Will 2002 be the best BTCC season for years?

[Erdosfreak]

With two fantastic commentators and improving Proton a fast Honda and a bumper line up could this be the best in years? We may have lost Lexus and Alfa but this season is looking good already

[Radisichrox]

I certainly hope so

[kristof14]

it's definitely looking good! after a shaky year where the whole thing was dominated by vauxhall, now that the parts are readily available to all teams and they can all do some serious testing, unlike vauxhall buying all the parts meaning that peugeot had to run with 4 gears!, it's going to be a much closer championship, still no no.1 car tho!

[Cleland]

Alfa may be coming back, although I think it will be a bit of the Pheonix F1 team jobbie!

[rick vaux]

As last year was a new beggining as such, this year has , and will, be the closest racing for several years.
It can be one of several teams, who will win , but i don`t think that the Vauxhall boys will have it their own way, as last year, but a mix and match , i hope anyway.
There are too many great individuals out there this year, and the cars should, be closely matched.
I for one, am looking forward to the battle...

[Cleland]

Alfa are back in the 3rd round and lexus back in the 2nd round!

[touringlegend]

Fabulous year ahead most definitely !

Look at the facts !:
2001 BTCC Brands Hatch: 4 Vauxhall Astras, 3 Peugeots, 1 Alfa(which doesn't last that long) I remember the "7 Car BTCC" being made a fool of after that and that it was never going to be like the "good ol' days" again.

2002 BTCC Brands Hatch: 14 Cars in total with probably around 18 by a few rounds into the championship.
A bright future.

[touring fan]

It looks like it's going to be another close year of racing. I can't wait!

[BootsOntheSide]

A year is a long time in motor racing. BTCC looks rosy again with so much new works interest. CART, which looked so bullish jsut 12 short months ago, is now struggling, and IRL is moving up well. I think Vauxhall will win this year, but certainyl not easily, I think by later this year someone else will be faster.

[RollingThunder]

As some of you know I enjoyed "the really good years" during which time I had a go at editing Touring Car magazines. While not generally involved in the sport these days I was at the 2001 opener and again at Brands this weekend, and I have to say the progress was obvious.

The 2001 opener was depressing, to me the cars looked good but the series a shadow of its former self, now at least we're getting back to sensible numbers of class A cars - and don't forget the two Atomic Kitten MGs weren't there this weekend either. The cars looked brilliant, excellently prepared, and the action was good too, particularly considering it was on the GP circuit which makes for good TV but usually dampens the live spectacle.

But, and sorry there is a but - I went down to Qualifying on Sunday, principally to catch up with people in the paddock that I hadn't seen for a goodly while, and one aspect that was clearly absent was the paddock atmosphere. Particularly in the mid '90s that was one of the best bits of working around the BTCC, but on Sunday the paddock appeared totally lifeless. It's possibly a minor point but I feel the BTCC is in need of some more identifiable characters at present.

Hats off to Matt Neal though - someone who really deserves sustained BTCC success.

Andrew Charman

[Pip]

If the racing is a good as it was Monday for the whole season I think we are in for a blinder!!!

I always find the atmosphere a bit odd at Brands, its not so easy to wander round the pits between races - think Donington and Snetterton will be better....

[Speedworx]

It sounds good so far. Need to watch the races before I can comment more.