb Gravett , the 1990 British Touring Car Champion.
The 1990 Esso RAC British Touring Car Championship season was the 33rd British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season and marked the last year of the Group A era. It was also the final year of the multi-class format.
Changes for 1990
Classes changed from four to two. Group A cars now ran alongside the all new 2 litre Touring Car Formula, with a view to a single class formula for 1991. This was to encourage new manufacturers to enter the series, with a more even field of cars and cheaper running costs. BMW and Vauxhall already entered works teams this year, with other manufacturers showing interest for future seasons.
One hour endurance races increased from one to two.
Season summary
The first race was won by Andy Rouse in his Ford Sierra RS500 . He also won the first 1 Hour endurance race at Donington Park GP with David Sears . The next race at Thruxton was won by Robb Gravett . Gravett also won the next six races including the second 1 Hour endurance race at Brands Hatch with Mike Smith . Rouse won the Birmingham Superprix . This would be best remembered for the last lap accident between Frank Sytner and John Cleland . It would be the last time that the BTCC would race on the track.
Gravett then won at Donington. The last two races, at Thruxton and Silverstone , were won by Rouse and Gravett.
It was Gravett who won the championship, despite the team's struggle to run through the season on a low budget with no main sponsor.
Teams and drivers
Team
Car
No.
Drivers
Rounds
Endurance Drivers
Class A
ICS plc
Ford Sierra RS500
1
Andy Rouse
All
David Sears D† Gary Ayles B†
Labatt's Team
Ford Sierra RS500
3
Tim Harvey
All
Slim Borgudd †
10
Laurence Bristow
All
Tomas Mezera D† Paul Radisich B†
FAI Auto Parts
Ford Sierra RS500
4
Sean Walker
All
Ian Flux†
Listerine Racing Team
Ford Sierra RS500
5
Mike Newman
1, 3–6, 10–11, 13
Andy Middlehurst
9
15
Graham Goode
All
Mike NewmanD† Dave Brodie B†
Trakstar Motorsport
Ford Sierra RS500
11
Robb Gravett
All
Stig Blomqvist D† Mike Smith B†
12
Mike Smith
1, 6, 13
14
Graham Hathaway
2
Mike Smith D†
Hathaway Racing
Ford Sierra RS500
3–7, 9
Vince Woodman B†
Brodie-Brittain Racing
Ford Sierra RS500
20
Dave Brodie
8, 11–12
Stuart Donnan Racing
Ford Sierra RS500
21
Stuart Donnan
10, 13
Judge Developments
Ford Sierra RS500
22
Dennis Leech
4–6, 9–12
Crypton Engineering
Ford Sierra RS500
24
Amato Ferrari
9–10
Vauxhall Motorsport
Vauxhall Cavalier
50
John Cleland
All
Chris Hodgetts †
70
Chris Hodgetts
5–8, 10
Bob Berridge B†
David Coulthard
9
Bob Berridge
11
Markus Oestreich
12–13
Hawaiian Tropic
Ford Sierra Sapphire
51
Ray Bellm
1–4, 6, 11
James Shead D†
Chris Hodgetts
12–13
Ecosse Motorsport
BMW M3
52
Ian Forrest
All
Bernard HunterD† Tony BridgeB†
53
Hugh Chalmers
1–2, 4–5, 7, 10
Jimmy McRae †
Jimmy McRae
3, 6
John Llewellyn
8
Karl Jones
9
Jim McGaughay
11, 13
Chuck Nicholson
12
BMW Team Finance
BMW M3
55
Frank Sytner
All
Kurt Luby †
56
Kelvin Burt
1, 13
Kelvin Burt †
Kurt Luby
2–3, 6, 9–10, 12
Tim Sugden
4–5, 7–8, 11
Techspeed Motorsport
BMW 318is
57
Nick Baird
1–6, 8, 10–13
David CarvellD† Nigel CorryB†
Robin Brundle
7
HWR Motorsport
Vauxhall Belmont
58
Jeff Wilson
11–13
BRR Motorsport
BMW M3
59
Ian Flux
12–13
John Maguire Racing
Mitsubishi Starion
60
Mark Hales
All
Graham Scarborough†
Pyramid Motorsport
BMW M3
66
Nick Whale
1–3, 5–13
Gerrit van Kouwen †
77
Godfrey Hall
1–12
David Leslie †
88
John Clark
1, 3–11, 13
David Leslie B†
David Leslie
12
Arquati Racing Team
BMW M3
69
Jerry Mahony
1–6, 8
Robbie Stirling D†
BMW Team Sweden
BMW M3
90
Nettan Lindgren
1–2, 5–7, 9–13
Peggen Andersson †
Vic Lee Motorsport
BMW M3
99
Jeff Allam
3–13
Vic Lee B†
PG Tags Racing
Honda Civic
100
Ray Armes
1–7, 9–13
Jeremy Rossiter †
† Not eligible for points.
D Donington Park only.
B Brands Hatch only.
Calendar
All races were held in the United Kingdom. Overall winners in bold .
Round
Circuit
Date
Pole Position
Fastest Lap
Class A Winner
Class B Winner
1
Oulton Park (International) , Cheshire
13 April
Robb Gravett
Tim Harvey
Andy Rouse
Kelvin Burt
2*
Donington Park (Grand Prix) , Leicestershire
29 April
Robb Gravett
Robb Gravett
Andy Rouse David Sears
Frank Sytner Kurt Luby
3
Thruxton Circuit , Hampshire
28 May
Robb Gravett
Robb Gravett
Robb Gravett
John Cleland
4
Silverstone Circuit (National) , Northamptonshire
10 June
Andy Rouse
Tim Harvey
Robb Gravett
Frank Sytner
5
Oulton Park (International) , Cheshire
1 July
Mike Newman
Robb Gravett
Robb Gravett
Frank Sytner
6
Silverstone Circuit (Grand Prix) , Northamptonshire
15 July
Robb Gravett
Robb Gravett
Robb Gravett
Kurt Luby
7*
Brands Hatch (Indy) , Kent
22 July
Robb Gravett
Andy Rouse
Robb Gravett Mike Smith
Frank Sytner Kurt Luby
8
Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit , Norfolk
5 August
Robb Gravett
Robb Gravett
Robb Gravett
John Cleland
9
Brands Hatch (Grand Prix) , Kent
19 August
Robb Gravett
Robb Gravett
Robb Gravett
John Cleland
10
Birmingham Superprix , Birmingham
27 August
Robb Gravett
Robb Gravett
Andy Rouse
Kurt Luby
11
Donington Park (Grand Prix) , Leicestershire
16 September
Andy Rouse
Andy Rouse
Robb Gravett
Frank Sytner
12
Thruxton Circuit , Hampshire
23 September
Robb Gravett
Robb Gravett
Andy Rouse
Nettan Lindgren
13
Silverstone Circuit (National) , Northamptonshire
7 October
Tim Harvey
Andy Rouse
Robb Gravett
John Cleland
* 1 hour endurance races.
Driver Standings/Results
Colour
Result
Gold
Winner
Silver
Second place
Bronze
Third 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 practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)
Note: bold signifies pole position in class, italics signifies fastest lap in class.
Endurance drivers results
Note: All endurance drivers were ineligible to score points.
References
BSCC (1958–1986) BTCC (1987–present)